Empire State Today

In the Center for Education Reform's 2024 Parent Power Index, New York secured the twenty-seventh position, with an Overall Parent Power Index Score of 68.2%.

The index, designed to assess the degree of parental power in each state, highlights key indicators such as Choice Programs, Charter Schools and Innovation. 

New York scored a 50% in Choice Programs, which represents families' ability to access and choose programs that best fit their needs. 

The state's Charter Schools system, which is based on the availability of alternative educational options for students and families, scored an 85%.

In the final category of Innovation, scored on the state's dedication to fostering creative and personalized learning environments, New York earned an 72%.

While Florida claims the top spot with a 93% overall score, states like Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, and North Carolina follow closely behind in the top rankings, emphasizing a national trend towards prioritizing parental involvement in education.

Kansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota round out the bottom of the list along with six other states that received a grade of ‘F’.

The Parent Power Index serves as a valuable resource for families across the country, offering insights into state-level educational policies and opportunities. 

Through the index's interactive map, parents can explore the status of parental empowerment in their state and discover avenues to advocate for greater involvement and choice in education.

"A pro parent, pro innovation state of mind used to pervade New York's leadership, as a strong charter school law spawned hundreds of innovative and exceptional schools and led some districts, including NYC, to create better programs to compete. But the strongest teachers unions in the nation bargain operational restraints on school leaders into contracts, leaving parents to fend for themselves," the Parent Power Index notes.

"While her focus has never been education per se, over the past year Governor Hochul attempted to push through charter school expansion efforts in New York City that were rebuffed by a union dominated Democratic legislature. Still, credit has to be given to the Governor for bucking the dominant opinion of the members of her party who remain vehemently opposed to expansion of educational opportunities for low income and minority students in New York," Parent Power Index said in its assessment of the state’s “Policy Environment.”