SCHOOL CHOICE RALLY BACKGROUND
WHAT: Illinois School Choice Rally Day
Hundreds of students, teachers, parents, community members and community leaders will gather to show their support for School Choice and explain its benefits for Illinois families, communities, cities, and the state of Illinois.
School Choice empowers parents. Parents should be given the ability to choose the education best suited to their child’s needs and desires. Parents, as their child’s primary educators, know what is best for them and what type of school – traditional public, charter public, private or parochial - best meets their needs.
Many avenues for School Choice are under development, the rally will illustrate the significant and growing support for School Choice across the state.
WHEN: Thursday, September 25, 2014 at 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: In front of State of Illinois Center, Chicago, IL
(Corner of Clark and Randolph, anticipated to last 45 minutes. Rain or shine.)
In front of our schools (Gym alternate)
WHO:
Rallies are being held across Cook and Lake Counties, Peoria, Joliet and elsewhere throughout Illinois to illustrate the strong support for School Choice to our state legislators. Community members, parents, and educators from all traditional public, charter public, private, parochial schools are invited to join in and be empowered to choose the best educational option for their children.
Illinois School Choice Rally is dedicated to expanding the educational choices available to parents and children in Illinois and is supported by:
- Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools
- Illinois Coalition of Non-public Schools
- Illinois Advocates for Educational Choice
- EdChoiceIllinois
VISUALS:
- Hundreds of parents, students clad in school uniforms, leaders, church leaders and community leaders
- Large colorful signs and banners promoting parental rights and a call for action on Illinois School Choice
- Key participants speaking about personal connection and impact of School Choice from stage.
- Participants chanting “School Choice Now”
- Music
BACKGROUND:
Illinois serves over 2.2 million elementary and high school students per year. 200,000 of those are in private or parochial schools. Illinois School Choice legislation would improve Illinois’ educational choices for students and empower parents to find the best fit for their child. School Choice is a growing trend across the country and provides benefits for all students to improve their education. Improved school choice legislation would allow state and federal tax dollars to be spent on education in a more fair and effective manner and would enable parents to determine the best educational needs of their child.
School Choice Rallies are also planned to take place simultaneously at local schools throughout Cook and Lake Counties as well as Joliet, Peoria and other communities. The goal is to call attention to state legislators for the need for Illinois School Choice and opportunity to empower parents to select the best school for their own children.
Supporters for Illinois School Choice want to empower Illinois’ parents and improve Illinois’ education.
According to the Archdiocesan Office of Catholic Schools’ Legislative Advisory Board, School Choice empowers parents. Parents should be given the ability to choose the education best suited to their child’s needs and desires. As their child’s primary educators, parents know what is best for them and what type of school – traditional public, charter public, private, parochial – best meets their needs.
There are many avenues Illinois COULD pursue to empower parents and improve education including:
Tax-Credit Scholarships
Tax-credit scholarships allow taxpayers to receive full or partial tax credits when they donate to nonprofits that provide private school scholarships. Eligible taxpayers can include both individuals and businesses. In some states, scholarship-giving nonprofits also provide innovation grants to public schools and/or transportation assistance to students choosing alternative public schools.
Education Savings Accounts
Education savings accounts allow parents to withdraw their children from public district or charters schools and receive a deposit of public funds into government-authorized savings accounts with restricted, but multiple, uses. Those funds can cover private school tuition and fees, online learning programs, private tutoring, community college costs, and other higher education expenses.
Opportunity Scholarships
Opportunity scholarships give parents the freedom to choose a private school for their children, using all or part of the public funding set aside for their children’s education. Under such a program, funds typically expended by a school district would be allocated to a participating family in the form of a scholarship to pay partial or full tuition for their child’s private school, including both religious and non-religious options.
Individual Tax Credits/Deductions
Through individual tax credits and deductions, parents can receive state income tax relief for approved educational expenses, which can include private school tuition, books, supplies, computers, tutors, and transportation.