Washington, Aug 25 (SocialNews.XYZ) US President Donald Trump promoted what he called the largest expansion of school choice in American history, saying parents should have the power to select schools that reflect their values.
Addressing students, parents and educators at a back-to-school event in the White House Rose Garden, Trump said his administration was shifting control of education away from Washington and returning it to states and families.
“We want every parent to have the power to send their child to a high quality school that shares their values,” Trump said.
The President highlighted the Education Freedom Tax Credit included in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, which he signed on July 4, 2025. The measure established a federal tax credit of up to $1,700 for contributions to non-profit organisations that award scholarships for education-related services.
The scholarships may be used for tuition, books and other basic educational costs at public, private or religious elementary and secondary schools.
Trump described the measure as “the largest ever expansion of school choice”.
He also said the legislation had expanded 529 education savings accounts. It doubled the annual withdrawal limit for kindergarten through Grade 12 expenses to $20,000 and extended their use to private, religious and home-school education.
“For the first time ever, families can also have their 529 accounts to support homeschool education,” Trump said.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the tax credit would cover more than 50 million eligible children.
“Children belong to their parents, not the federal government,” she said. “And through the education freedom tax credit, President Trump has delivered the largest national expansion of education freedom in history for over 50 million eligible children, giving parents unprecedented freedom to choose the path that is best for their child.”
McMahon said six states had received the first “returning education to state waivers”, freeing more than $100 million from federal controls. She added that 25 states were using existing authority to reduce federal requirements for thousands of school districts.
“Key decisions that once sat with bureaucrats here in Washington, D.C. are moving to where they belong — to the hands of educators, parents, and local leaders who know these children best,” she said.
Trump also renewed his criticism of the previous administration’s education policies. He said his government had ended programmes involving critical race theory and transgender issues and restored parents as the principal decision-makers.
“We’re putting the parents back in charge,” he said. “They’re the ones that love our children. They’re the ones that should be in charge.”
The President cited the experience of Caleb and Jocelyn Griffith, a North Carolina couple with three biological children and two foster children. Caleb Griffith said one child had autism and another had developmental delays, but the family had struggled to secure the support they needed.
“The educational freedom tax credits will give my children the access to the services they need to be successful in the most formational years of their lives,” Griffith said.
Trump has sought to reduce the federal role in education and transfer greater authority to state and local governments. He said Monday that an executive order he signed last year had begun “the process of eliminating the federal Department of Education”.
Source: IANS
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