CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — The Maryvale Union Free School District is calling on New York City to reimburse all expenses it says have been spent to educate the children of asylum seekers.
In late October, Maryvale's Board of Education passed a resolution requesting New York City to give them full reimbursements. The following day, the BOE sent a letter to Erie County's Legislator, John Mills, asking for extra support for their request. The school district says they are $394,326 out of pocket.
Superintendent Joseph D'Angelo says the expenses cover six English as a New Language teacher aides, who are teaching kindergarten through sixth-graders.
It also covers a high school ENL teacher and transportation to and from the hotels where the students live.
The money spent to educate the 76 children was supposed to fund programs and services within the district. Superintendent D'Angelo told 2 On Your Side that the district shouldn't shoulder the burden of a problem New York City caused.
These students were enrolled in late August, and D'Angelo says the extra work has strained his teachers. Despite that, D'Angelo says the children are adjusting nicely this school year, and the teachers are excited to continue working with them.
"We're taking the politics out of it, which I need to do, but our board, we're responsible for the community too, and our taxpayers. So it's kind of a situation of where, yes, we love the kids. We welcome them, but there are really financial consequences," D'Angelo said.
2 On Your Side reached out to New York City and DocGo, the agency the city hired to relocate asylum seekers. The city previously promised to cover all expenses, but has not yet responded to our most recent request for comment.