Culture, Public Education
Parentsâ rights group rallies outside Illinois State Capitol, criticized new sex ed standards(The Center Square) â As schools across the state begin this week, a parentsâ rights group rallied outside the Illinois statehouse Tuesday to call attention to issues they say are hurting… Read More
Public Education
Some Illinois school districts facing bus driver shortages(The Center Square) â The school bus driver shortage that was prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic is still affecting some Illinois school districts with higher costs covered by taxpayers. Read More
Culture, Public Education
Motions to dismiss challenges to COVID-19 school mandates under advisement(The Center Square) â As schools prepare to start a new year, whether the case challenging broad COVID-19 mandates on schools is dismissed is still up in the air. Earlier… Read More
Public Education
Most Illinois schools opt out of new sex education standards that critics say are age-inappropriate(The Center Square) â With the new school year upon us, it is more apparent that many school officials and parents in Illinois want no part of new standards of teaching… Read More
Public Education
As Illinois adds teachers and sheds students, is there really a teacher shortage?(The Center Square) â Illinois schools employed more teachers in 2021 than it had at any point over the past decade while student enrollment declined over the same period. Despite… Read More
Culture, Public Education
Majority of Illinois schools opt out of National Sex Ed Standards(The Center Square) â Opposition is growing from parents, religious groups and Republican lawmakers on sex education standards for Illinois schools. Gov. J.B. Pritzker said when signing the legislation into… Read More
Culture, Public Education
Some worry a repeat of COVID-mandate âchaosâ could start Illinoisâ school year(The Center Square) â Some K-12 school districts start back up for the new school year in as little as a month. Some worry there could be a repeat of… Read More
Culture, Public Education
Vaccine mandates remain for K-12 staff, not higher ed staff and students, as Pritzker looks to ‘resume normal operations’(The Center Square) â Gov. J.B. Pritzker has modified his COVID-19 executive orders âto ensure governments are resuming normal operations.â The move relaxes the vaccine or testing mandates in some… Read More
Legislation
Three bills impacting Illinois higher education now law(The Center Square) â Three different bills looking to address issues within the state’s higher education system are now law. Gov J.B. Pritzker signed the bills into law last month. Read More
Public Education
Illinois parentsâ rights group urges parents to opt children out of controversial sex ed(The Center Square) â An Illinois parentsâ rights group is advocating for parents to opt their children out of controversial sex ed courses. Awake Illinois founder Shannon Adcock said with… Read More
Legislation
SCOTUS nonpublic school funding ruling a victory for Illinois school choice advocates(The Center Square) â Opponents of school choice in Illinois who say extending public funding to religious schools would be a violation of the separation of church and state… Read More
Public Education
Leaked social media posts show how Chicago Teachers Union leaders smuggled woke ideology into school lessonsSocial media posts by Chicago Teachers Union members and executives describe how they covertly insert far-left woke indoctrination into their lessons.  The alarming Facebook posts in… Read More
Legislation
Illinoisâ Invest In Kids school choice program, set to expire in 2023, enhanced under new law(The Center Square) â Illinoisâ public schools are not performing well, but the state does have a program in place that gives some families a choice. The latest Illinois public… Read More
Public Education
New law expands career and technical education in Illinois schools(The Center Square) â The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association is applauding a new law that allows students to be introduced to technical education at an earlier age. The law expands… Read More
Public Education
Race-based grading in this Chicago-area school? News report says yes, school says noA Chicago-area high school is being accused of planning to no longer penalize studentsâ grades for missed assignments and classes, or for bad behavior, in order to eliminate what… Read More
Public Education
Measures impacting education, driving and public safety retirement now law(The Center Square) â Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed 35 bills Friday, including measures impacting education, driving and public safety retirement. Beginning Jan. 1, certain members of law enforcement can retire… Read More
Public Education
New law borrows $1 billion to extend pension buyout option for Illinois state employees, including educators(The Center Square) â Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law Thursday a measure that borrows $1 billion to extend the existing pension buyout program for Illinois state employees for… Read More
Public Education
With measures to attract, retain teachers approved, some see other problematic policies(The Center Square) â With the governor enacting measures to attract and retain teachers, critics say other policies are keeping teachers away. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, legislators and education professionals took… Read More
Public Education
GOP candidates for Illinois governor discuss crime, COVID, education during forum(The Center Square) â Crime, COVID-19 policies, education and more were the focus of the first Illinois gubernatorial debate among Republican candidates. There was also attention paid to an empty… Read More
Public Education
Schools must report alleged teacher sexual misconduct starting July 2023(The Center Square) â In a little over a year, school superintendents must begin notifying school boards and parents if any sexual misconduct happens in their districts. Read More