EXCLUSIVE — A new poll conducted earlier this week shows a majority of Americans support school choice and legislation providing tax credits for those who contribute to organizations supporting educational opportunities.
The survey, shared with the Washington Examiner, was conducted by Republican pollster McLaughlin & Associates on behalf of Club for Growth and polled 1,000 likely voters in online interviews from June 9 to 11. It found that 82% of people believe in school choice and 70% supported legislation toward tax credits supporting it.
The survey also found that a majority of both Republicans and Democrats agreed with school choice legislation, though Republicans slightly more so. Eighty-seven percent of Republicans backed school choice, compared to while 79% of Democrats and Independents. Seventy-two percent of Republicans support school choice legislation, while 69% of Democrats and Independents back it.
Among parents of K-12 students, support surged. Eighty-one percent supported legislation and 87% supported school choice.
“Our latest poll confirmed what we already knew: school freedom isn’t just good policy, it’s a winning issue politically,” Club for Growth President David McIntosh told the Washington Examiner. Club for Growth is a nonprofit economic freedom advocacy group.
“Overwhelming majorities, across all demographics, want their children to attend the school that best fit their unique needs and support policies that make that happen. Republicans must continue to lead on this issue heading into the midterms and allow federal education dollars to support students, not systems,” he added.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced the Universal School Choice Act late last month, which would allow for up to $10 billion in federal tax credits for “individuals and businesses that contribute to nonprofit scholarship granting organizations supporting students’ educational opportunities.”
Reps. Burgess Owens (R-UT) and Byron Donalds (R-FL) introduced companion legislation in the House.
He held a press briefing alongside Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Donalds, Owens, and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) among others on Thursday.
“School choice, I have long believed, is the civil rights issue of the 21st century,” Cruz said then. “Every single child in America deserves the right to have access to an excellent education. And that is regardless of race, regardless of ethnicity, regardless of wealth, regardless of zip code. This puts parents in the driver’s seat. The person who knows best what is right for your child is a mom and dad. This empowers parents to make the best choices.”
Cassidy added that, “President Trump wants kids to succeed. And it provides, as Ted said, an incentive for someone to put money into a scholarship fund. By the way, if you’re in a state that just frowns upon that, wants to trap kids in schools which aren’t working well, there’s a way to bypass that governor and make sure that this money is still available, and that’s an incredibly positive thing.”
The legislation has been referred to the Committee on Finance with no further updates. The Club for Growth is working with Cruz to get the USCA included in the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
Brian Jodice, the National Press Secretary for American Federation for Children, reacted to the poll in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
“Every state will have school choice soon, and Congress should stand with President Trump in supporting universal school choice,” he said.
Jodice added, “The House set the stage, and now the Senate is poised to make good on a nationwide school choice tax credit, as shown by a united front standing together this week on Capitol Hill including Senators Ted Cruz and Bill Cassidy, and Representatives Burgess Owens, Byron Donalds, Jim Jordan and Tim Walberg.”
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A similar bill, the Educational Choice for Children Act, has already been included in the budget bill. That bill was reintroduced in January by Reps. Adrian Smith (R-NE), Owens, and Cassidy. It is very similar to Cruz’s act.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Cruz’s office concerning his bill, but did not receive a response.
