Scholarships for Kids Are Not “Corporate Loopholes”
February 17, 2021 (CHICAGO)–Governor Pritzker’s plans to make devastating cuts to Illinois’ Tax Credit Scholarship Program–that serves low-income and working-class families–in addition to withholding required public education funding increases, is harmful to students across Illinois. Making these cuts to the Tax Credit Scholarship Program does not help support those most in need, and scholarships for kids are not “corporate loopholes.”
During this challenging time, kids need more quality education options, not fewer. And while Illinois’ financial challenges are significant, the State should not balance its budget on the backs of children from low-income and working-class communities or the schools that serve them so well.
We are hopeful that the Governor and Illinois General Assembly will come to support the low-income and working-class scholarship families. We are ready to work together to realize this vision.
About Empower Illinois
Empower Illinois is a statewide education policy and research nonprofit and Scholarship Granting Organization created to serve Illinois’ children through the state’s tax credit scholarship program. Children only get one chance at a quality education, and Empower Illinois’ mission is to expand quality education options for low-income and working-class families of Illinois.
Illinois’ Invest in Kids tax credit scholarship program was created in 2017 to benefit children whose educational options are limited by household income or ZIP Code. Empower Illinois serves as a conduit for processing donations, scholarship awards and program compliance for approximately 91 percent of all recognized private schools in Illinois.