Will County Gazette

Local schools are also getting involved in the advocacy effort to extend the Invest in Kids Scholarship Fund. 

Joliet Catholic Academy noted its support for continuing the program. 

“The end of the legislative session is this week Friday, May 19. We must keep the pressure on lawmakers to #RemoveTheSunset and save the Tax Credit Scholarship Program. Your voice matters, NOW more than ever!” the academy said in a press release. “Hundreds of families and school leaders from our statewide coalition have been champions for the program in Springfield. You, too, can actively support the campaign by reaching out to your lawmaker once again to make sure they know saving the program is a top priority.”

Several members of the Illinois General Assembly have banded together to add an extension to the program. The Tax Credit Scholarship Program allows for donors to receive a tax benefit for donating to a state-maintained scholarship program for private schools for low-income families. 

“We the undersigned members of the Illinois General Assembly are expressing our support of the extension of the ‘Invest in Kids’ Scholarship Fund,” the signatories of a letter requesting to extend the program wrote, Prairie State Wire reported. “This is a shared priority of both caucuses which benefits the education of underprivileged children.” “We look forward to the sunset of this program being extended.” 

The letter was signed by all Republican House members except State Reps. Tony McCombie (R-Savannah), Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore), Dave Severin (R-Benton), Charlie Meier (R-Okawville), Norine Hammond (R-Macomb), Wayne Rosenthal (R-Morrisonville), Mike Marron (R-Fithian), and Amy Elik (R-Alton).

SENATE BILL 3618 would “protect and expand the Invest in Kids Act.” The bill is sponsored by State Sen. Antonio Munoz (D-Chicago). That bill would end the sunset of the program altogether and would increase the tax benefit to 100% of that donated. The bill would also provide super-priority status to students in the program, allow businesses to designate funds for specific schools, open the program to pre-k students, and allow schools to give more partial scholarships.

State Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland) took to the House floor to defend the Invest in Kids Scholarship Fund. 

The fund, which provides backing for around 9,000 needy children to attend private schools, is slated to sunset on Dec. 31 if not extended by the General Assembly. 

“I want to continue voicing my enthusiastic support of our Illinois Invest in Kids Scholarship Fund,” Miller said on the House floor. “As many of our colleagues have said, this issue isn't about politics. It's not about Democrats and Republicans. It's not about left or right. It's not about liberal or conservative, but it's about the children, specifically underprivileged children and the children needing additional academic support.” 

Miller added that the “General Assembly should be equally enthusiastic and extending and supporting the Invest in Kids Scholarship fund." He urged that they sign a letter of support for the program. 

“These scholarships can benefit students who are academically gifted, but it also benefits nearly 1,000 students who have unique academic needs and learning disabilities," Miller said. "This program is incredibly diverse, with 60% of the scholarship recipients being non-white. This program is need-based. Two-thirds of the scholarship recipients have an average family household income moderately above the federal poverty level. 70% of their scholarship recipients meet federal guidelines to be eligible for free or reduced lunch programs. These people who donate to this scholarship fund are enthusiastic about supporting the education of underprivileged children.”