Senator Pat Fahey told the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District Board of Education that the state budget process is still fluid and that districts face “serious headwinds” from possible federal cuts and policy changes.

Fahey said the governor’s executive proposal includes increases for schools but cautioned that every comma in the budget must be reconciled between the governor, Senate and Assembly. “There is an increase,” she said, noting that most districts will see modest percentage gains but that uncertainties — including proposed federal cuts — cloud the outlook.

Fahey framed why the update matters: she said local school funding decisions and planning depend on whether the state and federal funding levels hold. She urged school boards to track proposed changes and to share local stories about the effects of state and federal actions.

During roughly 40 minutes of remarks and Q&A, Fahey walked through several education-policy topics likely to affect the district. On the proposed state cell-phone policy, she said negotiators are working so punishments do not “knock kids out of school,” and that the Senate and Assembly have modified the executive proposal to avoid suspensions for routine phone use. “My understanding is it’s the out-of-school suspensions,” Fahey said, adding that she has not yet seen final language and will review red-flag and social-media exceptions.

Fahey also urged support for universal free school meals while warning about federal-level funding pressure. She said the state proposal includes a roughly $340 million allocation for universal lunch and breakfast, and she described worries that USDA and other federal actions could force the state to revisit that program later in the year. “We are facing some serious headwinds,” she said, and noted the administration has signaled the budget may need adjustment in September.

On transportation and electric-bus timelines, Fahey said legislators are advocating for flexibility: many districts face multi-year transitions to zero-emission buses and need time to adapt infrastructure and procurement. “Two years is reasonable for starters,” she said, adding that NYSERDA has offered workshops to districts.

Fahey also discussed prekindergarten reimbursement disparities (noting that some early adopters receive different rates), an increase proposed for high-school dual-enrollment and early-college programs, and attention to BOCES salary-cap relief included in one-house versions of the budget. She raised concerns about proposed changes to Regents exams being considered by the Board of Regents and a Blue Ribbon Commission, and asked board members to send feedback about the accountability and readiness implications of any changes.

Board members asked questions about specific items, including whether the cell-phone language would prohibit suspensions and how universal-meal funding might be affected by federal cuts; Fahey repeatedly emphasized she had not yet seen final budget text and that some provisions were still under negotiation. She encouraged local boards and teachers to share stories about how programs such as universal meals and community-school supports affect students and local farms.

Fahey closed by offering her office as a resource and noting she represents parts of Albany, Schenectady and all of Montgomery County; she said she will continue to update districts as budget negotiations proceed.