Bill · S. 1244· Senate(119-S-1244)
Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act of 2025
- Introduced
- 4/1/2025
- Last activity
- 4/1/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Sponsored by
- Ted Cruz
- Cosponsors
- - 2 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act of 2025," aims to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. It would allow parents of eligible military dependent children to establish Military Education Savings Accounts. These accounts would receive deposits from the Secretary of Education to cover various educational expenses. The program includes specific eligibility requirements for children and a priority system for fund distribution if money runs low. Parents must agree to certain instructional standards and cannot enroll their children in public schools on a full-time basis while participating.
Yes· 3 of 9
Does this make it easier to use public money at a school other than the local one?+8
The bill greatly expands school choice by allowing military families to use funds for private, religious, or online education.
Would children be better off under this?+7
The bill provides dedicated educational funding for dependent children of military families.
Would students be better off under this?+7
The bill provides financial resources for a wide variety of educational paths, including private school and higher education.
The opposite
Does this put more money into public schools?-2
The bill directs funds toward private and specialized education rather than increasing direct funding for public school systems.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Educational Flexibility for Military Families: Parents can use funds for a wide range of educational needs, including private schools, online learning, tutoring, summer camps, and even higher education (Section 2(e)).
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Financial Support for Specialized Needs: Funds can be used for educational services and therapies, such as occupational, behavioral, or speech-language therapies (Section 2(e)(13)).
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Support for Career Advancement: The account allows for payments related to apprenticeships, vocational training, and industry certification exams (Section 2(e)(16-17)).
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Tax Advantages: Military Education Savings Accounts are exempt from taxation, and contributions or distributions are not includible in the gross income of the parent or child (Section 2(l)).
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Protection of Educational Choice: The bill prohibits federal or state control over the curriculum or practices of private, religious, or home education providers (Section 2(p)(2)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Risk of Insufficient Funding: If funds are insufficient, the Secretary must prioritize renewing existing accounts, which may leave new applicants dependent on a lottery system (Section 2(c)(1)).
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Strict Enrollment Limitations: To participate in the program, parents must agree not to enroll their child in a public elementary or secondary school on a full-time basis (Section 2(b)(3)(C)(ii)).
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Financial Burden for Partial Public School Attendance: If a child attends a public school on a less than full-time basis, the parent must use account funds to pay for the cost of attendance (Section 2(k)(1)).
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Account Termination Risks: Accounts may terminate if a child reaches certain ages, such as 22 for most or 26 for children with disabilities, or if there is a failure to use funds in accordance with the requirements (Section 2(i)).
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Mandatory Reporting Requirements: Parents must submit expense reports to the Secretary before receiving subsequent transfers of funds (Section 2(g)(3)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Children+7Good For Students+7Good For People With Disabilities+5Good For Young Adults+4
- Education And Technology
- Improves School Choice+8Improves College Affordability+6Increases Public School Funding-2
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Disability Rights+5Improves Religious Freedom+5
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+3
- 7/15/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/1/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
