Connecticut has a rare opportunity in front of it. The question is straightforward: Will we allow new investment in our students to stay here, or will we watch it flow to other states?
Last year, the federal government created a tax credit to encourage private donations to nonprofit organizations that support K–12 students from low-income families. These funds can be used for scholarships for students seeking alternative educational options, as well as tutoring, supplies, and academic support, including for students in public schools.
This is not a government spending program. It is a way to leverage private investment to expand opportunity. The policy incentivizes individuals and businesses to voluntarily support nonprofit organizations already working to help students who need it most.
There is no cost to the state. There is no diversion of existing education funding. There is no impact on local school budgets.
But there is a catch.
States must choose to opt in.
If Connecticut does not, our residents can still claim the federal tax credit. They will still receive the benefit. The difference is where their donations go. Instead of supporting students here, those dollars will flow to nonprofit organizations in other states that have opted in.
Connecticut taxpayers will benefit, Connecticut students will not.
There is growing openness among legislators representing Connecticut’s urban communities, districts where families are actively seeking additional support, where nonprofits are already filling gaps, and where new private investment could have an immediate impact.
Some opposition has centered on labeling the policy a “voucher program.” That characterization is inaccurate.
This policy does not use public funds. It does not redirect existing education dollars. It does not reduce funding for public schools. It simply incentivizes private contributions to nonprofit organizations that serve students in ways that meet their individual needs.
Framing it as a voucher program shifts attention away from what the policy actually does, expand opportunity through voluntary, private support.
Connecticut has already committed significant public resources to improving educational outcomes. Those investments matter. But they are not sufficient on their own. The challenges facing many students are complex, and additional tools are needed.
This policy is one of those tools.
It brings new resources into communities, strengthens nonprofit organizations already doing the work, and expands opportunities for students, all without increasing the burden on taxpayers.
States like Colorado have already opted in. If Connecticut chooses not to act, the program will still move forward anyway. The only question is whether Connecticut students will benefit from it.
The governor has the authority to opt in, and the legislature can help shape how the program operates within the state.
Connecticut should take that step.
When our residents choose to invest in students, those investments should stay here at home.
