.png)
50 signatures reached
To: Governor Polis & Colorado's next Governor
Keep Public Funds in Public Schools
.png)
As Colorado students, parents, grandparents, educators, advocates, and community members, we urge Governor Polis and Colorado’s next Governor to reject the federal tax credit voucher scheme included in the 2025 Reconciliation Act.
Colorado voters do not want vouchers; we want well-resourced, fully funded public schools. We have spoken out strongly against school vouchers each of the three times they were presented to us on the ballot, including just last year when we rejected Amendment 80. For this reason – respect for the voters’ choice – our state leaders should refuse to opt into the federal tax credit voucher program.
All voucher programs harm students and undermine public education, and this federal voucher program is no different. We urge Governor Polis and our candidates for Governor to commit to opt out of this program and protect the promise of public schools: equality, community, and opportunity for every child.
Why is this important?
We need to support our public schools and help them grow stronger. Voucher programs are not the way to achieve this; they move public funds to private education – often for families whose children already attend private school – and hurt education outcomes. In fact, Colorado families that earn as much as $500,000 could qualify for a voucher. Voucher programs also result in ballooning state expenditures, lack of public accountability, and discrimination. Vouchers fund private schools that are allowed to discriminate against any student they want and not provide special education or other supports to meet student needs. Public schools educate ALL students, regardless of race, gender, religion, learning needs, or family income.
This federal private school voucher tax credit is just the latest attempt to splinter our community and erode the democratic foundation of public schooling.
This public petition will be delivered to Governor Polis along with this open letter signed by organizations across the state.