To be delivered to the Board of Regents, The New York State House, The New York State Senate, and Governor Andrew Cuomo.

We, the undersigned citizens of New York State, urge you to fully restore education aid to NYS schools by ending the GAP ELIMINATION ADJUSTMENT (GEA) in the 2015-2016 state budget, and fully funding foundation aid. This is not a request for new or additional funds for education, but a call for funding already promised, but not delivered.

Currently, for 70 percent of NYS school districts, state education aid remains below the level provided in 2008-09, while at the same time expectations for educational outcomes and accountability have increased dramatically with the adoption of the Common Core Learning Standards and the implementation of the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR). To say that New York schools are being asked to do more with less is a gross understatement.

#WeCantWait: Our own local school districts are owed hundreds of millions of dollars!

Orange County schools are owed $142 million in Foundation Aid increase and almost $28 million in GEA.

Rockland County schools are owed $55 million in Foundation Aid increase and almost $16 million in GEA.

Ulster County schools are owed $26 million in Foundation Aid increase and $15.5 million in GEA.

Sullivan County schools are owed $15.5 million in Foundation Aid increase and almost $5 million in GEA.

Give our schools the aid needed to educate our students. This aid has already been promised to schools, but taken away through the GEA. Say “NO” to the GEA and “YES” to equal educational opportunities for all students.

We call on you to act now to:

Restore $1.9 billion in educational funding for the 2015-2016 school year by immediately eliminating all remaining Gap Elimination Adjustments.