Opinion
‘Watch out taxpayers’: Race-based funding bill filed in IllinoisOn Tuesday, July 30, 2024 I attended the press conference on higher education funding led by State Senator Kimberly Lightford and State Representative Carol Ammons. They introduced SB3965, a bill… Read More
Government
Cyber criminals increasingly target state and county governments(The Center Square) â Government agencies are facing a growing number of cyberattacks. The Center for Internet Security reported dramatic increases in both malware and ransomware attacks against government in… Read More
Public Education
School board president shares strategies handling ‘white parents’ at ‘white privilege’ conference(The Daily Signal) â An Illinois school board president gave a presentation at a âWhite Privilege Conferenceâ accusing âwhite parentsâ of stirring controversy against racial progress, according to documents obtained… Read More
Public Education
Absenteeism and academic struggles mar Illinois public school stats(The Center Square) â Illinois public schools are aiming to improve academic proficiency numbers in the 2024-2025 school year. According to the Illinois Board of Educationâs most recent Illinois Report… Read More
Politics
Public service campaign blasts Kamala Harrisâ electric vehicle agenda(The Center Square) â It is Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzkerâs lofty goal to have one million electric vehicles on Illinois roads in less than six years, and now a public service… Read More
Culture
Colleges prepare for students to return after spring protests(The Center Square) â DePaul University in Chicago is preparing to reopen its campus Quad before students return for fall classes. The Quad has been closed for about three months… Read More
Public Education
Illinois school districts seek sales tax dollars(The Center Square) â Illinoisans already face a high tax burden and now DeKalb County school districts are asking voters to raise sales taxes for schools. Sales taxes would go… Read More
Homeschools
Home educator offers options for parents who are unhappy with public schools(The Center Square) â As test scores continue to drop in Illinois’ public schools, a home educator in Chicago is encouraging parents to consider other options. Latasha Fields has been… Read More
Public Education
Spending up, test scores down as Chicago mayor rejects staffing cuts(The Center Square) â Mayor Brandon Johnson has refused to accept budget savings proposed by Chicago Public Schools administrators. CPS proposed a budget of $9.9 billion for 2025, with $149… Read More
Public Education
Illinois schools to receive taxpayer dollars for special education referrals(The Center Square) â A new law allows Illinois school districts to get reimbursed with taxpayer money for sending their troubled students to both public and private special education programs. Read More
Courts
Charter schools file lawsuit contesting Illinoisâ âunion neutralityâ clauseCharter schools are suing Illinois leaders over a new law requiring such schools to have âunion neutralityâ clauses. HB 1120, sponsored exclusively by Democrat legislators and… Read More
Public Education
Illinois school board spends $40K on restorative justice after teachers complain of student violenceIllinoisâ Springfield Public Schools (SPS) board voted unanimously on Monday to allocate $40,000 to train educators in ârestorativeâ practices amid a surge in violence, despite using… Read More
Government
Bill on governor’s desk raises concerns over Illinois courts’ jurisdiction for out-of-state birth certificate changes(The Center Square) â Illinois could soon allow transgender residents to change out-of-state birth certificates and IDs, if the governor signs a bill on his desk. House Bill 5507, which… Read More
Government
Critics question whether mandated relaxation will raise outcomes in Illinois schools(The Center Square) â The governor is expected to sign Senate Bill 2872, which mandates schools to provide relaxation activities for Illinois students. Opponents argue the students’ academic performance is… Read More
Culture
Feds planning mammoth electric line corridor through Kansas, Missouri, Illinois; are residents informed enough to oppose it?The Biden administration is taking public comments on a proposed five-mile-wide electric transmission corridor crossing half of Kansas and all of Missouri â but do residents even have enough information… Read More
Culture
Illinois seeks to expand âgender-affirming careâ national group says is harmful to kids(The Center Square) â An Illinois state agency is launching a statewide initiative it says âsupports and expands gender-affirming care,â but a national pediatric group says thatâs the wrong approach… Read More
Opinion
Op-ed: Chicago Mayor Johnson personifies the main problem of public educationChicago Mayor Brandon Johnson just demonstrated the primary problem with public education in 10 words. In an interview with The Economic Club of Chicago, Johnson was… Read More
Public Education
âAfter generations of failure,â Illinois Rep. Ford hoping to see Chicago Public Schools improve(The Center Square) â A new Public Agenda poll finds that most city residents don’t think Chicago Public Schools students are learning enough, with most of the blame tied to the… Read More
Government
Illinois House passes bill to addresses rise in AI-generated nude photos of students(The Center Square) â Illinois lawmakers are addressing a growing form of cyberbullying in schools involving artificial intelligence. The House passed House Bill 299 that would amend the Illinois… Read More
Government
Illinois legislators approve plan to assess mental health screenings in public schools(The Center Square) â Illinois public schools are one step closer to universal mental health screenings for students. The Illinois House passed Senate Bill 726 which directs the Illinois State… Read More