Catholic schools receive increases in state budget

The Diocese of Albany Catholic Schools Office.

New York State’s Catholic schools will benefit from increased support under the recently enacted state budget. Governor Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders provided significant increases in several programs that serve religious and independent schools. The most notable funding increases include:

•  $25 million increase for Health, Safety and Security initiatives (totaling $70 million).

•  $45 million increase in reimbursement to schools for state administrative mandates and programs (totaling more than $241 million).

•  $1.4 million for Academic Intervention Services to students in need of assistance in meeting learning standards. 

•  $5 million for a new program supporting Art and Music education.

•  $2.5 million increase for a first-in-the-nation program supporting STEM education.

“We are grateful to Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie for their leadership in supporting the education of all New York’s children, regardless of where they go to school,” said James Cultrara, director for education for the New York State Catholic Conference. “We also deeply appreciate the support of Senate Education Committee Chair Shelley Mayer and Assembly Education Committee Chair Mike Benedetto. These funds are enormously helpful to our Catholic schools not only because they support programs that are critical to a student’s education but also because they help alleviate the ever-increasing financial burden faced by tuition-paying families.”

The Catholic Conference is urging those in the Catholic school community to contact Governor Hochul and their Senate and Assembly representatives, through the Catholic Action Network (www.nyscatholic.org/action-center), to thank them for supporting Catholic schools in the enacted state budget.

 The Catholic Conference represents the Bishops of New York State in public policy matters.