The Federal Educational Choice for Children Act: Unlocking School Choice for All
“Parents want and deserve the best education for their children. But too many children do not thrive in their assigned, government-run K-12 school… It is the policy of my Administration to support parents in choosing and directing the upbringing and education of their children.”
– President Donald Trump, January 29, 2025
The Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), a federal parental choice in education bill, is gaining unprecedented support this year, with over 75 House cosponsors and 33 Senate cosponsors. The same legislation filed in 2024 reached 180 cosponsors between the House and Senate members, but with a Democrat-led Senate, the bill was not taken up.
But this year, with widespread support from Republican leaders in the White House and in Congress, the Educational Choice for Children Act has been reintroduced as companion bills H.R.833 and S.292. Members of our South Carolina Congressional delegation supporting ECCA include Senator Tim Scott (R), Senator Lindsey Graham (R), Representative Joe Wilson (R-02), Representative William Timmons (R-04), Representative Nancy Mace (R-01), and Representative Sheri Biggs (R-03).
ECCA would open up educational opportunity to low and middle income K-12 students across the nation through Education Choice Scholarships funded by tax-credited contributions.
How would a federal school choice program work?
The federal scholarship program in ECCA would offer donors a tax credit against their federal tax liability for any donations made to a nonprofit scholarship granting organization (SGO). The SGOs would then award the education scholarships to families as grants. The program setup is similar to how South Carolina’s Exceptional Needs program operates. These federal school choice scholarships could then stack on top of state-level school choice programs, like South Carolina’s own Education Scholarship Trust Fund program.
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Who could donate their tax liability? |
Any individual or corporation. Individual donations are capped at 10% of adjusted gross income of taxpayer or $5000. Corporation donations are capped at 5% of taxable income. |
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Who may apply? |
Any K-12 aged students who are a part of low-income and middle-class households (defined as 300% of the area median gross income). |
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What types of schooling would be eligible? |
All types of schooling are eligible: public, private, and homeschooling. |
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What expenses would be covered? |
Tuition, curricula, books and other instructional materials, online educational materials, tutoring, testing fees, dual enrollment classes, educational therapies, and homeschooling expenses. |
What difference would a federal school choice program make?
If passed, the Educational Choice for Children Act would financially empower low- and middle-income parents to access the education options that best fit their individual children’s needs. The use of tax credit through the ECCA ensures protection against government infringement of religious liberties, securing the ability for parents to send children to private school or public school or even homeschool their children with the funds received through their education grant.
“When you give parents a choice, you give kids a better chance at achieving their dreams. By empowering families with more education resources and freedom, this bill will unlock opportunities that have been out of reach for students across America who deserve every chance to succeed and a schooling system that fosters their potential.”
– Senator Tim Scott, South Carolina, January 29, 2025, Press Release
Palmetto Promise has long championed the right for parents to have universal access school choice. ECCA would make huge strides in ensuring this freedom for parents across the nation. This bill is receiving immense support from families and programs across all 50 states. It is our hope that the 119th Congress will prioritize educational opportunity and deliver a historic win for families across the nation by passing the Educational Choice for Children Act.
