We admit students of any race, color, sex, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities in this school. Our School does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, or national and ethnic origin in administration of educational policies and school administered programs.
St. Michael School is operated under the auspices of the Catholic Bishops of Chicago, a corporation sole, in the Archdiocese of Chicago. We admit students of any race, color, sex, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities in this school. Our school does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, or national and ethnic origin in administration of educational policies and school administered programs.
St. Michael School is a parish-based Catholic School. St. Michael Parish believes that all families should have the option to choose Catholic Education for their children. Reflecting these beliefs, parish and school leadership, the St. Michael School Advisory Board and the Parish Finance Council strive to hold tuition at a rate that allows choice in education.
In August 2017, with bipartisan support, the House and Senate passed a comprehensive education funding bill that was signed into law by the governor. The law includes a provision for tax credit scholarships, which provide strong incentives for donors to support non-public school scholarships for low-income students in the state. Illinois students from low-income families may use these new scholarships to attend a non-public school of their choice.
This legislation represents a major step forward that will help create more equity in school funding throughout Illinois, and for the first time provide real school choice for students and their families.
Please review these Frequently Asked Questions that provide an overview of the scholarships, including important information for donors and scholarship-eligible families. The Frequently Asked Questions are available as a downloadable document in English, Mandarin/Chinese, Polish, and Spanish.
Tax credit scholarships provide an Illinois state income tax credit (not just a deduction, like with other charitable contributions) to individuals and corporations that contribute money to a non-profit Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO). That SGO then awards scholarships to eligible students from low-income families.
A Scholarship Granting Organization (SGO) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is responsible for the following, among other things:
• Receiving donations from individuals and corporations;
• Receiving and processing scholarship applications from students/families; and
• Distributing scholarships to eligible students/families in accordance with the law.
SGOs must determine whether students meet the income eligibility requirements to receive a scholarship and must distribute scholarships to eligible students on a first-come, first-serve basis. SGOs must honor restrictions placed on donations from individuals, if any.
Donors may make contributions and families can apply for scholarships beginning January 1, 2018. The initial scholarships will apply to the 2018/19 school year, and the program will continue for at least five years (based on the current law).
Students from families with limited financial resources are eligible to receive a tax credit scholarship.
To be considered for a scholarship, students must be from a household with income below 300 percent of the federal poverty level ($73,800 for family of four).
However, prior to April 1, 2018 priority will be given to:
Beginning in 2019, priority will also be given to renewals of previous year scholarship recipients.
See the side panel for more information on scholarship eligibility.
Scholarships are available for eligible students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
Focus districts are public school districts which have a school that: (1) has one or more subgroups in which the average student performance is at or below the state average for the lowest 10 percent of student performance in that subgroup or (2) has an average graduation rate of less than 60 percent and has not been identified for priority. A list of focus districts in Lake and Cook Counties can be found here.
Through the “Invest in Kids Act,” Illinois low-income students enrolled in private schools will have access to new scholarships. The scholarships offered through this program could cover up to 100 percent of tuition and eligible fees for next school year.
Before April 1, 2018, scholarships will first be given to:
Students from households who fit the description in Chart 1 below.
Students who reside in a “focus district,” which are public school districts that do not meet certain performance standards (read more about this on the FAQ page).
Siblings of scholarship students.
Chart 1: You could receive 100 percent of tuition and eligible fees if you fit the following:
Chart 2: You could receive 75 percent of tuition and eligible fees if you fit the following:
Chart 3: You could receive 50 percent of tuition and eligible fees if you fit the following:
Note: If more than eight people live in your home, add $4,160 to the total household income per year for each additional person.