Educators, students, parents, and community members all understand the vital role our public schools play in our communities and our democracy. We all want a safe path back to in-person learning for students and teachers. However, the lack of education aid from the state, local, and federal government has resulted in New York State facing a 20% cut to education funding at a time when school districts need more resources to keep students, staff members, and families safe. We need Albany to act now as school districts are facing health and safety problems beyond their capacity to solve.