Hochul pledges $240M boost for schools that serve kids with disabilities, but vetoes bill

Gov. Kathy Hochul said she plans to use her first state budget to boost funding to private schools that serve children with disabilities by $240 million, in what she touted as a "historic investment."

But, her declaration last week came as she vetoed legislation that would accomplish a similar goal.

Advocates and lawmakers who shepherded the unanimously passed legislation expressed disappointment and confusion. The vetoed bill would put funding for private schools that serve children with disabilities on par with state funding for public districts.

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Hundreds of specialized programs are funded primarily by the state to provide legally required services. Many are losing up to a third of their teachers annually to higher paying jobs with public schools, advocates say.

Hochul outlined her plans while also announcing she had signed other legislation aimed at aiding children with disabilities.

Randi Rios-Castro, CEO of Jawonio, said more funding is desperately needed. The nonprofit, which provides lifespan services for people with special needs in the Hudson Valley, provides early intervention services and preschool programs. "These programs probably wouldn't have been viable much longer without an influx in cash."

What is being done

Private school programs serve children ages 5 to 21 whose school districts cannot provide services mandated in their Individualized Education Program. Preschool programs that provide legally required services to children ages 3 to 5 with mild to severe developmental delays also receive state funding.

The the state-approved programs, which are often intensive and costly, have lagged in funding.

While the state Education Department had recommended a 7% funding increase for these schools in the current state budget — an amount that aligned with the big funding increases school districts got — the actual funding increase was knocked down to 4%.

Hochul pledged that her budget plan would provide the remaining 3%, so the increase is on par with what public school districts got. She touted the action as locking in a 15% increase for such schools over two years. She also said future increases for the programs would be tied to public school funding increases.

"This is going to right years of neglect," Castro-Rios said.

Confusion, disappointment

However, the legislation she vetoed would have accomplished similar funding for the special schools and locked in a future aid formula.

State Sen. John Mannion, who chairs the committee and sponsored the legislation, expressed disappointment. But, the Democrat added, "I believe that this setback will be temporary." He said Hochul has signaled her support for "fixing a bad policy."

State Sen. Mike Martucci, ranking member of the Committee on Disabilities, expressed concern that Hochul would use the extra school funding as torque for negotiating other budget items with the Legislature.

"The governor could have approved the bill and we could have included funding in the budget," the Republican said, likening the situation to the pugilistic approach former Gov. Andrew Cuomo took with lawmakers. "This should not be part of a larger strategy or larger deal.

"We need to do what's right," Martucci said. "Children with disabilities are not second-class citizens."

Other bills signed

Hochul on Thursday announced she had signed other legislation that would mandate that the Autism Spectrum Disorders Advisory Board provide a report on autism detection, education, and mapping; appoint an impartial hearing officer to address due process complaints for students with disabilities; align New York’s behavior analyst licenses with other states; and provide funding to early intervention education for toddlers with disabilities so providers can get paid quicker.

Hochul said the measures "will make a huge difference in the lives of students, families and schools in every corner of New York."

Nancy Cutler writes about People & Policy. Click here for her latest stories. Follow her on Twitter at @nancyrockland.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Hochul backs funds for schools that serve disabled, but vetoes bill