Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced a huge capital investment to fund non-public schools in the latest New York state budget.
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The state is poised to invest an unprecedented $467 million in non-public schools as part of the 2024-25 state budget, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Monday, marking an $88 million increase over the previous year and representing the state’s largest allocation ever. budget for non-public schools in a nation.
A significant portion of the funds will be used to improve security measures through the Non-Public School Safety Equipment (NPSE) program – an effort led by Senate Deputy Leader Michael Gianaris – which will bring funding from $45 million to $70 million . In addition, the grant to protect communities against hate crimes saw a $10 million increase from $25 million to $35 million.
The funding comes at a critical time for New York, where hate crimes are on the rise and where anti-Semitic incidents have reached alarming historic levels, according to a report released by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).
In its annual audit of anti-Semitic incidents in New York and across the US, the anti-hate organization reported a whopping 110 percent increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the Empire State last year, including episodes of physical violence. In all, there were 1,218 incidents, the largest number ever recorded by the ADL in the state and the second highest number recorded in any state nationwide last year.
Nearly 14 percent of the nation’s anti-Semitic incidents last year occurred in New York.
Maury Litwack, founder of the Teach Coalition, the leading single-issue advocacy network invested in the quality, safety and affordability of non-public schools, emphasized the importance of security funding — especially for non-public schools focused on Jewish education.
“Our Jewish day schools and yeshivas have seen a 47 percent increase in security spending in recent months to protect our students during their education,” Litvak said. “This funding will help us maintain safety without placing an unsustainable burden on our communities.”
Janaris, who represents the western queens, echoed Litvak.
“With hate crimes on the rise, my proposal to increase school security funding by $70 million will ensure students have a safe environment to grow and learn, giving families peace of mind,” he said.
The historic $237 billion budget also introduced a pioneering arts and music teacher reimbursement program with a $5 million allocation. This program, similar to the STEM reimbursement program, offers funding for art and music teachers in non-public schools. The budget also includes an increase in STEM programs and teacher reimbursement, now set at $75.5 million.
Funding for the Comprehensive Attendance Program (CAP) and Mandatory Service Reimbursement (MSR) will also increase to a total of $241 million, an increase of $45 million.
“These transformational funds will have a direct impact on our schools,” said Sydney Altfield, executive director of Teach NYS, a division of the Teach Coalition. “The state recognizes the value of investing in education, regardless of the type of school students attend, and we are grateful to our legislative partners and community advocates for making this possible.”
New York State is home to over 550 Jewish day schools and yeshivas serving approximately 180,000 students.
Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Kobrin, head of school at North Shore Hebrew Academy, also praised the funding.
“This funding significantly benefits our schools, students and the wider community,” he said. “With this support from our legislators, we can continue to prioritize providing our children with an enriching educational experience in a safe and secure environment.”
Additional reporting by Barbara Russo
