On July 1, 2022, the state of Missouri launched MOScholars—a new tax credit program to provide educational scholarships for qualifying K-12 students attending private institutions. The Missouri District of the LCMS is blessed to be an Educational Assistance Organization within this program, enabling us to use the tax dollars of participants to walk with students and their families as they seek to defray the cost of tuition at our Lutheran schools. The inaugural year was a success—providing 97 full and partial scholarships to students attending 24 LCMS schools.

For CCLS Academy at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in north St. Louis, MOScholars was a sustainable funding source for this brand-new micro-school. “Here in the Hyde Park area, we serve underserved families that are mostly low to moderate income,” says Principal Tequila Pruitt. “Through the MOScholars program, we are now able to provide these families with scholarships to afford a quality education.”

Directing your taxes to Lutheran education through this program is as simple as completing an online form and pre-paying a portion of your taxes in the amount of your credit reservation. The Missouri District website (mo.lcms.org) contains even more information on MOScholars, as well as the links to get the process started. Leah Sieveking at the District office can be reached at 314-590-6211 or leah.sieveking@mo.lcms.org with any other questions.

At no additional cost and with minimal effort, MOScholars allows taxpayers to decide how their tax dollars should be spent. Directing these tax dollars for scholarships to attend Lutheran schools is a blessing to children and families that will make an eternal difference. “We’re so thankful for all of you who were willing to participate in 2022, but we also invite you to come back onboard in 2023,” concludes President Lee Hagan. “It’s a win-win situation for all of us.”