Governor Hochul Makes Historic Investments in Higher Education and K-12 Schools to Ensure All New Yorkers Can Learn and Thrive as Part of FY27 Budget

Governor Hochul today signed new legislation as part of her FY27 Enacted Budget to make historic investments in higher and K-12 education in New York State, ensuring all New Yorkers have access to a quality, affordable education in their own backyard. With this Budget, she will hold the line on costs at New York's public colleges by freezing tuition at SUNY and CUNY, expand SUNY and CUNY Reconnect to include more high-demand fields, enhance student borrowing support, and create emergency funds so students who start their degrees can finish them strong. Additionally, Governor Hochul is focused on bolstering math instruction and creating a sustainable teacher pipeline that meets growing student needs.

"As New York's first mom Governor, I understand how important access to a quality, affordable education can be for parents in deciding where to raise their families," Governor Hochul said. "Every New Yorker, from pre-K to college, deserves a world-class education fit for the twenty-first century - that's why we're continuing our historic investments statewide so parents, teachers, and students can rest assured that New York is the best possible place to learn and grow."

The Governor also understands that providing quality education opportunities in New York starts with investing in our kids and P-12 schools. This Budget provides the highest level of total school aid in state history at $39.6 billion, including annual increases of $1 billion in Foundation Aid and $563 million in Universal Prekindergarten Aid.

Connecting Higher Education and Opportunity

Holding the Line on Costs and Promoting College Affordability at SUNY and CUNY

Governor Hochul is championing affordability for New York students and families by holding the line on costs at New York's public colleges, freezing tuition for resident undergraduate students at SUNY State-operated campuses and CUNY senior colleges, and providing these institutions with additional operating aid so more New Yorkers can earn a degree without taking on crushing debt. By keeping tuition flat across SUNY and CUNY campuses, she is shifting the financial burden away from hardworking New York students and families.

College affordability is a core part of New York's economic strategy. This continuing freeze on tuition, combined with additional initiatives such as free community college for adult learners and previous expansions of access to the Tuition Assistance Program, helps working families and students keep up with the cost of living while preparing New Yorkers for good-paying jobs and careers.

Enhancing Affordability By Expanding SUNY and CUNY Reconnect for High-Demand Jobs

The cost of a college degree should not stand in the way of adult learners pursuing new professional dreams in the high-demand fields that power our economy. SUNY and CUNY Reconnect, launched by Governor Hochul in 2025, provide adult learners the option to attend community college for free if they pursue a degree in a high-demand field such as healthcare, cybersecurity, or advanced manufacturing. The program has already yielded tremendous results; colleges have fielded 16,500 applications statewide this year and enrolled more than 12,000 students in the program, successfully working to support our economy and strengthen our workforce in vital industries.

To continue this momentum, Governor Hochul is expanding the program's list of eligible high-demand fields to include fields such as logistics, air traffic control, transportation, and emergency management. Given the pressing need to expand our nursing workforce, she will also expand the program to include adults attaining a nursing degree, even if they have already earned a college degree in a different field. In addition, the program will be expanded to include relevant associate degrees at all public institutions of higher education. By expanding the SUNY and CUNY Reconnect programs, the State is supporting workforce development in high-demand fields, bolstering our economy by filling employment gaps, and creating economic mobility opportunities for New Yorkers across the State.

New York Career Connect Initiative: Preparing College Students for the Workforce Across New York's Higher Education Systems

As students across the country graduate into difficult job markets, it is important to ensure that New York's higher education system promises exposure to workforce experience for all students before they graduate so they are well-prepared to compete for the jobs of the future. Governor Hochul is taking bold action to make New York the first state in the country to guarantee that every public college student in New York graduates with both a degree and exposure to career-relevant experience by 2030.

SUNY and CUNY will build on their robust internship and experiential programs by integrating career counseling with academic advising, providing clear career maps for every major, and expanding paid opportunities with local businesses and public service placements. By unifying these efforts under a statewide goal, the State will close workforce participation gaps, strengthen employer partnerships, and ensure that every graduate is prepared for in-demand careers - enhancing the value of a college degree and positioning New York as a national leader in workforce readiness.

Doubling Empire State Service Corps Opportunities for SUNY Students

To extend opportunities for civic engagement by younger New Yorkers, Governor Hochul launched the Empire State Service Corps (ESSC) in 2024, a program designed to create paid public service opportunities for college students across New York in fields like K-12 tutoring, peer mental health, and sustainability. Demand has been overwhelming, with nearly 2,000 SUNY students applying for 500 slots in the inaugural Empire State Service Corps.

Building on SUNY's commitment to civics and service and to provide additional opportunities for young people to get involved, Governor Hochul will double the size of the ESSC on SUNY campuses, and include new program areas to meet New York's most pressing needs-including offering new capacity to assist disaster recovery.

Enhancing New York Student Borrower Support

Federal changes to student loan policy are eliminating existing repayment options and imposing limits on student access to loans starting in 2026. The borrowing landscape has become overwhelmingly complex for both current and future borrowers. Governor Hochul will expand services through the Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program (EDCAP) to help educate borrowers on ways to navigate the increasingly complicated policy context associated with student loans to avoid and recover from delinquency.

Creating Emergency Aid Funds at All SUNY and CUNY Campuses to Keep Students Enrolled

Unexpected events and emergencies, such as medical crises, can be very expensive, and force individuals to choose between paying their bills or covering their school tuition. To address this issue, Governor Hochul will direct SUNY and CUNY to develop standardized, system-wide policies governing emergency aid. By standardizing policies such as maximum grant funds, application processes and lifetime limits, the State will make it easier for students to stay in school and access critical services, both on campus and in the community, when they need them the most.

Supporting Former Foster Students to Attain a Degree Through the Reconnect for Foster Scholars Program

New York will launch the Reconnect for Foster Scholars program to provide financial support to former foster youth who started earning a degree, took a break, and now wish to return to finish their undergraduate studies. By prioritizing the educational growth of former foster youth, the State is highlighting its commitment to all New Yorkers and creating opportunities for economic mobility.

Promoting Fairness and Affordability for Students by Reforming Tuition Refund Policies at SUNY

To support student retention, minimize financial losses for students, and better reflect economic realities, Governor Hochul will direct SUNY to permit tuition liability to be waived over a broader period of time, understanding that emergencies can occur at any time. Additionally SUNY will also allow for a longer phase-in of tuition liability for students who are funded through Pell Grants, TAP, or the GI Bill.

Helping Kids Learn and Thrive

Updates to Foundation Aid Formula

This Budget updates New York's education funding formula to increase funding to school districts educating students who are English language learners, homeless, or in foster care, and to ensure that each district receives at least a 2 percent annual increase. These updates to the formula will allow additional funds to districts that serve some of our most vulnerable students.

Transforming Math Learning Through Quality Instruction and Professional Learning

Governor Hochul will require the State Education Department (SED) to provide instructional best practices to school districts in the teaching of math, as well as guidance and resources to help educators select and implement teaching methodologies that align with state standards and best practices.

The State will not only direct SUNY and CUNY to develop microcredentials in evidence-based math instruction to support New York's teachers, but also launch statewide professional learning opportunities in math instruction, including through regional hub pilots in New York's districts with lagging math performance.

Building on Literacy Progress Through Support for In-Service Teachers

New York will provide in-service teachers the opportunity to complete a Science of Reading SUNY or CUNY microcredential at no cost. Governor Hochul will also provide additional, targeted resources to support high-need districts as they adopt Science of Reading standards.

Starting with Rochester and Yonkers, Governor Hochul will establish a three-year pilot program between the school districts and educator preparation programs (EPP) based in New York that will offer meaningful clinical experiences for teacher candidates, integrating Science of Reading best practices into EPP programs and school district literacy instruction.

Accelerating Learning With High-Impact Tutoring

Governor Hochul will accelerate student learning through targeted, high-impact tutoring. The state will support partnerships between high-need school districts and tutoring providers to ensure high-quality, individualized tutoring to students who deserve an extra boost. Tutoring opportunities will be limited to interested districts, and will support both literacy and math. Evidence from other states and communities shows that this type of tutoring can be highly effective when implemented well, helping students overcome traditional barriers. Helping our students excel in math and literacy will unlock a universe of opportunities for our kids and ensure our future workforce is equipped with the skills they need to succeed.

Creating a Sustainable Teacher Pipeline in New York State

Governor Hochul will invest in a set of innovative teacher recruitment and preparation initiatives. The State Education Department will establish a new program to create an accelerated teacher preparation pathway for career changers and individuals who want to become educators who already hold a bachelor's degree.

New York will also launch new P-TEACH programs through the College in High School Opportunity Fund program, which will allow high school students to get a head start in preparing for careers in education by taking college courses in relevant subjects for college credit. Additionally, the State will support the enhancement of TeachNY, an online resource which provides information, coaching and guidance for prospective teachers as they explore the profession and apply to educator preparation programs across the State. With additional resources, the program will aim to support more than 7,000 teacher recruits statewide in the next three years.

Finally, to consider longer-term solutions, Governor Hochul will establish a Task Force consisting of the Governor's Office, State Education Department, Department of Labor and higher education industry, coordinated by the Rockefeller Institute of Government. Through consultation with teachers and education stakeholders across the state, this Task Force will examine the scope and root causes of teacher shortages across the state, barriers to entry for incoming prospective teachers, and develop policy proposals and regulatory solutions.

Increasing Transparency and Accountability Into Our Educational System, Programs and Investments

Governor Hochul will support an additional investment to expand the capacity to build and manage the education data system at scale. By investing in a secure, centralized data system, the State will be able to use real data across its various agencies to inform more effective policy-making.

Ensuring Indigenous Youth Have Access to Relevant, Quality Civics Instruction

To ensure that all school districts have the capacity and frameworks needed to engage Indigenous youth in school-based civics education, New York will expand the Indigenous Youth Service Project to serve additional school districts. This project, initially started in LaFayette, Silver Creek, and Niagara-Wheatfield, piloted an innovative service-learning approach that demonstrated that when Indigenous youth engage in service-learning grounded in community values, they build academic confidence, civic skills, and leadership capacity. Expanding the project statewide will ensure that indigenous students across all regions have the same opportunities for growth and success.

Elevating Excellence: Strengthening Mentoring Programs for Black and Latina Girls

To confront traditional barriers to mentoring and leadership resources for young Black and Latina women, Governor Hochul launched the Black Girls Mentoring Initiative and the Latina Mentoring Initiative (LMI). This year, she is reaffirming her support for these programs that empower participants to enhance their professional and personal skills while building confidence to become leaders among their peers. New York's diverse and expansive constituencies are what make us so special, and Governor Hochul will ensure that no child feels like they do not have the skills or access they need to contribute meaningfully to their communities.