Advocacy Success in New York

For over seven years, the we and our partners in Agudath Israel, the NY Catholic Conference, and the UJA Federation of New York have successfully advocated for tuition affordability policies in New York State.

2006 to 2008

• Created the Empire State Child Credit, which provides a tax credit of up to $333 per child to families with school-age children. 
• Overhauled New York City’s system for administering federal No Child Left Behind education funding. This made it much easier for Jewish schools to take advantage of federally funded services, such as tutoring and teacher professional development.

2010 to PRESENT

• Exempted of private schools from the MTA payroll tax, saving Jewish day schools roughly $2.5 million.
• Increased Comprehensive Attendance Policy reimbursement to private schools by $7 million.
• Increased Mandated Services reimbursement to private schools by $15.2 million.

Advocacy Success Nationwide

The Orthodox Union has advocated nationwide for tuition affordability policies, with considerable success in the past two years alone.

NEW JERSEY

• Reinstated technology funding at a rate of $20 per student for our Jewish day schools
• Received the most sponsors for the tax credit bill which would provide tuition relief to large segments of day school parents
• Created legislation to supplement services for special needs students
• Fought to maintain busing services for students in Teaneck and Lakewood
• Worked to pursue and maximize hundreds of thousands of dollars in UASI funding

LOUISIANA

• Passage of a multi-million dollar voucher and tax credit program which has the potential to reduce tuition costs of Louisiana parents

FLORIDA

• Expansion of the corporate tax credit program (which currently provides $3 million dollars per year to Jewish day school parents) to ensure that more families are eligible for funding.

PENNSYLVANIA

• Expansion of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program from $75 million to $100 million dollars. This program provides millions of dollars to Jewish education throughout the state. Also leveled the playing field between Jewish donors and large corporations competing for tax credits.
• Created a new Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) program, which provides up to $50 million annually to students in low-performing school districts.