Relates to the New York state office of religious and independent schools establishment act

4 Co-sponsors

• John A. DeFrancisco
• Andrew J. Lanza
• Jack M. Martins
• Michael H. Ranzenhofer

BILL NUMBER:S5253A

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to the state office of religious and independent schools establishment act

Purpose

Establishes a New York State Office for Religious and Independent Schools and permits the center to disburse school safety funds allocated in the 2013-2014 State Budget.

Summary of provisions

Section 2: Creates Article 12-B which establishes the New York State Office for Religious and Independent Schools

Section 3: Sets forth an immediate effective date, provided that any rules or regulations necessary for the implementation of this act shall be promulgated and take effect 180 days after such effective date.

Justification

Presently, the state provides resources to support students who attend independent or religious schools. Specifically, resources are allocated for the purpose of obtaining instructional materials, academic intervention services, transportation services, and school health and safety measures. The present mechanism for providing much of these services requires the local public school district to administer these funds to the independent or religious school where pupils residing in the public school district attend. The administration of aid programs benefiting religious and independent school students often become the responsibility of the public school districts or BOCES in which such independent or religious schools are located or in which such independent and religious school students reside. Placing a burden on the public school system for administering programs intended to benefit students who attend religious and independent schools is unfair, inefficient and often ineffective.

The administration of programs benefiting religious and independent schools can be handled directly by the State Education Department with increased efficiency and effectiveness with the creation of an office dedicated for such purpose. Therefore, this legislation would address these challenges by creating an Office for Religious and Independent Schools within the State Education Department that would be exclusively responsible for serving the needs of students who attend independent and religious schools. The Office for Religious and Independent Schools will provide an efficient and cost-effective means of administering the safety equipment and academic intervention funds, and potentially other programs, while providing religious and independent school administrators with a single and self-sustaining office for accessing information and resources intended for their benefit. Moreover, creating the Office within the State Education Department will help ensure that the state's religious and independent schools remain integrally connected to the Regents' efforts to prepare all students for college and careers.

Additionally, the health and safety of our students, regardless of where they attend school is of the utmost importance. As such, in early 2013 resources were appropriated for school districts to upgrade or install safety equipment. Additional funds for the purchase of

school safety equipment were appropriated for independent and religious schools in the 2013-2014 Budget. The Office for Religious and Independent Schools will provide an efficient, cost-effective, transparent and accountable means of disbursing this safety equipment funding.

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

No new fiscal implications to the state. Funding for the New York State Office for Religious and Independent Schools is subject to funding currently appropriated in the 2013-2014 Enacted State Budget.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately, provided that any rules or regulations necessary for the implementation of this act shall be promulgated and take effect 180 days after its enactment.