Students or Unions?
That’s JB Pritzker’s Choice on Federal Scholarship Tax Credits
The “Big Beautiful Bill,” among many things, establishes the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program where people can make a donation and receive a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit up to $1,700 per donor. One hundred percent of the money goes to students that qualify in states that opted in to the program. The question is – will Illinois be one of them?
The scholarship funds is available to help students in private or public schools pay for educational services such as tutoring, books and other materials, plus fees for exams and dual enrollment courses.
JB Pritzker is currently undecided on whether he’ll opt in Illinois to allow students to benefit from this new federal program. The teacher’s unions strongly oppose it, as expected. But it appears he may find himself between a rock and a hard place since the Democrat caucus is divided.
We know this because two opposing bills have been filed.
SB 3776 creates the Educational Choice for Students Act – sponsored by Adriane Johnson (D-Waukegan) and co-sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Dave Koehler (D-Peoria Heights), is the opt-in to the federal program bill.
SB 3966 creates the Prohibition on Federal Voucher Program Participation Act – sponsored by Graciela Guzman (D-Chicago), Rachel Ventura (D-Joliet), and Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) prohibits the state from opting in.
At least 28 states have already opted in, seeing it as a boon to their student’s education. Perhaps the leader’s in those states aren’t in the back pockets of the teacher’s unions. Just saying.
In Illinois, 25 of our 102 counties are putting advisory referendums on the November ballot asking voters if Illinois should participate in this federal program. Most of these counties are downstate, but the referendum will also be on Grundy County ballots and a few townships in Kane. There’s definitely growing interest!
TAKE ACTION: Call and email Governor Pritzker urging him to opt in Illinois to the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program as at least 28 states have already said YES. Phone numbers for the Governor’s officein Springfield: 217-782-6830, 217-782-6831 and in Chicago: 312-814-2121, 312-814-2122.
Witness Slips Needed
This is the final homestretch before the March 17TH primary. There are many bills that IFI opposes and have on our watch list. Read them here. When Christians stay home on election day, others vote in your place. DON’T FAIL TO VOTE!
- Click on the witness slip link for each bill.
- Fill out your personal information.
- Under Firm/Business/Agency, Title, Representation, type “self” or “NA” if you are not representing an organization and do not have a title.
- Under Position, Add Legislation: highlight Original Bill.
- Under Add Position, highlight Oppose. Then click Add Position. (Your position will then appear in the box to the right with a red circle and an x inside of it.)
- Select Record of Appearance Only.
- Check that you agree to the ILGA Terms of Agreement.
- Check that you aren’t a robot.
- Click Submit Witness Slip.
SB 3138 – Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicao): expands LGBTQ+ participation in the state’s Children’s Mental Health Partnership from advisory to reviewing data, monitoring policy and coordinating programs for children’s mental health. If you’ll recall, a bill to include mental health screenings in public schools was just signed into law. You can connect the dots. The bill is scheduled for a hearing in the Behavioral and Mental Committee on Wednesday, March 11th at 11:00 AM in Room 400 Capitol.
Click HERE to file a witness slip in OPPOSITION to SB 3138.
Click HERE to email your state senator to OPPOSE SB 3138.
SB 2772 – Rachel Ventura (D-Joliet): creates an advisory board to study Psilocybin, the psychedelic compound in “magic mushrooms.” A previous bill (HB 1143 LaShawn Ford (D-Chicago) that would declassify and legalize psilocybin, a Schedule 1 Drug because it has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use, went nowhere. Because some law makers are intent on making dangerous drugs available to the public, they’re trying for a board to “study” the issue. Oregon, Colorado and New Mexico have legalized psilocybin for “medical use” just as they did with marijuana. Denver, Oakland and Washington, D.C. have decriminalized it. These attempts need to be stopped before any more mind-altering drugs flood into our communities.
The bill is scheduled to be heard in the Executive Committee on Wednesday, March 11th at 1:00 PM in Room 212 Capitol.
Click HERE to file a witness slip in OPPOSITION to SB 2772.
Click HERE to email your state senator to OPPOSE SB 2772.
SB 2805 – Celina Villanueva (D): creates a new “bill of rights” in nursing homes, adding a violation of abuse for “misgendering” a resident. You can’t make this stuff up.
Click HERE to file a witness slip in OPPOSITION to SB 2805.
Click HERE to email your state senator to OPPOSE SB 2805.
BACKGROUND
Remember the Illinois Invest in Kids Scholarship program? It was similar to the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program and Illinois had it for several years until the party in control ended it. Illinois students desperately needed this program and now more than ever. The test scores were and still are abysmal. Our children are not being taught the basics and, for many, there isn’t an opportunity for financial help.
In 2003, the Nation’s Report Card indicated only 31% of Illinois students had reached or exceeded proficiency levels in reading (ELA). In 2024, that number was 30%. Not much has changed.
The Illinois Report Card showed similar scores between 30% to 31% over the past several years until they took down that data. In 2025 (the only data now on their web site) now shows that now 52.4% of Illinois students are at proficiency levels in reading.
If you’re thinking that seeing a significant increase in reading scores is a good thing, consider that last year, the standards were lowered.
We hope you’ll call and email Governor Pritzker. Maybe if he hears from an overwhelming number of people, he’ll do the right thing and opt Illinois in to the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program. Please pray that he does.
THANK YOU!
