Will Governor Ferguson prioritize union relationships over expanded education opportunities for students?

Washington State didn’t have much to celebrate during National School Choice Week. Recent research ranked the state 39th in the nation for overall educational opportunity, earning a “D” rating, a stark reminder of how government leaders, teachers’ unions, and the education establishment have been downright regressive in advancing education freedom in the Evergreen State.

Unlike Idaho’s refundable tax credit, Montana’s tax credit scholarships, and Wyoming’s education savings accounts, Washington offers no state-centered support for education choice, putting students at a disadvantage. This makes education choice especially difficult for parents who want expanded educational options but face financial barriers.

However, the federal government has given Governor Ferguson the opportunity to fix its failing reputation and expand access to education choice at no cost to Washington State taxpayers.

That opportunity comes through the Educational Choice for Children Act, a historic federal program signed into law on July 4, 2025, and set to launch in 2027. The program establishes a permanent, dollar-for-dollar federal income tax credit, essentially a full reimbursement, of up to $1,700 per year for individuals who donate to qualifying nonprofit Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs).

These state-level organizations are responsible for distributing scholarships and supplemental funds to eligible K–12 students to support a wide range of educational needs, including software, online programs, books, tutoring, specialized services, and educational technology. Before accepting donations, SGOs must be approved by the state, and once participating, they are required to operate under strict federal guidelines.

To take advantage of this historic program, Governor Ferguson must affirmatively opt in, joining dozens of states that have already announced their participation, including Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

While Governor Ferguson has not made a formal announcement, the Washington Education Association (WEA) has publicly pressured the Governor not to participate, promoting a false narrative that labels the tax credit a “voucher scheme” and a “handout to the wealthy at the expense of public school students and taxpayers.”

In addition to spreading misinformation, what the WEA fails to note is that students in any educational setting, public and private, may benefit from the program and that the funding is specifically earmarked for middle- and working-class families.

State Superintendent Reykdal has also engaged in fear-mongering, issuing an emotional statement claiming the tax credit is intended to dismantle public schools by “starving them further of state and federal funding.”

In reality, the program is funded entirely through voluntary, incentivized charitable contributions, and participation will not affect state expenditures or existing school funding formulas.

I challenge both the WEA and the superintendent to re-read the provisions of the program and provide a fact-based argument as to why Washington State should not take advantage of an estimated $732 million in supplementary education funds.

Washington State taxpayers may take advantage of the federal credit regardless of Governor Ferguson’s decision. But if he is unable, or unwilling, to discern facts from political propaganda, Washington students will be the ones who lose.

All families deserve access to every available educational resource, and Washington parents want education choice. A recent statewide poll showed 69% support for more education choice options in the Evergreen State.

By opting in and embracing the federal education tax-credit scholarship program, Washington can expand opportunity, strengthen educational outcomes, and put families first.