illinois
Public Education
Legislation advances mandating Illinois schools teach sex ed in all grades

(The Center Square) – The battle over whether Illinois schools should adopt the National Sex Education Standards continues. Legislation in Springfield would mandate the standards for schools. Currently, school… Read More

January 9, 2023
Legislation
Chicago Public Schools holds students hostage by trapping them in a broken system

If public education in Chicago wasn’t already bad enough, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) is now holding some students hostage – by trying to get rid of a school… Read More

January 5, 2023
Culture, Public Education
States resort to desperate measures to make up for pandemic learning loss

(Daily Caller) – State leaders are implementing new ways to boost their students’ academic scores after recent reports found that national averages plummeted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More

January 3, 2023
Legislation
Several new Illinois laws affect the education system

(The Center Square) – A host of new laws go into effect in 2023 that will affect education in Illinois. In the wake of school shootings across the country, there… Read More

January 2, 2023
Public Education
Candidates for Illinois school boards begin filing nominating petitions

(The Center Square) – Those who aspire to help govern their local school district in Illinois may now file nominating petitions. Nearly 6,000 men and women serve on school… Read More

December 14, 2022
Public Education
Teachers are fleeing partisan unions that some say undermine public education

Teachers are fleeing unions in droves, citing the political partisanship of the organizations that charge $750 to $900 a year in membership fees. The National… Read More

December 12, 2022
Public Education
Study shows a year-round school calendar has no academic benefit

(The Center Square) – Dozens of Illinois schools have gone to a year-round calendar, but a study suggests there are drawbacks. Year-round school is not a new idea. The idea… Read More

December 5, 2022
Public Education
Some question Ayala’s legacy as Illinois’ education superintendent sets retirement date

(The Center Square) – The outgoing Illinois state superintendent of education’s legacy is being remembered in different ways. Friday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office announced Illinois State Superintendent of Education Carmen Ayala’s… Read More

November 22, 2022
Legislation
Illinois parents push to extend statewide school choice program

(The Center Square) – Parents of students from across the state involved with the state’s Invest In Kids school choice pilot program are lobbying Illinois lawmakers to make it permanent. Read More

November 17, 2022
Culture, Public Education
Bailey demands apology from Pritzker over COVID school closures

(The Center Square) – In the final days of the campaign for Illinois governor, the major party candidates are taking jabs at each other for closing schools during the pandemic. Read More

November 7, 2022
Public Education
Educators and bus drivers among 132,000 Illinois public employees with six-figure salaries

(The Center Square) – An audit of Illinois public employee salaries and pensions found a staggering number of employees were in the six-figure club. The nonprofit government watchdog organization … Read More

November 3, 2022
Public Education
Back in the classroom after suffering from pandemic policies, children with special needs still struggling

(The Center Square) – Illinois schools continue to cope with the effects of the school shutdowns during the pandemic. Recent studies have shown that remote learning and school closures… Read More

November 1, 2022
Legislation
School choice supporters look to connect more donors to Illinois families for scholarship program

(The Center Square) – Supporters of the Illinois Invest In Kids scholarship program may be looking to make the program more accessible to families and donors alike. The program allows… Read More

October 21, 2022
Culture
‘Gender affirming care’ on minors finds support, opposition among Illinois’ elected officials

(The Center Square) – Illinois’ elected officials are offering different views on the future of gender-affirming health care in Illinois. Gender-affirming care, as defined by the World Health Organization, encompasses… Read More

October 14, 2022
Public Education
Parents’ rights group alarmed school librarian promoted book containing sexually graphic content

(The Center Square) – A parents’ rights group is raising the alarm after a Springfield school librarian’s promotion of a controversial book was highlighted by a Twitter feed with 1.4… Read More

October 6, 2022
Culture
Despite Biden saying ‘pandemic is over,’ Pritzker reissues executive orders, though rules relaxed for K-12 staff

(The Center Square) – While the President of the United States says the pandemic is over, Gov. J.B. Pritzker continues his COVID-19 executive orders, though they continue to unwind. President… Read More

September 20, 2022
Public Education
Illinois’ Amendment 1 would be costly and give too much power to unions, including the Chicago Teachers Union, critics argue

(The Center Square) – Amendment 1 on the November ballot is being promoted by unions in Illinois. Supporters say the measure will protect workers’ rights. Opponents say it will further… Read More

September 13, 2022
Public Education
Chicago Public Schools facing lower enrollment but more teachers

(The Center Square) – A new report shows a decade-long problem of low test scores and enrollment decline for Chicago Public Schools. The report was done by the Illinois… Read More

August 23, 2022
Public Education
Study: teacher benefits causing education spending to go up despite falling enrollments

(The Center Square) – A new study shows inflation-adjusted per-pupil K-12 school revenues in Illinois grew by 55% between 2002 and 2020 while enrollment numbers decreased. The rise in overall… Read More

August 23, 2022
Public Education
Illinois school districts trying to help students catch up after remote learning loss

(The Center Square) – Illinois school districts are in catch-up mode after the COVID-19 pandemic set back the development of many students. During Wednesday’s Illinois State Board of Education… Read More

August 18, 2022