“We know from research that the vast majority of reasons families applied for a tax credit scholarship include higher academic quality, the values of instruction, and a safer school,” said Brandi Borries, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. “For our donors, we also know that 90 percent say the tax credit scholarship program allowed them to increase their donations at schools to which they were previously giving money.”
An individual or corporate donor will receive a 75 percent credit on their donation. This means that if a donor contributes $1,000, they will receive a state tax credit of $750. Individual donors can direct their donations to a school or subset of schools of their choice. To receive the credit for this year, donors must make their donation before the end of the year. For applicants seeking a scholarship for next school year, the application process opens Jan. 15. Information for donors and those wanting to apply should visit empowerillinois.org.
In 2017, bipartisan lawmakers passed the Invest in Kids Act. This historic law — the first of its kind in Illinois — transforms lives by providing up to $100 million in scholarships for children from low-income and working-class families in Illinois. Scholarships from the Invest in Kids Act provide parents with a way to help their children find success.
Scholarships by the numbers
In all, 377 students in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois received scholarships valued at $1,073,290.31 this year (1,326 applied). Here is a breakdown of how many students in each school received a scholarship:
- Blessed Sacrament, Springfield – 5
- Christ the King, Springfield – 8
- Holy Family, Decatur – 28
- Our Lady of Lourdes, Decatur – 5
- Our Saviour, Jacksonville – 6
- Quincy Notre Dame High School, Quincy – 13
- Routt Catholic High School, Jacksonville – 11
- Sacred Heart, Effingham – 22
- Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, Springfield – 2
- St. Agnes, Springfield – 6
- St. Aloysius, Springfield – 2
- St. Anthony Grade School, Effingham – 83
- St. Anthony High School, Effingham – 42
- St. Francis Solanus, Quincy – 4
- St. Francis/Holy Ghost, Jerseyville – 18
- St. Louis, Nokomis – 1
- St. Mary, Alton – 13
- St. Mary, Mt. Sterling – 9
- St. Michael the Archangel, Sigel – 1
- St. Patrick, Decatur – 5
- St. Patrick, Springfield – 35
- St. Peter, Quincy – 30
- St. Teresa High School, Decatur – 18
- St. Thomas, Newton – 10