California
FSTC status in California
Governor Gavin Newsom (D) has been silent. No public statement for or against. Strong institutional opposition from teachers unions.
What you can do now
1. Contact your governor
The governor must file IRS Form 15714 to opt in. Use our advocacy kit to send a personalized letter.
2. Rally your legislators
State legislators can pressure the governor to act. Build an advocacy kit with letters to your senators and representatives.
3. Organize your community
Recruit other school leaders, parents, and community members, and attend education committee hearings.
4. Prepare your school
Identify eligible families, prepare documentation, and understand SGO requirements so you are ready when your state opts in.
The latest from California
As of the IRS update on June 8, 2026, California was not among the 27 states that had filed an advance election to participate in the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit. Governor Gavin Newsom has not publicly announced a decision, and California remains undecided as the January 1, 2027 opt-in deadline approaches. June 8, 2026 · Internal Revenue Service (IR-2026-76) Read Full Article
Help California opt in to the FSTC.
California
No decision yetGovernor Gavin Newsom (D) has been silent. No public statement for or against. Strong institutional opposition from teachers unions.
Governor
Gavin Newsom (D)
State Context
State-Specific Context
California has the largest private school enrollment in the country, with approximately 540,000 students across more than 3,500 private schools. Despite this scale, the state has no school choice programs providing public funding for private education. California's constitution contains a strong Blaine Amendment, and the political environment has been consistently hostile to vouchers, tax credits, and ESAs. Ballot initiatives for school vouchers failed decisively in 1993 (Proposition 174) and 2000 (Proposition 38). Private schools in California are heavily self-funded through tuition and philanthropic support.
Advocacy Angle
California families have no state-funded school choice options despite massive demand in the private sector. The FSTC offers the first realistic pathway for scholarship support, since it operates through federal tax credits and does not require state legislative approval beyond the governor's opt-in.
Recent News
As of the IRS update on June 8, 2026, California was not among the 27 states that had filed an advance election to participate in the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit. Governor Gavin Newsom has not publicly announced a decision, and California remains undecided as the January 1, 2027 opt-in deadline approaches.
Last verified: 2026-07-30
