Nearly all of the school district budgets up for consideration by voters on Tuesday were approved, according to initial projections by the New York State United Teachers.

All told, about 99% of the budgets were approved by voters. Out of the 534 budgets up for a vote, only nine went down in defeat.

New York state lawmakers want to expand the social studies curriculum in schools to require the teaching of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander experiences in the U.S.

The bill re-introduced this week would add the history of the communities in New York and regionally in the United States, including movements and policies that have affected them.

State and federal lawmakers on Tuesday called for the passage of a measure to ensure college students can receive access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as COVID-19 pandemic-era provisions are ending.

The measure, backed by U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, would expand SNAP benefits to all college students who are attending two and four-year universities on a part-time basis or need more to meet traditional income and eligibility requirements.

An estimated 81% of New York school children will be able to receive free breakfast and lunch due to combined state and federal aid for food programs, state lawmakers on Thursday said.

New York's state budget included $134 million for meals, money that Democratic lawmakers said will help supplement the expiration of some federal aid.

Top officials at the State University of New York and the City University of New York will assess the long-term effect of "fluctuations" in student enrollment and develop plans to address it, according to provisions included in the final $229 billion budget deal.

Both the SUNY and CUNY systems have been affected by the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to complications in their enrollment pictures at multiple campuses.

New York state Sen. James Skoufis recently introduced a bill which if signed into law would make recess mandatory for all elementary school kids.

For most students, like 5th grader Tate Patterson, it is the only time he gets to spend with his friends outside of the classroom.

Additional money to help maintain public higher education campuses, as well as make renovations, will head to schools in the State University of New York and City University of New York systems as part of the state budget agreement.

As expected, lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul agreed to a budget that does not increase tuition for in-state students.

Melinda Person has been elected to a three-year term as president of the New York State United Teachers, the union announced Saturday.

She replaces Andy Pallotta, who retired from the leadership post. Pallotta had endorsed Person to replace him.

A plan to increase tuition for New York college students at the public college and university system is off the table. But now talk is turning toward funding.

State University of New York Chancellor John King says the state’s public college and university system needs more revenue and he’s been looking to the state budget.

Top New York state education officials in New York would be required to work with State Police and homeland security to create basic standards for security and safety at schools.

The measure, backed by state Sen. James Skoufis and Assemblymember Nader Sayegh, comes in the wake of school shootings and recent so-called "swatting" incidents.

Elementary school students in New York would receive at least 30 minutes of daily recess under a measure proposed Wednesday by state Sen. James Skoufis.

The proposal would also bar schools from withholding recess time from students facing disciplinary action.

Schools across New York have been contending with so-called "swatting" incidents: A phone call is made warning about violence, activating the police and evacuating classrooms. State lawmakers like Republican state Sen. Jim Tedisco this week proposed measures meant to hold perpatrators accountable.

In the days after dozens of schools around New York received hoax threats of violence, state lawmakers are proposing measures meant to boost safety for kids and teachers.

The 5,000 members of SUNY's Graduate Student Employees Union are fighting hard to include one of the Legislature's proposals in the next state budget to phase out double-digit fees taken out of their annual stipends.

Graduate student teaching staff and assistants make up the backbone of instruction at SUNY and CUNY campuses, but continue to have to pay back 15 to 20% of their annual salary back to the university system.

Dozens more schools across New York were hit by another wave of unfounded threats on Tuesday, according to officials, which follows a similar wave of unfounded reports, known as "swatting," that occurred last week.

"More than 50 school districts across New York have received disturbing 'swatting' threats today including in Central New York, Long Island, the Southern Tier and the North Country," Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. "I want to reassure parents that their children are safe at school - swatting threats are false and intended to cause panic and scare students, teachers and families."

Recently released data from the U.S. Department of Education found most college students do not receive special services from their school.

A measure announced Tuesday by Republican U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro is meant to change that.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government provided meals to all students, but that policy ended last year.

Now, only the very poorest families qualify for federal meals programs. What advocates in Albany want is for the state to pick up the rest of the tab for all kids. The cost would be just up to $201 million a year.

State Assembly Republicans Thursday backed a package of measures meant to make schools safer in New York — from adding more school resource officers to addressing mental health concerns.

The announcement for the proposals, the subject of a months-long statewide listening tour on the issue by Republican lawmakers, coincided with multiple schools across parts of upstate New York receiving false threats on Thursday.

Because of falling enrollment and other issues, Gov. Kathy Hochul is urging tuition hikes at SUNY campuses in her executive budget.

She’s proposed 6% tuition increases at the state’s large research facilities in Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo and Stony Brook, as well as lower increases at SUNY’s other campuses. The hikes would be in effect for five consecutive years, allowing in-state tuition at flagship campuses to increase by 30%, if approved by the Legislature.

Digital devices like laptop computers, tablets and monitors in New York schools are not being properly kept track of and can be subject to theft or damage, an audit by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office found.

The audit released on Thursday assessed the policies of 20 school districts, determining many of their information technology offices could not readily locate many of the assets.

Universal meals in New York schools is being advanced this week by state lawmakers who are backing $280 million in the budget negotiations for the plan.

The universal school meals proposal has gained traction in the state Legislature over the last several weeks, drawing support from Democrats as well as Republican lawmakers after federal support for the program ended.

Democrats in the New York state Senate will attempt to thwart Gov. Kathy Hochul's proposal to raise yearly tuition at the state's public college and universities by jettisoning a plan that would tie tuition to the Higher Education Price Index or 3%, sources familiar with the discussions said Monday night.

The state Senate is set to unveil its budget resolution this week alongside the Democratic-led state Assembly. The Senate budget proposal will not include the tuition proposal from Hochul.

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday said expanding charter schools in the state is necessary to give parents options about their children's education after vehement pushback from Democratic lawmakers and labor unions against the governor's budget proposal.

At a storm briefing at the state Department of Transportation building in Latham, the governor said the provision to create 85 new charter schools and lift New York City's regional cap on them should be in the state's next spending plan due April 1.

New York schools should review how they are spending federal pandemic aid to help students after data found student performance in the state dropped significantly between 2019 and 2022, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli on Monday said.

DiNapol's office released a review of the federal data showing the declining in student performance coinciding with the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, with math proficiency rates among students in grade 4 dropping across all demographics.

There is a New York state budgetary issue that has emerged only recently that could have a significant impact on education in the state: The governor’s budget would shift Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funds in the Medicaid program from county governments that administer Medicaid to the state.

When asked about the cost-shift earlier this week, Gov. Kathy Hochul pointed to the billions of additional dollars sent to school districts this year. School taxes are one of the primary costs facing counties.

With one-house budget proposals expected to come out next week, one state lawmaker is pushing for a late addition to be included to create a scholarship fund for New York children who had a parent, caregiver or sibling die or become disabled due to COVID-19.

New York City became the global epicenter of COVID-19 infections and deaths three years ago next week, spurring statewide shutdowns.

Two state lawmakers are calling for expanded access to emergency contraceptives at public college and universities in New York.

The measure, backed by Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas and state Sen. Lea Webb, would require at least one vending machine that dispenses emergnecy contraceptives.

Facing criticism from county leaders over her Medicaid plan, Gov. Kathy Hochul is trying to pressure school districts to cut property taxes.

But schools around New York, despite an influx of aid from the federal and state governments, are facing financial pressures brought on by inflation as well as personnel shortages.

Money should be set aside in the state budget to review how money for schools is distributed to districts around New York and potentially explore ways of changing it, education organizations said Monday.

The groups, which include advocacy organizations like the Alliance for Quality Education and administrative representatives like Association of School Business Officials of New York and NYS Council of School Superintendents and the umbrella labor union New York State United Teachers, are backing a call from the Board of Regents to spend $1 million to research issue.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The conservative majority in the Supreme Court will ultimately decide whether President Biden's student loan forgiveness plan moves forward.

"They may be leaning towards not supporting the student loan forgiveness," Tully Rinckey Partner Leslie Silva said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday defended her budget's plan to shift key Medicaid money away from county governments as local officials and some lawmakers raise an alarm over the measure.

Hochul's budget would shift Federal Medical Assistance Percentage funds in the Medicaid program, redirecting them from county governments that administer Medicaid to the state. County officials, Democrats and Republicans alike, have protested, worried it could raise property taxes as a result.

Advocates rallied in the state Capitol on Monday in support of Gov. Kathy Hochul's proposal to increase the number of charter schools in New York City, saying it will help address racial inequities rampant in education.

The governor proposed lifting New York City's regional cap on charter schools and allowing for 85 more in the state in her executive budget.

Next week, New York state lawmakers will hear testimony on the higher education portion of the Gov. Kathy Hochul's proposed budget. While education advocates like Frederick Kowal, of United University Professions, cheers on the second consecutive year of proposed increases in the governor’s budget, Kowal warns more funding is needed to address structural deficits at SUNY campuses and hospitals.

Included in the budget proposal was a provision that would allow the state’s four research colleges — Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo and Stony Brook — to raise tuition by 30% over the next five years. Kowal argues this further places the burden on students, whether or not they can afford it, and argues that this could be seen as a “privatization of a public good” and adds the “state must commit public funds to these public institutions.”

The union that represents faculty and staff at the State University of New York system urged state lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul to back $175 million for the state's three teaching hospitals in order to bolster their finances.

The United University Professions has been pushing for additional funding at SUNY campuses around New York over the last several weeks as the state budget season is underway in Albany.

Day care facilities and schools in New York would be required to have an evacuation plan tailored for children with disabilities during an emergency or lockdown under a measure proposed Friday by state Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara.

The bill is meant to address children who may need additional support in being able to get out of potentially dangerous situations. The measure is being proposed against the backdrop of mass shootings in schools and other public places in the country.

Enrollment in New York schools over the last decade has declined, with the COVID-19 pandemic hastening the trend, according to an analysis released on Thursday by a state education advocacy organization.

Pupil enrollment has dropped in schools across the country, but the largest enrollment loss in the nation between 2019-20 and 2021-22 was seen in New York, the group The Education Trust-NY said.

While the state’s cap of 460 charter schools isn’t raised in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposal, the regional cap on charters is removed, something that is particularly important in New York City which has reached its cap on charters, while parts of upstate New York have not.

There are about 85 charter slots that are still up for grabs.

Education unions in New York on Tuesday called for $4.7 billion in spending for higher education programs in the state ahead of a potential tuition increase at public colleges and universities.

The unions, including the New York State United Teachers, United University Professions, Professional Staff Congress and the United College Employees of Fashion Institute of Technology, pushed for the funding as lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul negotiate a $227 billion budget proposal.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — School leaders in the Fayette County Public Schools are discussing ways to make improvements to school safety.

In 2018, FCPS developed its Ten Point Safety Investment Plan, following a school shooting in Marshal County and the Parkland School shooting in Florida.

Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to expand charter schools in New York by eliminating regional caps and adding more slots for students. It's a move that's already meeting opposition from Hochul's fellow Democrats in the state Legislature.

Hochul's charter school plan contained in her $227 billion state budget plan touches on a deeply controversial issue for the state's teachers unions, which remain politically influential with many lawmakers.

In 1998, Albany legislators traded the establishment of charter schools for a 38% pay hike.

Former Gov. George Pataki painted then-state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver into a corner by threatening to veto a planned pay increase – the first in ten years – if the speaker didn’t make some concessions on charters. Until then, the Assembly, which was (and is) controlled by pro-teachers’ union Democrats, hadn’t entertained the idea of approving charter schools.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Advocates for reform to school discipline in New York say suspensions disproportionately affect children of color, children living with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Johanna Miller of the NYCLU is part of a coalition supporting the Solutions Not Suspensions Act that hosted a statewide press conference Thursday.

The new SUNY chancellor is a familiar name to education advocates in New York. Dr. John King is the state’s former education commissioner whose tenure aligned with the tumultuous rollout of the Common Core and teacher evaluations (APPR). Between 2016 and 2017, he served as secretary of education under President Barack Obama.

When asked why he decided to return to New York after experiencing the state’s rough and tumble politics firsthand, he replied he’s used to the fight.

Schools in New York could receive yet another major increase in direct funding this year as Gov. Kathy Hochul signals she wants to increase spending by $2.7 billion in the coming state budget.

If given final approval by state lawmakers in the budget expected to pass at the end of March, the increase would mean a 13% rise in a direct line of funding known as Foundation Aid.

The top official at the union that represents faculty and staff at New York's public colleges and universities in a letter released Wednesday urged Gov. Kathy Hochul to provide more financial support for the campuses amid budget woes.

The letter from United University Professions President Fred Kowal pointed to the 19 campuses within the State University of New York system that are facing structural budget deficits reaching more than $100 million combined.

According to a new survey of New York’s school superintendents, state and federal funding increases have helped expand and enrich the services that schools can provide but a “fiscal cliff” looms in the coming years.

Bob Lowry, deputy director for Advocacy, Research and Communications at the New York State Council of School Superintendents, told Capital Tonight that an erosion of other services like mental healthcare has led to schools stepping up to fill the void.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The judicial showdown over the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness plan that would cover as much as $20,000 in debt relief to people who received Pell grants and up to $10,000 for other eligible federal borrowers will happen in 2023 with oral arguments scheduled for February.

SUNY Buffalo state economist Fred Floss believes its a toss-up right now whether the program will be struck down.

State education officials on Monday called for increasing spending for schools by $3.4 billion as state lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul prepare to negotiate the state budget in the coming weeks.

The priorities outlined by the state Education Department's Board of Regents also include expanding pre-K programs for 3- and 4-year-olds in New York by 2035 and 2030 as well as universal access to career and technical education programs.

It's been more than six months since New York state lifted its classroom mask mandates. Now, some schools could bring them back as the state Health Department and the state Education Department made new recommendations to school districts.

With cases of respiratory syntactical virus (RSV), the flu and COVID-19 on the rise, state health and education leaders are highlighting a number of precautions school leaders should consider to curb the spread of the illnesses.

Another nationwide search for a SUNY chancellor has ended with a familiar face for New Yorkers. Former state Education Commissioner Dr. John King Jr. will begin running the SUNY system next month. The position had been filled in an acting capacity following the resignation of Dr. Jim Malatras.

King’s tenure as education commissioner between 2011 and 2015 was a tumultuous one, primarily because he was an advocate of both the Common Core and teacher evaluations which complicated his relationship with both parents and teachers.

John King, a former state education commissioner and the former U.S. education secretary during the Obama administration, has been tapped to become the chancellor of New York's 64-campus public college and university system.

The State University of New York Board of Trustees on Monday formally appointed King to the role, replacing Jim Malatras. SUNY Oswego President Deborah Stanley had been serving in the role on an acting basis.

New York state is receiving $28 million in federal aid for a seven-year program meant to prepare low-income students for college, Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday announced.

The money is expected to aid more than 6,200 students under the GEAR UP program, a seven-year program that starts in middle school and runs through freshman year of college.

The number of New Yorkers and prospective students from out of state who have applied to a State University of New York school has doubled in the last year, driven by a two-week fee waiver for applications.

SUNY officials on Thursday announced the applications have increased by 110% as of Nov. 25, growing from 97,257 to 204,437 applications.

The upheaval of the last two and a half years have added to the anxieties of college students — already facing a stressful time as they leave home and take their first steps into adulthood.

The COVID-19 pandemic has cast a light on the long-term effects of isolation and uncertainty. And it's made access to on-campus services at colleges vital for mental health.

New York schools have been squeezed over the last two-and-a-half years by the COVID-19 pandemic. But at the same time, school leaders report they are providing more services for their communities amid ongoing financial and mental health struggles.

The New York State Council of School Superintendents on Wednesday released a survey of its members finding many have taken on more duties since the start of the pandemic.

Schools in New York have been slow to spend federal aid sent to them in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, an analysis released by an education advocacy organization on Tuesday found.

The report released by the New York Equity Coalition found school districts as of August 2022 have spent less than 10% of funding meant to boost learning after the pandemic disrupted classroom instruction.

The murders in Colorado Springs at Club Q over the weekend were as unsurprising as they were horrific. The killer’s precise motives have not yet been reported, but he’s being charged with hate crimes against the LGBTQ community.

New York state Sen. Brad Hoylman, who is a member of the LGBTQ community, discussed two pertinent bills he’s carrying with Capital Tonight: One bill requires schools in the state to add LGBTQ “awareness” to the curriculum, and one which addresses transgender rights.

School districts in New York state that do not change their Native American-themed mascots are at risk of losing state aid or having their officials removed, the state Education Department this week announced in a new guidance.

Top education officials in New York are reiterating their opposition to the use of Native American images and mascots for schools amid an ongoing legal battle with the Cambridge Central School District in Washington County.

The five largest school districts in New York spent only a small percentage of their federal pandemic recovery aid on early childhood education and may be falling short in using the funds to help with learning loss due to the interruption of in-classroom instruction, a report released Monday by Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's office found.

The analysis by the comptroller's office assessed how the five largest school districts in New York state — New York City, Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester and Yonkers — spent their combined $8.6 billion in funds from the federal government. The money was initially approved by Congress to help schools and students narrow learning and achievement gaps created by the public health crisis.

Away from the rallies and TV ads calling attention to issues like abortion rights and public safety, the shadow of the state budget in Albany is getting bigger. The next governor will likely be facing economic pain. Jasmine Gripper of the Alliance for Quality Education says issues facing schools have not been discussed.

Whoever wins the race for New York governor may face major questions next year for the state budget.

Baldwinsville Superintendent Jason Thomson in court Wednesday pleaded "not guilty" to driving while intoxicated.

The charge stems from an incident at the Baldwinsville's homecoming game on Oct. 7.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, school buses are one of the safest vehicles on the road with millions of school children taking them each day. However, there is more that can be done to make sure our kids get to and from school safely.

As National School Bus Safety Week is wrapped up, David Christopher, executive director of the New York Association for Pupil Transportation, told Capital Tonight that despite a slow rollout, cameras that have been installed on bus stop signs have helped address safety concerns but haven’t completely eliminated them.

New York is set to spend more than $15 million to expand child care programs at campuses of the State University of New York and City University of New York in order to provide more options to faculty, staff and students.

Gov. Kathy Hochul's office announced this week that SUNY is set to receive $10.8 million meant to expand child care program access. CUNY will receive an additional $4.8 million.

Republicans in the New York state Assembly on Friday announced the formation of a task force to assess school safety and violence and how to address it.

The panel will be led by Assemblyman Joe Giglio, Assemblyman Doug Smith and Assemblyman Mike Reily.

After years of lobbying lawmakers as well as two governors, K-12 public schools in New York began receiving the balance of a long-promised tranche of Foundation Aid.

For the 2022-23 school year, K-12 schools in New York received an increase of $1.5 billion over last year.

New York schools are receiving a record amount of state aid. And now a new tool online is helping to show how that money is being spent.

The Education Trust-New York, an advocacy organization, released the database Tuesday using public information from 673 school districts to get an understanding of how aid is being used across New York.

Student borrowers in New York state should be mindful of potential debt relief scams as the federal government moves to provide up to $20,000 in debt forgiveness, Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday said.

"New Yorkers work hard for every dollar they earn and the student loan forgiveness plan will be critical to helping reduce the pressures of mounting debt," Hochul said. "Unfortunately, unscrupulous individuals and scammers are using this as an opportunity to take advantage of others. Today, we're putting scammers on notice: we will not let you take advantage of hard-working New Yorkers. I urge everyone to remain vigilant and stay informed to stop these bad actors in their tracks."

Hamburg Superintendent Mike Cornell points out that inflated costs — from utility bills, to fuel and even food — is making life a little more complicated in his western New York school district as teachers and school officials continue to provide for students.

"We are buckling up for a year in which we are going to have to sharpen the pencil on some of those other costs to make sure we can spend money on where it really needs to be spent, which is on early literacy, early numerousy and student mental health," he said.

New York will send $5 million in grant funding to public college campuses to help create credential programs or course offerings meant to boost employment in the cannabis industry in New York.

The funding will be aimed at either non-degree or courses that are degree eligible with the goal of supplying employers with a skilled workforced in what is expected to be a multi-billion dollar cannabis sector of the state's economy.

School board elections in New York and around the country were closely watched this year, as candidates and incumbents faced polarizing issues like disputes over pandemic policies as well as controversies over curricula in classrooms.

And yet the majority of successful candidates didn't focus on those issues, an analysis released this week by the New York State School Boards Association found. With the elections now in the rear view mirror for school boards, officials are going to be dealing with a host of challenges for the new year, said Bob Schneider, the group's executive director.

Incumbent school board members, candidates who were endorsed by teachers' unions and those who avoided "hot-button" issues like curriculum content, diversity and COVID-19 policies saw the most succuess in this year's school board races around New York, according to an analysis released on Tuesday by the New York State School Boards Association.

The analysis comes after local school board races in New York and around the country drew more attention than usual as candidates and parents' groups that have organized around concerns that ranged from indoor masking rules and school closures to challenging curricula ran for board positions.

New York lawmakers have work to do before they can reach agreement on legislation to require all teachers instructing grades 7-12 be trained how to respond when a student shows suicidal tendencies.

Youth suicides have reached an all-time high, with suicide as the second leading cause of death among young people, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Schools in New York will be required to consider using silent panic alarm systems when developing and updating their safety plans under a law signed Thursday by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The provision is named in honor of Alyssa Alhadeff, a student who was killed at the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida in 2019.

Gov. Kathy Hochul was on vote-rich Long Island Wednesday to highlight agreements inked more than two months ago for pre-Kindergarten and day care funding, as well as property tax relief.

But while the budget deal may be weeks old at this point, voting is set to begin on Saturday in the statewide primary, and Hochul was in a part of the state where school spending and property tax concerns are routinely top issues.

Most New York school districts are inadequately providing mental health training to staff as required by the state Education Department and state law, according to a report from state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's office released Wednesday.

The state comptroller's office audited 20 randomly selected school districts, and found 18 of them, or 90%, either did not offer mental health training or provided insufficient training, such as lacking instruction to recognize warning signs of mental or psychotic disorders in children or how to access approriate support and services.

Students at State University of New York campuses will be able to use their chosen name and pronouns, as well as identify their gender with an "X" under an updated policy announced Wednesday by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The change is meant to aid transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary students on campuses across the state.

A panic button for a classroom or school campus can be one phone tap or push alert away. That's the idea behind a proposal given final approval by New York lawmakers in the closing days of the legislative session as officials reassess school safety measures in the wake of mass shootings around the country.

"We have to try in every way we can to stay one step ahead of what is clearly growing violence throughout this country," said Assemblywoman Pat Fahy, an Albany-area Democrat.

In March, the New York state Education Department proposed regulations regarding the statutory requirement for substantial equivalency of instruction for students attending nonpublic schools, like yeshivas or traditional Jewish schools. The idea is to ensure that all students receive a constitutionally mandated education to which they are entitled under the law.

The public comment period for the draft regulations runs through midnight Wednesday; the final regulations will come before the Board of Regents for its consideration in the fall.

Colleges in New York can no longer withhold students' transcripts or charge them higher fees to obtain a copy of their transcript if they have unpaid debts.

The bill signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday will remove a barrier to help people continue their education or secure employment instead of penalizing students with less money.

The labor unions that represent workers and staff at New York's public college and university systems are touting the economic impact that public higher education has on the state as lawmakers and Gov. Kathy Hochul continue to negotiate the budget.

The Professional Staff Congress, which represents workers at the City University of New York, as well as the United University Professions at for the State University of New York, has been making a pitch this budget season for further spending on higher education, including more support for hospitals and research centers.

Critics of the requirement to wear a mask inside school buildings across New York state cheered Gov. Kathy Hochul's decision to end it effective Wednesday, calling the move long overdue.

Calls to end the mask mandate were bipartisan, including from Democratic lawmakers in the state Legislature who pointed to the federal Centers for Disease Control backing recommendations that indoor mask-wearing was no longer necessary in areas with low COVID transmission.

A majority of New Yorkers want the state to wait for more information before the Hochul administration decides whether to lift a mandate on mask-wearing in schools statewide, a Siena College poll released Tuesday morning found.

At the same time, the poll showed voters' rising anxiety about crime and public safety and a desire to move forward from the COVID-19 pandemic after nearly two years of public restrictions and a surge in cases this winter.

Dozens of progressive advocacy groups this month are urging state lawmakers to approve a measure meant to broaden New York's sex education in classrooms to become more inclusive, with the goal of reducing sexual harassment and assault.

The measure, which has the backing of organizations like the New York Civil Liberties Union, the New Pride Agenda and NARAL Action Council, would require the state to have "comprehensive" and age-appropriate sexuality instruction curricula for grades K through 12 in the state.

As school districts across the state struggle with a bus driver shortage, Gov. Kathy Hochul this week called for a provision to lift the earning cap for retired education workers.

The move could help address an acute shortage of bus drivers and other school personnel as district officials have struggled to return to in-classroom instruction since the fall.

NELSONVILLE, Ohio — Mark Riley never thought he'd be in this position.

He joined Hocking College in 2014 and became Cybersecurity and Network Systems program manager in 2019.

New York schools were given a super charge dose of funding by Albany this year. And billions of dollars more in federal aid is on the way, meant to shore up schools affected by the COVID-19 pandemic — providing support for mental health aides as well as help students who have fallen behind as a result of the public health crisis.

But despite the additional money, problems persist for schools in New York and education officials. A staff shortage — made worse by retirements and a lack of bus drivers — is leading officials to consider ways of fixing those problems.

New York's statewide teachers labor group, along with the New York State American Academy of Pediatrics, is set to launch on Monday a back-to-school campaign highlighting a return to in-classroom instruction five days a week this fall.

The effort is set to include a statewide TV ad and digital advertising campaign highlighting the return to the classroom as schools across New York face myriad challenges and uncertainties as COVID-19 cases have spiked over the summer.

Schools across New York are in line to receive $3 billion in federal aid to help students, parents and teachers with the challenges of returning to the classroom following more than a year of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The federal government on Thursday backed the State Education Department's plan for aiding schools with academic support, early learning and mental health needs as schools set a goal for in-classroom instruction.

KENTUCKY — A new law allowing scholarship tax credits to support private school tuition drew a court challenge in June from the Council for Better Education, which argues that the program is unconstitutional and undermines support for public schools.

The lawsuit was filed in Franklin County Circuit Court and this is the same group that sued over inequities in Kentucky school funding more than 30 years ago. That case led to passage of the landmark Kentucky Education Reform Act.

State lawmakers on Thursay urged Gov. Andrew Cuomo to sign a bill meant to expand and strengthen programs that serve children with disabilities.

The bill would affect pre-school to school-age children and is meant to provide fair and equitable funding linked to the aid that is given to public schools.

A bill that would provide special education students with a post-pandemic boost to finish school is nearing completion at the state Capitol on the final day of the legislative session.

The proposal is meant to address the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic for students with disabilities who are at risk of aging out of public education by the time they turn 21.

TAMPA - An anti-mask protester disrupted Tuesday morning's Hillsborough School Board retreat.

The board was meeting to discuss a Continuous Improvement Plan for Superintendent Addison Davis.

Last month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the withholding of state aid to schools imposed last year in order to triage the financial fallout from the COVID-19 would end. The move helped many school districts in New York avoid a steep loss in a key source of revenue if the reductions had been maintained.

But, according to an analysis by Moody's Investor Services, not all withholdings during the last year affected school districts equally.

The Democratic-controlled state Senate on Tuesday will take up a package of bills meant to boost access to higher education in New York.

The measures include a push for on-campus resources for veterans and granting academic credits to veterans to attend state universities based on their service and experience.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is backing a measure that would require Congress to provide funding for Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act — a measure she said is needed amid the disruption to schools caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bill would require funding for key programs that aid low-income school districts as well as students with disabilities. It comes as many schools have either shifted to remote learning or a hybrid model that has led to uneven outcomes for students.

Education officials, from school leaders to union leaders, took one look at the worst case budget as proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday and gulped.

The budget line for education is second only to health care in its cost to the state, giving teachers unions, superintendents, school districts and families among those with the highest stakes in the coming weeks as New York seeks billions of dollars in aid from Congress.