Rep. Maloney, Local Elected Officials, Union Leaders, and Educators Applaud Funds for Education in the American Rescue Plan

Statement

Today, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) stood with local elected officials, union leaders, and educators to applaud the estimated $5.2 billion going to New York City in the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) fund under the American Rescue Plan. The money will help safely reopen and sustain the safe operation of schools, address the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on New York City students, and will help fund universal 3-K in 32 school districts across New York City.

"This $1.9 trillion dollar recovery package for our nation includes $5.2 billion dollars for 3-K, pre-K, and kindergarten through grade 12 education as well as $1.2 billion for our city's colleges and universities. With this funding, we can finally realize our goal of 3-K for every school district! The economic crisis brought on by the COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated the financial and physical burdens New York City parents already deal with on a daily basis due to the exorbitant costs of childcare, daycare, and education. By putting education funding front and center of the American Rescue Plan, President Biden and Congressional Democrats have provided the help New York needs to address the many impacts of COVID-19 on pre-K through grade 12 education. The American Rescue Plan, by prioritizing these schooling initiatives, understands and provides what our nation needs to build back better from the COVID-19 crisis by ensuring our students can safely return to the classroom. Now, we must turn our attention to Albany, where these funds are currently stalled in budget negotiations. I am calling on the leaders in the legislature to work together effectively and efficiently to send the money that our city is depending on. New York's students can't wait," said Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney.

"As Chair of the Task Force on Women's Issues and a Member of the Education Committee, I commend Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney for standing up for our students and their families in Washington DC to ensure that we receive $5.2 billion for New York City in the American Rescue plan for our schools. With this critical funding, we can begin to confront the childcare crisis and expand opportunities of education with the expansion of 3-K for all to every corner of our city. Thank you, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, for setting students and their families on a path to a swift recovery!," said Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright.

"The $5.2 billion New York City is set to receive with the passage of the American Rescue Plan could not come at a better time," said Council Member Ben Kallos. "This will go a long way toward guaranteeing a safe, long-term reopening of our schools and a successful rollout of universal 3-K this fall. Thank you to Congresswoman Maloney's tireless work to get this done and her leadership as Oversight Chair in making sure the money is spent as intended. I look forward to working with her to use this money to bring New York City out of this pandemic."

"Our students have been learning in isolation or in small groups for the past year. Our classrooms in September will be filled with students who need individualized attention from their teachers. We are calling for the city to create a pilot program of smaller class sizes in 100 of the city's neediest schools. The program would be a blueprint for a citywide expansion. Many experts believe class-size reduction is most effective when it is dramatic, so we recommend reducing class sizes by one-third in these 100 schools. Under our proposal, pre-K classes would be capped at 12, classes that now have 25 students would be reduced to 17, classes with 30 students would see a drop to 20, and 34-student classes would drop to 23. The road to recovery will be long, we all know that. The new federal funds for schools give us the opportunity to meet the challenges our children and our schools have faced for decades -- challenges that have only become more acute because of COVID-19. Our plan is to give educators the support they need to continue their crucial work of helping our school communities heal and move forward," said Dennis Gault, United Federation of Teachers Manhattan Borough Representative.

"At this time, as schools needs have grown connected to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the dire need for students' supports related to mental health and trauma-related realities, federal funding will provide some of the supports to enable our school communities to respond to this need, heal, and allow school leaders to prepare for a return to the next stage of schooling for all our children," said Dimitri Saliani, Principal of Eleanor Roosevelt High School.

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