New York is set to participate in a federal school choice program, making it the second Democrat state in the country to jump aboard.
The program, launched via a bill President Donald Trump signed last year, allows taxpayers to “claim a federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for donations to nonprofit organizations that then award scholarships to K-12 students who can use them to attend private schools,” according to Education Week.
While most Democrat states have rebuffed the program, the same can’t be said of New York, surprisingly enough.
New York is the 2nd blue state to opt in.
That makes 30 states. pic.twitter.com/r5nwIg4qf0
— Corey A. DeAngelis, school choice evangelist (@DeAngelisCorey) May 11, 2026
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul “is supportive of the federal tax credit scholarship and its potential to help New York students and schools,” her spokesperson told Education Week in an email.
“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,” they added.
Known as the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC), the program was included in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed into law last summer. Unlike with most federal grants, this particular one requires a governor to voluntarily “opt in” before people may use it.
The American Federation for Children, a school choice advocacy group, celebrated New York’s joining the program.
“We celebrate alongside every family who will soon, finally, have a chance to access an education that meets their children’s needs,” the group said in a statement. “We celebrate alongside every family who will soon, finally, have a chance to access an education that meets their children’s needs.”
Education Secretary Linda McMahon also joined the festivities:
Governor Hochul has indicated she will opt-in to the Education Freedom Tax Credit – what a win for students and families across New York! https://t.co/kmbSm0ZpjC
— Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) May 11, 2026
New York is following in the steps of Colorado, where Gov. Jared Polis has emerged as an avid fan of the program.
“I’m personally excited that Colorado is one of the leading states in helping to build awareness around this exciting opportunity to boost charitable giving to help our kids,” Polis said in a recent statement to Sentinel Colorado.
He further defended himself from criticism coming from his left flank by stressing that the program is pro-charity.
“When you give $100 to any charity, it can be a church, it can be something that discriminates, it can be pro-gay or anti-gay,” he said. “It doesn’t matter.”
Critics like Melinda Person, the president of the New York State United Teachers union, are, of course, angry because they hate it when government money funds school choice instead of the state’s ailing, poorly performing public school system.
“Vouchers—by any name—take money away from neighborhood schools and hand it to private institutions that don’t answer to the public,” she said in a statement.
“New Yorkers have rejected this approach before, and we sincerely hope that once the full details of President Trump’s voucher scheme emerge, it will be clear that state leadership should reject it again,” she added.
Bombshell study reveals 300K NYC public school students — nearly 35% — ‘chronically absent’ as grades plummet, spending surges https://t.co/hfqeA9THUC pic.twitter.com/E6r9Mbs6Nv
— New York Post (@nypost) March 6, 2025
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has also signaled interest in joining the program, though he’s made it clear he won’t move on the matter until the feds publish regulations on how the program will operate.
Three other Democrat governors — Josh Green of Hawaii, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, and Tina Kotek of Oregon — originally said they wouldn’t participate but are now reconsidering thanks to Polis’ last-minute decision to sign up.
The program is also supported by former President Barack Obama’s first Education Secretary, Arne Duncan, who penned a recent Washington Post op-ed calling it a “no-brainer.”
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V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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