Catholic Education

Anthony J. de Nicola
Chairman of the Board
Invest in Education Foundation

As a Knight of Columbus, I am honored to work alongside brother Knights in charity, unity and fraternity to help our parishes, schools, families and communities every day. We know that our Catholic schools are a vital means by which the Church teaches our faith to succeeding generations, yet we have seen too many of our schools close in recent years. However, there is some hope on the horizon, and we encourage every Catholic to help us take advantage of the possibility for a Catholic School renewal as a result. Last July, the first nationwide school choice program was signed into law that will financially empower more families access to a Catholic education and thereby reverse the decades-long national enrollment declines.

This historic new law, which takes effect on January 1, 2027, includes a federal credit against individual income taxes for donations to scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) that award scholarships for tuition and other uses for K-12 education. This donation incentive will unlock billions of dollars of charitable support, expanding educational freedom for millions of children for years to come.

Catholic education has always been personal to me. I grew up in a family deeply rooted in our local parish and school at St. John the Evangelist in Albion, MI, where I was inducted into the Knights of Columbus at a young age learning that faith, service and responsibility to the next generation were not just ideals, but lived commitments.

Today, as a member of the Fr. John J. Walsh Council 7052, a Fourth-Degree member of Bishop Charles McLaughlin Assembly 1818 in Venice, Florida and previously serving as the founding Grand Knight of the St. Elizabeth of Hungary Council in Wyckoff, New Jersey, I continue that tradition with gratitude. The Knights of Columbus has shaped my faith journey, and its enduring commitment to Catholic education has inspired much of my work.

That conviction led me to help found, along with Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Invest in Education Foundation (IIEF) and Invest in Education Coalition (IIEC). We believe deeply that parents, not government systems, are best equipped to choose how their children are educated. Education is about more than academics; it forms character, values and faith. Through this work, we have seen firsthand how access to the right educational environment can change a child’s life, especially for families seeking an education aligned with their beliefs.

IIEF and IIEC are national organizations dedicated exclusively to advancing school choice at the federal level. Our mission is straightforward but profound: to empower parents and expand opportunity for students in every state, regardless of income or ZIP code. We unite organizations, educators, parents and advocates around the belief that educational freedom is not partisan - it is a moral issue rooted in human dignity and parental responsibility.

The federal tax credit scholarship program for K–12 students will take effect in 2027; individual donors can receive a 100% federal tax credit of up to $1,700 annually for charitable donations to nonprofit SGOs. These scholarships are privately funded, not supported by federal dollars, and may be used for tuition and other educational expenses, including at Catholic and other faith-based schools.

Simply put, families and parishioners can now direct a portion of their federal tax liability to help a child attend a school that reflects their faith and values, at no additional cost to themselves.

This opportunity could not come at a more critical moment. Catholic school enrollment has declined for decades, leading to closures and lost formation opportunities. Yet states with strong scholarship programs have demonstrated a different path, with Catholic enrollment stabilizing or growing where families receive financial support. This federal program has the potential to unlock billions of new scholarship dollars nationwide, strengthening Catholic schools while easing tuition burdens, all without raising taxes.

One key hurdle in this new federal law, however, is that it is up to each governor to decide whether it takes effect in their respective states in order for children to benefit. That makes local education, advocacy and engagement essential to urge governors to “opt in” to this law.

Now is the time for Catholic families across the country to engage with their civic leaders to ensure this program fulfills its promise by expanding access to Catholic education, strengthening parishes and schools and forming the next generation in faith and truth.

If Catholic families, parishioners and supporters come together, the impact could be transformative - not only for individual students, but for the future of Catholic education in America. Together, we can seize this moment and help ensure Catholic education not only survives, but flourishes for generations to come.

To learn more about the federal tax credit scholarship program and how it can benefit Catholic schools and families, visit foundation.investineducation.org.

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