Glenn Youngkin touts federal school choice, Republicans’ ‘winning education strategy’  

Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is advocating for education reform nationwide and urging current Democratic governors to opt into school choice.

In an interview with The 74, Youngkin discussed how education freedom has taken the nation by storm – and why families are so excited about Trump’s new tax credit. The federal Education Freedom Tax Credit takes effect in January but only benefits students in states that participate.

“The data is overwhelming: Two-thirds of Democrat voters, and over 70 percent of voters overall, want school choice in this format,” he said. “This is not a partisan issue at all, it’s just what families want.”

Teachers’ unions – and other left-wing organizations – have accused school choice of defunding public schools, but Youngkin, who governed from 2022 to 2026, says that’s not the case.

“The funding comes from private donations and a federal tax credit, not from the state,” he explained. “I think that’s something that a lot of elected leaders don’t fully understand because they’ve only been briefed by partisan folks.”

Plus, the program can be used by public and private school students alike.

“They [scholarships] can be used for tuition support for students who want to go to private schools. But they can also be used for public school students who want tutoring, afterschool programs, or weekend support,” Youngkin continued. “They can be used by families with children who have developmental disabilities and need extra services.”

The program will offer tax credits for donations of up to $1,700 – $3,400 if married and filing jointly – to qualifying scholarship granting organizations, which will bundle the donations into scholarships for students. So far, 31 states have indicated they will participate, with some governors still deciding.

During his time leading Virginia, Youngkin was a strong advocate for education reform and pro-parent policies.

Now, he’s launching Empowering America’s Parents, a pro-school choice policy group whose first goal is to persuade state leaders to opt into the federal program.

School choice, Youngkin says, boils down to “families deciding what’s best for their children. This tax credit enables them to have options.”

Youngkin believes the pro-parent approach has given Republicans the political edge in K-12 education.

“Republicans are on our front foot when it comes to education politics,” he told The 74. “First, we’re empowering parents to make decisions for their children. And second, we’re continually raising expectations for children because they can meet them.”

As governor, Youngkin was highly critical of lowering academic standards, even slamming several high schools for withholding merit award notifications, saying there was a “maniacal focus on equal outcomes.”

Republicans broadly have also spoken out against diversity and equity initiatives and other policies, such as grade inflation, that they say have undermined student learning.

Youngkin says conservative education reform is “driven by the fact that parents, whether Democrat or Republican or Independent, want their children to get a great education.”

“All of that reflects the Republican perspective that parents know best,” he concluded. “We’re going to meet the kids where they are and help them to obtain an extraordinary education that prepares them for opportunity in America.”

“That, I believe, is a winning education strategy.”