The Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA) was introduced as part of the sweeping legislative package containing many Trump Administration priorities. Revised ECCA language continues to evolve rapidly in Congress as negotiations move from the House to the Senate. However, major hurdles remain.
Key Concerns with the Revised ECCA Language
- Reduced Tax Credit Cap: The annual cap has been lowered from $10 billion to $5 billion. Though expected, advocates are working to restore the original cap.
- Corporate Donors Excluded: The bill currently excludes corporate donations, likely due to a broader political climate rather than budgetary concerns. This change significantly impacts the ability of Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) to raise funds.
- Program Sunset in 2029: The ECCA is now set to expire after four years. This short timeline makes it difficult for families to commit and for programs to establish sustainable infrastructure.
- Private Schools Required to Pay for IEPs: A particularly troubling provision would require private schools to cover the cost of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). CAPE is pushing hard for this language to be removed in the Senate.
- Removal of Religious Liberty and Autonomy Protections: Initially stripped from the bill—likely due to concerns over reconciliation rules—these critical protections have since been restored as of this week, a positive development for private and faith-based schools.
Looking Ahead
Attention now shifts to the Senate, where WFIS will continue monitoring the situation closely with its national partner, the Council for American Private Education (CAPE).
