Senator Charles Schumer, Senator Kristen Gillibrand, & Congressman Brian Higgins:

The nation’s public schools have been on the front lines serving millions of meals to students, families, and community members every day, and are working to find ways to provide some kind of instructional continuity during this crisis.

Three major federal COVID-19 Response bills have been enacted thus far with minimal assistance for schools. Buffalo Public Schools are now facing a $90 Million deficit for next school year.

State and local revenue sources, including property taxes, have eroded quickly and challenge our financial capacity to retain staff and traditional levels of educational and support services in the upcoming school year. Many school districts are also contractually required to provide staff with notification of potential layoffs in the coming months, which will cause widespread distress across the entire community.

Aid for school districts in the 2009 stimulus bill – for Title I, IDEA, state funding shortfalls, and job creation – surpassed $50 billion.

Public school districts need an immediate, substantial, and direct infusion of federal aid of tens of billions of dollars. Congress can provide school districts with emergency authority using one of the existing, need-based formulas that already exist in ESEA, like Title I or Title IV.

Waivers of federal requirements and flexibility is helpful, but significant federal financial support is needed now.

Immediate federal assistance will help America’s public schools retain their capacity to serve the nation’s school children, families, and communities during the current school closures, reopening and recovery, and into the upcoming school year.

Each of you have always been champions for public education. We urge you to stand with educators, parents, and students, once again, to deliver necessary federal aid to public school districts during this unprecedented time.

Sen. Gillibrand 854-9725; 1-202-224-4451; www.gillibrand.senate.gov (use contact link)   
Sen. Schumer  846-4111; 1-202-224-6542; www.schumer.senate.gov (use contact link)
Rep. Higgins 852-3501; 1-202-225-3306; www.higgins.house.gov (use contact link)

NYS State Sen. Tim Kennedy 826-2683; 1-518-455-2426; email: kennedy@nysenate.gov 
Majority Leader Peoples-Stokes 897-9714; 1-518-455-5005; email:  https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Crystal-D-Peoples-Stokes (use contact link)
Assembly Member Ryan 885-9630; 1-518-455-4886; email: RyanS@nyassembly.gov
Assembly Member Burke 608-6099; 1-518-455-4691; email: burkep@nyassembly.gov
Sen. Jacobs 854-8705; 1-518 455-3240; email: jacobs@nysenate.gov