Chicago, IL – The Illinois Senate passed yesterday legislation that could change thousands of lives for the better. Children enrolled in the lowest-performing schools in Chicago would be offered a school voucher to attend a private school, if their parents so choose. Modeled after successful school vouchers in other states, SB 2494 can improve private and public schools alike. Agudath Israel, The Illinois Policy Institute and other groups worked closely with a bi-partisan group of Illinois lawmakers to advance the bill out of the Illinois Senate. The legislation will now be heard in the House of Representatives.
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“I appreciate the Senate taking this historic step to provide opportunities to children to achieve their full potential,” said SB 2494 sponsor, Rev. Senator James Meeks, following the floor vote.
“The highest-quality research is clear on two points,” said Collin Hitt, Director of Education Policy for the Illinois Policy Institute. “School vouchers improve education for students who use them, and the resulting competition improves the performance of surrounding public schools. This is bold policy, but it can change the course of education in Chicago. If the Illinois House passes this legislation, families will have a better choice of schools, public schools will compete for students and improve. This can all be accomplished at no additional cost to taxpayers or public education.”
Since first partnering with Rev. Senator Meeks on this school reform effort last winter, the Illinois Policy Institute has published research showing that SB 2494 can generate significant savings to state government, since the amount of school vouchers issued cannot exceed the Foundation Level of education spending. Institute publications have also shown both the success of school voucher programs in other states and the legal viability of establishing similar policies in Illinois.
“When parents make decisions about where they want their children to learn—and have a publicly funded voucher to support that decision—everyone wins. That’s why we congratulate the Illinois Senate for passing the tuition voucher bill that will help students enrolled in Chicago’s lowest-performing schools. Improving the increasingly failing public K–12 system means finding better ways to invest the billions spent on education. Taxpayer supported vouchers and tax credits that allow parents to send their children to private schools is a critical step in making education better for all students,” says Rabbi Yehiel Mark Kalish, National Director of Government Affairs, Agudath Israel.
So this is a first step? It seems this will not help any yeshivas at the moment.
This is nothing short of an open neis in heavily Democratic Illinois. Kudos to R’ Yehiel and the rest of the staff who work for Agudah in Chicago. If not for them, this wouldn’t have happened. The Agudah staff in NY is busy with NY issues and would not have been able to accomplish this.
Before anyone asks… it isn’t easy to do this in NY. Aside from the fact that we have the most dysfunctional legislature in human history, there is also the fact that it would require changing the state constitution which specifically prohibits public funds going to private schools.
The Wolf
WOW – this is too good to be true – How did the democrats and Obama allow parent choice in Chicaco!
BTW, this still has to pass the IL House
Thank you David Greenfield for single handedly insuring that this happened I can’t wait until you do this in NY
Looks like Ira Silverstein, the only frum Senator from Illinois voted “present”.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/votehistory/96/senate/09600SB2494_03252010_004000T.pdf
“Children enrolled in the lowest-performing schools in Chicago would be offered a school voucher to attend a private school, if their parents so choose”
Therefore this wont have any value to children living in WRP, PP,Lincolnwood, or Skokie