Governor Glenn Youngkin Announces Additional Scholarship Granting Organizations Added to Meet Overwhelming Demand for Education Freedom Tax Credit

Governor Glenn Youngkin Announces Additional Scholarship Granting Organizations Added to Meet Overwhelming Demand for Education Freedom Tax Credit

RICHMOND, VA - Governor Glenn Youngkin announced today that, due to overwhelming demand following the announcement of Virginia being the first state to formally opt in to the Education Freedom Tax Credit, also known as the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC), he has submitted another letter to the U.S. Department of the Treasury identifying additional Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) who will serve Virginia students and families when the program commences in January 2027. The newly added SGOs are Renewanation, AFC Scholarship Fund, ACSI Children's Tuition Fund, Great Aspirations Scholarship Program, Inc. and the AACS Children's Scholarship Fund, Inc.

"The response to the announcement of Virginia formally opting in to the Education Freedom Tax Credit has been extraordinary. Parents across the Commonwealth are making it clear: they're eager to expand education freedom and opportunity for their students," said Governor Glenn Youngkin. "Since Day One, my administration has promised to put families at the head of the table when it comes to making decisions about their child's education. The addition of these Scholarship Granting Organizations will only continue to empower families and strengthen our commitment to ensuring every Virginian family can access the learning options that best meet their children's needs."

"As Virginians learn more about the Education Freedom Tax Credit, it's clear that families and donors alike see the value of expanding access to high-quality educational options," said Secretary of Education Aimee R. Guidera. "By involving more organizations, we ensure we can meet this demand and provide the best support for students and families as they participate in the program for years to come. We could not be more proud to expand options for Virginia students."

Beginning January 1, 2027, the Education Freedom Tax Credit allows taxpayers to claim a dollar-for-dollar nonrefundable federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for contributions that fund K-12 scholarships through approved SGOs. These scholarships may be used for tuition, tutoring, and educational therapies for students with disabilities, further helping all families, including those with children enrolled in public schools, choose the education environment that is right for them.

With the addition of these organizations joining the initial list of SGOs, sent to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the tentatively eligible organizations at this point include:

1. Great Aspirations Scholarship Program, Inc (statewide only)

2. Torah Education Scholarship Fund (statewide only)

3. Step Up, Virginia! (statewide only)

4. Renewanation (multi-state)

5. AFC Scholarship Fund (multi-state)

6. ACSI Children's Tuition Fund (multi-state)

7. AACS Children's Scholarship Fund, Inc. (multi-state)

8. The Endowment Project Foundation (multi-state)

9. Children's Scholarship Fund (multi-state)

10. Reficio (multi-state)

11. ACE Scholarships (multi-state)

12. EducationSuperHighway (multi-state)

About the Education Freedom Tax Credit

The Education Freedom Tax Credit, also known as the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC), is a federal tax credit for individual and corporate contributions to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs), which in turn provide scholarships to support K-12 educational expenses for eligible students. For a contribution to qualify for the federal credit, the SGO must be listed by a participating state for the applicable calendar year. The program begins in 2027.

# # #