State Budget Includes Benefits for Catholic Schools

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Catholic schools across the archdiocese have something to cheer about in the recently passed $148 billion New York state budget.

Lawmakers are devoting an additional $72.5 million, above what has been previously allocated, to support religious and independent schools in the state through a number of initiatives.

Among them are:

• $2 million in new, dedicated funding to support the state Office of Religious and Independent Schools, including support for initiatives undertaken by the office.

• $10.5 million in additional funds for safety equipment, for a total of $15 million, including flexibility in using such funds for health, safety and security needs. (The new funds will be available after April 1, 2017.)

• $60 million in additional funds, also available after April 1 of next year, through the Mandated Services Reimbursement.

Schools would also continue to receive reimbursement based on the standard instructional day for kindergarten through 12th grades, the same threshold for aid to public schools.

“There is a greater degree of conversation that is going on for nonpublic education in this state,” Dr. McNiff said.

“When you look to see what’s been included in the governor’s budget that was recently passed, you’re going to see a reflection of some of that conversation.”

Some of the superintendent’s appreciation for that progress is tempered, he concedes. Dr. McNiff cited the “additional support in the governor’s budget for next year,” specifically $72.5 million, “is really returning back to nonpublic education what they were entitled to from previous years.”

“It’s a misnomer to think it’s ‘new’ or that it’s ‘additional.’”

At the same time, Dr. McNiff believes he and his colleagues should be “sensitive to the fact this is still a partnership—in a very broad sense, but it’s a partnership—between families in the nonpublic school world and the state.”

“That’s important,” he said, “to keep everybody at the table and everybody talking.”

The New York State Education Commissioner’s Advisory Council for Nonpublic Schools, which Dr. McNiff serves as chair, was to meet April 13 in Albany.

“At that meeting, there’s going to be a lot to celebrate with the commissioner, and be as much to talk about where we still need to make improvements,” Dr. McNiff said.

He cited as an example that while the Mandated Services CAP challenge seems to have been resolved, there are other state resources that have not been delivered to the nonpublic schools, specifically academic intervention services.

“Those monies haven’t been released for the past four years,” said Dr. McNiff. “That needs to be addressed.”

He cited as another example the Smart Bond Act. Nonpublic schools were to be included on the technology end of that bond. “That is experiencing a lot of difficulties at various locations throughout the state, and it’s a result of people’s interpretation of the language in that bond.”

But Dr. McNiff remains hopeful.

“We have a governor that’s increasing the level of conversation. We have a new commissioner, MaryEllen Elia, who is very receptive to these conversations and encourages them. So I remain optimistic.”

Dr. McNiff is pleased that money is being allocated to “‘re-establish’—and ‘re’ is the operative part here,” he said, the state Office of Religious and Independent Schools.

His enthusiasm with the budget is tempered in another aspect.

Dr. McNiff said families in New York who are keeping their kids in nonpublic education “and thus saving this state billions of dollars annually” need “some tuition relief, in order to do this, in order to protect and preserve their choice.”

However, he added, “they are not being heard to the extent they need because the education tax credit again failed.”

The superintendent was referring to the Parental Choice in Education Act, which failed last year. Education tax credits were not included in the recently enacted budget.

“There is a lot of further discussion that happens” between now and when lawmakers adjourn in June, Dr. McNiff said.

“Will it have a chance to resurface and work its way into the budget? We’ll have to wait and see.”

Although disappointed with the current status of the education tax credits, Dr. McNiff is pleased with the coalition of business people who are supporting the effort, as they continue to remain “engaged and committed to this cause,” he said.

“That advocacy,” Dr. McNiff is certain, “is not going to die or go away.”