Some groundbreaking news for Mississippi! With the passage of the One Big Beautiful
Bill, a federal tax credit is due to transform the school choice landscape in our state.
This new tax credit enables individual donors to fund scholarships for local Mississippi
families, who will now be able to select the schools that best suit their children.
Donors will be able to redirect funds they would have paid to the IRS, receiving a dollar-
for-dollar tax credit that reduces their tax liability by the amount donated, up to $1,700
per taxpayer (as outlined in the Senate version).
In other words, local money that would otherwise have been given to the government,
instead stays in Mississippi, to provide scholarships for K-12 education, including
private schools, charters, homeschooling, and more. I estimate that up to $116 million
could be available statewide, potentially funding approximately 18,000 scholarships
each year at $6,500 each.
The impact could be profound. Imagine 18,000 students, previously limited by
circumstance, gaining access to schools of their choice. Eligible households—those
earning up to 300% of the area’s median income (covering most Mississippi
families)—could escape underperforming schools, unlocking better opportunities for
their children. This transforms opportunities for thousands of families.
Moreover, this tax credit introduces competition, compelling public, private, and charter
schools to elevate standards and innovate. With 18,000 students seeking private
education options, any lingering resistance from certain private providers is likely to
fade. Already excellent schools, like The Redeemer’s School in Jackson, will thrive and
expand, I suspect.
For years, efforts to expand school choice in Mississippi have faced obstruction from
entrenched interests. MCPP has led the fight for school choice in this state for several
years, and I can tell you that this federal tax credit now changes the game. With over
$100 million annually fueling school choice, the tide will turn, and Mississippi is finally
aligning with neighboring states that prioritize parent power.
Anti school choice liberals in our state, many of whom spent years supporting anti
school choice campaigners and media groups while sending their own kids to private
schools, will despair. They should. Mississippi lawmakers are at last taking school
choice seriously. We are starting to see a sustained effort to give families in our state
the sort of choices families have in all of our neighboring states.
This new federal tax credit is a massive step in the right direction. It is about to
mainstream the idea of school choice in our state in a big way.
Douglas Carswell is the President and CEO of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy
and former member of British Parliament.
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7 comments:
Just don't see that many people doing this, not a lot of people worried about funding scholarships for other people's kids.
Why do homeschoolers need a scholarship? Last I checked, it was free.
Great thinking goofus. I been paying with my tax dollars for funding crappy public education all my life. MS seems to be turning a sinking ship around...More than happy to use my write off for private education.
Not so sure about that. Remember -- this allows you to help a deserving Mississippi kid get a good education at absolutely no cost to yourself. Who wouldn't want to do that?
And it is all funded by the taxpayers. Hard to tell if the Dems or the Repubs are in charge in Congress these days.
Jackson Prep scholarships.
Bottom line: Jackson Academy is tired of eating the tuition for athletic recruits. This will allow the school to take students and get a portion of their tuition paid.
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