During the 2023-2024 school year, 54 students at Joliet Catholic Academy received scholarships via Illinois’ Invest in Kids Tax Credit Scholarship program.

Despite the advocacy of parents throughout the state and in the Joliet community, the pilot program expired after six years and was not renewed for the upcoming school year. The program had, until now, helped kids in our community access their best-fit school.

Amazingly, 75 school choice programs are thriving in 33 states; Illinois dubiously became the first to restrict such choice. Bordering states like Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Missouri all have school choice programs, and in the past year 18 states have created or expanded school choice programs. Several other states have expanded to universal school choice programs, meaning all children can access public funds to attend the school that best fits their needs.

Illinois’ program was relatively small, serving over 9,000 families whose income could not exceed 300% of the Federal Poverty Level.

According to www.edchoice.org, there’s a common misconception that if students leave a public school using school choice funds, those who stay will have less money and fall behind academically. School choice programs affect public schools’ funding and resources in the same way as when a student leaves because their family moved to a new district—except with school choice programs, public schools get to keep almost all of the federal and local tax dollars and usually a portion of the state funds allocated for each child. Public schools keep a significant portion of money for a student they no longer have the responsibility of educating. When you look at student performance, the research shows public school students perform no worse, and sometimes better, because public schools are encouraged to improve to meet students’ needs.

Joliet, Will County, and Illinois need a school choice program that empowers all students to choose the best educational fit for their future!

For more information, please visit www.empowerillinois.org, or contact:

Joliet Catholic Academy : 1200 N. Larkin Avenue : Joliet, IL 60435 : Ph: 815-741-0500 : jca-online.org