Read on for news on primary ballot questions about the federal voucher program, dozens of advocacy groups calling on Gov. Pritzker to refuse vouchers for Illinois, and the latest on federal funding with public schools under siege due to federal immigration agents...

Today a coalition of organizations delivered a letter to Governor Pritzker calling on him to act on his values and commit to opting Illinois out of a new federal school voucher program championed by the Trump administration. Full press release below.

Strong public schools that welcome and nurture every child benefit all of us. But, as you know, since January, the Trump administration has been engaged in a massive campaign to destroy our public school system, in line with a larger agenda of undermining the public good and the foundations of a democratic society, including the establishment of a brand new federal voucher program.

Strong public schools that welcome and nurture every child and young person benefit all of us. But, the Trump administration is engaged in an effort to undermine and ultimately dismantle our public school system—in line with their larger agenda of undermining the public good and the foundations of a democratic society.

The attacks on public schools include attempts to shut down the US Department of Education and withholding and cutting federal education funding. One tool: expanding school voucher programs across the country.

Congress approved Trump’s plan to create a new, unprecedented national voucher program in July 2025. You can read our Q&A about it here: “What to know about the new federal school voucher program”

As it stands, every state has the option of saying NO to this program. Governors can refuse to have their state participate in conjunction with any laws passed by their legislature regulating that participation. In January more than 45 organizations wrote to Gov. Pritzker urging him to opt out of the program. You can read that letter here. 

Take Action

• Write to Governor Pritzker and your state senator and state representative urging them to say NO to the federal voucher program for Illinois. Use our letter-writing tool to send those emails.
• Call Governor Pritzker's Springfield or Chicago offices. Here's a quick script you can use or adapt:

• Call your state senator and state rep to pass legislation to keep federal vouchers out of Illinois. There are two bills currently in the Illinois Senate with Democratic sponsors, one would opt Illinois into the program, the other would prohibit Illinois from participating. More on those bills here. Here is a fact sheet to share with your legislators: No federal vouchers for Illinois!

Yesterday Governor Pritzker said that he would sign an extension to the Invest in Kids act in “whatever form” the Illinois General Assembly sent it to him. The Governor’s statement and his support of continuing the program are not aligned with the policies and values he has said he supports. You can read our full statement below and share it from here.

Be informed on critical education stances when you go to the polls on March 20th!  Read the responses we received to our questionnaire on public ed policy from candidates running in the primary for Governor of Illinois.