Illinois state lawmakers recently approved a rule requiring Illinois teacher training programs to adopt ‘culturally responsive teaching and leading’ standards. Critics say a political litmus test is the wrong focus when students are underachieving on the basics.
A bill in the Illinois House would work to consolidate administration of Illinois’ schools without closing schools. The move would put more money in classrooms and take less from property taxpayers.
“This is the first time in the history of teachers’ strikes that parents across the city are uniting to speak against the union. There were ‘return to school’ rallies in both the Englewood neighborhood, and on the North Side.”
“E-learning does not work for everybody, and one size does not fit all. My children are not doing well in school.”
The Illinois General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules will vote Feb. 16 on whether to suspend a rule that would require Illinois teacher training programs to adopt ‘culturally responsive teaching and leading’ standards.
Illinois students are returning to school, but some unions are scaring teachers about their safety in the classroom. The science doesn’t support those fears, and the law may put teachers at odds with union demands.
Illinois educators may face controversial rules encouraging teachers to review their biases and privilege, accept multiple views as correct and encourage student activism.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker should set the expectation that Illinois schools will welcome students back to campus full-time for the 2020-2021 school year.
The Illinois Policy Institute has created Building Better Schools: A pro-student, pro-community guide for Illinois school boards, which provides policies in five key areas to assist school board members ensure the best educational and financial outcomes in their districts.
Illinois’ fiscal year 2021 budget is larger than 2020’s, yet spending on education lost ground without an adjustment for inflation.
COVID-19 has forced classes to close, but children’s educations can continue with some creativity and a wealth of free resources for online learning at home.
Illinois could put $708 million more toward classrooms or property tax relief if it reduced school district bureaucracy to national average.
Illinoisans pay large sums for public education, yet a large portion of the money goes to Illinois’ bloated school district bureaucracy that diverts resources away from the classroom. Through smart, strategic reforms, Illinoisans can better prepare their youth for the future as well as provide property tax relief.
Lowering the compulsory age to attend school from 6 to 5 would tie Illinois for the lowest compulsory attendance age in the nation.