1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

Please vote NO on the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), H.R. 833/S. 292. My understanding is that this bill that would divert $10 billion per year from public education to fund private school vouchers through a 100% tax credit scheme. We need to figure out how to do education better not simply subsidize private schools. As the parent of 2 special needs children who went both to public and private schools, the services afforded by and required by the public schools were the difference between my kids learning and being left behind. This unprecedented tax break allows the wealthy to fully offset their donations to scholarship-granting organizations, effectively turning public funds into private school subsidies. ECCA lacks accountability measures. It allows funds to flow to private institutions that can discriminate against students and ignore curriculum standards without having to report educational outcomes. This will exacerbate educational disparities, particularly affecting students with disabilities (see above) and those from low-income communities. Public schools, which serve 90% of American children, will lose critical resources, leading to larger class sizes, program cuts, and school closures. The bill’s structure also opens new avenues for tax avoidance, such as donating appreciated stocks to evade capital gains taxes. It’s terrible, and I expect you to oppose it. Thanks!