DeWitt County Board votes to place advisory education-funding question on March ballot

The DeWitt County Board voted to place a nonbinding advisory question on the March 17, 2026 General Primary ballot asking whether Illinois should opt into a federal program allowing privately donated funds for students' academic needs, including tutoring, test preparation and therapies for students with disabilities. The motion, moved by Chairman Witte and seconded by Tilley, carried with all members voting aye.

The ballot question approved by the board reads in full: "Should Illinois opt into a federal program that would provide Public K-12, private school, and homeschool students with privately-donated funds for academic needs, such as tutoring and test preparation, educational therapies for students with disabilities, tuition, books, exam fees or for other specified academic needs?" Board members did not attach a fiscal estimate or an implementation plan to the advisory resolution; it is a nonbinding public opinion question that will appear on the March primary ballot for DeWitt County voters. The resolution was placed on the ballot by the board under a single recorded motion and vote; no recorded abstentions or nays were noted for this item.

The advisory question does not itself change county policy or law. It directs election officials to include the question on the March 17 ballot so county voters can express a view; any state-level decision to "opt in" to a federal program would require separate action by state officials. The board did not publish an explanatory statement or staff analysis with the resolution at the time of the vote.