April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
PERSPECTIVE
Education for all students: A public duty
Archbishop Timothy Dolan testified Feb. 15 at a budget hearing on behalf of the children in independent and religious schools, particularly the students in our Catholic schools, regarding this injustice. Arch-bishop Dolan emphasized three points with the legislators.
First, any cuts in the allocation of state funds to independent and religious schools should be equitable to those of public schools. Gov. Cuomo's budget calls for an eight-percent cut in Mandated Services Aid (MSA) and the Comprehensive Atten-dance Program (CAP) for independent and religious schools, while proposing a 7.3 percent cut to public schools.
Gov. Cuomo proposed an additional $250 million in new initiatives for public schools. In addition, due to an error, there has been a shortfall in the MSA and CAP reimbursement for independent and religious schools for the past several years.
The estimated amount ex-ceeds $250 million. We strongly urge the State Education Department to correct the formula and acknowledge what the state owes our schools. While public schools have access to reserve funds and have tax levy authority, our Catholic schools have only one choice: to raise tuition.
Raising tuition for families who are already struggling puts an unnecessary burden on families who choose a Catholic school.
Second, although this does not affect the Catholic schools in this area, the state needs to reimburse the independent and religious schools for the Metropolitan Transporta-tion Authority payroll tax. All schools in the New York City area pay this tax, but only the public schools are reimbursed. This puts an ever-greater strain on the budgets of the independent and religious schools.
Finally, we strongly encourage full parental choice for all parents. Parents and guardians deserve the right to choose the best school for their children and they deserve to use their tax dollars for that choice.
Certainly, we support our public schools, but parents should have the freedom and assistance to take advantage of a faith-based education for their children.
The charter schools provide an option for families who desire a choice for their children, but that choice is limited and not available for all schools. Let the families use their tax dollars for a school of their choice, an independent or religious school for their children.
Catholic schools save the taxpayers more than $8 billion per year. Our schools provide a wonderful alternative to the public system. Parents deserve the right to choose this option for their children and have the tax credits to support that choice. The independent and religious schools serve our society, just as public schools do.
Our schools adhere to the mandates that the state requests of us and we deserve reimbursement for those mandates. While any proposed cut to public schools affects the allocation going forward, the cuts proposed for our Catholic schools are cuts in funds already spent.
The education in the Catholic schools is equal to or surpasses an education in some of the public schools and we do so one-half the cost. It is simply a matter of justice: If any cuts are made in education, let the cuts be equitable - and the state needs to acknowledge the debt to our schools. The children in our schools deserve nothing less.
(Sister Jane is superintendent of schools for the Albany Diocese.)[[In-content Ad]]
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