The bill is based on misinformation and bucks both national trends and public support for a federal program providing donated money to students.
The Chicago Teachers Union just funneled over $72,000 to the campaign coffers of Illinois Sen. Graciela Guzman, D-Chicago.
Guzman then immediately filed a bill attacking a program CTU opposes.
Here’s how it went down
On Feb. 2 and Feb. 6, CTU’s political action committee donated a total of $72,500 to Guzman’s campaign committee. Since October 2023, she’s received over $519,000 from teachers unions, according to Illinois Sunshine.
On Feb. 6, Guzman filed Senate Bill 3966, which would prohibit the state from adopting the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program, which provides extra education funding to eligible kids statewide.
The bill echoes myths the union has been spreading about the bill. It also bucks national trends and voter support.
Here’s what you need to know about how the program really works and the bipartisan support it has.
The Guzman bill perpetuates false information
Here’s what Guzman and CTU ignore about the program, as laid out by federal statute:
- All K-12 students are eligible for money if their household income is at or below 300% of the median income in their area.
- “Qualified elementary and secondary education expenses” is defined to include tutoring, special-needs services, books, supplies, tuition and more for students at public, private or home schools.
- No state or federal money is used. All funding is from donors.
- Student eligibility depends on state action: States must opt in for their students to get money.
- The tax credit is a done deal: Donors can get an annual $1,700 federal credit whether or not their states opt into the program.
The bill falsely labels the new law a “voucher program.” It also ignores that the money is from donors and instead wrongly says it “risks diverting public funds” from public schools.
CTU’s opposition and false statements show it would rather no students get funds – including public school students – just to keep some private school students from receiving money.
The Guzman bill would keep Illinois from joining the majority of states agreeing to join the program
To date, at least 28 states have indicated they will opt in.
That includes Colorado, where Democratic Gov. Jared Polis has said, “The more Democratic governors learn about it, I fully expect that most will come around and participate….Because from our perspective, it’s free money.”
Illinois will be an outlier if it does not opt in. Students won’t get money, but donors will still get the tax credit.
The Guzman bill ignores that the majority of voters support the program
A national poll released in September found that 64% of voters support their states opting into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program.
The program also has Democratic support. Jorge Elorza, CEO of Democrats for Education Reform, has said that, “if a state does not opt in, then by default, the first $1,700 in every single federal taxpayer’s taxes is going to leave your state.” Referring to polling, Elorza said, “opting in is not just popular, it is overwhelmingly popular.”
In Illinois, the program has received support from state Comptroller Susana Mendoza, who has called the decision to opt in an “easy one.”
“Participation in the program does not change Illinois’ public school funding formula in any way,” she wrote. “It does not reduce state funds for public schools. It simply allows voluntary private donations, incentivized through federal tax credits, to provide additional educational support within our state. There is no cost to states, but there is significant missed opportunity if we opt out.”
In other words, CTU is pitting itself – and the Guzman bill – against commonsense support for education.
The state has until Jan. 1, 2027 to opt into the program.
