U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon visited Miami Gardens Tuesday to promote the nation’s first federal school choice tax credit — and denied it would harm public schools already dealing with under-enrollment, such as those in South Florida.
The “Education Freedom Tax Credit” will allow people to donate to scholarship-granting organizations, who can distribute the funds to eligible families. Individuals who donate can receive up to $1,700 annually in a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. Married taxpayers filing jointly can receive up to $3,400.
Florida is among 31 states that have indicated they would sign up for the plan.
Those expenses could go to school tuition, tutoring and special education services. Though Republican lawmakers have emphasized the scholarships could go to public, private or charter school students, congressional Democrats, teachers unions and civil rights groups have questioned how much public schools will really benefit.
Speaking at Lubavitch Educational Center, a private Jewish day school in Miami Gardens, McMahon said there’s no national estimate on the ratio of funding that would go to private versus public schools.
“This is added money into the pot of education, not taking away from anything,” McMahon said. “And they're private dollars that are coming into this, which I just think is incredible.”
The credit, which first appeared as a provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, goes into effect Jan. 1, 2027. Its rules roll out as schools across Florida, including in Miami-Dade County, are struggling with under-enrollment — and seeing less state funding as a result. First-day enrollment was down by nearly 19,000 students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools this year.
Most scholarship money in Florida currently flows through Step Up for Students, an entirely state-funded entity. McMahon said it’s unclear whether the national tax credit contributions will ease pressure from states.
As she spoke, dozens of Lubavitch Educational Center students, many wearing white-button downs and kippahs, gathered around the makeshift soccer field podium to listen. This was McMahon’s second trip to the school. She paid a visit just two weeks after taking office in 2025.
Danny Aqua, who serves as director of special products for private school advocacy group Teach Florida, said the tax credit will return education to families, allowing them to make the best decision for their children.
“As the regulations came out just last week, governors saw that this will help not just our students in private faith-based schools, but students in charter schools, students in public schools,” he said.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday her state would opt into the program. She joins Democrats like Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who lobbied hard for the credit. Some say they want to see public school students taking advantage of the credit for tutoring and after-school programs.
School choice has long proved contentious in Florida, with Gov. DeSantis remaining a staunch advocate. Three years ago, he signed a bill allowing all children in the state, regardless of income or school enrollment, to participate in school choice and to claim education vouchers averaging $8,000.
Some 500,000 students have since accepted these vouchers toward home and private schooling. But the aggressive expansion has left over $400 million sitting unused as organizations struggle to manage the influx of interest.
Scott Singer, a Republican U.S. House candidate for the 25th district and current Boca Raton mayor, emphasized Tuesday the national tax credit is a “universal benefit” — allowing people to fund education privately, receive tax credits, and give other parents the choice between private, public and charter schools.
The credit is projected to fund more than $2 million per year, he pointed out.
“The message is clear,” he said. “Parents and students deserve more choice in education, regardless of zip code.”
Congressional Democrats are already sponsoring measures to repeal the tax credit. Senators from Arizona and Hawaii and representatives from Wisconsin and Oregon are leading the effort, which began before the rule was even unveiled.
In a statement, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said the measure would leave public school parents “hunting for stray pennies on the floor” as money is funnelled into private schools.
