When Governor Andrew Cuomo presented his vision this year for a budget, he gave it the name “the Opportunity Agenda.” A large part of this “opportunity” agenda focused on education, and more specifically, the Education Tax Credit, or ETC. The ETC would allow taxpayers to claim a tax credit for education-related donations.

Governor Cuomo believes that “one of the most important paths to opportunity is a good education,” and that “the ETC would expand options for families seeking additional choices” in education. He also believes that the ETC will benefit both public and nonpublic school students alike, with half of the donations going toward public education entities and the other half towards educational scholarship organizations. This push for a change in policy comes at a time when much of the population is divided on the issue, but Governor Cuomo is certain this is a win for the future of New York state.
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Every child is different, but the impact of starting a new school mid-year or anytime, can prove overwhelming; for even the most confident child. Furthermore, the damaging impact on the child may be exacerbate if the child endures multiple moves in a short period of time; particularly during the early childhood stage.

“There’s a clear association between changing schools and an increased risk for behavior problems,” says Dr. Mona Mansour, a pediatrician at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital who recently presented study results on this topic to the Pediatric Academic Societies. “Children who change schools frequently are more likely to have behavioral issues.”
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