© 2024 Peoria Public Radio
A joint service of Bradley University and Illinois State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Private School Tax Credit Surprises Some in Illinois

Democratic-leaning Illinois is the latest state to direct taxpayer money to private schools. 

Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democratic-controlled Legislature last week approved a sweeping overhaul of the way Illinois funds schools. It included a new $75 million tax credit for people and companies that donated to private school scholarships.

It's a development that's caught some by surprise and brought condemnation from politically powerful teacher unions and Democrats looking to defeat the Republican governor in 2018.

Rauner says the credit is a way for lower-income parents to be able to send their kids to their school of choice. 

Unions argue it will take money from public education to benefit the governor's wealthy friends.

Nearly 20 states have tax credit scholarship programs. Most are Republican-led states, including Florida, Arizona and Indiana.

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.