Get the latest news from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: New Chicago Public Schools policies may bar students from texting teachers, coaches — and vice versa
Students and workers at one of the country’s largest school systems may soon face strident new restrictions on how they interact via social media and mobile devices, according to new policies set for a Wednesday vote from the Chicago Board of Education.
Teachers would be prohibited from using their personal social media accounts to communicate with students, for example, and would also face new requirements governing their online behavior. Students would also be barred from calling or leaving voice messages on the mobile devices of staff members or adults who work in schools.
WTTW Chicago Tonight: CPS to Update Volunteer Policies in Wake of Sex Abuse Scandal
Chicago Public Schools officials this week are set to adopt new hiring and management policies for volunteer workers as the district continues sweeping changes after failing for years to properly protect students from sexual abuse and misconduct.
The Board of Education on Wednesday will vote on a new volunteer policy, updating its previous requirements passed more than four years ago, and adding new responsibilities for reviewing and supervising all volunteers.
Lake County News-Sun: State police are looking into credit card use of Lake County Board's Aaron Lawlor
The Illinois State Police will conduct the independent investigation into Lake County Board member Aaron Lawlor’s alleged use of a county credit card for personal purposes, State’s Attorney Michael Nerheim announced Tuesday.
“The Illinois State Police has just indicated that they will officially assume this investigation. During our initial discussions with ISP, they requested that their involvement in this case not be made public until they completed their internal process of formally accepting this investigation. That process has now concluded,” he said in a statement.
Northwest Herald: McHenry Township's process to fill vacant board seat draws criticism
The process unfolding in McHenry Township to fill a vacant trustee seat has the township supervisor and residents interested in taking the job accusing board members of orchestrating a backroom political deal to appoint their handpicked candidate.
At a special meeting Monday night, McHenry Township officials interviewed three candidates interested in filling former Trustee Bill Cunningham’s seat after he moved to Wisconsin.
Northwest Herald: Second 'fake news' attack at Algonquin Township Highway Department short-lived
A second message decrying the Northwest Herald as “fake news” appeared Tuesday on a government-owned sign planted outside the Algonquin Township Highway Department.
But the anti-media attack was short-lived.
Northwest Herald: Algonquin Township, its highway department could sort out senior bus service snafu
Officials in Algonquin Township and its highway department soon might come to an agreement about the future of the recycling and senior bus programs that Highway Commissioner Andrew Gasser announced he would abandon earlier this month.
As of Tuesday, recycling and bus services were ongoing, but it is unclear whether it will stay that way for long.
Daily Herald: Glen Ellyn District 89 seeking nearly $400 average property tax increase
Glen Ellyn Elementary District 89 will ask voters in November to approve its first operating tax rate increase in more than 30 years to relieve budget pressures from burgeoning school enrollment.
Board members say the revenue would put the district on firmer financial footing and stave off educational programming cuts.
Rockford Register-Star: Winnebago teachers set strike date
Teachers in the Winnebago School District say they’ll go on strike Sept. 10 unless they and the Winnebago School Board reach a tentative agreement on a new contract.
According to the Winnebago Education Association, union members voted almost unanimously Tuesday morning to authorize a strike.
Rockford Register-Star: Winnebago County proposes cutting deputies, adding correctional officers
Winnebago County leaders are recommending that the County Board give and take away from the Sheriff’s Department.
Ten sheriff’s deputies should be laid off, the number of correctional officers should go from 147 to 160 and the sheriff’s budget should increase by nearly $2.5 million to cover anticipated wage increases from union employees, county officials said during and after the Finance Committee meeting Tuesday night.
State Journal-Register: Springfield-area schools get more money in second year of new funding formula
Springfield schools will see nearly $890,000 in additional state funds this school year, the second under a revised school aid formula designed to channel state funds to districts that need it the most.
Riverton, Auburn, Chatham and Rochester schools also will see six-figure increases from the state this school year, according to numbers posted by the Illinois Board of Education.