Smith, Colleagues Urge Governors to Opt in to Federal School Choice Initiative

Washington, D.C. - This week, Reps. Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Burgess Owens (R-UT), Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Tim Scott (R-SC), and House Committee on Education and Workforce Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI), sent letters to the governors of all 50 U.S. states and the mayor of the District of Columbia. In the letters, the members called upon the governors to opt in to a new federal scholarship tax credit initiative, allowing students, parents, and scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) in their state to participate.

Key excerpts of the letter include:

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This innovative credit will unlock billions of private dollars to fund scholarships for K-12 students across the country, including in your state.

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Importantly, this tax credit complements existing state-level education programs. It will
not impact federal or state education funding or diminish public schools. Instead, it gives families more options-whether in public or private, religious or non-religious settings-and allows students to either pursue new opportunities or enrich their current education.

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While the tax credit officially launches on January 1, 2027, it is important for states to opt in early to provide certainty to students and SGOs.

Read the full letter here.

BACKGROUND:

On July 4, 2025, a provision included in the working families tax cuts package based on Smith, Cassidy, Owens, and Scott's Educational Choice for Children Actbecame the first federal school choice program enacted into law.

Due to a questionable determination made by the Senate parliamentarian shortly before the legislation's passage in the Senate, governors are required annually to designate participating SGOs in order to make scholarship opportunities available to students in their state.

On September 29, Smith joined Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen for a press conference as Nebraska became the first state to formally announce its intent to opt in.

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