Assembly Sheldon Silver during the OU Advocacy-Teach NYS mission to Albany.
Noting the short time frame until the April 1st deadline to pass the New York State budget, Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy and several other legislators urged the OU Advocacy-Teach NYS delegations that came to Albany last week to “keep up the pressure” on elected officials and remind them to support the initiatives that help Jewish education with consistent and persistent lobbying until the budget is passed.
At the top of the 2014 legislative priorities for OU Advocacy-Teach NYS are the Education Investment Incentives Act, full funding of the Comprehensive Attendance Policy (CAP) and Mandated Services Reimbursement (MSR) programs—two state initiatives that provide funding for anti-truancy programs and mandated services required by private schools—and including non-public schools in the universal pre-K (UPK) legislation and the Smart Schools bond initiative.
The Brooklyn delegation and the joint delegation from Manhattan, Riverdale and Westchester came to Albany on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Composed of lay leaders, day school and yeshiva leaders, as well as students, the two delegations included representatives from Yeshivat Darche Eres, Yeshivah of Flatbush, Magen David Yeshivah, and Barkai Yeshivah, as well as Ramaz, SAR, Manhattan Day School, Solomon Schechter School of Westchester and Westchester Day School.