Union Reps Head To LI To Rally For $31M Owed In State Aid

RIVERHEAD, NY— Union reps headed to Long Island Friday to highlight a lack of state education funding they say has had a tremendous impact on schools statewide.

New York State United Teachers brought its "Fund Our Future" statewide bus tour to Port Washington Friday morning and is heading Riverhead Friday afternoon. Union activists will also highlight the need for new revenues that will enable the state to tackle educational inequality and other pressing needs, a release said.

NYSUT President Andy Pallotta and other NYSUT official joined local union leaders, Superintendent Michael Hynes, fellow educators and state elected officials for a tour of Weber Middle School in Port Washington, which, they say, is owed $4.9 million in state Foundation Aid funding.

Educators and administrators say a lack of state funding has led to increased class sizes and the loss of after-school programs, representatives said.

Friday afternoon, the Fund Our Future bus will travel to Riverhead to join local union leaders, Superintendent Dr. Aurelia Henriquez and elected officials for stops at three schools.

The Riverhead visit will begin at Pulaski Street Elementary School, located 300 Pulaski St., at 1:15 p.m. with a roundtable discussion and school tour, followed by a stop at Phillips Avenue Elementary School, located at 141 Phillips Avenue, at 3 p.m.

NYSUT officials will then join a rally for full Foundation Aid funding at Riverhead Middle School at 4 p.m.

Riverhead is owed more than $31.1 million in Foundation Aid, the release said.

"Overcrowded classrooms of more than 30 students and difficulties keeping up with the needs of an increasing population of English language learners are among the pressing issues that school officials say they need to address through additional state funding," the release said. "As the state budget takes shape, NYSUT’s Fund Our Future bus tour is visiting school districts around New York that, like Port Washington and Riverhead, have been underfunded by the state."

NYSUT, as a member of the New York State Educational Conference Board, is calling for a $2.1 billion increase in state aid in the 2020 to 2021 state budget, which includes the first installment of a three-year phase-in of the more than $3.4 billion in Foundation Aid they say is owed to more than 400 school districts around New York.

"In order to generate the revenue needed to fully fund Foundation Aid, in addition to other state services like health care, housing and transportation, NYSUT is supportive of new taxes on billionaires and ultra-millionaires," the release said.

A previous rally for state aid was held in Riverhead.

"The truth is that our district is in dire need of funding to help us address the growing needs of students," said Riverhead Superintendent of Schools Dr. Aurelia Henriquez. "It is our hope that this rally will get our voices heard at the state level."

The Riverhead CSD is one of five districts in New York State, known as the "Harmed Suburban Five," fighting for Foundation Aid because they are facing financial crisis due to rising student enrollment and poverty rates, as well as an inequitable distribution in state aid, the district said.