Tax Guidance Relieves Some Private School Choice Supporters

CORPORATIONS WILL BE able to continue making fully tax-deductible donations to private school choice programs under guidance issued by the Treasury Department, a move that clarifies part of a proposed rule by the IRS that had sent school choice supporters – including education officials in the Trump administration – into a tailspin.The IRS had proposed limiting the federal deduction of contributions made to charitable organizations in an attempt by the White House to target a handful of states seeking a way around the limits on state and local tax deductions included in last year's tax overhaul.Overlooked at the time, however, was that the move stood to undercut the administration's own education agenda by crippling private school choice programs in dozens of states that rely on charitable donations – programs at the heart of Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' vision for a more effective K-12 system.Private school choice proponents argue that the proposed rule from the IRS is unnecessarily broad and would reduce corporate and individual contributions that generate scholarships. They cheered the draft guidance and said they are holding out hope the similar guidance will be issued for individual contributors.