• Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on June 7 signed into law the 2024 budget, which now provides 9,000 low-income students with tax-deductible scholarships to be used for educational services. It did not provide funds to continue the Investing in Children Act, a program that According to the Chicago Tribune, it will end at the end of 2023 unless the state legislature votes to preserve it.
• School choice advocates told the Daily Caller News Foundation that if Congress refuses to extend the program and it expires, thousands of low-income students are taking advantage of the program. and families will not be able to obtain tax credit scholarships for other educational expenses.
• “By abolishing this program, the Illinois Democrats are forcing thousands of low-income students into public schools, but they are falling behind. This is the end. “Unfortunate politicians are stripping thousands of low-income families of their scholarships to protect the special interests of public schools that contribute to their campaigns,” he said. Cory DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Children’s Federation (AFC), a group that has told DCNF.

If Illinois Democrats simply let the state’s school choice program expire, it could affect thousands of low-income families and students already enrolled in the program, school choice advocates say. told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

On June 7, Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced funding for an extension of the Children’s Investment Act, a program that currently provides 9,000 low-income students with tax credit scholarships to be used for educational services. Signed the 2024 budget that does not include. The program is set to expire at the end of 2023 if the state legislature and the Senate do not vote in favor of continuing. according to to the Chicago Tribune. School choice advocates told the DCNF that failure to renew the program in 2024 will result in thousands of students being enrolled in government-supported schools, costing taxpayers a lot of money. (Related: ‘Unprecedented push’: Here are the red states enacting drastic school choice laws in 2023)

“By abolishing this program, the Illinois Democratic Party is forcing thousands of low-income students into public school dropouts,” said the American Children’s Federation (AFC), an organization working to expand school choice. Senior Research Fellow Cory DeAngelis said. DCNF. “So much for the “fairness” Democrats always preach. These unfortunate politicians are stripping thousands of low-income families of scholarships to protect the special interests of the public schools that serve their campaigns. These are owned by the Teachers Union. It’s time for the children’s unions, the parents, to rise up and hold these politicians to account. ”

The 2017 Investing in Children Act has a sundown clause, meaning the program will expire at the end of 2023 unless the state legislature votes to renew it in the fall legislature. according to Empower Illinois is an organization focused on improving the quality of education for low-income families. The program offers a total of 37,000 scholarships, and these scholarships are awarded on an as-needed basis. Families with a median household income of $43,000, or 165% of the federal poverty level.

During the spring 2023 legislative session, state House Republicans signed a letter urging Congress to vote to update the Children’s Investment Act, but state Democrats did not agree to sign the letter, and some refused to sign it outright. according to to wirepoint.

Pritzker said the initiative could be extended if the bill is amended and voted on in the fall legislature, but could be considered after the Democratic-led general assembly refused to consider the bill in the spring session. is low, said the center.square report. Pritzker suggested the program should be reviewed so that the federal government pays 40% of the cost of the Children’s Investing Act.

“Despite daily pleas throughout Congress from parents, grandparents, foster parents, and guardians of children on tax credit scholarships to extend the school choice program, Democratic House Speaker Chris Welch failed to notice. It seems,” said founder Miles Mendoza. Empower Illinois, Said

The Illinois Education Association (IEA), the state teachers union, called The state legislature is seeking to allow the Investing in Children Act to expire, the Chicago Tribune reported.

“We’re still not getting enough funding for schools,” said Kathy Griffin, president of the Illinois Education Association. Said NBC Chicago 5. “Once we have enough funding for the school, let’s discuss adding more of this kind of program. But we have to take care of all our students.”

2024 $49.6 billion budget signed by Pritzker It contains $250 million will be allocated for early education, with an increase of $506 million for K-12 education in 2023.

Jason Bedrick, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation Center for Education Policy, told DCNF that the cuts to school choice programs were: intention price Taxpayers need to do more than scale this initiative.

“This is a politically motivated attack on low-income families who want the best possible education for their children,” Bedrick told DCNF. “The state costs only about $8,350 per student for scholarships, less than half of the statewide public school average of $19,700 per student, and three times less than the $29,000 per student in Chicago public schools. less than 1 of

“In other words, if the families of the 9,000 students currently receiving scholarships, many of whom live in Chicago, can no longer afford to enroll them in private schools, another $100 million to educate them in the district. “It’s a school that doesn’t really fit the learning needs,” Bedrick told DCNF, which could cost taxpayers $150 million.

Illinois’ school choice program remains in limbo, but lawmakers across the country are pushing for similar initiatives in their states. Republican Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders signed legislation in March establishing a universal school program through the 2025-2026 school year. That same month, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a law universalizing the state’s school choice program.

“Unfortunately, in this case, politics and political considerations are getting in the way of student success,” said the organization Focused on Empowering Parents in Education To Build Education for Students Together. Education Reform’ director Laura Zorc told DCNF.

Zorc told the DCNF, “Because this is a program that utilizes tax credit funds through eligible scholarship programs, not state taxes, this cold-blooded measure will ensure that low-income students receive a quality education.” It’s nothing more than destroying pipelines that can be used.” “Since 2017, Illinois’ limited school choice program has helped thousands of low-income students, including 9,000 of our current beneficiaries, receive quality education that meets their needs.”

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