In answer to an unprecedented advocacy effort that included thousands of schoolchildren, hundreds of union members and groups that represented hundreds of non-public schools, state leaders gave assurances that the Education Investment Tax Credit would be included in the state budget approved at the end of March.
Yet somehow a program that could single-handedly create millions of dollars for scholarships to nonpublic schools got left behind on the cutting-room floor.
Like so many Catholic schools, Jewish schools are struggling to stay solvent.
While many parents seek out Jewish schools to provide the desired atmosphere, culture and education for their children, the high cost of Jewish education often makes the price of tuition untenable. Even double-income families struggle to make ends meet.
Our schools provide scholarships — but without a large enough budget to support those scholarships, tuitions keep rising and increasing the drain on the community.
In other states, tax-credit programs already provide much-needed lifelines to nonpublic schools, some (but far from all) of them Jewish.
Florida’s tax-credit program, funded at $286 million, provides $6 million a year to Jewish schools. Pennsylvania’s programs are funded at $150 million and provide an estimated $7 million to Jewish schools. For some Pennsylvania Jewish schools, the program is responsible for funding as much as 40 percent of their students’ scholarships.
Why can’t New York keep up by creating its own incentive to increase individual and corporate donations for education?
The Empire State program would be funded at $250 million for the first year and $300 million for the second, with the goal to continue increasing the funding every year.
This funding will be equally divided between public and nonpublic schools, allowing a wide array of families to benefit. The relief would be felt by schools and parents alike.
The Orthodox Jewish community is working with our allies in the Catholic community and others to keep up the pressure on Albany to pass the tax-credit bill.
Timothy Cardinal Dolan and many members of a diverse interfaith clergy have made multiple visits to Albany, all united in asking the governor and Legislature for their assistance in passing the Education Investment Tax Credit into law.
The legislative session ends Thursday. It’s time for New Yorkers to speak up and urge leaders in Albany to hear the voice of the nonpublic-school community and understand how important the tax credit is for their constituents.
As lawmakers prepare for a week of late-night sessions, we must call, write or e-mail our representatives in Albany. We must make our voice heard.
Jeff Leb is the New York director for the Orthodox Union’s Teach NYS project, which advocates for the needs of the nonpublic-school community.