Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget proposal to direct less money to schools and change how that aid is distributed has been met with almost universal opposition from members of both major political parties.

Teachers, lawmakers and education advocates have decried Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed changes to school aid, which would lead to cuts in funding for many districts, especially in rural parts of the state. In response, Hochul has insisted that she is increasing, not cutting, school funding.

State Senate Republicans are pushing back against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed school aid funding in her executive budget this year, which they say will lead to significant cuts to school districts in rural and suburban areas.

New York state Senate Republicans unveiled a legislative package Tuesday aimed to counteract changes to education funding outlined by Gov. Kathy Hochul in her executive budget proposal earlier this month.

Governor Hochul's proposed changes to education funding stir controversy as districts face potential cuts. With concerns raised by lawmakers, educators, and unions, the upcoming budget negotiations promise to be tense, impacting school budgets and services across New York State.

School districts and education experts are continuing to express concerns about Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plan to end "Save Harmless," also known as "Hold Harmless," which ensures that districts don’t see a decrease in Foundation Aid funding compared to the previous year.

School officials across New York are concerned about a proposed funding change that would impact how much districts receive. The changes mean some North Country districts could lose a significant portion of state funding.

Gov. Hochul wants to change the way state school aid is handed out. Democrats, Republicans, unions, and districts are coming out against those proposed changes.

During Education Commissioner Betty Rosa’s three-hour testimony, lawmakers expressed their dismay over Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal to cut foundation aid — which largely goes to high-need schools. Nearly 340 districts would face cuts.

In her executive budget announced last week, Hochul proposed an array of changes to the way state aid to public school districts is calculated. The plan from the governor’s office is to change the way inflation is accounted for in the formula that sets “foundation aid” totals for schools, which is the main avenue for state funding for public districts.

Educators and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are outraged over the way Governor Kathy Hochul is funding schools in her new budget plan. For the first time in years, many schools would actually lose funding. Dozens of North Country districts face that scenario if the legislature doesn’t make changes.

A key part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s $233 billion budget proposal is drawing fierce opposition from a powerful force in Albany that, until now, had considered her something of a hero.