Debate over federal school choice program continues in Illinois
[July 25, 2025]
By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – The push continues to have Illinois opt in to the
federal school choice scholarship tax credit program.
The program giving a 100% federal tax credit to private donations of no
more than $1,700 for school choice scholarships doesn’t start until
2027.
Last week, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon said
President Donald Trump wants school choice.
“No child should be a prisoner of a failing school,” McMahon said during
an appearance with the American Legislative Exchange Council.
This week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker was asked about whether Illinois will opt
in.
“So we’re going to have to look at whether or not we implement a program
that will be good for all students and all families that have students
in schools, and not just a program about private schools and sometimes
religious schools,” Pritzker said.
Illinois had the Invest in Kids school choice scholarship tax credit
program that gave a 75% Illinois income tax credit for private
donations. The program was in place from 2018 until its sunset at the
end of 2023. State legislators failed to advance a measure to continue
the program.
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Illinois Republicans and school choice advocates say it should be an
easy decision for the state to opt in to the federal program to give
qualifying parents a chance to get their children out of failing public
schools.
Despite having overseen Illinois’ Invest in Kids program during his
administration, Pritzker was critical of the federal program.
“Whether we should be supporting a program that just does that when in
fact the federal administration is taking away money from people who
can’t afford to go to a … private school who would like to go to a
public school that is a quality school but they’re having their funding
taken away, that doesn’t seem fair,” Pritzker said.
Illinois U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, said Pritzker should
“prioritize results for Illinois’ students and families over political
posturing.”
“While the far-left leadership of Illinois continues to prioritize the
education of illegal immigrants, I remain committed to supporting the
education systems for citizens of Illinois to ensure the success of our
future generations,” LaHood said in a statement to The Center Square. |
