Assemblyman Robert Smullen (R,C,Ref-Meco) is pleased to announce important education reforms and relief in the 2019-20 state budget, including a provision that enables SUNY and CUNY schools and community colleges to offer reduced tuition and fees for high school students taking college courses.

Additional tuition relief was provided to students interested in pursuing higher education opportunities at community colleges through an increase in Community College Base Aid to $2,497 per student.

School districts across the state also benefited from an increase in total state school aid to more than $27 billion. Local school districts were also given the freedom to decouple state assessments from the Annual Professional Performance Reviews for teachers, allowing each district to fairly evaluate teacher performance based on the needs of their students.

“I’m thrilled that the Legislature reached a positive consensus on these education funding issues,” said Smullen. “Alleviating costs for students pursuing higher education and bolstering state school aid represent important investments in New York’s future. ”