States weigh federal K-12 scholarship tax credit as Washington governor faces pressure
Washington's schools chief has urged Gov. Bob Ferguson to turn down the program, while New York and other states have moved to opt in. Officials elsewhere say they are still reviewing the rules.
By Standard Topic. AI-generated from the reporting listed under Coverage. Published . Updated .
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What happened
States are deciding whether to join a new federal tax credit that funds K-12 scholarships, which begins Jan. 1 and offers up to $1,700 per donor or $3,400 for married couples filing jointly. Washington state has not joined, and Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal has urged Gov. Bob Ferguson to reject it as the state faces a budget crisis.
Why it matters
The credit could bring billions of dollars in scholarships into participating states, and Washington's decision comes as its school system faces rising costs and funding cuts.
Timeline
- Oct 14, 10:20 PM ET: Washington state had not joined the new federal tax credit program tied to K-12 education funding.
- Oct 15, 4:00 AM ET: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul moved to have New York State join the federal credit, which the reports describe as providing $3,400 a year for families.
- Oct 15, 8:33 PM ET: Chris Reykdal, the state superintendent of public instruction, publicly urged Gov. Bob Ferguson to reject the credit amid Washington's school budget crisis.
- Oct 16, 8:50 PM ET: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Sen. Jon Husted promoted the new tax credit for education scholarships at a roundtable.
Coverage
- New federal scholarship program could help Florida schools. Who will benefit? (Miami Herald)
- Ohio private school tax break leads the way for federal scholarship program (dispatch.com)
- Democratic governors should stop blocking education help (washingtonexaminer.com)
- Scholarship Tax Credit Vouchers, a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (cea.org)
- ‘Title I for rich kids’ and other predictions for the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (brookings.edu)
- Opinion: Scholarship tax credit vouchers, a wolf in sheep’s clothing (Joslyn DeLancey)
- House Panel Will Examine School Choice Tax Credit (legis1.com)
- The $1,700 Education Freedom Tax Credit is coming in 2027—is your state prepared? (thefulcrum.us)
- New York opts in as states divide over school choice tax credit
- McMahon presses Washington's governor to join federal tax credit
- States opt into federal school choice programs
- Washington's schools chief opposes new federal school tax credit
- States weigh opting into federal school tax credit as Washington resists
- New York joins federal scholarship tax credit as states debate it
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