Invest in Kids Unlikely to Get Extension
Students at Benet Academy in suburban Lisle.
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The obituary for the Invest in Kids private school scholarship program probably hasn’t been fully written, but is certainly a few paragraphs in as lawmakers return to Springfield for the final days of legislative session before the program expires at the end of the year.
While most rank and file House Democrats we’ve spoken to haven’t been told officially by House Speaker Chris Welch that he won’t call a bill extending the program, there isn’t much expectation the issue comes to the floor this week.
“I think it’s RIP,” said one Democrat via text Monday.
“It’s struggling,” said another member.
The general consensus is the Democratic caucus is divided on extending the program, even under tighter rules, as proposed by Rep. Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar (D-Chicago) late last month.
Invest in Kids currently allows people a tax deduction to contribute to a non-profit that provides scholarships to low-income kids to leave their public school and attend a private school. It currently benefits around 9,500 kids.
Teachers unions have vehemently opposed the program claiming it provides government-funded vouchers and that the program takes money away from public schools.
Advocates have peppered the General Assembly in favor of the program in recent months arguing thousands of Black and Latino families will lose the program if it isn’t extended by the end of the year.
“The Speaker isn’t going to move a bill unless he has enough Democratic votes to pass it,” said one lawmaker. “We don’t have that right now and I don’t think we will. It’s on life support.”
Guerrero-Cuellar, who authored compromise language in the House, said Monday afternoon she hadn’t heard from Welch on the status of the bill. A spokesperson declined to say where Welch stood on the issue, only saying “conversations surrounding Invest in Kids are ongoing.”
Some Democrats say leadership has kept them in the dark on the issue. We're told it wasn't even brought up at Monday's House Democratic caucus meeting.
Republicans will continue to push for the program’s renewal this week. Senate GOP Leader John Curran (R-Downers Grove) and House Republicans are scheduled to have news conferences today in Springfield.
