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by WENDY DAMRON
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“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.”
These are more than political words—they reflect a growing national consensus: that education must be tailored to the child, not the system. Every parent deserves the right to choose the best educational setting for their child. Every child deserves a chance to thrive.
That’s why Congress must act now to pass the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA)—a transformative federal proposal that empowers low- and middle-income families with real options.
Reintroduced this year as H.R. 833 and S. 292 and with support from President Donald Trump, ECCA is gaining unprecedented momentum in Washington, with more than 75 cosponsors in the House and 33 in the Senate. Here in South Carolina, we’re proud of the support from our congressional delegation, including Senators Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham, and Representatives Joe Wilson, William Timmons, Nancy Mace and Sheri Biggs. Senator Scott is also Chairman of the Congressional School Choice Caucus in Washington.
ECCA creates a federal tax credit for individuals and corporations that donate to approved nonprofit scholarship granting organizations (SGOs). These SGOs, in turn, provide education scholarships to qualifying K-12 students—students whose families earn up to 300% of the area median income. These scholarships can be used for a wide range of educational expenses, from private or homeschool tuition to online coursework, tutoring, therapies, and curriculum materials.
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The program is modeled after successful state initiatives, including those like South Carolina’s own Education Scholarship Trust Fund (ESTF). Even better, ECCA’s design allows scholarships to stack with existing state-level school choice programs, maximizing impact for families.
Critically, ECCA protects religious liberty by ensuring that funds are distributed through private organizations, not the government. Parents—not bureaucrats—decide where their child learns best. And because the funds flow through SGOs, the program avoids entanglements with curriculum or accreditation mandates.
In a country where educational outcomes often correlate with zip code, this is a game-changer. It levels the playing field for families who have long been denied options simply because they couldn’t afford them. As Senator Scott recently said: “When you give parents a choice, you give kids a better chance at achieving their dreams.”
We couldn’t agree more.
At Palmetto Promise, we have long championed school choice as a matter of freedom, fairness, and opportunity. We believe that education funding should follow the child, not be tied to a system that may or may not serve their needs. The Educational Choice for Children Act would make that vision possible for families across all 50 states.
But the clock is ticking. Congress is preparing its next budget reconciliation package—and, with a unified Republican government, the time to act is now.
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CALL TO ACTION
We urge every South Carolinian who believes in educational opportunity to reach out to your Member of Congress today and ask them to support the inclusion of the Educational Choice for Children Act in the upcoming budget reconciliation bill.
CLICK HERE TO CONTACT YOUR MEMBER OF CONGRESS
Together, we can take a bold step toward making educational freedom a reality for every American family.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Wendy Damron is President & CEO of Palmetto Promise Institute, a South Carolina-based public policy organization committed to promoting opportunity and limited government through free-market solutions and Palmetto Promise Impact a 501C4 organization that aims to transform policy into results through advocacy and direct action.
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1 comment
Newsflash– every parent has real school choice and have always had it. My tax money should not go to someone wanting to send their kid to a private school, and if they end up being able to go to Christian schools churches should immediately lose their tax exempt status. Boom.