School Choice and K‑12 Policy

The Trump White House has launched a new website and U.S. map highlighting which states have opted into a federal K‑12 'Education Freedom' scholarship tax credit set to begin Jan. 1, 2027, and is publicly branding several Democratic governors as 'failures' for resisting participation. Created under the Working Families Tax Cut Act and the broader 'big, beautiful bill,' the program will let taxpayers claim up to $1,700 in federal credits by donating to state‑approved Scholarship Granting Organizations, which then fund K‑12 scholarships and related education costs at public, private or charter schools. The Education Department says 23 states have opted in so far, calling it the largest national expansion of 'education freedom' in U.S. history, while 27 states — including Oregon, North Carolina, New Mexico and Wisconsin — have not yet signed on, meaning families there cannot access scholarships unless governors act. The website, rolled out during National School Choice Week, urges residents to 'call your governor' and warns that children in non‑participating states will miss out on aid, a pressure tactic that dovetails with a broader Republican push to expand school choice and undercuts Democratic arguments that such programs drain resources from traditional public schools. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, broke ranks in December by opting in and saying he would be 'crazy not to,' underscoring how the new federal incentive is testing party lines on education policy.