Lawmakers scrap scholarship program for 9,000 working class families in new budget

By Dylan Sharkey

05/26/2023

The Illinois General Assembly is poised to pass a budget without extending the Invest in Kids tax credit scholarship program, which allows 9,000 low-income students to attend a school of their choice. The program expires Dec. 31.

TAGS: Invest in Kids

Poll: Nearly two-thirds of Illinoisans support school choice

By Dylan Sharkey

04/26/2023

New polling shows 62% of Illinois voters support school choice. Also, 59% support Illinois’ only school choice program, the Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship Program, which will expire at the end of 2023.

TAGS: Invest in Kids, school choice

How Illinois lawmakers can give school choice to 9,000 low-income students

By Dylan Sharkey

01/06/2023

A scholarship program that has helped more than 9,000 low-income students choose to attend private schools will expire at the end of 2023 unless lawmakers expand the Invest in Kids Act.

TAGS: Invest in Kids, school choice

Chicago Teachers Union tries to kill school choice for low-income students

By Hannah Max

12/30/2022

Spring test data shows demographic achievement gaps persist in Chicago Public Schools, yet the Chicago Teachers Union wants to eliminate a scholarship program giving low-income students a way out of the underperforming public school system.

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Invest in Kids, tax credit scholarships

CTU allies push to end school choice program for low-income Illinois students

By Dylan Sharkey

11/30/2022

A government union-backed group is pushing parents to ask state lawmakers to kill tax credit scholarships serving the state’s most vulnerable students. Other parents are trying to make the program permanent. Here’s why opponents need to fail.

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, IFPS: Illinois Families for Public Schools, Invest in Kids

Parents push to expand Illinois’ Invest in Kids school choice program

By Dylan Sharkey

11/18/2022

Illinois state lawmakers are hearing from parents who want to see the Invest in Kids program expanded. Giving families a choice about their schools can boost student achievement.

TAGS: Invest in Kids, school choice

Pritzker flips on school choice scholarships he tried to cut

By Dylan Sharkey

10/19/2022

Gov. J.B. Pritzker now supports the Invest in Kids tax credit scholarship program, according to a candidate survey. Pritzker in the past called for eliminating the program.

TAGS: Invest in Kids, JB Pritzker

Bullied students find better education thanks to Illinois’ school choice program

03/30/2022

Jerry Valdivia’s children were scarred in a fire that killed their mom. They avoided bullying and found a nurturing private school thanks to Illinois’ school choice scholarship program.

TAGS: Illinois, Invest in Kids, school choice

How school choice helped a Joliet student escape public school bullying

03/28/2022

When her son’s public school couldn’t stop the bullying, this Joliet mom took an administrator’s taunt about switching schools to heart. Illinois’ Invest in Kids tax credit scholarships have let them choose a private school despite COVID-19 hurting family finances.

TAGS: Illinois, Invest in Kids, school choice

After losing scholarship, Chicago family sold car to keep kids in private school

03/01/2022

Invest in Kids tax credit scholarships give opportunities to minority families and stability to students when hard times hit. Tough choices await when the scholarships dry up.

TAGS: Illinois, Invest in Kids, school choice