Paul Introduces Bold Education Initiatives

FOR RELEASE: February 1, 2001

Washington, D.C.- Congressman Ron Paul this week introduced three education measures designed to return control over education dollars to local schools and parents. All three bills have received early bipartisan support, and Paul is confident his education agenda will resonate with the new Congress and administration. "The centralized federal approach to running our public schools has failed," Paul stated. "Washington is learning what American parents, teachers, and school boards already know: local control over education works best."

The Family Education Freedom Act (HR368) is the centerpiece of Paul's new education package. The approach is simple: give parents a $3,000 per-child tax credit for education related expenses, including tuition, books, computers, and tutors. The credit is available to all parents, regardless of whether their children attend public, private, or home-based schools. The credit allows parents to spend money they normally would send to Washington directly on their children's education.

The Teacher Tax Cut Act (HR369) grants all teachers a $1,000 tax credit, effectively raising their salary without increased local or federal spending. With teachers often ranking near the bottom tier of professional pay, tax relief for our underappreciated teachers is critical. Again, this approach allows teachers to keep more of their own dollars, rather than relying on Washington to provide funds to their school districts.

Finally, the Education Improvement Tax Cut Act (HR370) allows individuals to claim a tax credit up to $3,000 per year for donations of cash or educational materials to local schools. The goal is to encourage individuals to set up scholarship programs for disadvantaged youth, donate computers or school supplies, and fund extracurricular activities.

"Americans will always spend generously on education," Paul concluded. "The question is who should control education dollars: parents or bureaucrats? I believe parents and locally elected school boards are more effective than the federal government in providing quality education. Schools benefit when local tax dollars are spent locally, instead of being sent to Washington. I call on President Bush and my colleagues in Congress to support this legislation and return education tax dollars to local communities."