Lawmaker criticizes $500 student board scholarships amid lowered K‑12 standards

Published August 19, 2025 12:05pm ET



(The Center Square) – Illinois student leaders serving on state higher education boards will now receive $500-per-semester scholarships under a recently signed law championed by Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria.

State Rep. Paul Jacobs, R-Pomona, who serves on the higher education appropriations committee, says recently signed Senate Bill 1475 is another unnecessary expense for taxpayers at a time when the state faces far greater challenges.

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