>> 2 >> LOCAL PRIVATE SCHOOLS SAY THEY'RE SHUTTING DOWN BECAUSE OF THE END OF THE STATE'S TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

FRANCIS OF ROME SCHOOL AND SETTLE AND EVEN THOUGH SCHOOL IN BERWYN CLAIM THEY'RE ON A FINANCIAL CLIFF WITH MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR STUDENTS FULL OR PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIPS.

THE CONTROVERSIAL PROGRAM KNOWN AS INVEST IN KIDS TOOK DONATIONS FROM PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES.

USE THAT MONEY TO SUBSIDIZE STUDENT TUITION FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AT PRIVATE AND TRADE SCHOOLS.

BUT THE PROGRAM EXPIRED LAST YEAR.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ON WHAT LIES AHEAD.

OUR FATHER BRENDAN KRON IN THE FROM THE RESURRECTION PROJECT.

EVA LEAVE LOBOS PARENTS AT SINGLE SCHOOL IN CHICAGO.

SHE IS A PARENT OF A TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT.

IDEA OF THE MEETING IS A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER IN THE CHICAGO TEACHERS.

UNION MEMBER.

AND I THE BIRDS, A PUBLIC SCHOOL PARENT IN BERWYN.

A THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US NOW.

THIS IS HAS BEEN A HOT TOPIC AND FATHER KRONE.

WANT TO GO TO YOU.

WHAT IMPACT IS THIS HAVING ON PRIVATE SCHOOLS NOW AT THE PROGRAM EXPIRED?

>> WELL, IT'S AN ALARMING PIECE OF NEWS FOR FAMILIES ACROSS SCHOOL'S.

FIRST OF ALL, I'M PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF THE RESURRECTION PROJECT.

PROVIDE ROBUST SUPPORT.

STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND SYSTEMS ALL ACROSS OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS.

ONE OF THOSE THAT'S GETTING A BIG HIT RIGHT NOW IS THAT DIFFICULT NEWS.

THE TRAGIC NEWS OF THE CONCLUSION OF THE TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM THAT HAS DISTRIBUTED OVER 40,000 SCHOLARSHIPS LARGELY TOO BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY NEEDY FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

>> I WANT TO GO TO YOU SOME OF THE QUESTION TO YOU.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM SAYING GO DO FIND YOURSELF IN A SIMILAR SITUATION THEY CURRENTLY ARE TRYING TO TELL US, YOU KNOW, DON'T PANIC, IS KIND OF HARD TO DO THAT.

YOU YES, LOOK AT THAT POINT.

I AM.

I HAVE GIRLS.

>> ONE THAT UNFORTUNATELY WAS JUST DIAGNOSED WITH, YOU BEHAVIORAL AND COGNITIVE ISSUES GOT HER THROUGH ADOPTION AND NOW I'M TASKED WITH TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT AM I GOING TO DO TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR GIRLS AT THAT SCHOOL?

>> THAT CAN BE CHALLENGING MOST CAPITAL NAYELI.

I WANT TO GO TO YOUR IN BERWYN WHERE ONE OF THE SCHOOLS IS SLATED TO CLOSE.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS?

>> YOU KNOW, AS PERIOD OVER PUBLIC SCHOOL ELEMENTARY TO ELEMENTARY STUDENTS.

YOU KNOW, WE STRUGGLE WITH LOSING A LOT OF FUNDING AND DISTRICT.

THAT WOULD BE OFF TO 10 MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS ARE ENGLISH THAT WOULD BE 3RD OF THEM.

ONE-FIFTH OF THEM ARE DISABILITY.

OUR SPECIAL NEEDS PROGRAM.

SO WE NEED THAT FUNDING TO GO BACK TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I HEARD THE CONCERN OF A MOTHER.

WE HAVE A GREAT SUPPORT IN A PUBLIC SCHOOLS WE WE NEED THAT FUNDING AS STUDENTS ARE GETTING SHORTED LIKE UP TO $3500 A YEAR FOR PEOPLE.

SO WE WILL NEED THAT FUNDING BACK TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

>> ELADIO GOING TO SEE 2 HAS BEEN ADVOCATING PROGRAM.

HOW WELL.

>> ONE I WANT TO WE EMPATHIZE WITH YOUR FEAR.

IT'S NEVER OK TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL.

AS WE KNOW, 50 SCHOOLS WERE SHUTTERED AND 2013 BY MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL.

SO WE KNOW VERY WELL WHAT IT'S LIKE TO FEEL THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL CLOSURES.

NOW THIS PROGRAM IS ABOUT YOUR PROGRAM THAT WAS STARTED BY BRUCE RAUNER, SOMEONE WHO CHEERED ON THE CLOSINGS OF SCHOOLS.

IT WAS STARTED.

AND REALLY IT WAS PART PART OF BARGAINING PROCESS IN ORDER FOR HIM TO EVEN PASS BUDGET THAT WOULD FUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

SO HOW IRONIC THAT IN ORDER TO FUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HE WANTED A PROGRAM THAT WOULD THEN TAKE FUNDING AWAY FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND HAS SINCE THEN SIPHONED HUNDREDS OF MILLION DOLLARS AWAY.

NOW IT WAS CAN THE SUNSET WHEN IT STARTED SINCE THEN HAS GIVEN AN EXTENSION.

AND SO NOW WHAT WE ASKED FOR RECEIVED WAS THIS SENSE THAT WAS THE END OF THAT PROGRAM WAS THE END OF THE SIPHONING OF PUBLIC FUNDS TO PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING 2 >> FROM WHAT HE'S SAYING.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES FOR YOU WHEN PICKING WHAT SCHOOL YOU KNOW?

PUT YOUR DIDN'T BELIEVE HER DAUGHTER TRIED LOOKING INTO BEFORE I WAS PUT IN THIS SITUATION.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, I DID NOT HAVE THE HELP THAT I NEEDED.

AND THE ONLY INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE ABLE TO HELP WITH MY SITUATION.

A PRIVATE SCHOOL IT WAS SAD.

YOU KNOW THAT I DID NOT GET THAT HELPING HAND.

WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR IT FROM OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IT POTENTIALLY DIDN'T HAPPEN.

AND, YOU I DON'T THINK THAT.

BUT FIRST, CALLING IT A POACHER'S, NOT THE RIGHT WORD.

IT'S IT'S A TAX CREDIT.

AND OPTIONAL OP PROGRAM THAT PEOPLE WHO WANT TO CAN TIP YOU CAN DO SO.

IT'S BASED AND THE OPTION WHETHER DONOR WANTS TO CALL AHEAD AND PUT BOTH FIGHT.

SO THE OTHER KIDS WITH LOWER INCOME CAN GO AHEAD AND AND AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF RESOURCES TO CALL IT A PRIVATE SCHOOL AND GOING INTO PRIVATE SCHOOL DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT INDIVIDUALS WITH TIMING NOT PROFIT FROM THERE'S A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE SCHOLARSHIPS AND IT'S GREAT TO HAVE OPTIONS WERE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ANSWERS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES AT OTHER SCHOOLS.

YOU KNOW, PAT, MAYBE YOU MIGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE COMMENT.

BUT AT THE MOMENT, MY KIDS WERE NOT ABLE TO CAN TELL.

THIS IS THIS IS EMOTIONAL FOR YOU, BUT IT'S NOT.

I WANT TO BRING SOMETHING UP ON THE SCREEN OF THE STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE 2021.

22 SCHOLAR AT TWENTY-TWO.

>> SCHOLARSHIPS TO ATTEND PRIVATE SCHOOL ABOUT 57% WERE WHITE.

ALMOST 30% LATINO AND JUST UNDER 18% WERE BLACK.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO CHALK BEAT CHICAGO.

I WANT TO GO TO YOU.

FATHER KRON TO BELIEVE THE PROGRAM WAS MEETING DEMOGRAPHIC OR INTENDED GOALS.

I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT THE PROGRAM HAS ACTUALLY SERVED THE MAJORITY OF THE RECIPIENTS OF THE TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

>> HAVE GONE TO BLACK AND BROWN FAMILIES.

THERE HAS BEEN A MISREPRESENTATION IN DATA.

SO LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

>> CHICAGO JESUIT ACADEMY HAD OVER 130 STUDENTS ON THAT TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP IN THE PERIOD THAT THE PUBLISHED ONLY 10 STUDENTS WERE ON THE REGISTER OF THE STATE WHEN ACTUALITY OVER 130 STUDENTS, 100% BLACK STUDENTS WERE RECIPIENTS OF THE TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIPS.

SO WE'VE FIRSTHAND THE TIFFANY SCHOOL, 88 STUDENTS, 100% HISPANIC IDENTIFYING FAMILIES, THEIR FAMILIES AT SAINT FRANCIS OF ROME SCHOOL ARE ALMOST 70% OF THE STUDENT BODY ON THE TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP, 100%.

OUR HISPANIC IDENTIFYING FAMILIES, ALL OF THE RECIPIENTS ARE IMPOVERISHED FAMILIES.

ACCORDING THE SCALE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

REALLY?

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT ON WHAT FATHER KRON IS SAYING?

>> AM I GOING TO SAY ALSO, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC, IS NOT ONLY FOCUS FOR EXAMPLE, THINK HISPANIC POPULATION, BUT HOW MANY THOSE ARE ENGLISH LEARNERS AND IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS AT MEETING, THOSE NEEDS LIKE OPPOSED TO WHAT WE HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN NORTH DISTRICT 98, WHICH ALL OF THE SCHOOLS INCLUDE A MIDDLE SCHOOLS HAVE LANGUAGE PROGRAMS THAT CAN HELP KIDS TRANSITION, ESPECIALLY NEWCOMERS, JUST VISION OUR SYSTEM AS ENGLISH LEARNERS.

AND YOU KNOW, FOR THE MOTHER THAT SO HEAVY HEARTED TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE, NOT PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.

SO WHAT WE WHAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN IS THAT WE WILL GET EVEN MORE RESOURCES >> WERE FUNNELED AWAY FROM TO IMPROVE THESE PROGRAMS.

>> WELL, THE EVA SAYING THAT SHE'S HAVING A HARD TIME SEEING THOSE RESOURCES IN I DO WANT TO GO TO YOU.

PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THIS PROGRAM BRINGS MORE OPTIONS FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE CAN'T AFFORD THE HIGH PRICE OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

SHOULDN'T PARENTS HAVE A CHOICE?

IT'S GOOD THAT I DO WANT TO RESPOND TO SOMETHING THAT FATHER.

>> BRENDA NICELY DIDN'T SPEAK, TOO, WHICH IS THIS THAT THAT YOU JUST LAID OUT?

18% WERE BLACK STUDENTS.

THAT'S LESS THAN ONE IN 5.

THAT IS NOT MEETING THE PROMISE THAT THEY GAVE US IN THE BEGINNING.

>> AND THAT'S LET'S TALK MORE STAFF AND FUNDING, RIGHT?

BECAUSE FRANCIS WAS IS RECEIVING $60,000 FROM THIS BOUCHER SAINT OF THE LOW IS RECEIVING $130,000 1000 FROM THIS VOUCHER.

TO GIVE YOU A PERSPECTIVE OF SALARIES, ONE TEACHER FOR SAY FRONT SAINT FRANCIS EXCUSE ME AND 2 TEACHERS ARE SAYING BELOW WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?

BIG SHOULDERS FUND, ORGANIZATION THAT FATHER WORKS FOR PART OF THE SON, THE NETWORK FUNDS A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS.

I'M SURE THEY ALSO FUND SAME COW.

THEY HAVE GENERAL, NOT REVENUE.

63 MILLION DOLLARS.

WE SAID FROM THE GET-GO.

DONORS WANT DONATE TO THE SCHOOLS.

THEY CAN.

THEY CAN DO DIRECTLY.

THE THE HAVE TO END.

I HAVE A VERY PERSONAL CONDUCT IN CONNECTION TO A CATHOLIC SCHOOLS ACTUALLY GREW UP IN SAINT PIUS, THE VERY SAME CHURCH THAT FATHER BRENDAN TODD.

HE WAS MY PRIEST FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

YOU KNOW, EACH WE KNOW EACH OTHER VERY WELL.

MY BROTHERS WENT TO WENT TO CATHOLIC SCHOOL, WHICH IS TO BE THE COMPROMISE HERE.

IF THEY IF IF THERE'S A POSSIBILITY TO BRING INVESTING KIDS BACK.

WELL.

>> I DO WANT TO GET TO YOUR QUESTION, THOUGH, TO IS THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT SCHOLARSHIPS HAVE EXISTED FOR CATHOLIC SCHOOLS PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR VERY LONG TIME BEFORE THIS VOUCHER PROGRAM.

THEY CAN CONTINUE TO EXIST IF THEY WANTED THEY WANT TO FUND THEM.

THEY CAN CONTINUE TO FUND THEM.

THERE IS NO NO COMPROMISE AND BRINGING A PROGRAM LIKE THIS BACK BECAUSE THE SIPHONS AWAY MONEY FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT ARE COMMON DOUBLE TO THE PEOPLE WANT SO SO WHAT WE NEED TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT HILARIO I FIRST OF SO APPLIED NOW YOUR SOUTH.

>> BECAUSE EVA YOURSELVES, WE NEED TO MULTIPLY MORE ADVOCATES FOR QUALITY, RESOURCING AND EDUCATION.

WHAT YOU DO, I'M ALWAYS INSPIRED BY WILL YET LEE BEING INVOLVED IN YOUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.

TREMENDOUS, BUT WE NEED TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON SOME MYTHS AROUND HERE.

OKAY.

100 AND FORCING FRANCES OF ROME STUDENTS ARE IN THIS SCHOOL NOW ON THE TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THE STATE LEVEL, SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES REFUSED TO EVEN VOTE UP OR DOWN ON WHETHER THEY OR NOT.

THEY WANT TO CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM.

WHY DOES THAT MATTER?

BECAUSE IT FORCED THE HAND OF A CLOSURE ANNOUNCEMENT LAST WEEK AT SAINT FRANCIS OF ROME SCHOOL.

WHY?

>> BECAUSE THE TOTAL STUDENT BODIES, 170 STUDENTS, THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS, 104 ON TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP.

IT'S GOT WORSE.

ARE NOT VOUCHERS.

VOUCHER IS WHAT YOU HAVE IN WISCONSIN.

YOU TAKE A CHECK.

YOU HANDED TO THE SCHOOL OTHER.

THAT'S NOT AN FATHER.

WE HAVE TO GO.

BUT THANK YOU FOR THIS CONVERSATION.

THERE'S OBVIOUSLY STILL MORE TO TALK