Illinois ranked No. 1 for spending per student on higher education in 2024, paying more than double the national average. Declining enrollment, poorly structured finances, growing pension payments and bloated administration have driven up costs.

Illinois is among the few states to offer no private school choice scholarships after killing its Invest in Kids tax-credit program in 2023. The new federal Educational Choice for Children Act would again give Illinois families access to educational options.

The national Educational Choice for Children Act creates a federal tax-credit scholarship program for both public and private school students to help boost them academically. Here are seven reasons why Illinois should opt into the program.