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Washington Heights Block Party Celebrates Victory In Decades-Long Fight For Quality Education

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A block party was held in Washington Heights on Saturday to celebrate a decades-long fight for quality education.

The party was hosted by the Alliance for Quality Education.

In 1992, Sen. Robert Jackson and local parents filed a lawsuit against the state of New York claiming children were not being provided the opportunity to receive adequate schooling.

Just recently, they won their fight, and now more than $4 billion will be added to the state budget to help public schools.

"It's going to provide the city of New York and other municipalities in the state of New York with the opportunity to reduce class size, to hire more teachers ... and other good things so that every child, no matter where you live, will have the opportunity to receive an excellent education," Jackson said.

New York City will receive $500 million this year and will receive additional funding over the next few years.

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