A coalition representing religious private school parents is ramping up pressure on Gov. Kathy Hochul to opt into a federal tax-credit program that would make more than 2.7 million students in the Empire State eligible for “freedom scholarships.”
Hochul has said New York will participate in the Education Freedom Tax Credit — passed by Congress and signed by President Trump as part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — but the influential teachers’ union has since launched a campaign urging her to change her mind.
Now, Scholarships for All NY, or Teach Coalition — which reps Jewish and Catholic schools, along with public school families — is countering with its own six figure ad campaign running in digital and print news outlets statewide.
“This campaign is a broad alliance coming together behind one simple goal: encouraging Governor Hochul to opt into the Education Freedom Tax Credit,” said Sydney Altfield, CEO of Teach Coalition who represents Jewish schools or yeshivas and is a leader of the group.
“Public school parents, nonpublic school parents, charter school advocates, businesses, community leaders, faith communities and organizations from across New York are united in support,” Altfield said. “Governor Hochul has already voiced her support for the opt-in, and we’re encouraging her to move quickly once the federal regulations are finalized.”
Dennis Poust, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference, said, “We’re giving Gov. Hochul air support to opt-in into the program.”
Advocates say 31 states, covering 31 million students — including 2.7 million in the Empire State — have opted to take part in the school choice initiative.
The program provides a 100% federal tax credit for donations of up to $1,700 annually to approved scholarship-granting organizations, according to the US Department of Education.
The nonprofit groups would then offer scholarships, which students in parochial schools could use to defray tuition costs.
Public school students are also eligible for scholarships to cover tutoring, after-school programs or transportation costs, advocates said.
A Queens public school parent,: Lihua Li, supports the scholarship initiative to help pay for after-school programs.
“I work full-time, and my workday often ends later than my younger son’s school day. Without a safe, affordable after-school program, I simply would not have a reliable place for him to go until I can pick him up,” Li said.
The influential New York State United Teachers union claims the tax credit amounts to a privatization or “voucher” scheme that will spur an exodus from public schools.
NYSUT is heading its own coalition — New Yorkers for Public Schools — that’s pushing a letter-writing campaign urging Hochul not to have New York opt in.
“New York faces a choice: whether to opt into a new federal tax credit voucher program that would redirect public tax dollars to subsidize private school tuition,” the sample letter on the group’s website states.
“This federal scheme threatens to defund our public schools; the very schools that serve 90 percent of our children and are the centers of our communities. Public dollars belong in public schools,” it says.
“Governor Hochul, I urge you to oppose New York’s participation in a program that would starve our schools, subsidize private tuition and break a promise to every New York child.”
A Hochul rep recently told The Post that the governor, a Democrat who is seeking re-election this fall to a second, four-your term, backs the scholarship progam.
“Governor Hochul is supportive of the federal tax credit scholarship and its potential to help New York students and schools,” a Hochul spokesperson said.
“Our office awaits information from the federal government on the program and will thoroughly review the details of the policy for poison pills that could harm New York’s education system.”
Altfied, of Teach Coalition, said there’s been a “great deal of misinformation” about the tax credit program.
“Every child deserves the support they need to succeed, and this initiative helps make that possible. No federal education dollars intended to benefit New York’s children should be left unused,” she said.
“This group is coming together to support Governor Hochul’s decision, encourage her to opt in as soon as the regulations are released, and make sure the focus remains where it belongs — on New York’s kids.”
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.