A Moral Call for School Choice

In an op-ed published by the Virginian-Pilot, Bishop Corey Person and Rev. Joshua C. Robertson, pastors from Illinois and Pennsylvania, urge governors to prioritize school choice for vulnerable families. They highlight alarming statistics from the 2024 Nation's Report Card: in Philadelphia, only 11% of Black fourth graders are proficient in reading and 9% in math; in Chicago, Black eighth graders fare little better. The pastors argue these numbers are "warnings" about futures lost, not just test scores.

The pastors call on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, both seen as potential presidential contenders, to act. They point to Illinois' Invest in Kids program, a tax-credit scholarship that helped low-income students afford private schools but was allowed to expire in 2023, and Shapiro's veto of Lifeline Scholarships legislation in 2023 as missed opportunities.

Governors' Divergent Paths

At Illinois' State Fair events in August, Gov. Pritzker and his Republican challenger Darren Bailey presented starkly different visions for education. Pritzker boasted about increased funding and improved test scores, citing a fifth-in-the-nation ranking for K-12 education and the highest high school graduation rate in state history. Bailey countered that education improves with less government interference, saying, "Let local communities, let parents decide how they want their children educated. Get the government out."

The debate extends to funding. The Evidence-Based Funding model, signed into law by then-Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2017, aimed to bring all districts to adequacy by the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024. Since then, annual state funding has increased by more than $3 billion, with most going to the most underfunded districts. Yet, more than two-thirds of districts remain underfunded, and the adequacy gap has grown to $6.8 billion. Capitol News Illinois reported in July that property tax rates in the poorest districts are twice as high as those in the wealthiest.

Test Scores Under Scrutiny

Bailey claimed that 70% of children cannot read, write, or do math at grade level, but state data from the 2025 Report Card show 47.6% of Illinois students below proficiency in English Language Arts and 61.6% in math. At Chicago Public Schools, the figures are 58% and 73%, respectively. However, the 2025 scores were the first under a new scoring system with lowered cut scores, which complicates comparisons.

Bailey argued that funding is not the issue and advocated for less government involvement. Meanwhile, Aaron Del Mar suggested Illinois should opt into a federal tax credit program for private school scholarships, similar to the expired Invest in Kids.

The campaign rhetoric has been sharp. The Pritzker campaign criticized Bailey for founding Full Armor Christian Academy, which teaches creationism and uses Bob Jones University Press textbooks. Bailey, in turn, accused Pritzker of reckless rhetoric after a threat to the school, with Illinois State Police assisting in the investigation.

Perspectives

Gov. JB Pritzker (Democrat): Emphasizes increased funding and improved test scores, arguing that more resources are key to education reform.

Darren Bailey (Republican): Advocates for less government interference and more local control, questioning the effectiveness of increased funding.

Bishop Corey Person and Rev. Joshua C. Robertson (Pastors): Urge governors to support school choice scholarships as a lifeline for Black and brown families trapped by ZIP code and income.

Aaron Del Mar (GOP candidate): Proposes federal tax credit for private school scholarships, reviving school choice options.