Connecticut’s education leaders often speak about “equity,” but recent testimony suggests that rhetoric stops when equity means giving families more options. At a Sept. 12 Education Committee Informational Forum on the State Impact of Federal Education Changes, union representatives made clear they will oppose the state opting into a federal program that would deliver scholarship dollars to income eligible families.
Their response wasn’t “let’s help kids.” It was, essentially “not on our watch.”
What’s at Stake
The United States Tax-Credit Scholarship (USTCS) Program, signed into law on July 4, a straightforward opportunity to help families. The idea is simple. Private donors can contribute to scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit. Those SGOs then provide scholarships to eligible families for private school tuition or supplemental educational services.
Credits are capped at $1,700 per individual taxpayer and states must opt in to the program, making participation voluntary. If Connecticut chooses to participate, families could begin using these scholarships as early as 2027.
Rep. Tina Courpas (R-Greenwich) highlighted key features during the session: scholarships are income-based, could support special education students, and do not affect Connecticut’s own revenue streams. “It’s a federal tax credit, not a state of Connecticut tax credit,” she noted. Courpas also reminded colleagues that “It’s a program sitting here ready to go, and we as state legislators could vote this session that begins in January of 2026, to opt in, it seems.”
The Union Objection
Despite those assurances, union leaders opposed the program.
Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association, didn’t hold back, “I can speak on behalf of our organization, that we have come out against that and largely because the impact is not the way that it’s being presented,” she declared.
Her chief concern? That tax-credit scholarships create an “infrastructure for a strong voucher program,” that “pulls resources directly out of public schools.”
The irony is that no one in the room had even mentioned vouchers. The discussion focused on a narrow, income-based scholarship option. Invoking “vouchers” was a scare tactic, a way to frighten legislators into thinking any new option for families will somehow destroy public schools.
Makenzi Hurtado, president of State Vocational Federation of Teachers, echoed the same talking points. “Now is not the time to siphon limited resources away from communities struggling to meet all student needs to pay for vouchers or to prop up charter management organizations,” she said. Rather than expanding choices, she urged Connecticut to “Trump-proof” its education system.
Notably, neither addressed program safeguards, eligibility criteria, or how scholarships might serve families in need. Instead, their argument rested on a broader objection: any policy that expands parental choice represents a threat to the traditional public-school monopoly.
The Reality Behind the Rhetoric
Union concerns about “siphoning” resources are misplaced. The USTCS program does not touch state or local school budgets. It leverages private charitable contributions, supported by federal tax credits, to expand educational opportunities.
What the program does is shift decision-making power. Instead of being limited to options sanctioned by unions and district offices, families gain tools to pursue what best serves their children.
Evidence also shows these programs work. In Florida, students from low-income families who used tax-credit scholarships were more likely to continue their education beyond high school. According to a Yankee Institute study, “students participating in TCS programs succeed academically, and public school students benefit academically and behaviorally as TCS programs expand in their districts.” Researchers found that gains included “higher test scores, fewer absences, and fewer suspensions.” In short: when parents have options, every school has to raise its game.
Why Connecticut Should Opt In
Connecticut faces persistent achievement gaps and one of the nation’s highest per-pupil spending levels. Families need more than promises of equity; they need access to opportunity. The USTCS program offers:
- No cost to state taxpayers
- New resources for low- and middle-income families
- Support for students with special needs
- Documented academic benefits for both participating and public school students
- Opposition from union leadership is not rooted in protecting students, but in protecting institutional control. Legislators should recognize the difference.
Opting into the USTCS program would not undermine Connecticut’s public schools. It would expand opportunity, improve outcomes, and place families—not special interest groups—at the center of educational decision-making.
If the state is serious about equity, it should embrace tools that give parents real choices. Connecticut should opt in.
