Scholarship funding for hundreds of private school students in Central Illinois will come to an end after the Democrat majority in the Illinois House failed to act on the Invest In Kids program during the final day on the fall veto session.  

The program, enacted in 2017, allows private schools to use a Scholarship Granting Organization, in this case Empower Illinois, to give low-income families scholarships to offset part or all of private school tuition. State Representative Bill Hauter (R-Morton) addressed his Democrat colleagues and leadership during floor debate.

The program is set to expire at the end of this year. Supporters want it reauthorized but opponents say it represents a drain on public education and want it to end. 

Under the program, scholarships are funded from private contributions which yield a 75% state income tax credit in a program limited to $75 million in credits annually, so proponents ask how it is a drain on public education.

In five years, about 40,000 needs-based scholarships have been awarded.