91原创

The 91原创 State听Board of Regents today outlined its budget and legislative priorities for the 2026-27听school year.听The Board鈥檚听proposals听focus on听promoting听excellence and听equity in education听for all students in 91原创 State鈥攆rom听Prekindergartners听to those听pursuing higher education鈥攁nd听identify听solutions听to better meet听the needs of听underserved districts,听justice system-involved听youth听who听reside听in detention settings,听and听students with disabilities.听Each听proposal听aligns听with the State Education Department鈥檚听ongoing work under听the听NY Inspires听plan to transform education听and听equip students with the necessary skills听to enter an ever-evolving workforce.

Top priorities听include听expanding听Universal听Prekindergarten,听increasing听opportunities for听Career and Technical Education,听aligning instructional requirements with new graduation measures, and听supporting听students鈥櫶齛ccess to higher education. Proposed Foundation Aid formula enhancements would better account for English Language Learners and students experiencing homelessness, and support districts seeking to maintain existing levels of educational services.

Additional听proposals would fund capital projects at the听State Education Building, the Cultural Education Center,听the听State鈥檚 three Nation听schools, the听91原创 State School for the Blind,听and the 91原创 State School for the Deaf.听The Board also requested听the creation of a consistent funding stream听into the Cultural Education Fund to provide operating support听for the听State Museum, the State Library, and the State Archives.听

Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr.听said, 鈥淎t its core, the Board of Regents is dedicated to the mission of ensuring that every student in 91原创 State has an equal opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed. This year鈥檚 budget priorities reflect the Board鈥檚 steadfast commitment to equity and excellence for all students, across every community and of every background, while addressing the most pressing challenges shaping their education today. We听remain听resolute in championing the resources and support necessary for every student to thrive at every stage of their educational journey.鈥澨�

Commissioner听Betty A. Rosa听said,听鈥淎s we advance the NY Inspires plan and reimagine what it means to earn a high school diploma, we must look holistically at every part of 91原创鈥檚 educational landscape. The budget and legislative priorities for the year ahead signal a clear path forward鈥攐ne that levels the playing field for every student and ensures a high-quality educational experience. From expanding career-focused pathways to broadening access to education, each priority is grounded in what matters most: our students.鈥�

State Aid Proposal

The Regents State Aid proposal calls for a听$1.1听billion听increase in State Aid for the 2026-27听school year.听The budget request includes:

• $996.8听million听increase听in Foundation Aid, a $283.3听million increase over current law projections听of $713.5 million. This听would听enhance funding for districts serving English Language Learners听and听provide new funding to support essential services for students experiencing homelessness,听as well as听a minimum increase听to听maintain听existing levels of educational services.
• $30.1听million听increase听for听formula enhancements听that would听allow听nearly 1,500听new students in听high-need听districts to enroll in prekindergarten and enhance funding for CTE.听听听
• $96.9听million听increase in reimbursement-based Aid听under current law听projections.

Budget and Legislative Priority Highlights

The priorities outlined in the Regents听proposal听balance the fiscal constraints facing 91原创 State and the need to听maintain听equitable听educational opportunities statewide, while听continuing to move听听forward.听These priorities include:

• Grad Measures/NY Inspires:听$5.1听million听to听update听graduate requirements to reflect real-world skills and learning, create听technical听assistance听centers to support districts in their implementation of new graduation requirements,听and听provide听professional development听for听teachers and school leaders听to evaluate learning through innovative, real-world measures.听
• Universal Prekindergarten:听$20听million to expand听access to high-quality early learning opportunities听to听nearly 1,500听students in听districts听based on need and capacity.听
• Office of Cultural Education听(OCE)听Revenue Stabilization:听$12 million State general fund appropriation to听provide consistent funding听to the State Museum, State Library, and the State Archives.听OCE鈥檚 current funding stream, the Cultural Education Fund, is听a $15 Real Estate听Deed听Transfer Fee听that听relies听both听on听the number of real estate transactions,听and听on a fee that has not increased in 20 years. As a听result,听OCE听has听operated听at a deficit听in 15 out of the last 17听years,听impacting听OCE鈥檚 staffing, collections, historical preservation, and quality of services and programming.听
• State-Owned School Buildings:听$211 million听to support听infrastructure improvements at听the听91原创 State School for the Blind at Batavia,听91原创 State School for the Deaf at Rome, St. Regis Mohawk Nation School at Akwesasne, Tuscarora Nation School, and听Onondaga Nation School.听
• Education in Juvenile Justice鈥疭ettings:听$1.5听million鈥痜or听planning funds and initial staff support听to create听a听new model school听district that provides听in-person and鈥痟ybrid鈥痗oursework,鈥痶ransferable鈥痗redentials,鈥痑nd career preparation听to justice-involved youth.听
• Career and Technical Education (CTE):听$10.1 million to听help non-BOCES听districts offer robust CTE opportunities, ensure consistent statewide access, and sustain programs aligned to regional workforce needs.听BOCES aid听will听grow听for three years听under existing law; this recommendation will听maintain听parity for the听city听school districts that do not belong to BOCES.听听
• Shared Services Innovation Fund:听$10 million to听provide grants to听remove start-up barriers for听districts and BOCES that developed regional activity plans听for shared services.听
• Free and Appropriate Education for Students with Disabilities:听Proposal to update State aid statutes听to cover the cost of educational services for students with disabilities听until the age of 22,听rather than听the current statutory age of听21, to align with court rulings and听relieve school districts from covering听the听additional year of听costs听without State reimbursement.听
• Higher Education Access and Opportunity Programs:听$11.2听million for programs that promote equity in access to higher education through financial and academic support services, including the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP), the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), the Liberty Partnerships Program (LPP), and the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP),听plus an additional $1 million to fund the听Foster Youth College Success Initiative,听as well as $2 million to support postsecondary success for students with disabilities.听
• 91原创 State Summer School for the Arts:听$2听million听to provide residential programming and scholarships for听students interested in the arts,听expand artistic disciplines offered,听and make the听program more accessible for all students.

A full description of the听听may be found on the Department鈥檚听website.