Republicans in Washington are on the verge of keeping a historic promise to America’s families. In the “one big, beautiful bill” that the House of Representatives just passed, Republicans included an unprecedented school choice program based on a successful initiative in my home state of Pennsylvania. This transformative measure would help children nationwide get the best education for them.
Republicans have made school choice a mainstay of their platform for years, and last year, President Donald Trump said at a rally in Pennsylvania that he would support “universal school choice.” While that’s a lofty goal, the Educational Choice for Children Act is a bold step in that direction. The proposal, which Republicans included in the bill they just introduced, would create a tax-credit scholarship that any American student could use to attend a better school.
This tax-credit scholarship is simple to administer and has sweeping potential effects. Essentially, citizens could redirect their taxes from filling the swamp to funding organizations that provide scholarships for K-12 education. Since these donations would be tax-free, philanthropists would have a strong incentive to donate up to $5,000 each to these organizations. The groups, in turn, could give scholarships to millions of families across America, especially those without the means or stuck in failing public schools. My father always told me his education was his ticket out of poverty, and that goes for children nationwide.
Pennsylvania is proof that tax-credit scholarships work.
My state has two such programs: the Educational Improvement Tax Credit and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit, which students in 66 out of 67 counties rely on for their education. Most recipients come from families earning less than the statewide median income, and counties with the lowest-performing public schools have the most scholarships. Put simply, low- and middle-class students depend on these programs to escape failing schools. Case studies routinely show that scholarship recipients do better in school and are more likely to attend and graduate from college.
Pennsylvania also proves that these scholarships are wildly popular.
In the most recent year with available data, 85,570 scholarships were given to students. Yet, because of arbitrary caps imposed by the state, Pennsylvania denied nearly one in two, or 79,979, scholarship applications. While the state has raised the caps, demand is growing even faster. Thousands more families would benefit from additional scholarships, which a federal tax program could easily provide.
And for the record, Pennsylvania also proves that these scholarships are a political winner. Polling from the Commonwealth Foundation shows that nearly eight in 10 Pennsylvanians support expanding EITC and OSTC. Additional polling also shows that 83% of Pennsylvania voters back the Educational Choice for Children Act. Pennsylvania families shouldn’t be the only ones who get these school-choice opportunities. Every family deserves the same freedom.
THE LAST-MINUTE CHANGES MADE TO THE TAX BILL TO WIN OVER HOLDOUT REPUBLICANS
But that won’t happen unless Congress acts. The political support is already there, since the overwhelming majority of Republicans support this policy. The popular demand is there, too, and not just in Pennsylvania. All Congress needs to do is include the Educational Choice for Children Act in the reconciliation bill. Overnight, the national debate would shift to empowering families and transforming students’ lives. That’s a discussion Republicans should welcome, recognizing that this is a classic case of good policy making good politics.
Families across America need Congress to pass this transformative program as soon as possible. Low- and middle-class families who want to give their children the best shot at the best life are counting on it. They need school choice to make that vision a reality, and the sooner Republicans keep their promise to give them real choice, the sooner these children will get the world-class education they deserve.
Megan Martin is COO and General Counsel at the Commonwealth Foundation, Pennsylvania’s free-market think tank.