Empowering Families
Students are a large part of why I’m so optimistic about the future of our great country. In recent years they’ve faced unprecedented challenges as COVID-19 disrupted traditional classroom settings. While Nebraskans worked hard to keep our schools open, other states can't say the same. The resulting spotlight on public schools highlighted just how important parental engagement and freedom is to student success. Parents, not politicians, know what their children need in the classroom. This isn’t to say private education is always superior – I proudly attended Nebraska’s excellent public schools – but no child should be stuck in a failing system because of their ZIP code or socioeconomic status.
This week I spoke with students at a rally celebrating National School Choice Week organized by Senator Tim Scott. I was encouraged by the hope and potential in the students who attended the event, many of whom benefitted when their parents were empowered to choose the school best for their children. We can – and should – come together around a number of commonsense, creative policy ideas without costly prohibitions and mandates, and without the heavy hand of the federal government.
To seize one such opportunity, I recently introduced, alongside Rep. Burgess Owens of Utah and Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA). This bill would establish a tax incentive for individuals and businesses to fund scholarship awards for students to cover expenses related to K-12 public and private education without dropping onerous mandates on states, localities, and school districts. This bill was a priority for my late colleague, Rep. Jackie Walorski, and I’m honored to continue her work on this important issue.
From rural and urban to public and private, this legislation would complement existing school choice offerings in states. The ECCA holds great benefit and options for communities as part of an all-of-the-above approach to improving education and schools. An estimated two million students in any elementary or secondary education setting, including homeschool, are eligible to receive a scholarship through provisions in this bill to cover costs related to tuition, fees, book supplies, and equipment for the enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary school. The bill also allows scholarships to cover tutoring costs and other ancillary expenses for students in rural areas where school districts may not have the capacity to address every student’s needs.
Again, parents, not politicians, know their children best. This legislation would ensure parents and students, not the government, have the power and resources to decide their education futures.
To further expand education opportunities for families, we must also enhance options like 529 investment accounts, education savings accounts, which can be used to pay for certain costs of education programs including college, K-12, and apprenticeships. In 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provided for the use of 529 accounts to pay up to $10,000 per year in private K-12 tuition, however this cap was not indexed for inflation. Doing so would simplify tax compliance for families where grandparents and other family members contribute to 529 accounts.
Advancing these proposals are important steps to renewing our commitment to parental empowerment and education freedom. This National School Choice Week is a time to remember each student has an important role to play in our community and our country, and each student should have the opportunity to succeed.
Educational opportunity and parental choice are key in encouraging development in areas of learning loss, special needs services, and career and technical education. It can be easy to get discouraged about the state of our politics, but I think of our young people today, and see the future is bright.
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