New York's education agency is gearing up for a tough state budget

And a state Senate Republican is running for Congress.

Good afternoon — It’s Monday and Noodle Day.

In today’s CapCon:

• The state Board of Regents is getting ready for a rough funding fight in the upcoming state budget.

• State Sen. Peter Oberacker is running for Congress against U.S. Rep. Josh Riley, whose campaign cast the senator as an “Albany insider.”

• Two news bills would prohibit ICE arrests in hospitals in New York and codify sanctuary state protections.

• Among the bills Hochul will consider before year’s end is a measure to analyze a revival of the Empire State Games.

• This Week in New York History: Eleanor Roosevelt, the first national chess tournament and the first tuxedo.

Names in today’s CapCon: Kathy Hochul, Roger Catania, Frances Wills, Peter Oberacker, Josh Riley, Marc Molinaro, Jessica Ramos, Luis Sepulveda, Rachel May

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The State Education Building in Albany (Jim Franco/Times Union)

✏️ The state’s education regulators are preparing for a tumultuous state budget

New York increased school funding in this year’s state budget by $1.7 billion to reach an all-time high in state aid of $37.6 billion.

It’s been a relatively positive last few years for New York’s schools, even though New York City lost aid in this year’s state budget because of the new formula developed by Gov. Kathy Hochul and Democrats in the state Legislature.

The state decided to settle litigation related to its spending on schools and agreed to fully fund Foundation Aid, the main pot of money for districts.

Between that, free school meals statewide and a full-day cellphone ban for students, educators in New York have expressed optimism about their profession’s future.

But there could be a bump in that road in the upcoming state budget, members of the state Board of Regents warned at a meeting Monday.

“Budgets are going to be stronger some years and weaker in others,” said Roger P. Catania, one of the regents.