The latest on the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program

Colorado will opt in, how about NY?

Dec 14, 2025

Democratic Governor Jared Polis announced this week that Colorado will opt in. As I wrote before, it is a no-brainer for states because it won’t cost anything from state budgets. But several governors, afraid of the teacher’s union, might deny this opportunity to kids in their states. We will see what Governor Hochul decides for NY which is the 3rd largest state in terms of paid federal taxes.

The US Treasury is now requesting comments on the Individual Tax Credit for Qualified Contributions to Scholarship Granting Organizations. This program will allow taxpayers to donate up to $1,700 from their federal taxes to an organization that grants scholarships to low-income students.

Below is the comment I submitted to the Treasury. You may also submit your comment here until December 26.

“Dear Sir or Madam,

My name is Danyela Souza Egorov, and I am a New York City public school parent. I am also the founder of Families for NY and a Fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

I am writing to express my strong support for the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit. In New York, there is widespread popular support for School Choice: 63 percent of adults and 74 percent of school parents said they support voucher programs, according to an EdChoice survey.

New York is the state that spends the most on education in the country, but offers only mediocre learning outcomes for our children. According to the Citizens Budget Commission, New York spends $36,293 per pupil, 91 percent more than the national average. Yet New York fourth-graders tied for 39th in math and 25th in reading on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exams, while eighth-graders ranked 27th in both categories.

While nationally only 9% of children attend private schools, a survey from EdChoice indicates that 36% would choose a private school if they could choose any school. This program would allow many New York children to make this choice and receive a high-quality education.

We also see in New York that expanding school choice has led to better academic results for children in every demographic group. In the recent New York state tests, every group was able to have a higher proficiency rate in both math and reading if they were enrolled at a public charter school.

New York is the third-largest state in terms of paid federal taxes, and several New Yorkers will likely donate to it. This program will allow some of this benefit to be returned to families and children in our state who are not being well served by their current school.

Sincerely,
Danyela Souza Egorov.”