WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are proposing to allocate as much as $5 billion annually for grants to support families in sending their children to private and religious schools, marking an unparalleled initiative to utilize public funds for private schooling.

The proposal, included in a budget reconciliation bill issued on Monday, would promote President Donald Trump’s aim of creating “universal school choice” by offering families across the country the opportunity to select an educational setting for their children that differs from their local public school. Almost all households would be eligible, with the exception of those earning more than three times the median local income.

Proponents of school choice schemes argue that such initiatives empower families in disadvantaged areas by providing alternatives to underperforming educational institutions.

"Empowering parents to select the optimal education for their child facilitates the realisation of the American Dream," stated Republican Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, who put forth a comparable proposition in the Senate.

The program would get money from donors who could give money or stock. In exchange, they would get all of their contribution back as a tax discount. This would let stock holders avoid paying taxes they would normally have to pay if they gave or moved the stock.

Critics strongly disagreed with the proposal, saying it would help rich people and hurt the public schools that teach most students. They said it would create a tax break that lets clever investors make money by pretending it's a donation.

This is happening at the same time that the Trump administration is making the Education Department smaller and cutting money for public schools. This includes taking away a billion dollars that was meant for mental health programs and training for teachers.

"This poses a substantial risk," commented Sasha Pudelski from AASA, the School Superintendents Association. She further noted that states with voucher initiatives frequently provide aid to families already covering private school costs. "It's exacerbating the issues that have already afflicted voucher schemes nationwide, namely widespread waste, deception, and misuse."

Comparable tax-credit scholarship and private school voucher initiatives have burgeoned in states with a Republican inclination, such as Texas, which recently enacted a $1 billion program. Proponents of public education express apprehension that these programs detrimentally impact enrollment and per-pupil funding, consequently diminishing the resources available to families opting for public schools.