We are pleased that the Executive Budget restores funding for 3-K and preschool special education classes, community schools, the Mental Health Continuum, restorative justice, immigrant family outreach, and other key programs that had been supported by expiring one-year city funds. AFC’s testimony urges the City to go beyond sustaining existing programs and make additional investments to address outstanding needs, including $70M to provide preschoolers with disabilities with the evaluations, services, and classes they need; $3.75M to enhance services at school-based mental health clinics; $3M to expand the immigrant family communications and outreach initiative; $17.5M to expand access to one-on-one or small group reading intervention; and $450M in capital funding over five years to make more schools accessible.

El Coalición LEVANTARSE‘s testimony focuses on the need for additional investments in preschool special education services and school accessibility.

El Coalition for Equitable Education Funding (CEEF), co-coordinated by AFC, also testified at the hearing, calling on the City to restore funding for Student Success Centers, which were left out of the Mayor’s Executive Budget and are at risk of cuts as soon as July, and to provide long-term funding for other key programs that were restored for FY 2026 only.