EXCLUSIVE — Eva Moskowitz, CEO of New York City’s largest charter network, will urge Congress to seize a “once-in-a-generation” chance to pass sweeping school choice reforms, including a $5 billion charter school tax credit.
In testimony before the House Education and Workforce Committee on Wednesday, Moskowitz will highlight Success Academy’s growth from a single school in Harlem in 2006 to a network of 57 schools serving more than 22,000 students. The majority are low-income black and Hispanic children, and their academic performance surpasses that of students in many of New York’s wealthiest suburbs.
“Our experience offers clear lessons about how we can address some of the most urgent educational and economic challenges facing our nation,” she is prepared to say.
Moskowitz is backing the High-Quality Charter Schools Act, a proposal that would allocate up to $5 billion annually in federal tax credits to support scholarships for families to send their children to private or religious schools, marking one of the most ambitious attempts yet to channel public funds into private education.
The proposal would go toward creating a nationwide school choice program that allows families to pursue alternatives to their assigned public schools, with eligibility extended to most households, excluding only those earning more than triple the local median income.
In an interview with the Washington Examiner, Moskowitz argued that with Republican control of the White House and Congress, there’s a rare chance to enact sweeping school choice reforms, both public and private, that may not come again for decades.
“The president campaigned on this and there’s a once-in-a-lifetime, once-in-a-generation opportunity to get end-to-end school choice done, private school choice and public school choice,” Moskowitz explained. “That’s because the president and the House and the Senate have a majority, a thin one to be sure, but it could be another quarter of a century before we get another opportunity like this.”
The initiative would rely on contributions from individuals or corporations, including stock donations, with participants receiving a full credit against their taxes equal to the amount given. By donating stock through this program, contributors could sidestep capital gains taxes that would normally apply to such transfers.
The measure is not currently part of the Republicans’ budget reconciliation megabill that includes a renewal of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, but Moskowitz said she hopes her testimony could change that.
“We know the way this process works, there are going to be many changes and amendments between now and final, even though it is moving rather quickly, so I absolutely believe there is time to fix this oversight,” she said.
Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA), the subcommittee chairman and co-sponsor of the bill, will emphasize the urgent need to advance charter school funding through the budget process, calling it a rare moment to expand educational options and address the nation’s academic challenges.
“I will also urge my colleagues to include the charter school tax credit in the reconciliation process. Right now, we have an incredible opportunity to deliver choice for millions of families and reverse the decline in American education. We cannot let that opportunity go to waste,” Kiley said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
Opponents have slammed the plan as a giveaway to the rich that would undermine traditional public schools, which educate most children. They warned it could function as a loophole, enabling investors to profit while appearing philanthropic.
Republicans generally show greater support for school choice initiatives, while Democrats tend to prioritize funding traditional public schools over directing public dollars to charter, private, or religious institutions.
President Donald Trump has consistently backed school choice initiatives, calling on Congress to pass legislation to provide tax credits for donations to scholarship funds. He also signed an executive order directing federal agencies to support state-level efforts to expand alternatives to traditional public schools, including charters and private education options.
LET’S BRING UNIVERSAL SCHOOL CHOICE TO THE FINISH LINE
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) underscored the urgency of enacting the High-Quality Charter Schools Act to honor Trump’s commitment to universal school choice.
“We must fulfill President Trump’s pledge of universal school choice by passing the High Quality Charter Schools Act,” Stefanik said in a statement sent to the Washington Examiner. “Millions of families have been denied educational freedom for too long. Expanding charter access means meeting real demand with real opportunity. This is the moment to deliver and make good on our promise.”