Illinois’ Invest in Kids is slated to end next month.

The state’s only school choice program’s demise was foretold when the state Legislature’s fall veto session adjourned without addressing the Invest in Kids’ looming sunset date.

Former Republican state Gov. Bruce Rauner passed the scholarship-focused IIK program into law in 2017, with funding in place from 2018 to the end of this year.

The $75 million program’s imminent end means donors to a half-dozen state-approved private school scholarship funds cannot claim tax credits for the donations.

There was bipartisan support for renewing Invest In Kids in some form in 2024 and beyond, as evidenced by a bill state Rep. Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar, D-Chicago, introduced in the 2023 legislative session. Guerrero-Cuellar proposed a scaled-back version, but her bill was never called for a vote.

As the legislative session reached an end on Nov. 9, school choice advocates — including lawmakers and organizers — criticized House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, and other leadership for inaction in the waning days of the veto session.

“Your unwavering commitment to kill this scholarship program that mostly benefits Black and Brown students and low-income families — and our most vulnerable populations — has been breathtaking,” state Rep. Bill Hauter, R-Morton, said on the House floor. “I stand in awe in your focus on equity — equity in killing scholarships for all races and income levels.”

As the veto session ended without action on IIK’s continuation, disparate groups went on record in opposition to the Legislature’s actions. Agudath Israel of Illinois, a Jewish-based organization, was among them.

“With over 9,600 low-income children currently on scholarship, it was shocking that some elected officials were so callous as to allow the rug to be pulled from under these students,” leadership of Agudath Israel wrote on social media. “All this transpired despite recent statewide polling conducted by Impact Research that reaffirmed that a majority of Illinois voters strongly support this program.”

Critics of the Legislature’s inaction on IIK alleged pressure from organizations such as the Illinois Federation of Teachers, the statewide teachers union.

Dan Montgomery, president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, issued a statement after the Legislature’s veto session wrapped.

“Ending the Invest In Kids program is a significant stride in giving top priority to the needs of our public education system and guaranteeing equal opportunities for every student, particularly from Black, Brown, special education, and LGBTQ+ communities,” Montgomery said.

While teachers unions have been staunch critics of school choice expansion programs such as IIK, recent analyses indicate public school teachers have enrolled their own children in private schools.

According to one study, at least 39% of Chicago’s public school teachers send their children to a private school.