WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Kevin Hern (OK-01) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced the Student Empowerment Act recently to expand the use of 529 College Savings Plans, allowing families to use these accounts for public, private, religious, and homeschool educational expenses.

“President Trump’s tax cuts proved the incredible potential of 529 accounts by helping millions of families invest in their children’s education,” said Rep. Hern. ”Expanding 529 accounts is a transformative step forward in education, giving students and families the freedom to choose the best path for their learning needs—whether in a classroom or at home. Education should be affordable, flexible, and tailored to meet the demands of our workforce. I’m grateful for Senator Cruz’s leadership in championing this important cause in the Senate and am proud to join him in ensuring every child has access to a quality education.”

“School choice is the civil rights issue of the 21st century, and I’ve been honored to lead the fight for educational freedom in the Senate,” said Sen. Cruz. “The Student Empowerment Act is commonsense legislation that expands access to 529 accounts and puts more control in the hands of families. It’s time we empower parents and students to make decisions that fit their needs. I urge Congress to act swiftly and pass this critical legislation.”

The Student Empowerment Act has received strong support from education and parental rights advocates:

• Parents Defending Education Action 
• The American Federation for Children 
• The Home School Legal Defense Association 
• The National Microschooling Center 
• Agudath Israel of America
• Independent Women's Voice
• Heritage Action 

Sen. Ted Cruz introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate. 

Read the full text of the Student Empowerment Act HERE.

Background

The Student Empowerment Act will expand school choice by increasing the availability of the popular 529 Education Savings Plans to include not only K-12 elementary and secondary school tuition, but also eligible K-12 educational expenses for public, private, and homeschool students. It restores the original intention of the Student Opportunity Amendment, re-including homeschool families to ensure that all students are able to use 529 savings accounts to pay for their child’s elementary and secondary education. The legislation further expands 529 Savings Accounts to cover K-12 educational expenses, to help public, private, and homeschool families afford the costs associated with elementary and secondary education. 

In addition to tuition, 529’s Savings Accounts could now be used to pay for school curriculum, books, tutoring, testing fees, and more. Students with disabilities would be able to use their 529 to pay for educational therapies, which would help these disadvantaged students be able to afford to learn in a way that is customized for their needs.

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