WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans want to spend up to $5 billion a year on scholarships. This money would help families send their children to private and religious schools. It's a big new plan to use government money for private education.

The plan, which is in a budget bill from Monday, would help President Donald Trump's goal of "universal school choice." This means families across the country could choose a different education for their children than the one at their local public school. Most families would be able to get this option, unless they earn more than three times the average income in their area.

People who are for private school vouchers say they want to give families whose children go to schools that are not doing well more choices.

Republican Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, who supported a similar idea in the Senate, said that letting parents choose the best education for their child helps make the American Dream possible.

The program would get money from people who donate. They could give cash or shares. In return, they would get the full amount of their donation back as a tax reduction. This means people who own shares would not have to pay the taxes they would normally pay if they gave away or moved their shares.

Critics strongly disliked the plan, saying it would help rich people and hurt the public schools that teach most students. They said it would create a way for smart investors to avoid taxes while pretending to give money.

This is happening while the Trump administration is making the Education Department smaller and cutting money for public schools. This includes $1 billion for mental health support and teacher training.

"This is a serious problem," said Sasha Pudelski from AASA, a group for school leaders. She also said that states with voucher programs often help families who were already paying for private school. "This makes the problems that voucher programs across the country already have even worse, like a lot of wasted money and dishonesty."

Programs that give tax credits for scholarships or vouchers for private schools are becoming common in conservative states like Texas, which recently approved a $1 billion program. People who support public schools worry that these programs cause fewer students and less money for each student, which means less help for families who choose public schools.