Ted Cruz introduces bill incentivizing K-12 scholarships

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Sen. Ted Cruz introduced a school choice bill Tuesday that would encourage donations for scholarships to K-12 public or private school students.

The bill, which he has titled the Universal School Choice Act, would allow for $10 billion annually in federal tax credits for people and businesses that contribute to nonprofits that grant scholarships to elementary and secondary school students.

“School choice is the civil rights issue of the 21st century,” Cruz wrote in a news release. “Every child in America deserves access to a quality education that meets their individual needs, regardless of race, ethnicity, income, or zip code. I remain committed to leading this fight until universal school choice has become available to every American, and I call upon my colleagues to expeditiously take up and advance this legislation.”

The scholarships could be used for tuition, books, tutoring, dual enrollment and other school-related expenses. The funds could be used for expenses related to attending religious schools and home schooling, but not for payments to family members of the student.

Tax credits reduce the amount of tax owed and go beyond tax deductions, which reduce the amount of income subject to tax.

School choice has become a leading Republican policy push in recent years as the party has emphasized parent’s rights in K-12 education by advocating for initiatives on topics such as LGBTQ+ rights, religion, COVID-19 shutdowns and the content of children’s books.

Texas became the latest state to offer publicly funded vouchers to pay for private school tuitions this year after a yearslong battle in the state legislature. Supporters of voucher programs say they increase opportunities for families to choose what type of schooling their children should receive, with less financial limitations.

Critics of the Texas voucher program argued that the funding should instead be spent on improving public schools in Texas.

The Texas Public Policy Foundation, an Austin-based conservative think tank that pushed for the Texas voucher program, has endorsed Cruz’s bill.

Disclosure: Texas Public Policy Foundation has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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