Senator Young, colleagues reintroduce bill to expand School Choice, educational opportunity

U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and Tim Scott (R-S.C.), along with a group of their Republican colleagues, introduced the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), legislation to expand education freedom and opportunity for students.

“School choice empowers families and teachers to meet each child’s unique learning needs. Our bill will unlock more opportunities for families to make decisions that will help students succeed,” said Senator Young.

“Parents want to see their child succeed. Giving them the ability to make decisions over their child’s education puts that child’s needs first,” said Senator Cassidy. “More freedom empowers parents and allows American children to thrive in school.”

“When you give parents a choice, you give kids a better chance at achieving their dreams,” said Senator Scott. “By empowering families with more education resources and freedom, this bill will unlock opportunities that have been out of reach for students across America who deserve every chance to succeed and a schooling system that fosters their potential.”

Taking a limited government approach, the Educational Choice for Children Act would empower families with greater school choice by incentivizing charitable donations from businesses and individuals to fund scholarships for students to attend independent or religiously affiliated schools. The bill also includes provisions that govern Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs), which are responsible for determining the individual amount of scholarship awards.

An estimated two million students in any elementary or secondary education setting, including homeschool, are eligible to receive a scholarship. Eligible use of scholarships awards includes tuition, fees, book supplies, and equipment for the enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary school.

Senators Young, Cassidy, and Scott were joined by U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Thune (R-S.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) in introducing the bill.

Senator Young has long been an advocate of school choice. He has introduced a “National School Choice Week” resolution for the last several years, including one this year that designated January 26, 2025 through February 1, 2025 as “National School Choice Week.” Young also introduced the ECCA last Congress.