Emergency grants would help salvage the year for students and private schools

COVID-19’s effect on school operations has exacerbated long-existing problems of access to education and, with them, introduced a share of new cost burdens on families. A bill advanced by a bipartisan House coalition on Tuesday would work to counter those issues and offer low-income families a better chance at salvaging this school year.

The School Choice Now Act would direct a share of coronavirus relief funds to provide nonprofit scholarship-granting organizations, or SGOs, with emergency education freedom grants. The bill would also amend the tax code and create a new credit for those donating to SGOs in order to encourage contributions.