McLean County Times

Desi Anderson, a candidate for House District 91, is lashing out at incumbent State Rep. Sharon Chung (D-Bloomington) for not trying to save the Invest In Kids Tax Scholarship program which will sunset at the end of 2023. The program had support from other Democrats and Gov. J.B. Pritzker but was withheld from a vote as the Hosue adjourned from veto session last week.

“State Representative Sharon Chung is part of the problem,” Anderson said on Facebook. “She DENIED to meet with parents here in the 91st District to talk about their child’s scholarship(s). About 9,600 students will be impacted by this.”

“It’s a sad day for these families and the right for school choice. Here locally so many families get the benefits of Metcalf and Uhigh (not part of Invest In Kids) BUT as part of school choice.”

“The irony is some of the BIGGEST advocates to deny school choice send their own children to alternative schools.”

Anderson made these statements following the conclusion of the Illinois General Assembly's session which did not allocate funds for the Invest In Kids scholarship program. This leaves the educational future of roughly 9,600 economically disadvantaged children uncertain. The decision faced strong opposition from teachers' unions and disproportionately impacts low-income minority students in failing school districts who depend on this program for access to quality education.

State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) fervently appealed to the House to prolong this crucial scholarship program emphasizing its necessity in securing scholarships for deserving students.

Niemerg voiced disappointment with the delay, urging House Speaker Chris Welch to intervene. However, despite receiving support from Niemerg and others, Welch—who sends his children to private schools—adjourned without calling a bill that would have extended this program, making Illinois unique in rolling back public funding for school choice.

Senate President Don Harmon and Pritzker, both of whom send their children to private schools too, are also under scrutiny regarding their stance on this issue.

Illinois now stands alone as the only state that has rolled back public funding for school choice—a move attracting criticisms from proponents of alternative educational paths.

The Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) praised the decision to terminate this program. IFT President Dan Montgomery showed strong support for ending Invest In Kids, underscoring the necessity of prioritizing public education and funneling resources to public schools. However, his stance faced opposition from teachers' unions, revealing a divide on this issue within the educational community.