Albany, NY - Gov. Andrew Cuomo will veto a bill requiring school officials to consider religion and other family beliefs when approving taxpayer-funded tuition for special-education students at private schools, an administration
official said.
The bill passed the state Legislature with bipartisan support in June, pushed largely by Jewish and Catholic organizations that said some special-needs children could only learn in a setting that closely reflected their family life.
The measure would have required education officials to consider ?home environment and family background? when deciding on school placement and streamlined tuition reimbursements to parents.
School-district officials said the bill could result in a voucherlike system for special-needs children, creating a cottage industry of private schools catering to families of varying religions, lifestyles and backgrounds?all paid for with government funds. Private tuition and transportation for special-education students can cost $100,000 a year per child.
A Cuomo administration official said the governor viewed the bill as ?an unfunded mandate that would place a significant burden on local school districts.?
The bill passed the Republican-controlled state Senate 47-13 and the Democratic-controlled Assembly by 93-50 on June 21, the Legislature?s last day of session. Spokesmen for both houses declined to comment.
Leah Steinberg, director of special-education affairs for Agudath Israel of America, said the bill would have saved parents from proving their child needed to be in a special school each year. ?The parents are going to be very
disappointed,? she said. ?The parents go through this every year, and it?s a torturous process.?
?
London 2012 China muhammad ali Carly Rae Jepsen Opening ceremony London 2012 chick fil a chick fil a Olympics Live
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.