President Donald Trump has done more than any of his predecessors to give families the freedom and financial support they need to get their children the best possible education.
On Thursday, the administration advanced that agenda even further by releasing the rules for the new Federal Tax Credit Scholarship program. Trump led the charge to create this program in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Since then, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Education Secretary Linda McMahon have led the charge to implement this game-changing school choice initiative.
This is a monumental step forward for federal school choice. This scholarship program will transform education for millions of children, starting in January 2027. The administration estimates that the program could generate an extra $26 billion in scholarship money per year, providing an additional 2.2 million students with new education opportunities.
Think of all the ways that families could use this money to help their children.
Many families could finally afford the incredible private school across town. It’s the kind of school that specializes in their child’s favorite subject — a school that will accelerate their child’s progress and professional success. Before, the cost of tuition made that impossible, but thanks to the scholarships, it’s now within reach — along with the brighter future they want most for their son or daughter.
Other families could choose unique educational options that fit their children’s unique needs. Maybe it’s a microschool, where every student gets tons of one-on-one attention. Maybe it’s a forest school, where they learn outdoors all day and all year. Maybe it’s a program with a built-in apprenticeship, so students can pick up real-world skills from an earlier age. The scholarships open all these doors.
And yes, many families could choose to give their children a strong public school education and use these funds for additional education resources. The new rules from the Trump administration make clear that families could use scholarships to invest in extra tutoring, extra supplies, and whatever they need to supplement their local public school. That’s a huge win for families who genuinely love their public school down the street.
Whatever choice families make, the tax credit scholarships ensure they can be confident they’re making the best choice for their children.
Because the research couldn’t be more clear: School choice is good for students. Test grades go up. So do high school graduation rates. Students are more likely to go to college. And parents report that their children are safer. On every metric, families win from school choice programs like these new scholarships.
Is it any wonder that 72% of parents with school-age children support the federal tax credit scholarships? They recognize the incredible opportunity the Trump administration is giving them.
Every family deserves access to these scholarships. But not every family has that access — at least, not yet. The way the scholarship program works, states must opt in before their residents can receive them. But every tax filer in the country can claim the credit if they donate to a scholarship-granting organization. That means in every state where the governor has not opted in, donations for scholarships will go to outside states that have opted in. So far, 30 states have opted in, including almost every Republican-led state. But only one Democrat-led state has done the same.
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Make no mistake: Any state that hasn’t opted in is hurting families and students of all backgrounds. Every governor has an obligation to opt in now, or Congress should remove the requirement to opt in so that every student can access scholarship funds.
The Trump administration’s federal tax credit scholarship program will go down as one of the greatest gifts to families in American history. And when the history books are written, they’ll record that the Trump administration gave families the best possible opportunity for prosperity — because the president opened the door to the best possible education for their children.
Eric Bledsoe, a former special assistant to the president for domestic policy (2025-26), is a senior fellow at the American Resolve Institute. Rachel Oglesby, a former chief of staff to Education Secretary Linda McMahon (2025-26), is the executive director of the American Resolve Institute.