Nearly 5,500 students who received scholarships last year through Illinois’ taxpayer-funded private school scholarship program will have to apply again as the program enters its second year, program officials said.
The Empower Illinois program began accepting applications Tuesday, The Rockford Register Star reported . Priority will be given to students from families living on less than $45,510, which amounts to 185 percent of the federal poverty level, those living in poorly performing school districts, students who have siblings already in the program and kids who received scholarships last year — although they are not guaranteed to receive continued funding.
The program aims to assist low-income families by offering scholarships that cover 50 percent to 100 percent of the cost of sending a child to private school.
