By Sam Drysdale, July 18, 2026
Massachusetts is being urged to reject a new federal school voucher program created under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, adding fuel to a politically fraught debate that could draw in Gov. Maura Healey amid her reelection campaign.
A report released earlier in the week by the liberal-leaning Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center argues the state should decline to participate in the voluntary federal Education Freedom Tax Credit program, warning that it would shift administrative resources away from public education, disproportionately benefit private schools and higher-income families, and advance what it described as the [federal] administration’s broader effort to expand private school vouchers while reducing the federal role in public education.
Healey has until Jan. 1, 2027, to decide whether to opt into the program, which allows states to certify scholarship-granting organizations that would distribute privately donated scholarship funds. Individuals who donate to those organizations would receive a federal tax credit of up to $1,700.
MassBudget argued that opting in would require the state to devote “already limited state staff and administrative resources” to approving and overseeing scholarship-granting organizations while public school districts continue to face fiscal pressures from declining enrollment, rising special education costs and charter school expenses.
The report also contends the program is structured in a way that favors organizations raising money for private school tuition over those supporting public school students through tutoring, after-school programs and other enrichment services, because private schools often have established alumni, religious and donor networks that can raise money more effectively.
High income eligibility
MassBudget further argued the program’s income eligibility extends well beyond lower-income families, noting that households earning between roughly $283,000 and $500,000 annually could qualify depending on where they live in Massachusetts.
The report says that could allow “families with higher incomes who are already able to afford private education” to compete with lower-income students, English learners and students with disabilities for a limited pool of scholarships.
The report concludes that officials should “keep Massachusetts out of the federal voucher program and reaffirm that Massachusetts will continue investing in public education, not privatizing it.”
