Good afternoon,

Earlier this week, Governor Hochul presented her 2025 State of the State address in Albany. Our team has reviewed the governor’s proposals and highlighted key issues local leaders should be aware of.

Provide Universal School Meals
This initiative would provide free breakfast and lunch to an additional 300,000 students who were not covered under the 2023 expansion of the school meals program. This is something NYSUT has long advocated for and is a big win for students and families across New York.

Investments in Community College
The governor proposes to fund free community college for students aged 25-55 pursuing select associate degrees in high-demand occupations, including nursing, teaching, technology, engineering, and more.

Expansion of NY’s Child Tax Credits
The governor’s proposal to vastly expand New York’s Child Tax Credit will reach more than 2.75 million children statewide. This initiative will reduce child poverty in New York by 8.2%.

Not mentioned in the governor’s address, but included in her proposal booklet, was a proposal to create a statewide standard for distraction-free learning in our schools. We anticipate an announcement from the governor’s office in the coming weeks.

Additionally, there was no mention of Foundation Aid in her address or proposals. Last month, the governor announced that she would not propose cuts to Foundation Aid in this year’s budget, which is expected to be released next week.

The complete 2025 State of the State Book containing all of Governor Hochul’s proposals is available here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2025-01/2025StateoftheStateBook.pdf

NYSUT’s statement on the governor’s address is available here: https://sitecore.nysut.org/news/2025/january/media-release-2025-state-of-the-state-response

We look forward to working with the governor and legislature as they finalize this year’s state budget. We will keep you updated as more details come forward.

In solidarity,
Melinda