Dear Recipient's Title and Name:

I am writing to thank you for helping build a state budget that recognizes and supports New York State’s non-public schools and their diverse student bodies.

Religious and secular non-public schools provide thousands of New York families with the school options they need, and educate thousands of students who will go on to become leaders in their communities. In recent years, faith communities across the state have thrived, leading to increased enrollment and an increased demand for resources at many religious schools.

To ensure our schools would be able to continue their critical work, we asked for your support. Working with advocacy groups like the Orthodox Union - Teach NYS, we asked you and your colleagues to increase funding to the programs that sustain our schools, like the Comprehensive Attendance Policy (CAP). We also asked you to help keep our students safe by allocating much-needed aid to non-public schools for security improvements.

You heard our voices loudly and clearly, and this year’s state budget reflects a real commitment to non-public school communities. By increasing Mandated Services funding and CAP and providing New York’s non-public schools with significant security aid, you are helping our children access better education and safer schools. The state’s creation of an Office of Religious and Independent Schools, which will serve our growing school communities, represents a further recognition of the need to support non-public school children. 

Thank you for standing up for New York’s non-public schools, and thank you for investing in our children’s futures.

Sincerely,
Your Full Name

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