A letter from the Superintendent regarding the Federal Tax Scholarship Credit
Dear Diocese of Albany School Community,
I hope you all have been enjoying the blessings of this fall season!
Over the past few months, we have shared news about a new federal tax credit for scholarship donations called the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC). The FSTC marks the first school choice legislation that passed at the national level, making it a true milestone for education freedom.
Late last week, Governor Kathleen Hochul formally announced that she was opting in New York State to the FSTC program. This is very exciting news as the FSTC is sure to be a game changer for all our Catholic schools and families for years to come! As Governor Hochul said in her announcement: “Every parent wants their child to have a great education and the best chance to succeed.”
The FSTC creates a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit for individual donations up to $1,700 ($3,400 for married couples filing jointly) to a federally qualified scholarship granting organization (SGO) beginning in January 2027. In other words, any taxpayer or married couple who owes the IRS $1,700 or $3,400 can instead donate this money to an SGO vs. giving it back to the government. FSTC donations can be used to support tuition fees as well as other educational expenses including textbooks, tutoring, technology for learning, and other immediate needs. The Catholic School Office will be entering into a formal partnership shortly with its selected SGO—The Children’s Scholarship Fund (CSF). CSF will also be working with the dioceses of Ogdensburg and Syracuse.
You may find more details on the FSTC program at: https://www.nyscatholic.org/resources/federal-scholarship-tax-credit
If you have any questions regarding how the Catholic School Office will be facilitating the FSTC on behalf of our diocesan schools, please contact Ray Witkowski (Director of Advancement) at ray.witkowski@rcda or (518) 453-6602 Ext. 8441.
In the meantime, I hope you will join me and our community in formally thanking Governor Hochul for opting into the FSTC. Sending this thank you will show the governor that she has our diocese's sincere gratitude for entering this milestone program for education. You may send your personal thank you via the link below.
Thank you in advance for your support of the FSTC and Catholic education throughout our diocese.
Most sincerely,
Dr. Christopher R. Bott
Superintendent of Schools
