Broad public backing for federal school-choice tax credit may stall without awareness

Congress created a $1,700 tax credit for donations to scholarship-granting groups as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill, allowing donors to support private-school tuition, tutoring, special-education services and other approved expenses. EdChoice and Morning Consult surveyed Americans and found overwhelming support—64% of the public and 77% of parents want their states to opt in. However, awareness is low: only 16% of respondents have heard a great deal about the credit, and just 27% of parents report similar familiarity.

The program will start accepting contributions on Jan. 1 2027, with donors claiming the credit on their 2027 tax returns, likely filed in early 2028. Researchers warn that without a large-scale outreach effort—potentially via employers or schools—the credit may fail to achieve its projected impact on millions of eligible taxpayers and students.