State Sen. Jake Ashby (R-Castleton), who represents a large portion of Washington County, has sent a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul that advocates for funding in this year’s state budget to help children adversely impacted by the Covis-19 pandemic.

In a press release to NYVT Media, the Senator says “every student, especially young people in my district from rural areas, deserve this support from the state. Funding for students in the state budget means improving our schools without burdening local taxpayers.”

Specifically, Ashby is asking the Governor to offer universal free meals at schools, hire a mental health counselor and school resource officer (generally from a police agency), ensure each school has a dedicated librarian and expand after-school programing. He calls these “common-sense provisions that will help kids thrive academically, feel safe at school and access mental health services if they are struggling. We can help students catch up and stay ahead for the future.”

Ashby notes many districts, particularly downstate suburban schools, already maintain the level of staffing and programming outlined in his proposal.