Exclusive | Parent coalition implores Hochul to opt in on Trump admins freedom scholarships
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 tu...