Gov. Jared Polis (D-CO) said Saturday that Colorado will join a federal education scholarship tax-credit program backed by Donald Trump [1].
The decision marks a strategic shift in how the state approaches school-choice options. By opting into the federal mechanism, Colorado allows donors to receive federal tax credits for contributions made to scholarship-granting charities.
Polis said the program is designed to be compliant with Colorado's anti-discrimination laws. The governor intends to expand educational options for families through this federal framework, a move that balances federal incentives with state-level legal requirements.
Despite joining the program, Polis said he continues to oppose providing state preschool funds to religious schools that discriminate. The governor maintains a distinction between the federal tax-credit system and the direct distribution of state-level preschool dollars.
This move allows the state to leverage federal tax benefits for private scholarship contributions without altering the state's specific restrictions on preschool funding. The program focuses on facilitating private donations via tax credits rather than direct state spending on tuition [1].
State officials said the program will be monitored to ensure it does not violate existing statutes. The integration of this federal program into Colorado's educational landscape is effective as of May 9, 2026 [1].
“Colorado will join a federal education scholarship tax-credit program backed by Donald Trump.”
This decision illustrates a pragmatic approach to federalism, where a Democratic governor adopts a Republican-backed financial mechanism to increase school choice while simultaneously upholding state-level protections against discrimination in preschools. It creates a hybrid model of education funding that separates federal tax incentives for private charity from direct state government expenditures.
