Public funds for public schools
The Daily Herald published an Op-Ed by LWV of Illinois President Becky Simon on August 31, detailing the League’s opposition to extending “Invest in Kids,” Illinois’ private school voucher program. Read the article below.
Expiration of vouchers leaves needed funds for public schools
Daily Herald • Aug 31, 2023
Summer is ending, and the neighborhood kids are getting excited about seeing old friends again in school. New backpacks and pencils, whether purchased with parents or donated by generous community organizations, are inspiring dreams of success and new adventures.
Most of those eager students,1.9 million of them, will be welcomed at one of the local K-12 public schools in Illinois. Public schools, governed by elected school board members and subject to transparency and accountability, are required by state law to hire certified staff and offer a comprehensive curriculum. Public schools are free and must respect and serve all children who come to them, whatever language is spoken at home, whether the children or their families have a disability, and whether LGBTQ+ identities or religious beliefs put them in the minority.
About ten percent of children nationwide will attend private schools, which charge tuition, and are not subject to most state education code requirements, including accountability and transparency. Private schools may exclude children with disabilities, or families who identify as LGBTQ, or whose religious beliefs differ from the school’s doctrine.
As the most recent Illinois legislative session ended in May, the League of Women Voters of Illinois, a long-time effective and ardent advocate for public education, was relieved that the Illinois school voucher program called Invest in Kids (IIK) was not extended. Current IIK scholarship recipients can remain in the state-supported IIK program this year, if they so choose, but starting in the fall of 2024, their scholarships will have to be funded by private donors who may receive federal tax deductions rather than IIK’s generous state tax credits.
Our opposition to extending “Invest in Kids” is wholly consistent with our positions on racial equity, civil rights, and full funding for education. IIK was problematic from its beginning on several fronts. It has never been vetted in the regular legislative process, but instead was tacked onto a new school funding formula bill at the last minute in 2017. Democracy thrives in sunlight. The League of Women Voters of Illinois believes that policies governing public education, a fundamental bedrock of our democracy, should be enacted with transparency and vigorous debate.
Under the IIK private school voucher scheme, donors send money to one of seven “Scholarship Granting Organizations” (SGOs) to redistribute as private school tuition scholarships. The donors get back 75 cents of every dollar sent to an SGO from the Illinois Department of Revenue through a direct reduction of their state income taxes, up to $750,000. SGOs keep up to 5% of the donations for their own expenses, including lobbying to keep the tax credits in place. While public information on Illinois is not available, in other states, such vouchers are primarily used by children already attending private schools. The IIK program last year served only 9600 students versus the 874,000 low-income children in public schools in Illinois. It cost $56 million in lost state revenues that could have been distributed to the public school districts that serve far more low-income children, or used for other state responsibilities.
Although the IIK law required annual reports of student progress for voucher recipients, no reports exist thus far. Studies of voucher programs from other states have shown vouchers do not improve student achievement.
The League of Women Voters of Illinois believes that all children deserve access to a good public education, and we urge policymakers to take the necessary steps to ensure that all public schools in Illinois are adequately funded.
We recognize that in Illinois, the quality of education offered in public schools still varies widely according to the ability of local communities to supplement the available state dollars, even more so than in most other states. Black and Brown children are disproportionately harmed by this unequal distribution of resources. The legislature needs to quickly accelerate funding for Evidence Based Funding to finally offer all children, wherever they live, a high quality education in their local public school.
Equitable school funding is hugely important but it alone is not sufficient to address education disparities. Lack of quality early childhood education, unstable housing, inadequate nutrition and dental care, unsafe neighborhoods, and family poverty also impact learning at school. A voucher program to send some kids to private schools leaves less money for mitigating these obstacles.
Our bottom line: Public funds should be used for public schools.
— Becky Simon, president, League of Women Voters of Illinois