YOSS principal reps yeshivas, seeks fair share for private schools

Rabbi Avraham Fridman, general studies principal of Yeshiva of South Shore in Hewlett, was chosen to represent the interests of yeshivas and day schools at the ESSA Non-Public School Workgroup. He travelled to Albany the day after Rosh Hashana together with Sara Seligson of the Jewish Education Project and Avrohom Weinstock of Agudath Israel, where they met with officials of New York State Department of Education to discuss the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) governing K-12 education across the nation.

An important aspect of the law requires a higher level of accountability and participation by the local school districts in providing private school students with mandated special education and related services.

To ensure that the local school districts are adhering to the new requirements of ESSA, the law has provisions requiring proper reporting by the districts and private schools. The state education department has created the ESSA Non-Public School Workgroup to help NYSED develop the processes by which practices will meet the new requirements of this law. NYSED chose 27 public and nonpublic school representatives who will be meeting in Albany on a monthly basis. 

Rabbi Fridman said after attending the first meeting of the workgroup, that the prospects of private school students receiving equitable services looks promising. Representatives of various groups are eager to work together for the benefit of all students in New York State, he said.