Governor Hochul and legislative leaders are considering weakening education standards for nonpublic schools – including religious yeshivas – as part of budget negotiations, which could undermine recent stricter equivalency rules for public school alternatives. Critics warn that lowering standards, particularly for core subjects like math and English, risks harming students’ education and politicizing school accountability, especially as New York City’s mayoral election approaches. If these changes are enacted, public schools could face increased scrutiny over funding disparities, while nonpublic schools may avoid consequences for failing to meet academic benchmarks.
