Colorado Gov. Polis publicly defends his FSTC opt-in at Denver event

On May 9, 2026, Colorado Governor Jared Polis appeared at an Invest in Education Foundation event at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science to publicly defend his December 2025 decision to opt Colorado into the federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC / ECCA / §25F). About 150 educators, parents, and students attended, according to Chalkbeat Colorado.

The event came against the backdrop of recent state-legislative pushback. Colorado lawmakers had shelved a bill that would have required Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) receiving §25F-credited funds to comply with Colorado's anti-discrimination laws — a measure Polis's office had opposed on the grounds that it would discourage SGO participation in the state.

Polis drew a distinction between the federal credit and state-funded programs. “When you give $100 to any charity, it can be a church, it can be something that discriminates,” he said, framing §25F as a federal tax incentive for private giving rather than a public expenditure subject to state non-discrimination rules (as in, for example, Colorado's universal preschool program). He said opting in “puts more control of a child's education in the hands of their parents,” and reiterated his earlier rationale that Colorado shouldn't “leave money on the table” while other states stay out.

Under §25F, individual federal taxpayers can claim a non-refundable credit of up to $1,700 per return ($3,400 joint) for cash contributions to qualifying SGOs in opted-in states. The credit takes effect for donations made on or after January 1, 2027. Scholarships must go to K-12 students whose household income is at or below 300% of the relevant Area Median Gross Income, and can fund tuition, tutoring, educational therapies, testing fees, and other qualified expenses.