GAW: I’m sorry but I don’t know exactly what’s mandated. And I’ll continue to bring up locations because as far as I know the law to accommodate special Ed students is not exactly clear-cut. So it boils down sometimes to doing things only based on dry law or “mit gefeel”. And some school districts unfortunately try to skirt the law and give Jewish special Ed kids “bubkes”
So in Williamsburg for example there is a Yiddish/Jewish special Ed class based in a public school, while East Ramapo did not want to provide such accomodation. I don’t have the time to look it up now, but there was an online column (by Aron Wieder of Monsey IIRC) on this topic which was very informative a year or two ago.
As to your question of taking the cheapest option that’s minimally adequate, I could flip it and say the same for regular public education. If drama lessons for example, despite being helpful for self esteem — and it may even be a career option — are cost prohibitive, why should it not be cut?
And ZD: I don’t think many students from East Ramapo’s public school system are planning to attend Ivy League colleges, for many reasons, so you’re not making a good argument there. What, for example is the graduation rate in East Ramapo public schools? I’d assume most public school kids there that go on to college would choose a community college. And I’m not a racist, it usually boils down to dollars and cents and it’s definitely a poor district.