A recent survey found that most teachers support the new federal scholarship tax credit program, despite strong opposition from their national unions.
In the Oct. 20 report, EdChoice, a universal school choice advocacy organization, said that nearly three in four teachers surveyed support it, while 15 percent oppose it and 15 percent said they don’t know about it or have no opinion.
Moreover, the report said, a majority of union and non-union teachers support their state participating in the program.
The Education Freedom Tax Credit program allows each American taxpayer to receive up to $1,700 dollar-for-dollar credit for contributing to a private school scholarship-granting organization in his or her state. Married couples filing jointly can claim credits of up to $3,400.
This initiative, which would take effect next year, was permanently added to the tax code under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in 2025. So far, 30 state governors have opted in.
In addition to private school tuition vouchers, the scholarship-granting organization would provide money for transportation associated with attending a private school or for supplies for homeschoolers, depending on state regulations.
EdChoice surveyed more than 1,000 teachers across the country. Eighty percent of the respondents work in public schools, 12 percent in private schools, and 7 percent in charter schools. Forty-seven percent of those surveyed have taught for more than 15 years.
Nearly 60 percent of the respondents also said they support charter schools. However, less than half of the most experienced educators (15-plus years) support charter schools or school vouchers, the report said.
“There is a school-parent effect,” Alli Aldis, an EdChoice researcher, told The Epoch Times. “Teachers with school-age children are more likely to support it, and younger teachers are more likely to support these new school choice ideas.”
The nation’s two largest teacher unions, the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), strongly oppose the Education Freedom Tax Credit program.
“Federal vouchers will widen inequality and do nothing to improve student outcomes,” the NEA said in its July 28 report.
“The truth is that vouchers perpetuate racial and economic segregation; underwrite discrimination against students that would not be lawful in public schools; and deny students with disabilities the free, appropriate education they deserve–usually without even warning families about the legal and civil rights they forfeit when accepting a voucher.”
The AFT passed a 2024 resolution affirming its opposition to any publicly funded school voucher programs.
“Resolved that the AFT will publicly and powerfully oppose the diversion of public funds to any discriminatory voucher or tax credit program, federal or state, that reduced public financial support to our cherished public schools,” the resolution said.
Aldis said her survey report is an indication that “the official organizations’ stance doesn’t line up with the views of the individual teachers.”
“Maybe they’re not towing the party line,” she said.
Additional survey data provided to The Epoch Times indicates that 80 percent of black respondents and 76 percent of Hispanic respondents said they somewhat support or strongly support the federal tax credit program. It also noted that 75 percent of those who said they support it are Democrats, while 70 percent are Republicans.
“This is something that’s getting bipartisan support,” Aldis said.
The American Federation for Children, another national nonprofit organization that advocates for universal school choice, reported on Oct. 13 that more than 42 million married U.S. couples could potentially contribute up to $3.8 billion to the federal program annually and that 52 million children are eligible.
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