New York students deserve an education system that serves every family—not one where public and nonpublic schools are constantly forced into conflict over limited local dollars. The Educational Equity and Choice Act (S1945) finally addresses a long-standing structural problem in New York’s education system. For decades, public school districts have been legally required to provide and fund key services for nonpublic school students—everything from transportation and textbooks to software and special-education support. That arrangement has placed an enormous burden on public districts while creating resentment, tension, and division in communities across the state.

The Educational Equity and Choice Act fixes this broken model. It transfers the responsibility for these mandated services to the state, ensuring that nonpublic schools receive the support they are legally entitled to—without draining public school resources or pitting families against one another. The state would fund these services directly, and every dollar would be approved by the Commissioner of Education. That structure brings fairness, transparency, and predictability to a system that desperately needs it.

As a New York student and the youngest nationally syndicated columnist in the United States, I have spent a great deal of time writing about education policy and speaking with students across the city. Young people overwhelmingly want something simple: the ability to attend a school that challenges them and meets their needs. That is why school choice matters. Students deserve access to environments where they can succeed—whether in a public, charter, religious, or independent school.

New York City, in particular, urgently needs reform. Our city has one of the largest and most diverse student populations in America, yet too many students remain trapped in schools that are not meeting academic standards. Families who pursue nonpublic options often do so because they are searching for safer classrooms, stronger academic programs, or simply a school that believes in them. Those families should not be punished for making the best decision for their children.

Youth voices matter in this debate. Students live the consequences of policy failures every day, and we know firsthand that the status quo is not working. By supporting the Educational Equity and Choice Act, we can strengthen all schools, protect public resources, and expand opportunity for every child in New York State.

Please sign and support this urgently needed reform. Every student deserves a real chance to succeed.