State officials say an all-boys Brooklyn yeshiva is breaking the law by failing to provide a basic secular education to students — despite the city finding the school was up to snuff.
The decision by the Education Department, as first reported by The New York Times on Wednesday, found there was a lack of evidence that Yeshiva Mesivta Arugath Habosem in Williamsburg provides sufficient instruction in core subjects like English and math, as required by state law.
“Although the school provided some evidence of content geared towards these competencies, there was little evidence that instruction in such areas was regularly and meaningfully delivered to students,” State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa found.
The state and city had been ordered to finish an investigation into the school in June, after a New York Supreme Court judge ruled the agencies abdicated their responsibility to investigate the yeshiva.
The group Parents for Educational and Religious Liberty in Schools noted that reps from the city Department of Education had visited the school “several times” and found that it was up to snuff.
New York state officials found that Yeshiva Mesivta Arugath Habosem in Williamsburg, Brooklyn broke the law by not providing a secular education to students. Google MapsOne of those visits was also attended by Rosa, documents show.
“It is disappointing that political appointees to the State Education Department won’t accept the City’s findings,” said Richard Bamberger, a spokesperson for PEARLS.
Visits under the former mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration culminated in a letter and supporting documentation in November, finding that the yeshiva “provides some but not all of the required subjects of secular instruction,” documents show.
State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa said the investigation found “little evidence” that core subject instruction was “regularly and meaningfully delivered to students.” AP Photo/Hans Pennink
The Education Department found that the all-boys school did not provide sufficient instruction in subjects like math and English. Google MapsA follow-up school visit months later under Mayor Eric Adams recommended that the school be found to provide “substantially equivalent” instruction to the basic subjects students learn in public school.
But the city did “not provide sufficient evidence or observations” to that effect, the state found — and multiple opportunities for the yeshiva to submit additional materials or allow for a school visit between August and September were turned down.
Rosa’s decision directs the yeshiva to work with the DOE within 60 days to submit a plan and timeline to the state, outlining how it will provide a basic education. But the deadline may be extended if the school officials show “good faith progress.”
The New York Board of Regents approved new measures last month to crack down on private and religious schools. Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty ImagesNon-public schools have faced some requirements for basic quality since 1895 as part of the state’s compulsory education law — but there has been little enforcement without guidelines for how to enforce the rules.
State education officials last month adopted new guidelines for cracking down on religious and other private schools, after allegations that the New York yeshivas were failing to provide a sound, basic education that at least matches the quality of public schools.
“We conducted a thorough, detailed investigation in this case involving multiple school visits and classroom observations, extensive reviews of curricular materials and interviews of school staff,” said a spokesperson for the DOE, who added the recommendation was 10 pages detailing its findings.
“We stand by our investigation and recognize that our recommendation was just that — a recommendation — and that the state had ultimate authority to make the determination,” the spokesperson added.
The DOE said it would “welcome” more guidance from the department and courts to clarify how to implement the state law.
The state education department referred The Post to its decision, which a spokesperson added “speaks for itself.”






