Brooklyn — Less than three weeks after he took office, Councilman David Greenfield has made significant progress on one of his key campaign pledges – securing free door-to-door transportation for yeshiva students. Greenfield has been focusing on the importance of New York City providing free busing for yeshiva students and allowing parents to select the bus company that best suits their schedule and needs. Greenfield’s plan is simple: instead of the city spending $3,000 per child on public transportation, they’ll give parents a $2,000 coupon to spend on the private bus company of their choice. That will save families thousands – and the city millions – of dollars each year.

Greenfield, who last week convened a meeting of the yeshiva principals and administrators in his district to review a number of important issues facing yeshivas, announced today that he has a personal commitment from the Deputy Mayor to create a committee comprised of yeshiva leaders and government officials that will examine this critical issue beginning this summer.

This is very similar to the process that Greenfield followed three years ago when Greenfield’s advocacy on behalf of yeshiva parents led to a committee that reviewed his plan for free tutoring for yeshiva students. As a result of Greenfield’s advocacy, thousands of students in over 50 yeshivas now receive free tutoring worth tens of millions of dollars each and every year.

“I have consistently said that education funding is my top priority,” Greenfield explained. “I am very grateful to the Mayor’s office for once again agreeing to examine an innovative idea that will benefit parents across New York City.”

Greenfield organized a meeting of all the yeshivas in his district less than one week after he took office in order to stress the importance of education advocacy in his council office.  Specifically, Greenfield spoke of efforts to combat the elimination of Priority 7 vouchers, the possibility of free door-to-door transportation for yeshiva students, and an initiative to secure vital funding for security for yeshivas, all of which are issues that Greenfield has committed to addressing during his first term of office. Greenfield also invited the assembled administrators to volunteer on committees so that they can have direct input into the decision-making progress.

“When it comes to determining how to allocate valuable government resources for our children’s education, it is essential that yeshivas have a seat at the table and significant input into the decision-making process,” said Greenfield.  “Yeshiva principals and administrators are on the front lines of our ongoing effort to educate our children, and their opinions and expertise are invaluable.”

For the first time, yeshiva administrators have been given the opportunity to participate in the process through committees that Greenfield is organizing. Over 95% of the administrators volunteered to sit on one or more committees and to work together with Greenfield in his advocacy on behalf of yeshivas.

(YWN Desk – NYC)