📖 67% of third-graders read below grade level in America — and it starts in first grade. Your tax dollars can change that.

Help First-Graders Learn to Read at No Cost to You

Starting January 1, 2027, taxpayers can donate up to $1,700 to EducationSuperHighway — a non-profit Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) — and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit. Your contribution funds literacy tutoring scholarships for first-graders reading below grade level.

$1700

Max tax credit per year

100%

Credit per dollar donated

HOW IT WORKS

Redirect your federal taxes to provide reading scholarships

Donate to EducationSuperHighway

Make a cash contribution to EducationSuperHighway — an eligible SGO — in any amount up to $1,700. Use our tax savings calculator to determine the amount that's right for your tax situation.
Receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit

When you file your federal return, your contribution reduces your tax bill one-to-one. A credit — unlike a deduction — cuts directly from what you owe. A $1,700 gift saves you exactly $1,700 in taxes.
We Fund Literacy Tutoring for struggling readers

EducationSuperHighway uses 90%+ of every dollar received to fund tutoring scholarships for low and middle-income first-grade students who are reading below grade level.
First-graders Learn To Read

Scholarships provide students with personalized one-on-one literacy tutoring – making struggling readers up to eight times more likely to learn to read on time.

💡 Credit vs. Deduction — A Critical Difference

A tax deduction reduces taxable income and saves you cents on the dollar. A tax credit comes directly off your tax bill — dollar for dollar. Donating $1,700 to EducationSuperHighway and receiving a $1,700 credit means your effective out-of-pocket cost is $0.

WHY FIRST GRADE?

First Grade Is the Key to Closing America's Literacy Gap

Source: Center for Research and Reform in Education, Johns Hopkins University

If a student is reading on grade level at the end of 1st grade…

85%

of those students remain on grade level through 2nd grade.

If a student is below grade level at end of 1st grade? Only…

12%

of those students catch up by the end of 2nd grade.

8x

Studies show that after receiving high-dosage literacy tutoring in first grade, the percentage of students reading at grade level increased from 6% to 48%.

🏫 EducationSuperHighway's literacy tutoring scholarships

Our scholarships connect first-grade students reading below grade level with expert literacy tutors and structured, evidence-based reading programs. Each scholarship is a full year of daily one-to-one tutoring sessions — enough to produce measurable, lasting gains in phonics, decoding, and fluency.

Claim Your Credit. Change A Life.

Interested in redirecting the tax dollars you owe into a literacy scholarship for a first-grader — at no cost to you? Sign up to get our emails and we will contact you as soon as you can donate.

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© 2026 EducationSuperHighway · A 501(c)(3) nonprofit and federally approved Scholarship Granting Organization. This tool is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Always consult a qualified tax professional. Credit regulations subject to IRS finalization. · Official EFTC Fact Sheet

COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an income limit to claim this credit?

No. There are no income limits for donors. Any U.S. taxpayer with federal income tax liability can claim the credit, regardless of income level.

Can I claim this on top of a state SGO tax credit?

Not for the same donation — the federal credit is reduced dollar-for-dollar by any state credit claimed on the same gift. However, you can make two separate donations: one to claim your state credit, and a second (up to $1,700) to claim the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit.

Who is eligible to receive an EducationSuperHighway scholarship?

Scholarships go to first-grade students who are reading below grade level and come from households earning no more than 300% of the area’s median gross income. This covers a wide range of families, including many middle-income households.

What specifically do EducationSuperHighway scholarships fund?

Our scholarships fund one-to-one, daily literacy tutoring with expert reading tutors using evidenced based reading interventions. At least 90% of every dollar EducationSuperHighway receives goes directly to student scholarships.

When does the Education Freedom Tax Credit take effect?

The tax credit is available in tax year 2027 and beyond, and you can donate starting January 1, 2027. It was signed into law as part of the FY2025 Reconciliation Act (P.L. 119-21) and is permanent — there is no expiration date. Regulations are currently being developed by the IRS and Treasury.