Democrat group wants blue states to embrace new federal private school choice program

Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) is pushing the Democratic Party to accept a new private school choice program created by President Trump’s budget.

The program offers scholarships for families to use for private school tuition, tutoring or other education costs. States can choose whether to join.

Jorge Elorza, DFER’s CEO and former mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, says the program could help families stuck in bad public schools. He called opting into the program “a no-brainer.”

“This is literally free money that is broadly supported by the majority of voters who have steadily drifted away from the party. It just makes sense,” Elorza told the New York Times.

Private school choice has proven popular with working-class black and Latino Trump supporters – two groups Democrats want to win back, according to Elorza.

A federal tax credit funds the program and offers scholarships for students of most income levels. Those who donate to groups giving tuition scholarships will receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit, worth up to $1,700 annually. States opting into the program must vet and approve the organizations handing out these scholarships.

This marks the first national private school choice program created by the federal government.

While one Democratic-aligned education group wants states to opt in to the program, other Democratic politicians and teachers’ unions oppose private school choice.

“Vouchers are a vehicle to abandon public education,” American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said.

Unions argue private school choice takes money and students away from public schools, even when the money for private school choice comes from a source outside public-school funding.

However, some Democratic governors are considering capitalizing on the opt-in private school choice program, including Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland and Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania. Neither has committed to using it, but spokesmen for their offices told reporters they’re considering it.

Tommy Schultz, CEO of American Federation for Children, has also urged states to opt into the program.

“For far too long, the schooling unions and their allies have stood in the schoolhouse door blocking equal access to school choice. Their time of dominating America’s education system is over,” he said in a statement.

“This historic tax credit will supercharge school choice across America,” he added. “We applaud President Donald Trump and champions in Congress for ensuring this generational expansion of educational freedom was a priority during the reconciliation process.”