Illinois Democrats end Invest in Kids private school scholarship program

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — While Illinois lawmakers passed several plans during veto session, they left Springfield Thursday without extending a controversial scholarship program helping low-income families send their kids to private schools. Republicans and private school advocates say they are not giving up their fight.

The Invest in Kids program allows people to receive a 75% tax credit if they donate to private school scholarship funds. Republican lawmakers and parents claim 9,600 students who currently receive scholarships will have to find new ways to pay for school or transfer to public schools.

"This body seems completely fine with kicking these students out of the schools that they choose and forcing them back into government schools that have failed them and failed their communities," said Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Effingham).

The scholarship program, created under the Rauner administration, is scheduled to sunset at the end of the year. Some moderate House Democrats agreed with Republicans and filed a bill to extend the program. Although, it was impossible to pass that legislation in the six days of veto session since the plan was never assigned to a committee.

"It's a shame we're letting those kids down. But it's not our side of the aisle letting them down," said Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva). "We have 40 votes in support and I know there's some in support over there. I believe there's probably enough to carry it through."

Yet, there is nothing preventing people from donating to the same private school scholarship funds and receiving federal tax deductions.

The Illinois Federation of Teachers said ending the Invest in Kids program prioritizes the needs of public schools and guarantees equal opportunities for Black, Brown, LGBTQ+ and special education students.

"There is a nationwide push to divert public dollars from our public schools through vouchers or voucher-like programs like tax credit scholarships and education savings accounts," said IFT President Dan Montgomery. "Illinois lawmakers chose to put our public schools first and end the state program that subsidized private, mostly religious schools, many of which have discriminatory policies."

Republican lawmakers and advocates said they will urge Democrats to re-establish an alternative program to help vulnerable kids have access to private schools.

"I don't want anybody in this body to pretend that they care about education when we have a real opportunity to do something to fund kids in inner cities, the suburbs, rural areas and all across this state to ensure that the kids that need a different type of education get it," Wilhour stressed.