YAFFED

New York sued over relaxed private school oversight The Hochul administration is being taken to court for relaxing state laws designed to ensure private school students are receiving a basic education.

YAFFED Executive Director Adina Mermelstein Konikoff joined attorney Michael Rebell on The Capitol Pressroom with Dave Lombardo this afternoon to discuss the lawsuit against the Hochul administration for gutting regulations protecting nonpublic school students.

capitolpressroom.org/2025/09/30/n...

Newsweek has an in-depth explainer on the monumental lawsuit to undo Governor Hochul’s unconstitutional rollback of education regulations, with a statement from Adina Mermelstein Konikoff and citation of findings from YAFFED’s 2025 economic report.

🔗 www.newsweek.com/orthodox-jew...

@newsweek.com

N.Y. Democratic leaders sued over non-public school changes The legal action, if successful, would undo a loosening of standards slipped into the final spending package in May.

Every child has the right to learn. This lawsuit will guarantee this right – and that means reversing the disastrous dismantling of substantial equivalency by our legislative leaders. We cannot accept a law that shirks the state’s responsibility to educate kids.
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Mamdani must back yeshiva standards New York City prides itself on being a beacon of opportunity — a city where anyone, regardless of background, can build a better life. But when our leaders turn a blind eye to educational neglect, …

“The promise of affordability and equity that animates Mamdani’s platform cannot be realized without one essential ingredient: education.” - YAFFED Executive Director Adina Mermelstein Konikoff in today’s @nydailynews.com

www.nydailynews.com/2025/07/22/m...

Statement from YAFFED Executive Director Adina Mermelstein Konikoff condemning an Albany Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order to halt New York State Education Department’s prior enforcement of the compulsory education law against three Brooklyn yeshivas.

New York Is Letting Religious Schools off the Hook An agreement made behind closed doors is a big win for NY yeshivas, but it will harm their students.

Stefanie Coyle, Deputy Director, Education Policy Center at @nyclu.org warns of Gov. Hochul and legislative leaders' political deals: "Failing to ensure that all New York kids are educated on civic participation and democratic values will further damage our democracy."

www.nyclu.org/commentary/n...

All schools must teach the basics: N.Y. top court helps yeshiva students, even after Legislature and governor betray them New York’s highest court made mostly the right decision in upholding the state and city’s ability to regulate religious schools and hold them accountable when they fail to provide an education in s…

New York's highest court just upheld the State Education Department's right to regulate nonpublic schools. The New York Daily News (@nydailynews.com) argues that the court didn't go far enough in granting the power to hold failing schools accountable.

More here: www.nydailynews.com/2025/06/23/a...

Watch: NYC Mayoral Candidates Debate Enforcing Curriculum Requirements On Yeshivas - Yaffed “is it time to actually resolve the issue rather than continue talking?” At a mayoral candidate forum at B’nai Jeshurun on June 8, 2025, moderator and NY1 reporter Errol Louis asked the candidates wha...

Every candidate at a recent NYC mayoral forum agreed that all children, regardless of where they go to school, should receive a sound basic education. When asked for details on how they'd hold yeshivas accountable as mayor, some of their answers told a different story.

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State Education Department: Don't play politics with nonpublic school standards The stricter rules for nonpublic schools were adopted in 2022.

"It basically undoes the SED regulations...Our job as legislators is to make sure all children get the best education we can provide, [and] to ensure they can be productive members of our society." - Senator Liz Krueger

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"There is only a very small number of yeshivas who are struggling to meet these standards...This cannot be a political debate — we must be focused on ensuring all children are provided a sound basic education as guaranteed by our constitution.” - Senator Liz Krueger

Easing New York nonpublic school standards still on budget table Hochul and legislative leaders will make the final decision.

"We've already empowered the State Education Department to have oversight. Obviously, we want every kid in this state to learn to read and write, especially in English, so I'm not sure why it's coming up at this time." - Assembly Member Harvey Epstein

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Bill to Loosen Education Standards Quietly Circulates in Albany Yeshivas and other nonpublic schools face a looming deadline to prove they offer an education similar to the state’s public schools. A proposed bill would…

“This appears to be an attempt by some legislators to go around our state’s courts and dismantle a law that has been in place for over a century. Access to a high-quality education for every child could be traded away as part of a political deal." - NYSED

nysfocus.com/2025/04/03/n...

Yeshivas must keep teaching standards As New York’s budget negotiations drag on, a dangerous backroom effort is underway. Being targeted are New York’s “substantial equivalency” regulations — rules that ensure private schools, includin…

"This is not policymaking — it’s sabotage. And it’s being done at the expense of children who lack the political power to defend themselves." - David Bloomfield, Professor of education leadership, law, and policy at Brooklyn College and The CUNY Graduate Center.

www.nydailynews.com/2025/04/22/y...

Hochul won't rule out nonpublic school regs rollback in budget The budget is now 25 days late

"I think we should be making as informed a decision on this as possible...I think it's in everyone's interest, including the students and the families and yeshivas, that people receive a substantially equivalent education." - Senator Zellnor Myrie

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Editorial: Dumbing down private schools State leaders are poised to roll back efforts to require all schools to prepare their students for life in modern civic society.

"[NYSED] has worked hard to bring all of New York's schools into compliance with basic standards. By countermanding that work at this late date, the governor and the Legislature are betraying education officials as well as the students they claim to care about."

www.timesunion.com/opinion/arti...

Religious school reprieve from NY education standards to be included in state budget Yeshivas and private schools would get up to seven more years to comply with education standards.

“Watering down this issue does not serve our children well. My hope is we all think about not a political situation, but an educational situation on behalf of all children.” - ​​Betty Rosa, Commissioner of the New York State Education Department

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NY lawmakers may weaken, stall tougher educational requirements for yeshivas New York lawmakers are brokering a deal that would delay and weaken educational requirements for religious schools — a major setback for yeshiva reform advocates.

“It’s three-dimensional chess — with the yeshivas as just a pawn,” - David Bloomfield, Professor of education leadership, law, and policy at Brooklyn College and The CUNY Graduate Center.

www.nydailynews.com/2025/05/02/n...

Protect religious school oversight: Ultra-Orthodox yeshivas must met state standards Albany, where the one true religion is political expediency, is on the cusp of weakening state oversight of religious schools, including Hasidic yeshivas where thousands of kids get scant education…

"Albany is on the cusp of weakening state oversight of religious schools...that would be a shanda...If it happens, it’ll be because it got slipped into the state budget, not hashed out in an intelligent and open process. Double shanda." - NYDN Editorial Board

www.nydailynews.com/2025/05/04/p...

“If this secret, behind-the-scenes deal is, in fact, accepted by the governor, we are going to have to challenge it publicly..we will also consider bringing a constitutional litigation to oppose it.” - Michael Rebell, Executive Director, Center for Educational Equity, Columbia Teachers College

New York May Weaken Its Oversight Over Religious Schools

“We would be truly compromising the future of these young people. As the architect of education in this system, how could I possibly support that decision?” - ​​Betty Rosa, Commissioner of the New York State Education Department

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/n...

“[I am] deeply uncomfortable with what is happening here. At best we are being asked to sign off on a major policy shift at the 11th hour without any real public discussion. That happens more often than it should in Albany, but here, the future of thousands of children is at stake.”- AM Micah Lasher

Hochul, Looking to 2026, Pushed to Weaken Oversight of Religious Schools

​​“When people wonder why so many Americans have so little faith that those in elected office make decisions for the right reasons, I would point to this as a perfect example,” - Senator Liz Krueger

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/08/n...

At a time when children’s education is already under threat federally, Governor Hochul failed the test of leadership by weakening education oversight in New York through a budget bill negotiated in secret - against the urges of top education officials and experts, and her fellow legislators.

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Albany’s Blueprint for Schools: Cell‑Free Halls, Looser Yeshiva… Hochul’s budget includes $37 billion for education, but the state Education Department is slamming one policy change as “educational malpractice” and a…

“Although the education department has vehemently opposed weakening its regulations, the new state budget contains language that loosens restrictions for [nonpublic] schools and delays implementation for one of the pathways to compliance until the 2032-33 school year.”

nysfocus.com/2025/05/09/n...

N.Y. just betrayed Hasidic children I am horrified and heartbroken. The New York State Legislature is passing a bill to dilute and delay the implementation of education standards at yeshivas and other nonpublic schools across the sta…

"Systems everywhere protect themselves first. Whether it’s religious authorities or political leaders, a beis din or the New York State Legislature, the instinct is the same: preserve power, maintain control, and silence dissent." - @bweber.bsky.social

www.nydailynews.com/2025/05/08/n...

Hochul, Looking to 2026, Pushed to Weaken Oversight of Religious Schools

This is a direct assault on the futures of tens of thousands of Hasidic children.

“When people wonder why so many Americans have so little faith that those in elected office make decisions for the right reasons, I would point to this as a perfect example" - Senator Liz Krueger

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Gov Hochul is considering a budget deal that would lower education standards and weaken oversight for private schools. We’re speaking out because every student - no matter where they go to school - has the right to a full, basic education that sets them up for life

actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...

NY lawmakers may weaken, stall tougher educational requirements for yeshivas New York lawmakers are brokering a deal that would delay and weaken educational requirements for religious schools — a major setback for yeshiva reform advocates.

“It’s three-dimensional chess — with the yeshivas as just a pawn” - David Bloomfield, professor of education leadership, law, and policy at Brooklyn College and The CUNY Graduate Center, on lawmakers’ proposed deal to weaken education requirements on yeshivas

www.nydailynews.com/2025/05/02/n...

How a $254 Billion Budget Deal Might Become a Battle Plan for Democrats Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York insisted that the state budget, now a month overdue, include measures to increase public safety and lower taxes for all but the wealthy.

In today's @nytimes.com: "Legislative leaders acknowledged that changes to the educational standard were being considered, but declined to provide an additional detail."

Why won't our legislators divulge any details? Because they know New Yorkers would be outraged.

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/n...

New York May Weaken Its Oversight Over Religious Schools (Gift Article) A potential last-minute addition to the state budget would amount to a major victory for Hasidic Jewish leaders.

“We would be truly compromising the future of these young people,” by weakening the law, State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa said. “As the architect of education in this system, how could I possibly support that decision”

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/01/n...