Advocacy

School districts are struggling to hire qualified staff across many certification areas. The waiver of the retiree earning limitation in retirement has been in place since the spring of 2020 and won’t expire until at least June 30, 2027. This provision has provided some relief for many schools. However, the pension systems have started scrutinizing whether recent retirees who quickly resume working for the same or a different district, met the definition of a bona fide retirement. This webinar will explain the current law and explore how to navigate issues with retiring and resuming work in the public sector.

The federal reconciliation act of 2025 authorized the first ever federal voucher law. Commencing in the 2027 calendar year, individuals can donate up to $1,700 to scholarship granting organizations and the federal government will provide a 100% tax credit. While the program is designed to benefit private and religious schools, if public schools are intentional and strategic, we will see some benefits. The Governor of every state will decide whether to participate in the program. At this point, Governor Hochul has not made a decision, but the odds are in favor of her opting-in. Schools must be prepared to establish their own scholarship granting organization in advance of 2027 in case New York joins the federal voucher law. This webinar will dive into the details of the law and any regulations and discuss procedural and strategic steps necessary to ensure public schools share some of the benefits.