With Confidence Plunging in Public Education, Federal Bill Could Aid New Yorkers Desperate for Alternatives

“Can families in these states choose the school they want for their children and be reimbursed by the government?” The father who asked me this question during a talk in Syracuse last year could hardly believe my response. “Yes,” I replied, “there are now 14 states that offer school vouchers and 19 states that offer tax-credit scholarships.”I have seen the surprise and disbelief in the eyes of many families in New York when I explain the reality of school choice across the country compared to our situation here. According to EdChoice, there are now 74 school choice programs in 33 states serving over 1.24 million students.However, in New York, we have no school choice program, despite record education spending and mediocre test scores. Even charter schools in our state — which are considered among the best in the country and outperform the local public schools — face a cap and cannot expand to accommodate all families who wish to enroll their children.New York families should not expect Albany to change this situation or modernize our education system to align with what is happening across the nation. A modest bill to allow homeschooled students access to financial aid for college failed to pass in Albany last year, and New York continues to be one of the least friendly states for homeschooling.The Educational Choice for Children Act would significantly improve the circumstances for families in states like New York. This legislation was reintroduced last month for the 119th Congress and is co-sponsored by three Representatives from New York: Nicole Malliotakis, Claudia Tenney, and Mike Lawler. It would provide up to $10 billion annually in scholarships for students in kindergarten through high school from low- and middle-income families. These scholarships would be funded through a federal income tax credit and would support students in all educational settings, including homeschools and micro-schools — New York has the second highest population of homeschooled students in the nation. An important advantage of ECCA is that it is targeted at low-income families: your income must be up to 300 percent of the median gross income level by region as determined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.A survey from EdChoice last year highlighted the gap between parents’ preferences and actual school enrollment. Nationwide, 80 percent of parents send their children to public district schools, yet only 39 percent say this is their preferred type of school. In contrast, while 8 percent of families choose private schools, 36 percent prefer them. Additionally, a Gallup poll indicates that satisfaction with “the quality of public education in the nation” has reached a historic low. Only 24 percent of Americans reported being satisfied in 2025, a decline from 45 percent in 2002.There is no reason why only families with higher incomes or those fortunate enough to live in states with school choice programs should be able to secure the best education for their children. The Educational Choice for Children Act presents a vital opportunity for families in New York and other states where educational freedom is lacking and where we cannot rely on our elected officials to trust parents and families to determine the best way to educate their children.

With Confidence Plunging in Public Education, Federal Bill Could Aid New Yorkers Desperate for Alternatives

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