GOP former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's school-choice advocacy group is launching a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign in key gubernatorial battleground states, aiming to boost awareness of the Education Freedom Tax Credit program, commonly known as 'freedom scholarships.' The new ad buy focuses on Georgia, Iowa, and Nevada, states with competitive gubernatorial races where the incumbent governors have already opted into the program.
Youngkin, whose group is called Empowering America’s Parents, stated that the 'freedom scholarships' offer families more educational choices for their K-12 students. The program allows these scholarships to be used for private school tuition, as well as for supplementary educational expenses like tutoring, after-school programs, or transportation for students attending public schools.
"It basically opens up the opportunity for families and students to make choices about their educational freedom or future," Youngkin told The Post. "Everything from, do I want to stay at the current school I’m at, or do I want to go to a different school, private school with tuition, or do I need incremental tutoring activities after school or weekend help."
The Education Freedom Tax Credit, part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, provides a 100% federal tax credit to individuals who donate up to $1,700 annually to scholarship-granting organizations. These organizations then distribute the funds as 'freedom scholarships.' This initiative represents the second phase of Youngkin's campaign; a previous ad blitz targeted Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Youngkin explained the strategic focus on states like Nevada, Iowa, and Georgia, noting that incumbent governors have opted into the program, but newly elected officials will need to reaffirm their commitment. "I think it’s really important for voters as they head into the fall to understand where the respected candidates stand, and particularly in states where there is an election," he said.
Approximately 90% of American schoolchildren are potentially eligible for scholarships supported by the EFTC, though eligibility depends on states opting into the program. As of July, 31 states have either joined or indicated their intention to join the EFTC, according to data from the Federation for Children. The 20 states, including Washington D.C., that have not opted in are currently governed by Democrats.
Some Democratic governors, such as Colorado's Jared Polis and New York's Kathy Hochul, have supported the program despite facing opposition from teachers' unions. Youngkin suggested that governors who have not opted in may be experiencing pressure from national teachers' unions.
"We found is that virtually everyone we spoke with polls show that this becomes a 70-30 issue with voters, 85-15 with women across the board, regardless of party, that they want this," Youngkin said, emphasizing that the EFTC does not divert funds from public education budgets.