Spend $93K per student and what happens? None can read at grade level.
Spend $93K per student and what happens? None can read at grade level.
Not a single 11th-grade student was proficient in reading or math in 2023-2024 at Douglass Academy High School. The near-empty school has the highest per-student spending in Chicago Public Schools.
By Hannah Schmid
Felon Madigan should repay taxpayers nearly $600K for public pension
Felon Madigan should repay taxpayers nearly $600K for public pension
Former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan was convicted of misusing his public office for his own power and profit. Not only should his public pension be halted, he should repay the nearly $600,000 taxpayers already paid the felon.
No Illinois teacher strikes in 2024, but will Chicago Teachers Union strike in 2025?
No Illinois teacher strikes in 2024, but will Chicago Teachers Union strike in 2025?
After going on strike 63 times in the previous 13 years, Illinois teachers unions gave families a break and didn’t walk out on students in 2024. But the Chicago Teachers Union may change that soon.
By Mailee Smith
Madigan is latest as Illinois averages 1 corruption conviction a week – for 40 years
Madigan is latest as Illinois averages 1 corruption conviction a week – for 40 years
Corruption in Illinois is on a weekly basis. The state averaged more than one corruption conviction per week from 1983-2023, which marked the start of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s leadership.
By Dylan Sharkey
Former Illinois House Speaker Madigan guilty of bribery, conspiracy, wire fraud
Former Illinois House Speaker Madigan guilty of bribery, conspiracy, wire fraud
Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was convicted of using his office to run an illegal enterprise. Madigan was the longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history.
By Dylan Sharkey
Jaurice Winston
Jaurice Winston
“I’m from the West Side of Chicago, the Austin area to be specific. There were lots of summer programs in my area and the one I signed up for was run by the Male Mogul Initiative. I had no idea what it was or what it was going to do for me.” “Everything I learned...
Greater Chicago hit hard as Illinois sees 2,342 mass layoffs in January
Greater Chicago hit hard as Illinois sees 2,342 mass layoffs in January
Illinois companies announced 2,342 mass layoffs in January 2025, according to state reports. More than 9-in-10 job cuts impacted Cook and the collar counties.
By Patrick Andriesen, Jon Josko
Vallas: Illinois’ woes say more about Pritzker, Johnson than Trump
Vallas: Illinois’ woes say more about Pritzker, Johnson than Trump
Illinois leaders have built a legacy of massive government spending deficits, extortionate taxes, marauding criminals and failing schools. Instead of Trump-proofing Illinois, maybe we need to Pritzker- and Johnson-proof it.
By Paul Vallas
Nearly 10,000 ideas for Illinois laws. Just 44 came with price tags.
Nearly 10,000 ideas for Illinois laws. Just 44 came with price tags.
Almost 10,000 bills were filed in the 103rd Illinois General Assembly that just ended. Of those, only 44 calculated how much the proposals would cost taxpayers.
By Joe Tabor, Lilly Rossi
Illinois lawmakers plan to short pensions by $5.1B in July
Illinois lawmakers plan to short pensions by $5.1B in July
Illinois’ five state-run retirement systems need $16.8 billion in funding for the coming fiscal year, but state lawmakers only plan to pay $11.7 billion. That’s $5.1 billion less than needed for plans already approaching insolvency.
By Bryce Hill
Unfunded mandates keep property taxes high
Unfunded mandates keep property taxes high
When local governments must comply with a new state law, it often increases costs. Those costs are passed on to the taxpayer.
By Joe Tabor