A major breakthrough in trying to help Lakewood’s low-income families pay for Yeshiva tuition occurred on Thursday when the Senate Economic Growth Committee passed S.1607 by a 3-1 margin. This five year pilot program will provide education vouchers to students from low and moderate income households  in eight Urban Enterprise Zone school districts including Lakewood and Elizabeth. These vouchers would cover the full cost of tuition for these students. The other districts are Newark, Jersey City, Paterson,
Camden, Orange and Trenton.

The bill guarantees Lakewood a minimum of $1.5 million, or about 250 scholarships in the first year growing to $4-7 million, or 700-1200 scholarships by year five. Scholarships will be awarded by lottery if the number of eligible students who apply exceeds the funds available, as is expected in Lakewood. Details on applying will be forthcoming once the bill
become law.

Rabbi Moshe Zev Weisberg, President of Lakewood Community Services Corporation (LCSC), spearheaded the Lakewood Vaad’s efforts  to include Lakewood in this groundbreaking bill. “Many New Jersey families are reeling from the crushing double burden of paying tuition to schools who support their Torah values, while at the same
time paying through the nose to support public education. Lakewood families, including Kollel yungerleit, can easily spend in excess of $25,000 annually for the combination of public school taxes and Yeshiva tuition. These vouchers will assist some of these families in meeting these crushing expenses” observed Rabbi Weisberg.

This bill was the result of working together for a period of years with a coalition of NJ School Choice advocates to meet the group’s common needs. Lakewood’s legislators, Sen. Bob Singer and Assemblyman Joe Malone, were crucial in assuring Lakewood participation in this pilot program. Sen. Raymond Lesniak, the Committee Chair, must be thanked for his understanding of the Kehilla’s needs.

Special thanks are also due to Rabbi Yehoshua Pruzansky of the Agudah and Howie Beigelman of the “OU” were very helpful in advocating for the bill. The bill must still be heard in other legislative committees, be passed by both Senate and Assembly, and then be signed by the Governor. It will then become effective for the 2009-10 school year. “Although there are still serious hurdles to climb before this bill becomes a reality, we remain optimistic, B’syata D’Shmaya, that frum families in New Jersey will finally
get some real financial relief.

NOTE: The Vaad tells YWN that as soon as the bill is passed, application procedures will be widely publicized to the Lakewood residents.