Public school advocates gathered outside Governor JB Pritzker’s office, urging him to reject participation in a new federal school voucher program. This initiative, part of the Republican “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” offers tax credits for donations to scholarship nonprofits, which can be used for private school expenses. Critics, including Huu Nguyen from Illinois Families for Public Schools, argue that “public dollars should fund public schools,” emphasizing the potential harm to public education funding. Pritzker’s office is still reviewing the proposal, with concerns that it could reduce funding for public schools. The debate intensifies as Illinois public school enrollment declines, with CPS losing 28% of its students since 2002. Advocates are calling for full funding of public education to address these challenges.
