Governor Hochul Puts New York Students First

At the end of last week, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced her decision to opt the Empire State in to the federal Education Freedom Tax-Credit Scholarship Program created by the One Big Beautiful Bill (signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025). Her decision makes New York the 31st state to participate in the program and opens the door for 2.7 million students in the state to receive a scholarship.

Beginning January 1, 2027, New Yorkers will be able to claim a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to $1,700 (or $3,400 for joint filers) for donations to qualified scholarship granting organizations (SGOs). These scholarships will help families cover costs associated with tuition, tutoring, testing fees, services for students with disabilities, and more. Students in households earning up to 300 percent of area median income are eligible, and public-school students can also participate.

Governor Hochul joins a growing bipartisan movement: Democratic Governor Jared Polis opted Colorado in earlier this year, recognizing the same common-sense opportunity to help students in his state. Governors and legislatures in the remaining 19 states have until January 1, 2027 to confirm their participation. However, these states are encouraged to make a decision quickly so that SGOs can take the appropriate steps needed to establish operations and begin granting scholarships in a timely fashion.

New York’s students deserve every opportunity to succeed in a learning environment that best fits their needs. We applaud the Governor’s decision to put New York students first, and encourage all other states to do the same. For lawmakers who are curious about the program, how it works, and how to ensure your state can participate, check out our Lawmaker’s Guide to the Federal Education Freedom Tax Credit Scholarship Program.