Back to Federal Policy Watch

Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA)

Republicans in Congress reintroduced the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA). The bill, S. 292 (House bill number pending), would provide $10 billion in annual tax credits to fund private and religious K-12 schools.

The bill would do this by establishing a new tax credit for individuals and corporations who make charitable contributions to organizations that give scholarships – or vouchers – for students to attend private schools. Currently, vouchers overwhelmingly support wealthy parents who are already sending their children to private school. ECCA will, in effect, redirect federal funding away from other, crucial government services, towards wealthy individuals and families. 

Most legislation to support school vouchers does not have wide popularity and would be unlikely to pass through the normal legislative process. However, because the structure of the ECCA essentially creates a new tax break, and thus has federal tax and revenue implications, it may be able to pass as part of the budget reconciliation process, which requires a simpler 50-vote majority to pass the Senate.

Vouchers were rejected by voters in three states – Colorado, Kentucky and Nebraska (notably the home state of Rep. Adrian Smith, lead cosponsor of the House version of ECCA) –  at the ballot in November 2024, in part because they do not promote educational achievement, nor are they viable options for low-income students or rural students. Instead, private schools end up raising tuition, and public schools suffer from the lack of available funding for their remaining students.