Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17) on Thursday introduced a bill that would extend the availability of federal funds provided to non-public schools for an additional year – a move that would be highly beneficial for numerous Orthodox Jewish schools.
In 2020 and 2021, a program named Emergency Assistance to Non-Public Schools (EANS) allocated funds to state authorities for private and parochial schools, with a deadline for using the funds by the end of 2023.
As with many federal funding projects, EANS had schools and businesses providing educational services lay out the funds and then would reimburse them through the program. However, New York dragged its feet on distributing the funds, and as we near the end of the 2022-2023 school year, numerous private schools have yet to be reimbursed with those funds – and time is running out.
Many private schools reached out to Congressman Lawler regarding this issue, culminating in Thursday’s introduced legislation which would extend the expiration date of the first round of EANS funds to the end of the 2023-2024 school year, and the second round of EANS funds to the conclusion of the 2024-2025 school year.
“I’m proud to introduce this important piece of legislation that will extend authorization of funding for emergency aid to non-public schools.” said Rep. Mike Lawler. “The New York State Education Department has indicated that an extension would be of great assistance, and so this legislation will prove an important step in ensuring that all students and schools receive the resources they need to succeed.”
“I look forward to finding additional ways in which we can support students, teachers, parents, and families in Congress,” he added.
If passed in Congress – which is likely, considering that these are funds that have already been allocated – it would provide a major boost to numerous Orthodox Jewish and other private schools.
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4 Responses
Huh?? This was a program to provide limited assistance to non-public schools during the COVID emergency. As Republicans have been screaming, the “emergency is over”….Covid is over. The Republican debt limit bill that Lawler voted for (along with every other House Republican) would “claw back” any unspent funds from the prior Covid bills. Why is he now introducing legislation to “extend” the period in which those funds can be spent??
Lawler shows what true hakaras hatov is
I have one question:
WOLL IT LOWER TUITION?
Once the government provides funding, it ceases to be “private”. He who pay the fiddler calls the tune, and we need to ask whether we ever want the government “calling the tune” for our own educational system.