Invest In Kids Act Remains Intact
May 31, 2019, Chicago, IL—With the end of legislative session, Empower Illinois—and the families, students, schools, and communities we work with—are excited to share that the Invest in Kids Act remains intact. With support from General Assembly leaders, Governor Pritzker, and many legislative champions, Illinois’ kids can continue to count on quality education options.
“More than 42,000 families who are part of the tax credit scholarship community won today,” said Anthony Holter, Executive Director of Empower Illinois. “Thank you to our elected officials for championing Illinois’ low-income and working-class families. And thank you to all the families and school leaders who supported the Save My Scholarship campaign. All kids in Illinois deserve a quality education that meets their needs, regardless of ZIP Code or family income.”
The Invest in Kids Act passed in 2017 as part of a bipartisan compromise to reform education in Illinois with landmark funding for public education and quality education options for all kids. The Invest in Kids tax credit scholarship program was created in Illinois to benefit children whose educational options are limited by household income. The Act established a five-year, pilot tax credit scholarship program providing up to $100 million in scholarships for children from low-income and working-class families in Illinois. The tax credit scholarship program is funded through private donations, and donors are eligible for a 75 percent tax credit.
The demand for the program continues to rise. More than 42,000 kids are in line to receive a scholarship for the Fall 2019-Spring 2020 school year. For data about the program’s first year, please view Empower Illinois’ Year One Report.
About Empower Illinois
Empower Illinois is a statewide Scholarship Granting Organization created in 2017 to serve Illinois children through the state’s tax credit scholarship program. Empower Illinois’ mission is to expand quality education options for low-income and working-class families of Illinois. Empower Illinois advocates for families seeking brighter futures for their students and defends the education initiatives that serve them.
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