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

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

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

Invest in Kids scholarships help single moms get kids through tough times

02/09/2022

Illinois’ tax credit scholarship program for low-income families helped these three single moms and their children. Education during COVID-19 is failing low-income students, but the program can help if state lawmakers back bills to save and expand it.

TAGS: Illinois, Invest in Kids, school choice

Illinois lawmakers file bill to save school choice program for low-income kids, families

By Amy Korte, Hannah Max

02/08/2022

Roughly half of the low-income students benefitting from Illinois’ tax credit scholarships are minorities, and about 26,000 students are waiting for a chance at a private school that better fits their needs. State lawmakers are working on a permanent fix.

TAGS: Illinois, Invest in Kids, school choice

How to expand success of Illinois’ tax credit scholarships

By Dylan Sharkey

01/14/2022

The Invest in Kids scholarship tax credit program helps low-income families pay for private schools. Making the program permanent and expanding it would help more students attend schools that best fit their needs.

TAGS: Illinois, Invest in Kids, school choice

Keep investing in Illinois’ Invest in Kids tax credit scholarships

By Amy Korte

12/08/2021

Illinois state lawmakers resisted efforts to cut tax credit scholarships in Illinois, instead extending the program. Now low-income and minority students need them to make the scholarships permanent so they can get the educations that best fit their needs.

TAGS: education, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, JB Pritzker, private schools, school, school choice, tax credit scholarships, tax credits, taxes

Invest in Kids Act could reduce inequality, lower crime in Illinois’ big cities

By Orphe Divounguy

12/03/2021

A solid education and satisfying employment will go a long way toward reducing crime in Illinois. State lawmakers already have a solution in place, but it needs a boost.

TAGS: crime, Illinois, Invest in Kids, school choice