The Key to Economic Prosperity? Education!

Yesterday, the New York Times published the below letter to the editor of mine.

To the Editor:

Re “The Private School Tax Break in the Middle-Class Tax Bill” (Your Money column, Nov. 9):

Ron Lieber’s review of the effect of proposed changes to the 529 education savings plan illustrates the difficulties involved in finding fair, equitable and effective ways of using the tax code to improve access to quality education for all families.

But most Americans aren’t financially able to make use of the 529 benefit for K-12 expenses, and thus the House tax reform package misses a chance to offer meaningful opportunities that our education programs have failed to provide. The need remains urgent: Job creation and job preparation must go hand in hand.

We suggest an approach that would allow tax credits for charitable donations to programs operated by nonprofit organizations for community-based apprenticeship initiatives, career and technical education, work-force development, and educational preparedness.

The beneficiaries would be learners of all ages whose incomes don’t allow using 529 plans.

Jeanne Allen

The writer is founder and chief executive of the Center for Education Reform, in Washington, DC.