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David Paterson, via Flickr

At a time when he has proposed cutting education spending by $2.5 billion, Governor David Paterson was necessarily short on education policy proposals during his State of the State address today.

The annual address, which Paterson delivered today for the first time, is typically a forum for the governor to announce new initiatives. Paterson did propose a substantial new loan program to help high school graduates afford college.

But in a sign of the lean times, the other two programs Paterson singled out for attention both shift at least some of the burden of paying for educational services onto private providers. One, the early college high school model, partners colleges with public schools so students earn college credits during high school. Paterson also highlighted Say Yes to Education, a national foundation that supports low-income children throughout school and college; Say Yes currently works with several schools in Harlem and upstate in Syracuse.

Paterson said the state needs schools to improve without additional resources. “The road to economic competitiveness and renewal runs right through our schools,” he said. “However, during this downturn, we simply cannot spend more — so we must spend more effectively.”

Below the jump, Paterson’s full remarks on education: (more…)