Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in his State of the State and budget address on Jan. 13, vowed to transform every failing school into a community school, bring universal prekindergarten “to 100 percent of our communities” and provide a $200 tax credit for teachers who spend their own money on school supplies.

“Teachers deserve our support and encouragement,” he said. He called for a $2.1 billion increase in state school aid over a two-year period, including nearly $1 billion for the coming school year.

It was a far cry from last year, when in a more combative tone he tied $1.1 billion in additional state education aid to individual merit pay, more charter schools, punishing struggling schools, and making teacher evaluation hinge on state test scores.

Although Cuomo still voiced support for charter schools, it did not dominate his discussion of education solutions. Many of his proposals, such as community schools and universal pre-K, have been championed by the UFT and Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“We’ve come a long way from last year,” said UFT President Michael Mulgrew. “We still have some differences and issues to work on, but as far as teachers are concerned, there was a lot to like in the governor’s speech.”

In promoting community schools, Cuomo spoke of the challenges facing students in poor communities — poverty, one-parent households and nutrition needs, in addition to crime and violence. It was a litany familiar to the UFT, which took the lead in opening community schools in New York City.

“Let’s invest in the right problem early on so we’re not paying for problems later on,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo called for renewing mayoral control over NYC schools for three more years. Last year, the governor advocated a three-year renewal as well, but the state Legislature ultimately granted de Blasio only a one-year extension.

While the governor did not mention it in his address, the briefing book that accompanies the governor’s State of the State address indicated that the governor is calling for a $150 million education tax credit. The tax credit proposal, which would give huge tax breaks to wealthy donors who contribute to private schools, failed to pass in the previous two legislative sessions.

The governor vowed to make New York the first state to enact a $15 minimum wage. Cuomo also proposed paid family leave for all New Yorkers, invoking his late father, Mario Cuomo, who died last year, and expressing regret that he had not spent more time with him. He also called for a campaign to urge more women to have breast exams, invoking his partner Sandra Lee’s breast cancer surgery last year.