FSTC donated money can help cover costs for Illinois public school families
Many public schools in Illinois charge for things such as textbooks and field trips. The Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program could help Illinois families cover those costs.
Public school often isn’t free.
Illinois law allows public schools to charge fees for participation in curricular or extracurricular programs and for textbooks, lockers, field trips, uniforms, graduation costs and school records.
Many Illinois families could get help with such costs if Gov. J.B. Pritzker opts the state into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program, which provides a tax credit for donations to organizations that grant donated money to students, including those who attend public schools.
Schools are required to waive the fees when students qualify for free lunch. But that standard is narrow. In 2026, a family of four must make $42,900 or less to qualify for free lunch.
The median household income in Illinois is around $84,000, suggesting that a small percentage of families qualify for school fee waivers. Yet they could still struggle with school costs, which can add up.
Edwardsville District 7 reported student materials fees of $80 to $100 per student; Naperville 203 lists general and technology fees totaling $128 to $141; Township High School District 211 lists a $170 textbook and instructional supply fee; and Park Ridge-Niles District 64 lists registration fees of $227 for elementary students and $315 for middle school students.
Add-on fees for athletics, driver’s education, parking or transportation can push costs even higher.
The income threshold to get help from the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program is much broader than the free-lunch standard. Students could qualify for FSTC donated money if their household income is no more than 300% of the median in their area. That means many families who don’t get school fee waivers could get help covering education costs in their public schools.
The money could be used for educational expenses such as tutoring, books, online materials and standardized test fees, as well as other school fees.
At least 31 states plan to participate in the FSTC program. If Pritzker follows suit, Illinois could gain nearly $1 billion a year in education resources for students.
That should make opting in an easy decision. Pritzker has less than six months to make the easy choice.