EXCLUSIVE — Two influential conservative groups are attempting to spur federal action on school choice with the rollout of a new pledge to support “education freedom” in Congress.
The Club for Growth, in partnership with the American Federation for Children, is asking lawmakers to commit to “cosponsor and vote for legislation that allows federal funding to follow students.”
The Federal Education Freedom Pledge has attracted 21 signatories, all Republicans, in the House and Senate, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno has also signed on.
The announcement comes after a record number of states enacted or expanded school choice programs in 2023. Red states from Florida to Iowa passed legislation allowing parents to use taxpayer funds to pay for private education without eligibility requirements.
“After many tremendous victories at the state level, it is clear there is widespread support for school freedom from parents across the country,” Club for Growth President David McIntosh said. “Now is the time for the federal government to capitalize on this momentum and create an educational system that works for everyone nationwide.”
The groups have played an active role in electing school choice advocates. The Club for Growth, alongside the affiliated School Freedom Fund, invested millions in state races last cycle, as did the AFC, founded by Trump administration Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.
An affiliated super PAC, AFC Victory Fund, plans to spend at least $10 million in 2024.
But Republicans also see opportunities at the federal level. Johnson co-sponsored the Educational Choice for Children Act, which would set aside $10 billion annually for K-12 scholarships, before he became speaker. The legislation has more than 140 co-sponsors in the House and nearly 30 in the Senate.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), another signatory of the pledge, has introduced multiple bills this Congress, including one that would help parents use tax-advantaged accounts for elementary and secondary education.
Conservatives have escalated their attacks on public schooling in recent years with the specter of “critical race theory” and transgender bathroom policies.
But the school choice movement is also riding a lack of faith in public education following the COVID-19 pandemic. Just 36% of those surveyed expressed satisfaction with K-12 education in the most recent Gallup survey, compared to 50% in 2020.
Tommy Schultz, CEO of the American Federation for Children, hailed what he called a “tidal wave” in the expansion of “educational freedom” in 2023.
“This is a new era for our K-12 system,” he said in a statement.
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“Now, we are thrilled to partner with Club for Growth to ensure the promise of school freedom is demanded from federal candidates and federal lawmakers,” he added. “Congress has the power to tear down barriers to life changing educational opportunity for millions of students.”
The pledge, rolled out during National School Choice Week, has attracted 17 signatories in the House and four in the Senate.