illinois
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
Culture, Public Education
Parents’ rights group rallies outside Illinois State Capitol, criticized new sex ed standards

(The Center Square) – As schools across the state begin this week, a parents’ rights group rallied outside the Illinois statehouse Tuesday to call attention to issues they say are hurting… Read More

August 17, 2022
Public Education
Some Illinois school districts facing bus driver shortages

(The Center Square) – 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

August 16, 2022
Culture, Public Education
Motions to dismiss challenges to COVID-19 school mandates under advisement

(The Center Square) – 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

August 12, 2022
Public Education
Most Illinois schools opt out of new sex education standards that critics say are age-inappropriate

(The Center Square) – 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

August 11, 2022
Public Education
As Illinois adds teachers and sheds students, is there really a teacher shortage?

(The Center Square) – 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

August 10, 2022
Culture, Public Education
Majority of Illinois schools opt out of National Sex Ed Standards

(The Center Square) – 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

July 25, 2022
Culture, Public Education
Some worry a repeat of COVID-mandate ‘chaos’ could start Illinois’ school year

(The Center Square) – 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

July 20, 2022
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) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker has modified his COVID-19 executive orders “to ensure governments are resuming normal operations.” The move relaxes the vaccine or testing mandates in some… Read More

July 14, 2022
Government
Three bills impacting Illinois higher education now law

(The Center Square) – 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

July 12, 2022
Public Education
Illinois parents’ rights group urges parents to opt children out of controversial sex ed

(The Center Square) – An Illinois parents’ 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

July 12, 2022
Government
SCOTUS nonpublic school funding ruling a victory for Illinois school choice advocates

(The Center Square) – 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

June 28, 2022
Public Education
Leaked social media posts show how Chicago Teachers Union leaders smuggled woke ideology into school lessons

Social 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

June 23, 2022
Government
Illinois’ Invest In Kids school choice program, set to expire in 2023, enhanced under new law

(The Center Square) – Illinois’ 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

June 15, 2022
Public Education
New law expands career and technical education in Illinois schools

(The Center Square) – 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

June 3, 2022
Public Education
Race-based grading in this Chicago-area school? News report says yes, school says no

A Chicago-area high school is being accused of planning to no longer penalize students’ grades for missed assignments and classes, or for bad behavior, in order to eliminate what… Read More

May 31, 2022
Public Education
Measures impacting education, driving and public safety retirement now law

(The Center Square) – 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

May 9, 2022