A cardinal, a rabbi and a senator walk into a room. Is the start of an old joke? No, thankfully, it’s the religious communities working together to bring back resources to our private schools. Last week, a diverse group of religious and political leaders gathered in the Bronx to unveil a new bill that would call for a full restoration of funding for religious and independent schools in this year’s budget. If the bill passes it could save tens of millions of dollars for private schools in New York State.
Cardinal Edward Egan, Deputy Majority Leader Jeff Klein, TEACH NYS Director & Counsel David G. Greenfield and a diverse group of religious, education and political leaders including Senate Education Chair Suzi Oppenheimer, Senate Banking Chair Brian Foley, and Senate Government Operations Chair Craig Johnson, unveiled a new bill that would call for a full restoration of funding for religious and independent schools in this year’s proposed budget. They were joined by other representative of the Catholic, Jewish, Lutheran and Greek Orthodox religious communities. Jewish groups represented at the event included the Orthodox Union, Agudath Israel of America and the Sephardic Community Federation.
The bill, introduced by Senator Suzi Oppenheimer, seeks to restore the state’s liability for reimbursement under the Mandated Services Reimbursement (MSR) program to 100 percent of the cost to schools of complying with the MSR program. The proposed budget for 2009-10 limits the state’s liability for reimbursement to 92%. While in the past there have been deficiencies in the program due to a lack of funds, every time the deficiencies have eventually been paid back when the economy has allowed it. For the first time, however, the state budget is seeking permission to never pay back these funds again.
Speakers at the conference made it clear that they will hold the state to its legal responsibility to reimburse schools. “A promise is a promise. It is simply unconscionable for the state to cut promised funds to New York’s non-public schools. Without even this little government funding, many schools will simply close. That will force children into public schools at an infinitely greater cost to the state”, said David G. Greenfield, Esq.
Governor Paterson’s proposed budget would limit the state’s liability for reimbursement, thereby putting $18 million at risk. In addition, the proposed budget for 2009-10 cuts reimbursement to private schools by 44%, or $62 million. Religious and independent schools educate 500,000 (15%) of New York’s children and save the state approximately $8.5 billion each year.
TEACH NYS is the only organization that is exclusively dedicated to solving the tuition crisis and is leading a coalition of groups who are working every day to stop the funding cuts to private schools.
(Hillel Gafney – YWN)
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One Response
something is grossly amiss here. We are saving the state 8 billion with nothing back? Let’s enroll all our kids in public schools next year until they give in. Even if we only register let’s see thme call our bluff.