Dear NYS Principals and Administrators,

Thank you for joining us for last week’s webinar discussing the newly passed New York State Budget for 2021-2022.

Action Alert! Please take a few minutes to thank your State Senators and Assemblymembers for helping our schools in the NYS 2021-2022 Budget. You can easily send a message to your representatives on our website by clicking here.

You can watch a recording of the webinar here.

Below are pertinent developments and a short summary of our advocacy on behalf of yeshivos.

Background

When the proposed New York State Executive Budget was released in late January, nearly every funding stream available to yeshivas and other nonpublic schools was facing cuts from previous year’s levels. More ominous was proposed language that threatened the viability of Mandated Services Aid (MSA), the largest single source of funding for non-public schools in New York.

Issue

In previous years, the state took responsibility for the entire amount of the MSA. Therefore, even if the state did not pay the complete MSA due to a budget shortfall, the state accepted liability to pay it in future years. For example, in 2016 and 2017, thanks to the advocacy of Agudah and our partners, there was a $250 million windfall for nonpublic schools as a result of a shortfall from previous years.

The language originally proposed in this year’s executive budget stated that MSA claims will only be reimbursed to the extent of the appropriation in the current year’s budget, and that would represent fulfillment of the state’s obligation.

Advocacy


Though precluded from physically traveling to the state capitol in Albany due to ongoing COVID restrictions, Agudah arranged three advocacy days with legislators via Zoom addressing this as well as a number of other issues. When the final budget was released, the results of the advocacy of Agudah and its coalition partners were on prominent display as almost all our legislative objectives were accomplished.

Pertinent Appropriations


  • Mandated Services Aid (MSA): The proposed objectionable language was removed. Funded at $115,652,000, which we anticipate is sufficient to fully reimburse schools for mandated costs, including if another save-harmless provision is needed for the 2020-21 school year.
  • Comprehensive Attendance Policy (CAP): Funded at $77,476,000.
  • Nonpublic Safety Equipment Grant: maintained at $15 million for reimbursement of health and safety equipment as well as security personnel. Agudath Israel has successfully advocated for more items to be eligible for reimbursement under this grant.
  • Immunization Record-Keeping: $1 million for nonpublic schools in Buffalo, Rochester, and New York City for immunization record-keeping costs.
  • SCAHC Grants: $25 million re-appropriated for competitive grants under the Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes program. This round of funding will also allow for online and virtual protection.
  • MST Grant: Increased to $40 million for the reimbursement to schools that employ eligible Math, Science, or Technology teachers. STEM has been the focus of lobbying efforts by TEACH NYS/Orthodox Union for the past three years.
  • UPK: Maintained at $340 million, however, lawmakers are utilizing newly awarded federal stimulus funds to provide $195 million in formula grants and $15 million in competitive grants to school districts for new full-day 4-year-old UPK expansion grants. The additional funding is expected to create additional opportunities for four-year old placements in religious and independent schools.
  • School Nutrition: $34.40 million is continued to subsidize school lunch and school breakfast programs. $10 million is also maintained to cover the State share of reimbursing schools up to $0.25 per meal for any school that purchases at least 30 percent of the food for its lunch program from New York farmers and growers. $2.3 million is also maintained to support student meal costs.
  • Academic Intervention Services: maintained at $922,000 with $1.84 million available annually.
  • Busing contractors are to be reimbursed for expenses occurred during COVID related shutdowns. This is in line with reimbursement provided to school district bus vendors and was a key ask during the Agudah lobby days. This was made possible through the efforts of Chair of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee Helene Weinstein and Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein.
  • Smart Schools Bond Act: $25 million re-appropriated to address inequities in the nonpublic school share of the bond funds.
  • Textbook Aid: $58.25 per pupil
  • Software Aid: $14.98 per pupil
  • Hardware Aid: Average of $12 per pupil (it varies throughout the state)
  • Library Materials: $6.25 per pupil
  • EANS 1 & 2: A total of $500,228,000 is allocated from federal COVID relief funds for two equal rounds of $250,114,000 for Emergency Assistance for Nonpublic Schools (EANS).

As always, feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions.

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Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus
Director of Yeshiva Services

Ami Bazov, Esq.
Coordinator of Education Affairs

Yeshiva Services champions and guides yeshivos and day schools, advocates for resources at all levels of government, educates and guides yeshiva leadership, and defends yeshivos and their unique character under the guidance of Gedolei Yisroel, ensuring the continued growth of Klal Yisroel.