U.S. House Republicans are proposing a federal tax credit that would allow donors to fund private school tuition for students nationwide, saying the plan would empower parents to choose schools that best fit their children’s needs. The Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025, promoted during a March 11th House education subcommittee hearing, would essentially create a new tax break for individuals and corporations that make donations toward tuition costs at private and religious schools. The tax credit would also cover donations for instructional materials, tutoring, therapies for students with disabilities, and dual enrollment for private and public school students. The donations would be made to scholarship granting organizations.
Opponents argue that private schools do not provide the civil rights and disability protections for students that are required of public schools and that data from several states shows a majority of vouchers aren’t used by low-income students, but rather by more affluent families who are already sending their children to private schools. This diverts much-needed funds to pay for vouchers, exacerbating a lack of resources in public schools lower income areas.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, approximately 90% of students nationwide attend public school.
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