Guest column: Federal scholarships are coming, will Wisconsin students benefit?
Reported byDiscoverHometown.com
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This guest column argues that Wisconsin should join a new federal scholarship tax credit program, known as the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC). The author, who says they supported Assembly Bill 602, notes that the Legislature passed the bill but it was vetoed over concerns about expanding private school vouchers. The author contends the governor's office already has authority under federal law to opt the state in without further legislative action, and urges Gov. Evers to reconsider.
According to the column, Treasury and the IRS released final regulations on October 1 for the program under Section 25F. Starting January 1, 2027, taxpayers can receive a dollar-for-dollar federal credit for donations to qualified scholarship-granting organizations, up to $1,700 for individuals and $3,400 for joint filers. The author says scholarships are not limited to private school students and can cover tutoring, educational materials, instructional technology and some specialized services for children with disabilities. The column cites a Treasury estimate that about 96 percent of K-12 students nationwide could meet income requirements.
The author says participation would not reduce state aid to public schools or change the school funding formula. The column states that 30 states have opted in, and that Wisconsin taxpayers could still claim the credit by giving to organizations in those states. The author calls the public-versus-private framing a false choice. This is an opinion piece, and the views are the author's.
Why it matters
The column presents one side of a debate over whether Wisconsin should join a federal program tied to school choice. Families, educators and taxpayers may weigh the claimed benefits for public school students against concerns about private school vouchers that the column says led to the veto.
- School vouchers
- School choice
- Federal education policy
- State legislature
- Students with disabilities
Written with AI from the publisher's article and may contain errors. The original reporting is the authoritative source.
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- How should a state weigh potential benefits for public school students against concerns about expanding private school vouchers when deciding whether to join a program like this?
- What information would families and educators need to judge whether scholarship-funded tutoring and services would help public school students?
- Who should decide whether a state joins a federal education tax credit program, and what role should the legislature and the public have?
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