Chicago Digital Learning Symposium
Chicago Digital Learning Symposium
Illinois Policy Institute, in partnership with the Union League Club of Chicago and its Public Affairs Committee, is hosting the Digital Learning Symposium in Chicago.
Union attempts to take over charter schools
Union attempts to take over charter schools
If you can't beat them, join them.
Setting the record straight on the virtual school moratorium bill
Setting the record straight on the virtual school moratorium bill
Early last week, members of the Illinois House Education Committee voted to allow an amendment to House Bill 494, which aims to establish a three-year moratorium on virtual schools in Illinois, to go to the House floor.
Teachers should not be evaluated by principals
Teachers should not be evaluated by principals
Making sure we identify poor teachers and have them exit the teaching profession should be of the utmost importance. This is because teachers, by far, have the single biggest impact on student success.
New bill aims to put 3-year moratorium on digital schools
New bill aims to put 3-year moratorium on digital schools
A recent amendment to House Bill 494 is aiming to establish a three-year moratorium on virtual schools in Illinois. The amendment was introduced by state Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora, who represents one of the districts that would under the charter.
Charter school waiting lists: the other side of the story
Charter school waiting lists: the other side of the story
WBEZ in Chicago has published one of the more incomplete stories on charter schools Ive read in a long time. It asserts: Charter advocates and even the Chicago Tribune editorial board say 19,000 kids are on charter school waiting lists in the city.
Illinois districts with property tax caps reap extra education dollars
Illinois districts with property tax caps reap extra education dollars
Back-door school subsidies
Khan Academy launches classroom pilot program in Idaho
Khan Academy launches classroom pilot program in Idaho
More than 10,000 students across Idaho will be using Khan Academy, the successful Internet education organization, in their classroom this coming school year. Khan Academy’s videos – which span a variety of subjects, from Renaissance art to game theory – have allowed many teachers to “flip” classrooms by letting students to listen to lectures at home and work on homework...
Fox River Valley students could soon take part in virtual classroom
Fox River Valley students could soon take part in virtual classroom
A new multidistrict virtual school could be coming to the Fox River Valley. K12, one of the largest online learning companies in the country, is currently traveling across Illinois in the hope of getting 18 school districts to approve its charter. The company already runs a number of online schools nationally. In Illinois, it oversees the Chicago...
CPS to switch to per-student funding
CPS to switch to per-student funding
Chicago Public Schools, or CPS, announced recently that it will make a shift next fiscal year to a funding system that gives schools a certain amount of money per student instead of per position as it currently does. Catalyst Chicago, a local independent news magazine devoted to education, explains why CPS made the change: “CPS officials hailed...
Illinois Senate Republicans rebut Madigan’s ‘free lunch’ claim
Illinois Senate Republicans rebut Madigan’s ‘free lunch’ claim
In response to Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s claims that downstate school districts are getting a “free lunch” when it comes to teachers’ pensions, Illinois Senate Republicans released a newreport Tuesday outlining the disproportionate share of education funding Chicago receives. Here’s its main point: The net result of [school funding in Illinois] is a significant budget...
Business tax credit offers more options for school choice
Business tax credit offers more options for school choice
A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about how Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, introduced a bill that would give tax credits to corporations if they donate to nonprofit organizations that provide scholarships to students in low-income families for private school tuition. Now, state Rep. Michael Connelly, R-Wheaton, has introduced a parallel bill in the Illinois General Assembly....
Quinn’s proposed education budget cuts miss the mark
Quinn’s proposed education budget cuts miss the mark
With this year’s budget speech just a day away, details of Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s plans to deal with the state’s financial problems are slowly leaking to the press. According to reports, the governor will call for a $400 million cut to the portion of K-12 education budget that is spent on students. But, don’t be...
Survey shows Chicago parents want change in the citys education system
Survey shows Chicago parents want change in the citys education system
Chicagoans are ready for education reform.