On a Quest: An education reform success story in Peoria
On a Quest: An education reform success story in Peoria
Peoria Quest Charter Academy offers students a better choice.
Unchartered territory: Downstate and suburban families lack school alternatives
Unchartered territory: Downstate and suburban families lack school alternatives
The Problem Illinois has fallen behind its neighbors in offering alternatives to students outside major population centers. All children deserve the chance at a brighter future with schools that work best for them. Where choice in education is available, parents respond. Most downstate and suburban parents have few alternatives to their local public schools. A...
Playing Favorites Supplement
Playing Favorites Supplement
How will this affect your district? Currently, the state pays the “employer” portion of teacher pension normal costs. How would shifting this cost back to the true employer – school districts – affect local school budgets? “He’s essentially freezing our revenue and increasing our cost. It’s akin to tying the school districts’ hands and feet together...
Playing favorites: Education pension spending favors wealthy, suburban schools
Playing favorites: Education pension spending favors wealthy, suburban schools
The problem State education funding is designed to ensure a base amount of money is available to every student in Illinois. To that end, the state strives to send more money to poor districts and less money to districts with a healthy property tax base. But a bird’s eye view of Illinois education spending reveals...
Playing favorites: Education pension spending favors wealthy, suburban schools
Playing favorites: Education pension spending favors wealthy, suburban schools
The problem State education funding is designed to ensure a base amount of money is available to every student in Illinois. To that end, the state strives to send more money to poor districts and less money to districts with a healthy property tax base. But a bird’s eye view of Illinois education spending reveals...
More than 1,000 students rally for charter schools in Springfield
More than 1,000 students rally for charter schools in Springfield
by Michael Wille Last week, the Illinois Network of Charter Schools hosted its annual “Have Your Say Day” at the Capitol. More than 1,000 students from across Chicago boarded buses at Soldier Field and traveled to Springfield to rallyand meet with legislators. Their demands? Simple. Support HB 5225, which provides equal funding for charter schools across the...
It’s working in Wisconsin: Gov. Walker signs ed reform legislation
It’s working in Wisconsin: Gov. Walker signs ed reform legislation
by Michael Wille Yesterday, Gov. Scott Walker signed the “Read to Lead” legislation into law aimed at improving education for Wisconsin students. Starting in Kindergarten, children will now be tested on literacy to set a benchmark of their skills and better understand what interventions are required to ensure reading capabilities are strengthened by third grade. In addition...
State Rep. Monique Davis compares school closings to Nazi actions
State Rep. Monique Davis compares school closings to Nazi actions
During a contentious hearing on the Chicago school closings and turnarounds, Rep. Monique Davis compared actions of the CPS board to those during the "German whatever" (referring to the Nazi regime that closed Jewish businesses and schools in the 30s).
Illinois should wave goodbye to NCLB opt out
Illinois should wave goodbye to NCLB opt out
by Michael Wille Last month, Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan continued the White House talking point of “We Can’t Wait” when it comes to stalled Congressional action on education. Together with the president, he announced that waivers to the No Child Left Behind Act would be granted to ten different states. These waivers are...
CPS board votes to put students and taxpayers first
CPS board votes to put students and taxpayers first
by Michael Wille Following a contentious 7 hour hearing on Wednesday, the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to turn around 10 failing schools and close or phase out 7 others. These schools had been seriously under performing over the last 5 years even with increased financial support from the city and the state. Nevertheless,...
Hubris defined: Chicago teachers union wants 30% salary raises
Hubris defined: Chicago teachers union wants 30% salary raises
by Michael Wille In their opening round of teacher contract negotiations, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) has demanded reduced class sizes, higher taxes on the city’s richest residents and a whopping 30 percent salary increase with little accountability in return. Think about what they are calling for. At a time when 10.2 percent of Chicagoans are out...
School choice program reduces crime, saves taxpayers
School choice program reduces crime, saves taxpayers
A new study highlights the benefits of school choice programs outside the classroom. High-risk students who used vouchers were less likely to commit violent crimes. As a result, costs to society at large dramatically decreased.
Gov. Walker’s reforms are working
Gov. Walker’s reforms are working
by Michael Wille Earlier this year, the Wisconsin legislature passed the Budget Repair Act, a bill that, among other things, limits the collective bargaining rights of Wisconsin teachers. In the most contentious battle regarding public sector unions the state has ever seen, hundreds of thousands of people descended upon the statehouse to protest the actions...
Kotkin to Chicago: Look to New Orleans for School Reforms
Kotkin to Chicago: Look to New Orleans for School Reforms
by Michael Wille Joel Kotkin, an author and futurist, recently spoke at the Institute on what Illinois might look like in 2050. He had a number of insights on different areas of public policy, including a commentary on the reforms that have affected New Orleans’ public school system. Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in...