Board of Regents Seek Increase in Funding

The New York State Board of Regents recommends a 6% increase in state education funding for next year.

The board recommended the $1.3 billion dollar hike for struggling districts and pre-kindergarten programs.

Schools already had a 4-percent annual increase last year after years of no new funding or a reduction in state aid.

The money would be used to increase general education aid and some would fund universal pre-kindergarten, which is a project of Governor Andrew Cuomo.

The proposal comes as Governor Cuomo prepares for his annual budget presentation to the legislature on January 21st.

The senate and assembly have a legal deadline of March 31st to approve the next fiscal year's spending plan that begins April first.