New York joins federal school choice initiative despite traditional Democrat opposition

New York is set to join a federal school choice initiative, becoming the 30th state and second Democratic-led state to opt-in, marking a significant policy shift for Governor Kathy Hochul. The program allows individual taxpayers to receive a dollar-for-dollar federal income tax credit for donations made to Scholarship Granting Organizations. This move follows similar actions by Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who became the first Democrat to break ranks and join the program in January 2026.