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The agencies also issued companion temporary regulations to
establish procedures for states and SGOs to prepare for the tax
credit’s launch on Jan. 1.
“Thirty states have already opted in, and we encourage all 50
states to participate so every American student and family can
benefit,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement
issued on Thursday.
Twenty-three states opted in by January of this year, when
Pritzker questioned whether the federal credit could be useful
or a way to move money from public schools to private schools.
Illinois state Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Andalusia, said Pritzker
should opt in.
“If Gov. Pritzker decides not to, this comes down to simply
personality conflicts between him and the president. We can’t
let personality and politics get in the way of good policy,”
Anderson said.
Colleen Hroncich, a policy analyst with Cato’s Center for
Educational Freedom, said the Treasury took a light-touch
approach to the proposed regulations.
“One disappointing aspect is that Treasury chose a narrow
definition of ‘school’ that will exclude homeschoolers and
microschoolers in many states, Hroncich said in a statement.
Hroncich said there is still time to make a correction and
launch the program with greater freedom and flexibility.
Earlier this year, Chicago homeschool advocate Latasha Fields
said Illinois should support the program instead of raising
taxes to fund education.
“Families need this support, right? We shouldn't block families
from having this type of dollar for dollar program,” Fields
said, adding that Illinoisans can still make donations.
“The way the program is outlined, we can still give, but
unfortunately, if Gov. Pritzker does not opt in, our children in
this state would not benefit,” Fields said.
Teachers unions in Illinois and across the country have urged
states to reject the scholarship initiative.
Juan Rangel, president and CEO of The Urban Center, said the
unions oppose the program because it helps schools outside of
the public school system.
“That puts into question, in my mind, what their interests are.
If it's not about children, what is it? And it is about
politics, it is about power,” Rangel told The Center Square.
Sean Reed and Greg Bishop contributed to this
story
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