$1,700 in Scholarships for K-12 Students in 30 States, Including Much of the South, Midwest, and Mountain West, After Four More States

The program, created through the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, offers a tax credit to taxpayers who donate to approved Scholarship Granting Organizations (SG Os), which then fund scholarships for eligible students. The $1,700 is the maximum credit for donors, not a direct payment to families, and scholarship amounts vary by organization. Students must be eligible for public school and come from households earning no more than 300 percent of the area's median gross income.

More than 28.1 million children in participating states could qualify, while 23.5 million in non-participating states may miss out. Critics, including Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, have rejected the program, citing concerns about diverting resources from public schools and federal oversight. The program is set to launch in January 2027, with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent supporting it as a way to expand school choice. the flexibility they need to participate in alignment with our values.