IEA urges Gov. JB Pritzker to reject federal voucher program

SPRINGFIELD - The following statement can be attributed to Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Karl Goeke:

"Public money should stay in public schools. The Illinois Education Association has long been opposed to voucher programs, which siphon money from already underfunded public schools and send that money to private institutions. In Illinois, 86% of the state's 1.6 million school-aged children attend public schools. Until our state fully funds our public education system, IEA will fight any effort to divert money from them. Illinois has tried the voucher experiment, and it failed. The Invest in Kids Act diverted money away from schools where children of color live, as well as children who live in rural areas. From Rockford to Cairo and Quincy to Danville, Illinois should fund its public school system adequately and equitably and should not steer that money toward schools that have no accountability, no oversight and no concrete data to measure success. The research is clear; vouchers lead to worse academic outcomes for students. Our public schools are community centers, welcoming all students and their families. From elementary school science fairs and middle school band concerts to high school football games, our public schools are where our neighbors gather, our communities thrive and our future is shaped. We are calling on Gov. JB Pritzker to reject federal vouchers and protect public dollars for public schools."

IEA is asking its 135,000 members to email Governor Pritzker and demand he stand with us.

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The 135,000 member Illinois Education Association (IEA-NEA) is the state's largest union. IEA represents PreK-12 teachers outside the city of Chicago and education support staff, higher education faculty, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers, statewide.