Context:

Governor Kathy Hochul is facing criticism for supporting a legislative change that weakens oversight of private schools, particularly affecting Hasidic Jewish yeshivas. The amendment, a priority for Hasidic leaders who vote as a bloc, seeks to make it easier for these schools to demonstrate compliance with educational standards, allowing them to choose accreditation agencies and potentially create their own. Critics, including education experts and some legislators, argue this move prioritizes political support over children's education by reducing consequences for inadequate secular education. Despite internal and external opposition, Hochul defends the measure as a necessary political compromise, while some see it as a covert deal influenced by election strategies. The controversy highlights tensions between educational standards and religious community demands, with implications for upcoming electoral battles in New York's competitive districts.

Dive Deeper:

• Governor Hochul's support for changing a century-old law requiring private schools to provide basic education has drawn backlash, particularly as it benefits Hasidic yeshivas that provide religious rather than secular education.

• The legislative change, largely driven by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, aims to ease compliance for private schools by allowing them to select preferred accreditation agencies or create new ones, and to demonstrate compliance through various exams.

• Critics, including state education commissioner Betty Rosa, argue the changes undermine efforts to ensure educational quality, describing the measure as a 'travesty' and accusing it of being a political maneuver at the children's expense.

• The amendment is seen as a strategic move by Hochul to secure votes from the influential Hasidic community, which tends to vote as a bloc, thereby strengthening Democratic prospects in upcoming elections against Republicans.

• The debate has sparked internal dissent within Hochul's administration and among legislators who fear the changes were pushed through without sufficient public discussion, risking long-term educational standards for short-term political gains.

• Supporters of the change claim it provides necessary flexibility for religious schools to comply with state laws, countering that it does not lower educational standards but rather offers alternative compliance paths.

• The issue underscores broader electoral strategies in New York, especially in districts with significant Hasidic populations, where political alliances and voter blocs hold significant influence over election outcomes.