North Carolina makes first move to join federal school choice; Illinois should, too

The North Carolina state legislature became the first in the U.S. to approve a bill joining the Educational Choice for Children Act. Illinois owes the same to its children after taking away private-school choice from over 15,000 low-income students.

North Carolina’s legislature became the first in the nation to approve legislation opting into the Educational Choice for Children Act, which offers scholarships to boost public and private school choice for families, sending the bill to their governor.

Illinois must also opt in to the program, but that remains uncertain in a state where teachers unions were able to spend big and get state leaders to kill a similar program that helped over 15,000 low-income students.

The federal school choice program was passed on Independence Day as part of the federal budget reconciliation bill. It establishes a 100% federal tax credit up to $1,700 a year for donations to scholarships for students, which can be used for private school, tutoring, special education and other education options.

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein is predicted to the veto the bill, claiming ECCA mixes public funds to support private schools. Lawmakers say that is not true, because the donations come from private sources. They are expected to override any veto.  States must decide to participate in the federal program. Even if Illinois state leaders were to refuse – and Gov. J.B. Pritzker has mirrored Stein and teachers union talking points – Illinoisans could still donate and benefit other states’ students.

Illinois lawmakers in 2023 stripped school choice from over 15,000 low-income students when they refused to extend the state’s Invest in Kids tax-credit scholarship as teachers unions dumped nearly $1.5 million into lawmakers’ campaign coffers. It is not yet clear which state agency could decide whether Illinois will participate in the new federal program, but Pritzker’s approval will certainly be needed.

Scholarship funds would be limited to students whose family household incomes were at or below 300% of the median income level in their area, a bigger group than was covered by Illinois’ Invest in Kids program that covered families making 300% of the poverty level. Scholarship recipients can be enrolled in any K-12 school, whether it be traditional public, public charter, private, religious or home schools.

Low-income Illinois students need a lifeline: only 1-in-4 low-income third through eighth graders can read at grade level. Just 1-in-7 can perform math proficiently.

Scholarship recipients can use the funds for expenses including tuition, curriculum or instructional materials, books and online educational materials. Tutoring or additional educational classes, fees for standardized or college admission exams, fees for dual enrollment or educational therapies for students with disabilities are also allowed.

Opting into the program should be a political no-brainer for Illinois. Illinois voters were 3-to-1 in support of the state’s Invest in Kids tax-credit scholarship program before lawmakers listened to teachers union bosses and let the program die. The claim the private donations will somehow take federal funds away from public schools defies common sense and seems like a cover for teachers unions’ fear of any competition.

Illinois should opt in to the federal tax-credit scholarship program and bring back a lifeline for low-income and other students in the state.