New York State Legislature adds $25 million for security in non-public schools

JTA — The New York State Legislature in the US has announced an additional $25 million to fund security for protecting non-public schools, daycares and cultural museums at risk of hate crimes.

For the first time, summer camps will also receive the security grant allocations.

The $25 million is on top of the $15 million in security allocations already made for such institutions this year, funding lobbied for by Teach NYS, a project of the Orthodox Union, which worked with coalition partners including Agudath Israel of America, the New York State Catholic Conference and the UJA Federation of New York to create the original program.

The Orthodox Union, through its state advocacy operation Teach Coalition, has worked for the security funding on the national, state and city levels, and also recently hired full-time staff to provide direct assistance to schools and synagogues in their efforts to apply for state and federal grant funding.

The Legislature also approved $30 million for STEM education and an increase of $7 million for the Comprehensive Attendance Policy and for Mandated Services Reimbursement, which provide funding for yeshivas and Jewish day schools.