New Issue Brief: New York State vs. Hasidic Schools

 New York, NY – In September 2022, the New York Board of Regents issued new regulations for enforcing its requirement that religious and private education be “substantially equivalent” to public K–12. The move targeted schools serving Haredi Jews—specifically, Hasidic yeshivas—and followed accusations that these fail to adequately teach secular subjects and prepare students for success. In a new Manhattan Institute issue brief, senior fellow and director of education policy Ray Domanico weighs these accusations against the relevant historical, legal, and policy considerations, and makes recommendations for the path ahead. Domanico’s report reveals the complexity of the issues involved, starting with the tension between the state’s education interests and the rights of parents, especially in religious matters. Domanico finds that many of the accusations made against Hasidic schools also apply to some of the state’s district-run schools, while the marked differences among Hasidic schools call for case-by-case reviews and solutions. Combining expert historical context with first-hand evaluations, Domanico offers the Board of Regents the following recommendations:

• Proceed cautiously: Attempts at a one-size-fits-all solution will backfire, given the significant differences between individual Hasidic yeshivas. The state should promote any necessary changes that are acceptable to the schools in question and the communities they serve. 
• Respect parental rights: These schools are freely chosen by families. Thinking that parents are pressured into these choices by their religious leaders can amount to paternalism, and its logical application would replace parental judgement with that of the state. 
• Refrain from generalizing: Negative experiences at some schools, while credible, do not reflect the current state of all Hasidic schools. A generalized campaign against them would undermine hopes for meaningful reform.
• Model other states: Educational Savings Accounts or tax credits, which support families who opt for religious education, have proved successful in other states and hold great promise for New York families. 

 Read the full report here.