A coalition of labor, parent, education and civil-rights organizations is urging Governor Kathy Hochul to reject New York’s participation in a federal private-school voucher program.
New York State United Teachers says hundreds of people attended a rally in Manhattan on Wednesday. The union said speakers argued that the federal program could redirect public support toward private-school tuition while allowing participating schools to operate without the same public accountability requirements as public schools.
The program would provide federal tax credits for donations to organizations that distribute scholarships for private-school expenses. States would decide whether to participate. NYSUT and the other groups at the rally want New York to decline participation.
The coalition’s position reflects an advocacy campaign, not a final state decision. The material distributed by NYSUT did not include a response from Hochul or announce that the governor had made a decision.
Supporters of private-school choice programs generally argue that scholarships can give families more educational options. The union and its allies contend that the policy would reduce support for public schools and create a system with less transparency.
Any New York participation would require action by state leadership. No implementation timetable for New York was included in the union’s release.
