For the past few years, the Diocese of Brooklyn has been working with the other Catholic dioceses in New York State, as well as Jewish and Protestant leaders, to build support for the Education Investment Tax Credit (A2551). Here are some of the diocese’s efforts thus far in 2015:
• Futures in Education, the foundation that provides scholarship money to families in need of assistance with tuition, has worked to inform others of the importance of the Education Investment Tax Credit bill. For the 2013-2014 academic year, Futures in Education awarded $7.9 million to 5,901 recipients.
Annually, an additional $11 million in financial need goes unfulfilled, as some families receive no scholarships and more than half receive funds that come short of their calculated need.
• Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio sent letters to every Assembly Member in Brooklyn and Queens, with co-sponsors receiving a letter of gratitude and non-co-sponsors receiving a plea for support.
• Catholic school officials have met with many Assembly Members at their offices in Albany to explain why they should support the bill.
• The Office of the Superintendent has worked with principals in the diocese to inform them about the Education Investment Tax Credit and to help them recruit their faculty and the parents of their students as supporters.