School officials want an extra $1.6 billion. Cuomo offered $769 million.

New York's state budget is due soon, and funding for education remains unresolved. City & State spoke with state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia about the funding levels she would like to see for New York's schools and the governor's less generous proposal, as well as as what her department is doing to protect the rights of transgender students. 

• By Fernanda Nunes
• March 21, 2018

New York keeps shortchanging poor students

New York's Foundation Aid formula has major shortcomings, which include using a decade of inconsistent local share calculations, arbitrary floors and ceilings, old demographic data and guaranteed increases regardless of changing demographics or enrollment. As a result of these distortions, excess aid is sent to wealthy districts and poorer districts get shortchanged. The state cannot afford to fully fund the warped formula, yet advocates are calling for a $2 billion increase in Foundation Aid in the coming year.

• By David Friedfel
• March 19, 2018

Armed school officers could turn the state Senate blue

The fate of state Sen. Simcha Felder's bill arming guards in schools could impact which party he caucuses with.

• By Jeff Coltin
• March 18, 2018

To combat racism, fund needy schools

State Foundation Aid is underfunded.

• By Philip Ramos
• March 18, 2018

Cuomo takes on guns, NYCHA and the Percoco verdict

Gov. Andrew Cuomo joined students walking out to protest gun violence. Afterward, he took questions from the press on the conviction of Joseph Percoco, his former senior aide.

• By Grace Segers
• March 14, 2018

How Jesse Hamilton keeps Trump Republicans in power

Zakiyah Ansari of the Alliance for Quality Education argues that state Sen. Jesse Hamilton joining the Independent Democratic Conference has kept Trump Republicans in power.

• By Zakiyah Ansari
• March 8, 2018

Why the attacks against my Black History Education bill are racist

Fringe groups like the Working Families Party, Make NY True Blue and Indivisible feel intellectually superior to everyone and believe they determine who is a Democrat and who is not, and define who is black enough and what it means to be a public servant in communities of color. 

With this disconnected view, activists shamefully slammed my effort to pass the Black History Education bill during Black History Month. 


• By Jesse Hamilton
• March 3, 2018

It’s time for menstrual equity

The state Legislature should require free menstrual products in public schools, argue Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul and Jennifer Weiss-Wolf.

• By Kathy Hochul and Jennifer Weiss-Wolf
• February 27, 2018

IDC's Peralta gets second challenger, who would be a first

Andrea Marra wants to be NY’s first transgender state senator

• By David Colon
• February 22, 2018

Updated: New York’s most prominent guns rights and gun control advocates

The latest mass shooting splits New York politicians.

• By Grace Segers
• February 21, 2018

WFP endorses three IDC challengers

The Working Families Party endorsed Alessandra Biaggi, Jessica Ramos and Rachel May

• By Grace Segers
• February 15, 2018

Talking transit with Trottenberg

• By Rebecca C. Lewis
• February 14, 2018

Who are the longest-serving state Legislature committee chairs?

Some New York Assembly and Senate committees have had the same leadership for decades.

• By Grace Segers
• February 2, 2018

'Andrew thinks he already is president of the United States'

John DeFrancisco on Gov. Cuomo, the subways and economic development

• By Grace Segers
• January 31, 2018

Jeff Klein, the chess master

The chess master: State Sen. Jeff Klein has risen in Albany by outplaying his rivals. What is the endgame?

• By Frank G. Runyeon
• January 26, 2018

The Mercers donate generously to New York Republicans

The Mercers are well on their way to becoming among the most influential donors in New York politics.

• By Grace Segers
• January 24, 2018

What happens if Jeff Klein resigns?

• By Grace Segers
• January 17, 2018

How Albany bent over backwards to help one of NYC’s “worst landlords”

• By Frank G. Runyeon
• December 11, 2017

Con con is dead, but we still need these New York state reforms

• By Steve Levy
• November 27, 2017

Kavanagh to face Republican challenger for Squadron's open state Senate seat

• By Jeff Coltin
• September 21, 2017