Stacy Davis Gates nurtures her child’s dream at private school, but wants it crushed for yours
Stacy Davis Gates nurtures her child’s dream at private school, but wants it crushed for yours
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates has chosen to let her son “live out his dream” by putting him in private school, yet she and CTU have a long history of pushing the Illinois General Assembly to deny the same choice to other families.
By Mailee Smith
Chicago Public Schools get over $1.9B more since school choice program began
Chicago Public Schools get over $1.9B more since school choice program began
Chicago Public Schools has received about $1.93 billion in additional state and local funding since the 2018-19 school year, when the Invest in Kids scholarship tax-credit program awarded its first scholarships to low-income students to attend the schools of their choice.
By Hannah Schmid
Vallas: ‘Social promotion,’ grade inflation destroying achievement, accountability in schools
Vallas: ‘Social promotion,’ grade inflation destroying achievement, accountability in schools
Higher grades are being awarded for less achievement in our schools, which helps hide our students’ struggles since the pandemic. Combine that with teachers unions pushing for fewer accountability measures, and the needed push for academic excellence withers.
By Paul Vallas
Illinois public schools funding up almost $2B since school choice program began
Illinois public schools funding up almost $2B since school choice program began
Public education has received about $1.98 billion in additional funding since the 2018-19 school year when the Invest in Kids scholarship tax-credit program awarded its first scholarships to low-income students to attend the schools of their choice.
By Hannah Schmid
Stacy Davis Gates: ‘unfair choice’ leads to private school for her child
Stacy Davis Gates: ‘unfair choice’ leads to private school for her child
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates said her child is in private school because the public schools lack resources. So why would she want to force low-income families into those schools?
By Dylan Sharkey
Vallas: Fact check on Stacy Davis Gates’ rationalization for fighting, exercising school choice
Vallas: Fact check on Stacy Davis Gates’ rationalization for fighting, exercising school choice
Stacy Davis Gates conveniently ignores she and other union bosses actively work to deny poor parents the same educational choices they themselves enjoy. While Davis Gates bemoans “unfair choices” for South Side and West Side parents, she fails to acknowledge CTU leadership is primarily responsible for these disparities.
By Paul Vallas
George Kokuro
George Kokuro
“I want lawmakers to know that some people out here don’t have enough money to better themselves, so they depend on people like Empower Illinois."
Vallas: School choice and the hypocrisy of Chicago Teachers Union leaders
Vallas: School choice and the hypocrisy of Chicago Teachers Union leaders
According to the Chicago Teachers Union leadership, supporters of school choice for poor children are fascists and racists. What does it say when four out of 10 CTU teachers send their children to private schools, including CTU President Stacy Davis Gates?
By Paul Vallas
Vallas: Chicago Teachers Union out to destroy superior performance of charter schools
Vallas: Chicago Teachers Union out to destroy superior performance of charter schools
Charter schools give low-income and minority students a better shot at success. So why is the Chicago Teachers Union trying to hurt charter schools’ better academic performance at lower cost?
By Paul Vallas
Midwest states expand school choice while Illinois fights to save scholarships for low-income students
Midwest states expand school choice while Illinois fights to save scholarships for low-income students
Five Midwest states have enacted or expanded school choice programs since the Invest in Kids Act was enacted in 2017. Now Illinois’ scholarships are set to expire while other programs thrive.
By Hannah Schmid
Back to school in Chicago Public Schools
Back to school in Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools students return to class Aug. 21. Take a look at the state of district proficiency, building utilization, enrollment, student-teacher ratios, absenteeism and finances.
By Hannah Schmid
Illinois teachers unions have threatened to strike 188 times since 2010
Illinois teachers unions have threatened to strike 188 times since 2010
Illinois public school students are at a severe disadvantage. Educational unions here can strike, keeping kids out of school, but that’s not the case in other big cities or neighboring states.
By Mailee Smith
Rena Garrett
Rena Garrett
“If it weren’t for the scholarship, he probably would have been home taught. Public school was just not an option for him.”
Pritzker signs charter neutrality bill, Chicago Teachers Union fights to weaken charter schools
Pritzker signs charter neutrality bill, Chicago Teachers Union fights to weaken charter schools
Contracts at 35 Chicago charter schools represented by the Chicago Teachers Union are up for negotiations this year. CTU, with the help of Gov. J.B. Pritzker and House Bill 1120, is positioning itself to grow its power by diminishing charter schools as an alternative for parents and students.
By Hannah Schmid