(The Center Square) – A U.S. senator from Illinois stands opposed to school choice provisions in federal budget legislation.
A provision in the bill would allow donors to lower their tax liability by donating to accredited scholarship-granting organizations, with a credit up to $5,000 or 10% of their adjusted gross income.
Illinois U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Springfield, expressed his opposition in a Senate Spotlight forum last week.
“I don’t think there were many, if any disabled children in my Catholic schools and very few minority students, and I’m wondering what happens with these young people who are disabled,” said Durbin.
The bill includes language stating that participating private schools must provide accommodations to students with disabilities.
Durbin said the bill would siphon resources away from public education. He questioned the quality of teachers in private schools and the kind of curriculum offered there. Durbin also criticized homeschooling and suggested that many parents who homeschool their children might not really be educating them.
Shaka Rawls, Principal of Leo High School in Chicago, said national school-choice legislation would help students in disadvantaged communities.
“It would be life-changing for Leo and the work that we do. Our mission is to provide quality post-secondary education for this community,” Rawls told The Center Square.
Although tuition at Leo is $9,300, Rawls said the school’s cost is about $15,200 per student. The principal said 80% to 90% of that cost is raised through philanthropic organizations.
“If we can alleviate that, we can not only pool our resources to help more students but also give students in disadvantaged communities the opportunity to have a quality education that prepares them for post-secondary success,” Rawls explained.
Located in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood on the city’s South Side, Leo has reported 100% graduation rates for 13 consecutive years. The school’s attendance rate last year was 96%.
