How the scholarship credit gives Christian schools room to fully fund their costs

At most Christian schools, tuition is lower than the real cost of educating a child. Schools keep it low so families can afford it, then cover the difference with fundraising, tight budgets and teacher pay that sits below the market. CEN wants to change that pattern, so schools grow stronger while more families can afford them.

Tuition is often below true cost

For most Christian schools, the price on the page isn't the price of the education. It's the price families can bear. The gap shows up as repairs put off another year, classroom budgets trimmed, and above all as low teacher pay. Many Christian school teachers earn less than public school teachers for the same work. The mission holds the school together, but many staff pay for it personally.

The Education Freedom Tax Credit changes that. Your tuition is still set by what families can pay, but scholarship dollars can now fund the difference between that price and what the education really costs.

How scholarship dollars create that room

Donors send part of the federal income tax they already owe to CEN SGO and get it back as a dollar-for-dollar credit, up to $1,700 per taxpayer. That money becomes scholarships for families at CEN member schools.

For a school, more scholarship money means two things. More families can afford tuition, so enrollment grows. And scholarships can cover the true cost of education that low tuition has been quietly subsidizing. You stop choosing between an affordable price and a sound budget.

The law puts most of every donation to work. A scholarship granting organization must spend at least 90% of the donations it receives on scholarships. Students qualify when their household income is at or below 300% of their area's median income, a limit that reaches most families.

Reinvesting in teachers and students

Room in the budget matters most when it goes somewhere that counts. For most schools, that's the faculty. When scholarships cover more of the true cost, a school can put tuition revenue toward teacher pay that matches the market, classroom aides where they're needed, and curriculum and buildings that have waited years. Each school sets its own priorities. The credit creates the margin to fund them.

Built on a proven model

This isn't an untested idea. The federal program follows a scholarship model CEN's team already runs in Ohio. What's new is the scale. For the first time the credit is federal, open to donors across the country. Donations count from January 1, 2027, which gives schools time to join, tell their donors and be ready on the first day.

Member schools get more than the credit. They join a network of Evangelical and Catholic schools with a shared voice on policy, plus back-office support, a branded profile, a marketing kit and a team that walks them through each step.