The Trump administration has launched the first national school choice program in U.S. history, Education Secretary Linda McMahon told Newsmax on Wednesday, calling the new education freedom tax credit a landmark shift designed to ensure no child is forced to remain in a failing school.
McMahon said on "Wake Up America" that "this is the largest and first national school choice program that's ever been passed," adding that President Donald Trump certainly "believes that no child should be trapped in a failing school, as do I."
She said that 23 states have already opted into Trump's education freedom tax credit, which allows individuals to contribute up to $1,700 to education savings account organizations.
Those funds can then be used to provide scholarships for families seeking alternatives to traditional public schools – including private, parochial, charter, or specialized education services.
McMahon said the program is designed to give parents greater control over their children's education regardless of income or place of residence.
According to McMahon, the tax credit is expected to generate as much as $24 billion in additional funding for education options nationwide. The scholarships can be used not only for tuition but also for tutoring, special-needs equipment, and other education-related services.
She also emphasized that higher-income families already "can afford to put their children in private schools and to have private tutoring for their children, but those families in lower socioeconomic needs can't always have that availability, so this tax credit is just going to be so meaningful."
The education freedom tax credit is part of a broader first-year education push by the Trump administration, which McMahon said includes a $500 million investment in charter schools – the largest such investment to date.
She described charter schools as a critical component of school choice, citing their flexibility and ability to tailor education to local workforce needs.
McMahon also highlighted efforts by the Department of Education to improve efficiency through partnerships with other federal agencies. She said the department has signed seven interagency agreements, including one with the Department of Labor to administer Perkins Grants, allowing funds to be distributed more quickly and effectively.
"The technology at Labor is far superior to what we have," McMahon said. "Running this program through their system has been incredibly efficient, and students are already benefiting."
The secretary said the administration views the interagency partnerships as a proof of concept that education programs can be managed more effectively outside traditional bureaucratic structures, potentially paving the way for permanent reforms.
"This is about giving parents more power, educators more flexibility, and students more freedom to succeed," she said.
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Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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