In a major win for yeshivas and frum schools across New York, the New York State Supreme Court has struck down the state’s attempt to label certain schools as “non-equivalent” and strip them of their right to operate. This ruling allows many parents to breathe again and establishes a critical precedent.

By anash.org reporter

In a major win for yeshivas and frum schools across New York, the New York State Supreme Court has struck down the state’s attempt to label certain schools as “non-equivalent” and strip them of their right to operate.

The case revolves around New York’s “substantial equivalency” regulations, which mandate that nonpublic schools provide an education deemed “substantially equivalent” to that of public schools. In recent years, several yeshivas were informed that they did not meet this standard.

As previously reported by Anash.org, the State Education Department introduced these regulations three years ago, sparking strong concern in the frum community. Many felt their unique approach to chinuch was being threatened by government interference, and some schools were even declared “non-equivalent.”

Just a few months ago, parents of six yeshivas received a chilling letter from the New York City Department of Education that stated:

“Effective June 30th, 2025, all services at the school for your child will be discontinued, including special education and related services. Given that your child will no longer be able to attend this school, a decision must be made about what school your child will attend for the 2025–2026 school year…”

For thousands of frum families, it was clear that the government’s goal was to shut down their children’s yeshivos.

This legislative session, new language was enacted to redefine the ways nonpublic schools may fulfill the “substantial equivalency” requirement. However, the State Education Department argued that schools already designated as “non-equivalent” would not be eligible to benefit from this new law.

The court decisively rejected that claim, calling it “arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law.” Judges also dismissed the state’s astonishing assertion that a non-equivalent school is a “non-school” and therefore excluded from the new framework.

This ruling is not only a relief for the six yeshivas and their hundreds of students and parents – who can finally breathe easy once more – it also establishes a critical precedent: even if a school is ever declared non-equivalent, it still has the right to utilize the options outlined in the new law to meet state requirements. The dangerous “non-school” argument has been soundly defeated.

For New York’s frum community, this decision represents both an immediate victory and a lasting safeguard for the independence and continuity of yeshiva education.