Education is top of mind for many Texans today. From identifying the right K-12 option to fit a unique child’s needs, to saving for college tuition and budgeting for student loans, this issue touches nearly every parent, child and young adult in this country.
In a rapidly changing world, the one-size-fits-all model isn’t going to serve the next generation. Thankfully, the Working Families Tax Cuts prioritized flexibility and expanded educational options to fit an evolving workforce. Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, Republicans have delivered policies that will give every Texan the tools to succeed.
America has a long tradition of free, quality public education, but traditional public schools are not always the best fit for everyone. Many families opt to enroll in private schools, charter schools or home-based learning programs that better serve their needs.
In order to help these families offset the cost of their children’s K-12 schooling, Republicans established the Education Freedom Tax Credit, which creates a dollar-for-dollar tax incentive for donations to organizations that grant scholarships to low- and middle-income students.
We also expanded the eligibility for 529 accounts and doubled the annual withdrawal cap for K-12 expenses so that parents can use these tax-advantaged funds for tuition, books, tutoring, testing fees and online education materials.
Subsequently, families will have access to a wider range of options, allowing them to tailor their children’s education to their unique situation.
For young Texans attending college, the traditional model also needed to be updated. The American workforce is changing with technological advancements. Consequently, the training to become a plumber, electrician or construction worker may prove to be a better investment for some than a liberal arts degree.
Until last year, the Pell Grant, a critical resource for lower-income families to afford college, could only be used to attend a traditional or community college. Republicans addressed this disparity by creating the Workforce Pell Grant Program, which extends Pell eligibility to students pursuing technical education or trade school.
The Rio Grande Valley has many programs that will benefit from this investment. Space, national security, energy and manufacturing industries are moving into the region, from SpaceX at Starbase to Valeo in McAllen.
Last week, I had the opportunity to visit with some of the employers, elected officials, community leaders and educators who are helping to equip the region’s workforce for the future. At Texas A&M’s Engineering University Advanced Manufacturing Hub in Brownsville, I saw firsthand how they are instructing students in welding, industrial robotics, hydraulics, schematics and electrical mechanics. Texas Southmost College, a vital and distinguished institution and a key Texas A&M partner, is also serving the South Texas region and has played an integral role for our students and industry leaders for 100 years.
Many of these students will go on to work at companies like America First Refining and NextDecade. The investment from the Working Families Tax Cuts in technical programs will help prepare South Texas with a robust workforce for the future.
When students finish their education, many are burdened with high student loan balances. This can make it difficult to start a family, buy their first home and save for retirement.
Democrats’ solution to this problem has been blanket student loan forgiveness, which disproportionately benefits high earners and is deeply unfair to Americans who worked their way through college and those in professions that do not require a college degree. The Joe Biden administration’s policy also provided a perverse incentive for universities to continue surging tuition prices by leading incoming students to assume that Uncle Sam will ultimately pay their bills.
Republicans confronted this problem head-on through a market-friendly approach that avoids Democrats’ pitfalls. We extended the Employer Student Loan Repayment Exclusion up to $5,250, incentivizing employers to contribute tax-free dollars toward a student loan benefit for employees.
This could lead to more employers offering a student loan repayment benefit alongside the typical suite of benefits like healthcare, retirement and paid family leave. This approach provides relief to those who need it while rewarding individual responsibility.
Republicans have delivered wins through the Working Families Tax Cuts that will expand options and opportunities for Texans and Americans across the country.
Innovation and technological change mean that tomorrow’s workforce will look different than today’s, and the way we deliver education must also adapt. Thanks to President Trump and congressional Republicans, South Texans will have the resources to access the education that will best serve them in a rapidly changing world.
John Cornyn, R-San Antonio, represents the state of Texas in the U.S. Senate.