Coloradans believe in opportunity and justice. Coloradans believe that hard work should be rewarded, that freedom matters, and that every child — regardless of background and circumstance — deserves the chance to rise as far as talent and effort will carry them. And yet, for thousands of low-income children in Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and communities across our state, opportunity is too often constrained not by ability, but by lack of power and agency. 

For decades, my efforts on behalf of education reform have been guided by one simple conviction: Education funding should be controlled by parents and serve the interests of their children, not systems. We have made progress in expanding options through charter schools and open enrollment. But we have also witnessed too many schools that, year after year, fail to educate their students. Families condemned to those schools are almost totally and tragically the families with the fewest resources and the least political power. 

We can, we must, do better, and we are about to do better because of the passage of the Education Freedom Tax Credit. 

The Education Freedom Tax Credit (EFTC) represents a serious, thoughtful and fiscally responsible step forward. EFTC allows individuals and businesses to receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit for voluntary donations of up to $1,700 to qualified, nonprofit scholarship granting organizations (SGOs ) like Parents Challenge, ACE and Seeds of Hope that, in turn, provide for scholarships, educational services, and enhancement programs to be available to low-income families.  

EFTC empowers families with income of up to 300% of neighborhood median income, through SGOs, to choose whatever schools they determine will best meet the needs of each of their children including, but not limited to, traditional public, charter public, private, and home schools, the same menu of choices Parents Challenge has offered to the parents of more than 4,200 kids in Colorado Springs, and now Pueblo, for 25 Years.  Funding follows the child. Decisions made by their parents. 

EFTC is not about dismantling public education. It is about strengthening the broader educational ecosystem by ensuring that no child is trapped without alternatives. Public schools will continue to serve the vast majority of Colorado students. Teachers will continue their vital work. But alongside that system, we can create a lifeline for families whose children are struggling in environments that are not working for them. 

Consider the reality facing many low-income parents. Wealthier families exercise school choice every day. They move to high-performing districts. They pay private tuition. They hire tutors.  Low-income families, by contrast, are often bound by geography and circumstance. When their assigned school underperforms, their options are limited to waiting for systemic reform — reforms that have not materialized for them for decades. 

According to NAEP, our nation’s report card, in 2024 only 36% of all Colorado 4th-graders read at grade level, while only 42% were proficient in math. If that news is not bad enough, scores get even worse as students progress to higher grades. And it is considerably worse for kids of color. 

A child in fourth grade today does not have decades. 

Critics argue that EFTC “drains” resources from public schools. But is our highest priority what is best for schools or what is best for students?  Good schools will attract students, while poor performers will either improve or suffer consequences. Compassion and fiscal prudence are not mutually exclusive.  Opportunities can be expanded while simultaneously remaining responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.. 

Accountability matters. But accountable to whom? Clearly, parents are the most direct and important means of accountability. If a school fails a child, parents will now be empowered to choose a better alternative. That simple power — the power to choose — is transformative. It shifts education from a system-centered model to a family-centered one. 

We are indebted to most public school teachers who are extraordinarily dedicated. But no matter how well-intentioned, each teacher cannot meet every child’s needs equally well. Allowing families to seek alternatives does not diminish public education; it complements it. 

At its heart, EFTC provides long-denied justice. A child’s destiny should not be determined by ZIP code. Opportunity should not depend on real estate. If we believe that education is the foundation of economic mobility and civic participation, then we must ensure that access to quality education is not reserved for only those with means. 

The EFTC provides that every Colorado taxpayer can contribute $1,700 to a qualified SGO of their choice and then deduct the amount of that donation from the following year’s federal tax obligation, a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. So, at no cost to the taxpayer or the state, $1,700 can be redirected  to helping disadvantaged kids get access to a better education rather than to DC. Yes, as Gov. Polis said, it is a “no-brainer”. 

Speaking of Polis, let me, as a proud, partisan Republican, congratulate and thank him, as a proud, partisan Democrat, for openly and courageously standing up for the interests of children by “opting in” to  EFTC. It is a privilege to stand shoulder to shoulder with him. 

Colorado has long valued innovation. We were early adopters of charter schools. We have encouraged open enrollment across district lines. An Education Freedom Tax Credit builds on what we have learned — no single model works for every child.  Education is not “one size fits all.” It respects the diversity of our communities it trusts families to make decisions in the best interest of their children. 

For low-income families whose children are trapped in chronically underperforming schools, this policy is not theoretical. It is personal. It is the difference between hope and resignation. It is the difference between a safe, structured environment and one marked by instability. It is the difference between feeling powerless and having agency! 

We must also consider the long-term implications for our state. Educational attainment is directly tied to workforce readiness, economic growth, and social stability. When we allow children to languish in failing schools, we incur costs that far exceed any line item in a state budget. Lost potential is expensive. So are dropout rates, remediation and diminished earning capacity. By expanding access to better educational environments, we invest not only in individual children but also in Colorado’s future prosperity. 

None of this suggests that EFTC is a panacea. No single policy can solve every challenge facing education. But it is a meaningful, targeted reform aimed squarely at helping those who need it most. It does not impose a new bureaucracy. It leverages private generosity for public good and channels it toward families who otherwise lack meaningful choice. Families with the least power deserve the most attention. 

In the end, the measure of our commitment to opportunity is not found in slogans but in action. An Education Freedom Tax Credit will not end every inequity, but it will open doors that are currently closed. It will offer hope where there is frustration. It will extend dignity and respect to parents who want nothing more than a better future for their sons and daughters. 

Colorado can lead once again. We can demonstrate that expanding freedom and empowering low-income families are not partisan acts but they are principled. 

Before us is a straightforward question: Do we trust families enough to give those whose children are trapped in low-performing schools a real chance at a better education so they can pursue their dreams? 

For the sake of the children who cannot wait, my answer is a resounding yes! 

Steve Schuck is a Colorado Springs businessman and civic leader, a longtime advocate for educational choice, and the co-founder of Parents Challenge with his late wife Joyce Schuck.