Every student in America deserves a good education, no matter their family’s income or where they live, and no one can make a better choice for a child’s education than a parent.

My mother was born to a tenant farmer family. Once, she missed an entire year of school because she didn’t have shoes. Her son went to college and became a gastroenterologist and a U.S. senator. That is the power of education. 

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But education is not one-size-fits-all. What works for one child may not work for another. President Donald Trump understands this. He and I have been consistent champions for school choice. This is why he signed an executive order supporting educational choice and empowering parents to make decisions about their child’s education. 

A child should not be trapped in a failing school. Sometimes, a child has a special need that is best addressed in one school more than another. Although I am a product of public schools, and they work for many, too many schools have terrible academic outcomes. Currently, two-thirds of U.S. public school students are unable to read proficiently in fourth grade, and 40% are essentially illiterate.

At best, illiteracy limits future opportunities. At its worst, it is a major risk factor for committing crimes and being incarcerated. These outcomes are as terrible for the individual as for society.

The American dream is about opportunity. It is about overcoming adversity. It is about aiming high and the ability to succeed. School choice matters because the difference between adversity and success often comes down to a person’s education. 

Mothers and fathers should have the freedom to get their child out of a school that is not meeting their needs and into a better one. That could be a private school, charter school, homeschooling, or other options as the parent sees fit. However, mothers and fathers may hesitate to do so because of the higher costs associated with alternative education options. For example, in 2024, the average annual cost of tuition at a private high school was $15,344. 

Cost should not stand in the way of a child’s bright future. That is what my Education Choice for Children Act is all about. The bill expands education freedom and opportunity for students by incentivizing individuals and businesses to fund scholarship awards for students to cover K-12 public and private education expenses. ECCA helps ensure that costs do not keep a child in the wrong school. These scholarships can be used to cover a range of education-related costs, including tuition, books, school supplies, and other educational resources.

Success does not begin in the classroom. It begins in the right classroom. By helping parents with some of the potential costs that come with choosing the education best suited for their child, ECCA empowers parents to ensure their children are set up for success. 

REPUBLICAN ADVANCE FEDERAL SCHOOL CHOICE BILL AS PART OF RECONCILIATION

The House Ways and Means Committee included ECCA in the tax bill to pass the president’s agenda. With Trump in the White House and a Republican Senate, the ECCA can become law. 

The current education system fails too many children, making it more likely that many of them will live stunted lives. Let’s give parents the power to choose the best education for their child and make their American dream possible. 

Bill Cassidy is a U.S. senator from Louisiana.