Macon Reporter

Illinois state Rep. Adam Niemerg is calling for an extension of the Invest in Kids program which is scheduled to expire Jan. 1, 2024.

The Invest in Kids Scholarship Tax Credit Program was created in 2017, according to a press release from Niemberg’s office. It allows individuals and businesses a 75% income tax credit if they donate to qualified Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs).

Niemerg is asking Illinois leaders to expand the program or at least extend it for current scholarship recipients.

“All of us care about the education and well-being of underprivileged children; that is exactly who these scholarships help,” Niemberg said. “Ninety-seven hundred students received scholarships for the 2022-2023 school year and another 22,000 had to be wait-listed because the $75 million fund ran out.”

According to WBEZ Chicago, the Invest in Kids Act is meant to serve students of color from lower-income households. Under the Invest in Kids Act, students from families with a household income under 300% of the federal poverty level are eligible to apply. For the current school year, roughly two-thirds of scholarships were awarded to students from families earning less than 185% of the federal poverty level.

Forbes has criticized the program for costing taxpayers $75 million and questions if the program should be allowed to continue. In a recent report, Forbes claimed that 95% of the vouchers are used by students to attend private religious schools.

According to his biography page, Niemerg resides in rural Dieterich, Illinois, and was first elected to the Illinois House in 2020. He calls himself "a fiscal conservative focused on reducing taxes and fighting for limited government and pension reform to spur the growth of business and jobs in his district and all of Illinois."