The CEO of Teach Coalition says critics are spreading “misconceptions” about how the policy works as New York teachers unions organize a protest against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plan to opt into a federal tax-credit scholarship program.
“It seems that they want to continuously spread these lies and the misinformation about this program on to anyone who will hear them,” Sydney Altfield, CEO of Teach Coalition, told Fox News Digital on Monday. “But the people who actually want to help children, the people who actually want to see children succeed, they’re not going to listen. They’re going to understand that this is not the truth of what this program actually can do.”
How Tax-Credit Scholarships Work
These state-run tax-credit scholarships let people and companies get full or partial tax relief for contributions made to non-profit groups that provide student scholarships. Instead of drawing money straight from city or state education budgets, as traditional voucher plans do, tax credits let taxpayers send part of what they owe in taxes toward non-profit funding for these scholarships.
State governors can choose to join the federal version, which lets local families and educational programs gain access to federally backed scholarship money.
Hochul’s Move Makes New York the 30th State
A spokesperson for Hochul’s office, Emma Wallner, confirmed in May that the governor plans to enroll New York in the federal tax-credit scholarship program — which would make New York the 30th state to take part.
“Governor Hochul is supportive of the federal tax credit scholarship and its potential to help New York students and schools,” Wallner told Fox News Digital. “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.”
For years, school choice has stayed a touchy subject for many members of the Democratic Party, who say that choice models take money away from public education and weaken teachers unions. But a few well-known members of the party have changed their positions lately.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis became the first Democratic governor to opt his state into the federal program in January 2026. Dismissing critics at the time, Polis told local media he “would be crazy not to” join, noting that the credits empower parents to afford after-school, tutoring, or summer enrichment programs previously out of reach.
The Protest and the Petition
Despite these arguments, major labor groups remain opposed.
On Wednesday, teachers unions and a number of allied interest groups intend to gather at the UFT headquarters in Manhattan. Among those taking part is the UFT, along with its statewide parent group, NYSUT, and their national affiliate, the AFT.
A joint effort by several organizations produced a petition asking state leaders to overturn Hochul’s decision.
“Gov. Hochul plans to opt New York in starting in 2027. But most New Yorkers haven’t even heard of this program or know how it will affect New York,” the petition states. “Tax dollars would help pay private tuition for families who never used public schools.”
The petition further points to fiscal challenges in other states that expanded school choice models: “Florida couldn’t account for $270 million in voucher funds in a single year. Arizona’s $65M plan became a $1.4 billion budget hole — cutting water, highways, and community colleges … We need to show the governor that New Yorkers stand for strong public schools and against any measure that would weaken them.”
Union advocates argue that “every dollar diverted to private schools is a dollar taken away from the public schools that serve 90% of New York’s kids.”
Altfield’s Response to the Voucher Claim
Altfield pushed back against the description of the program as a traditional private school voucher.
“Why are we trying to take away opportunities for our children when they’re included as well? Another thing that they call it is a ‘voucher.’ And it is not a voucher. It is a tax credit,” Altfield explained. “What we know as a voucher is when you take public funding from the public school system, and you allow it to follow the child — which works in many states — but that’s not what this is.”
On their online campaign website, union organizers argue that labeling differences are purely rhetorical: “The branding changes — ‘Education Savings Accounts,’ ‘tax-credit scholarships,’ ‘school choice’ — but the mechanism is the same: public money flowing to private schools.”
The union FAQ page also claims that funds do not go directly to families: “Funds flow to private SGOs [Scholarship Granting Organizations], which decide who receives the money. These organizations aren’t required to be transparent or accountable to the public, and the private schools they fund can turn away students based on disability, academic record, behavior, religion, or almost any other criteria they choose.”
Altfield refused to allow any suggestion that public school operational budgets would be harmed by the program.
“This money does not come out of state budgets. It does not come out of state public school resources,” Altfield said. “Which is one of the things that the misinformation is trying to tell you — that this is going to drain public school resources and funding. This money does not come out of that bucket.”
“Those buckets remain untouched,” Altfield added. “One of the things that they like to peddle is that this is going straight into the pockets of private school parents. Well, yes, private school parents and students can access this funding, but they also forget to tell you that public school students can also get this funding and get these scholarships.”
The Key Differences Between Tax Credits and Vouchers
| Feature | Traditional Voucher Program | Tax-Credit Scholarship Program |
|---|---|---|
| Funding Source | Municipal or state education funds | Individual or corporate taxpayer donations |
| Mechanism | Direct withdrawal from public education budgets | Tax credits applied to donations to non-profit scholarship organizations |
| Redirected Dollars | Public funds removed from school budgets | Taxpayer liabilities redirected through the tax code |
| Participation | Schools and families receive public funding directly | Non-profit scholarship organizations administer the awards |
What the Protesters Want
The union coalition’s demonstration on Wednesday is part of a broader push to raise awareness about the program before it takes effect. The petition’s framing — that most New Yorkers have not heard of the program or know how it will affect them — suggests the movement is also working to educate voters ahead of the implementation.
The Verdict on Definitions
Altfield’s argument with the unions turns on definitions. In the old sense, a voucher takes money straight out of public education budgets. A tax credit, per Altfield’s description, does not. That difference matters because the unions say the money belongs to the public, while Altfield says it does not.
“This money does not come out of state budgets. It does not come out of state public school resources.”
Both sides are correct about the mechanics of their own definitions. The unions’ petition also raises questions about fiscal discipline. Florida’s inability to account for $270 million in voucher funds and Arizona’s ballooning budget hole suggest that school choice programs can grow far beyond their initial scope.
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