ALBANY - New York Gov. David Paterson is proposing cutting $88 million over two years from religious and independent schools across the state.

The proposal would affect an estimated 500,000 students in private schools, which traditionally receive assistance through the comprehensive attendance program. The funds were used for monitoring student attendance throughout the day.

“The cut amounts to a loss of hundreds of dollars per student for many schools, and will put schools in a situation where they will be forced to increase tuition at a time when many parents are already struggling mightily with the cost of tuition,” said David Greenfield, a spokesman for The Educational Alliance for Children in New York State.

Jeffrey Gordon, Paterson's budget spokesman, said the governor's proposal would remove a mandate for the schools to take attendance throughout the day and submit reports to the state. He said $44 million a year was allocated to fund that mandate; that's the money Paterson proposes cutting.

Paterson says the schools will still get more than $80 million a year in aid for other services, including once-daily attendance taking and reporting. The state reimbursed nonpublic schools nearly $135 million last year.

TEACH New York State balked at the announcement, issuing a release headlined: 'Governor to religious and independent school students: Drop dead.'

“Our families cannot absorb any more strain, and the state cannot afford to continue allowing our schools to close - which will only exacerbate the financial crisis lawmakers are desperately trying to solve,” said Richard Barnes, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference.

The affected schools include Catholic schools, yeshivas, independent schools and other religious schools such as Christian academies.