“Parents of all faith traditions and economic backgrounds deserve the opportunity to choose and afford the school system that will help their children thrive and learn in the educational setting best suited for them,” said Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) upon unveiling his  ‘Education Achievement and Opportunity Act’  (HR 2097), legislation he has sponsored to provide tax relief to NJ families for the costs of education for their children.

(1) The Smith bill: Education Achievement and Opportunity Act

          “Jewish, private, parochial, and religious schools provide world-class instruction and are a vital component of our nation’s school system,” said Smith. “My legislation will go a long way toward ensuring parents of all faiths can afford beneficial faith-based schooling options for their kids.”

          Smith’s HR 2097 offers a generous tax credit of up to $10,000 per child per taxable year to pay tuition and fees for enrollment in Jewish, parochial, public, charter, private and religious schools through 12^th grade. Up to $1,500 of the authorized assistance can be used for computers, educational software, books, tutoring, special needs services, transportation and academic testing services at any public or private school.

          A parent earning less than $75,000 per year or a couple earning $150,000 jointly would be eligible for the full tax credit, which would begin to decrease by $50 for every $1,000 earned beyond the income threshold.

(2) The Educational Choice for Children Act.

          Smith has pushed his tuition tax credit legislation for several years, acutely aware of the hardships parents face as they work to pay a separate school tuition on top of paying local property taxes for the costs of the public education system.  He said his bill would “directly ease the burden of paying twice” and is pleased that other legislation also seeks to bring relief to families looking for the best educational opportunities for their children.

           “The need is great, and we must look for more than one way to help families solve this problem,” Smith said.  “To that end I am again an active cosponsor of the Educational Choice for Children Act (HR 817) which like my bill, will expand education freedom and opportunity and enable parents to place their children in programs that are right for them.”

          Specifically, HR 817 would provide tax credits to individuals and businesses that donate funds for scholarships that families can use to cover expenses related to K-12 public and private education.  The program will provide a minimum of $5,000 in tax credits for donations to scholarship funds that serve households with income below or at 300% of the median income in their area.

          “The public school system was created to serve students, not the other way around,” Smith said.  “Children should have the opportunity to attend the school system that is most conducive to developing their abilities, and parents should have a free and fair choice to send their child to the school that best meets their needs.”