Today, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie endorsed the report of the Non Public Education Funding Commission. The Commission co-chaired by Assemblyman Gary Schaer and Dr. George Corwell of the NJ Catholic Conference made several suggestions on how the State can better fund the education of almost 200,000 students attending Non-Public Schools including the over 27,000 students attending Day Schools and Yeshivos throughout the State of New Jersey. It also made a compelling argument about why the State should do so as well.

“I would like to thank Assemblyman Schaer and the Commission for its hard work, and I will take its recommendations under consideration,” said Gov. Chris Christie. “The section of the report supporting tax credits for scholarship programs is especially important. Many states provide such tax credits, and we support providing them here in New Jersey, as well. They would immediately expand the scholarship assistance available to poor and working families, and with it the educational opportunities available to
their children.”

“As a member of the Commission, it was an honor to sit with so many individuals representing many different Non-Public School systems and with prestigious legislators such as Assemblyman Schaer and Senator Singer finding ways to best present our case for increased funding,” says Josh Pruzansky, Executive Director of Agudath Israel of New Jersey. “I also want to thank my colleague, Howard Beigelman of the Orthodox Union, for working together with me in coordinating forums with Yeshiva Administrators throughout the State, and to the Yeshiva and Day School Administrators who participated and gave us their input as to what they would like to see in this report. This report accurately expresses what is needed to help our schools and families and most of all our children receive and afford the best possible  education.”

Education Commissioner Bret Schundler welcomed the “creative suggestions” offered by the Commission, which was established under former Governor Jon Corzine in December 2009. “The report highlights the fact that a few thousand dollars of financial assistance can make it possible for a child to attend a privately managed school, and save taxpayers three to five times as much in public education costs,” said Schundler.