House Republicans Propose $5 Billion for Private School Vouchers

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: US News and World Report/AP

May 12, 2025, at 5:55 p.m.


WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans want to set aside up to $5 billion a year for scholarships to help families send their children to private and religious schools, an unprecedented effort to use public money to pay for private education. The proposal, part of a budget reconciliation bill released Monday, would advance President Donald Trump's agenda of establishing “universal school choice” by providing families nationwide the option to give their children an education different from the one offered in their local public school.

Nearly all households would qualify except those making more than three times the local median income. Supporters of private school vouchers say they want to give families assigned to low-performing schools more choices. “Giving parents the ability to choose the best education for their child makes the (American Dream) possible,” said Republican Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, who sponsored a similar proposal in the Senate.

The program would be funded by donors who could contribute money or stock. In turn, they would receive 100% of the contribution back in the form of a discount on their tax bills. It would allow stock holders to avoid paying taxes that would be levied if they donated or transferred the stock.

Critics decried the proposal, saying it would aid the wealthy at the expense of the public school systems that serve the overwhelming majority of students. They said it would set up a tax shelter allowing savvy investors to make money under the guise of a donation.

Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2025-05-12/house-republicans-propose-5-billion-for-private-school-vouchers

[Karasu]

1. So we slash and burn everything from health to fucking nuclear safety, but THIS is what they're willing to blow their

fucking wad spending money on.

Fuck this grifting fascist crime syndicate of a party.

[AllaN01Bear]

8. ding.

i was going to say something on the same line but u did it better.

[Omaha Steve]

2. NO, NO, NO!!!!

[mpcamb]

3. Surer, go ahead. Just don't use a dime of public funds. Spend your OWN damn money!

(...see how long that goes over)

[Luciferous]

4. Maybe they should use that money

on underperforming schools instead.

[Traildogbob]

5. Will they

Be feeding THOSE kids on our dime?

[Bengus81]

6. I knew that shit wasn't far behind

[Bengus81]

7. Get off your BUTTS and work a 2nd job if you want to go the private school route.

I'm not paying for you to send Thad and Ashton to some ultra expensive Jesus school. If you want them to go then PAY for it yourself.

[AllaN01Bear]

10. if the rich want to goto a private school. let them pay for it themselves.

[AllaN01Bear]

9. """"

here we go again, hey, arnt we in debit, where are we going to get the money

[JohnnyRingo]

11. Typical union busting. Here's what will happen.

The govt will fund tuition for private, religious, or home schooling.
Low enrollment in public schools will cause shrinking class size and a furlough of union staff.
Students will enroll in private and religious schools, many located in churches and strip malls.
Once enough students are lost, the school district will consolidate buildings and demolish the older ones.
This is already happening all over from "No Child Left Behind", but billions more will accelerate the process.

Then... with the biggest union in the country (that donates to blue causes) eliminated, the federal tap will run dry.
No more "handouts" to kids to go to private schools. They will pull the rug out from under us.
Parents will either have to pay the tab themselves or refund their county school system through tax levies. Neither a likely option.
Schoolchildren in wealthy areas will continue their education at private academies as usual, but kids in poorer sections will suffer an education.

That's when people understand "School Choice" was a scam to relieve the wealthy of educating your kids and crushing a main source of Democratic Party fund raising. But it will be too late.

[Bayard]

12. Sure

Subsidize expensive private schools, while cutting billions from Medicaid.

[Owens]

13. So rich people are getting the handouts?

[Owens]

14. Remember when those MAGAs attacked Biden about student loan forgiveness?

The hypocrisy!

[bluestarone]

15. So, how much funding will

ATHEIST schools get? Is it time for Atheist's to START SOME UP, AND sue FOR THEIR SHARE OF TAX PAYER money??

[Stargazer99]

16. Check the tax laws, I'll bet the rich get a tax deduction for private schools

I resent charter schools getting a dime of tax payer funds

[angrychair]

17. To Cool for School

This sounds like some sort of scheme that will, more likely than not, leave the taxpayers on the hook for billions of dollars to subsidize rich people sending their kids to private school.

The program would be funded by donors who could contribute money or stock. In turn, they would receive 100% of the contribution back in the form of a discount on their tax bills

And

Nearly all households would qualify except those making more than three times the local median income.

Based on this metric 93% of San Diego residents would qualify.
Based on this metric 93% of Seattle residents would qualify.
Based on this metric 95% of Austin residents would qualify.
Based on this metric 96% of Tallahassee residents would qualify.
Based on this metric 93% of New York City residents would qualify.

The obvious point being that the vast majority of residents would qualify based on that "3x the local median income" metric. Including very rich people.

[jmowreader]

18. This is a way to funnel tax dollars to churches

In my area there are 18 private schools. Fifteen of them are full-blown Christian schools and the sixteenth is "faith based but not Christian." Which of course means it's really a Christian school.