By Nancy Mercante
Founder and President
Citizens for Delaware Schools
Every parent wants the same thing for their children: a school where they can learn, grow, and succeed. But for many families in Delaware, those opportunities are limited by money, access, or a lack of support. A new federal provision passed last year establishes a private scholarship program that could help change that for many families.
It would give more working families access to special services that have historically been out of reach. For example, scholarships could help parents pay for reading and math tutoring, summer programs, tuition, transportation, and therapy services for their children.
Here’s how the program works. People can donate money to state-approved scholarship organizations and receive up to a $1,700 federal tax credit in return. Those organizations then award scholarships to families with eligible public or private school students in K-12 to help pay for approved education expenses.
For parents struggling to afford educational programs that help their children succeed in a safe and nurturing environment, these funds could help close the gap. These privately funded federal scholarships are designed to give families the extra financial help they need, not replace public education. Local schools and districts are already in need of additional support. Imagine how many more opportunities could be funded under this provision.
According to Education Reform Now, if just 15% of Delaware taxpayers participate in this voluntary program, Delaware students could receive an estimated $40–$47 million every year in private scholarships. This would represent one of the largest education funding infusions in Delaware in years.
But there is an important catch: Delaware families can only receive scholarships if the state officially joins the program. If the state does not opt in, donations from Delaware taxpayers could be redirected to help students in other states like Mississippi and New York which have signed on.
Democrats for Education Reform reports that 70% of Delaware voters support joining the program. Governor Matt Meyer must decide whether Delaware will opt into the program by January 1, 2027. So far, he has not officially announced his decision.
The EFTC is a major opportunity for Delaware’s students. Best of all, the program would not require any new state spending. It means that more resources will flow to families who historically have been too far out of reach.
As many Delaware families struggle with rising costs, this is a chance to keep millions of private-sector dollars in our state to help children who need support the most. Now Delaware leaders must decide whether those opportunities will benefit Delaware students — or students in other states. The question is whether Delaware’s governor will act before the opportunity is gone.
Nancy Mercante is founder and president of Citizens for Delaware Schools. She can be reached at info@citizensfordelawareschools.org
