Yesterday, state lawmakers in Indiana passed a scholarship tax credit program—making the Hoosier state the latest to offer private school choice. Under the plan, people or corporations who make donations to non-profits that award tuition scholarships will be eligible for a 50-percent tax credit off their state bill. A total of $2.5 million in tax credits will be awarded.
The program has the potential to help hundreds of families choose the best school for their children. A recent analysis by the Friedman Foundation found that this program also has the potential to yield significant savings for taxpayers.
Indiana’s new scholarship program is designed to start off small. But there is reason to hope that the program will grow and many more students will become eligible to participate in the future. States like Arizona, Florida, Iowa, and Pennsylvania that have similar school choice tax credit programs have increased their scope with bipartisan support after the program has been in place for a few years. Now tens of thousands of children are benefiting from these programs.
Indiana’s school choice victory is another encouraging sign that policymakers across the country are recognizing the need to give more families the ability to choose the best learning environment for their children.
