A coalition of six Rockland-based groups called on the state Board of Regents on Friday to enact emergency guidelines for the oversight of private schools.

This comes one month after a state Supreme Court justice struck down long-awaited guidelines that had been released by the state Education Department in November. The guidelines were intended to clarify how public school districts should evaluate academic instruction at private schools, which state law says should be "substantially equivalent" to public-school instruction.

In a letter dated May 17 to Regents Chancellor Betty Rosa and state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia, the six groups contended that the "continuing extreme and flagrant violation" of state law by some private schools constitutes an emergency.

"Too many children have already been harmed by the failure of government agencies to protect their rights," the letter said. "The buck has been passed for long enough."

The letter was signed by the Spring Valley branch of the NAACP, the Rockland Citizens Action Network, Rockland United, Rockland Coalition to End The New Jim Crow, Power of Ten and the Orangetown Democratic Committee.

A statewide debate over public oversight of private schools has largely focused on Hasidic yeshivas, especially for boys, which may provide limited non-religious instruction. These yeshivas are concentrated in New York City and Rockland County.

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State law has required for decades that private schools provide substantially equivalent academic instruction, but there was little enforcement or awareness of the requirement. Then last fall, after two years of work, Elia released new guidelines for determining whether private schools are complying with state law.

The guidelines, among other things, established a timetable for public school districts to inspect academic instruction at private schools within their districts. Initial inspections were to be completed by December 2021.

But several lawsuits were filed against the state Education Department by Jewish, Catholic and other organizations. These groups generally opposed the close inspection of private school curriculum by public officials.

Last month’s decision by state Supreme Court Justice Christina L. Ryba found the guidelines were detailed enough to constitute new rules, as opposed to a reinterpretation of exiting rules. She determined that the state did not follow the proper procedure to enact new rules.

Because the process for enacting new rules would be lengthy, the six groups appealing to Elia and Rosa want the Board of Regents to adopt guidelines under special emergency rules. The Regents, who make statewide education policy, next meet June 3 and 4 in Albany.

A spokesperson for the state Education Department said officials are still reviewing the court's decision and will determine appropriate next steps. In a brief statement, he did not say whether the state would consider emergency guidelines.