School choice supporters won a major victory in the US Supreme Court. The Court recently ruled 5 to 4 to dismiss the lawsuit by the ACLU against Arizona’s novel scholarship program.

The program like others across the country, allows state residents to claim a tax credit for donations to private organizations that provide scholarships to religious and other private schools. In Arizona’s case, it is a dollar for dollar tax credit up to five hundred dollars.

Writing for the majority, Justice Kennedy said “Awarding some citizens a tax credit allows other citizens to retain control over their own funds in accordance with their own consciences.”

The Arizona program is a model that should be adopted in New York. 

The reason is simple. An educational tax credit would encourage parents to enroll their children in private schools, and every child educated in a private, rather than a public school, saves the state $17,000 per year! 

It seems like a no-brainer to me. The State would save money, parents would be given school choice, and public schools would be forced to compete for students (thus improving the overall quality of education). Education tax credits are a win for everyone.