Colorado Governor Jared Polis announces Colorado will be the first Democratic-led state to participate in program.
Denver, CO – In case you missed it, last Thursday, during the “Empowering Parents” event hosted by Invest in Education Foundation, an organization that educates the public and policymakers about the opportunities that the new federal tax credit scholarship program will create for students and parents, Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D-CO), stated that Colorado will participate in the new federal tax credit scholarship program.
Governor Polis said, “I’m proud that Colorado is the first Democratic state to come online. I’m excited about what this means for Coloradans, and I know that many Coloradans will be taking advantage of this tax credit to be able to do a little bit more for kids, investing in kids, closing the achievement gap and providing real opportunities for kids across the country.”
With Governor Polis’ decision, 27 states have now officially opted in to the program.
This new federal tax credit scholarship program, that was signed into law on July 4, 2025, would generate exponentially more charitable donations to scholarship granting organizations that would expand educational opportunity for tens of thousands of children in public and private schools across Colorado and millions throughout the nation.
The federal law provides governors with the discretion whether to allow their respective state’s children to benefit from the new scholarships that would result from the tax credit donation incentive. Last December, the U.S. Department of the Treasury through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued Revenue Procedure 2026-6 to allow the nation’s governors the ability to make an advance election to opt in to the federal tax credit scholarship program. Governors must “opt in” to the federal tax credit scholarship program not later than January 1, 2027, when it takes effect, for students in that state to benefit from the scholarships from qualified contributions from taxpayers.
The federal tax credit scholarship program will help K-12 students access a school or education service of their parents’ choice. Scholarships are funded with private donations, not federal money, and donors receive a 100 percent federal tax credit of up to $1,700 annually. Students could use scholarships for tuition, tutoring, special needs services, or education technology, among other uses.
Anne Lesser, President and CEO of the Invest in Education Foundation, welcomed Colorado’s decision.
“We are seeing remarkable momentum as states move to unlock these private dollars for families,” Lesser said. “This federal tax credit scholarship program has the potential to dramatically expand access and opportunity by encouraging new investments in education. Colorado’s decision means more flexibility, more support, and more options for families working to find the right educational fit for their children.”
To learn more, please visit foundation.investineducation.org.
About Invest in Education Foundation
Invest in Education Foundation is a non-partisan research and policy 501(c)(3) organization that educates the public and policymakers about school choice as a means to expand educational freedom and opportunity for K-12 parents and students.
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