The Policy Shop

A weekly podcast tackling Illinois' most important issues.

The Policy Shop: How to fix Illinois public schools’ falling test scores

This edition of The Policy Shop comes to you from Policy Analyst Hannah Max. Thousands of high schoolers are gearing up to take the SAT next month. Year after year, SAT scores have dropped for high school students in Illinois and Chicago. The first year Illinois used the SAT rather than the ACT to measure...

The Policy Shop: How to stop Illinois from going broke

This week’s Policy Shop is by Director of Fiscal and Economic Research Bryce Hill It’s Wednesday morning. It’s March, but it’s still cold. Naturally, you’ve opened your inbox to find something to brighten your day. And, boy, do I have what you’re looking for. … an analysis of the state budget. Hang on. Before you...

The Policy Shop: What do Chicago voters want?

This edition of The Policy Shop is by Amy Korte, executive vice president of the Illinois Policy Institute. Happy Election Day, Chicagoans. (And happy Tuesday to everyone else.) We’re bumping up our send date by a day because by tomorrow we’ll likely know who made the Chicago mayoral runoff, and we want to give you...

The Policy Shop: The Chicago Teachers Union’s political empire

This week’s The Policy Shop is by Mailee Smith, staff attorney and senior director of labor policy at the Illinois Policy Institute How to build a political machine: If our students can learn anything from the Chicago Teachers Union, it is how to use money and influence over time to amass power. The upcoming Chicago mayoral...

The Policy Shop: Chicago’s pension crisis is a ticking time bob

This week’s The Policy Shop is by Bryce Hill, director of fiscal and economic research at the Illinois Policy Institute. Whether Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot wins re-election or one of her eight challengers unseats her, the next mayor has a lot of work to do. What do Chicagoans want from the next mayor? Crime is...

The Policy Shop: Illinois 1 of 8 states still under COVID-19 orders

This week’s Policy Shop is by Joe Tabor, director of research at the Illinois Policy Institute As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, many states’ governors turned to their emergency powers for logistical, funding and economic relief. Now, 38 emergency orders and nearly three years later, Illinois is still operating under emergency powers. Illinois is one of...

Ep. 67: These 3 things could fix Illinois in 2023

This week’s Policy Shop is by Bryce Hill, director of fiscal and economic research at the Illinois Policy Institute. Today the 103rd Illinois General Assembly will be inaugurated. With new lawmakers in place, what are the laws they should enact to make life better for Illinoisans? Spoiler alert: Lower taxes wouldn’t hurt. 1) Commit to no new taxes and no tax hikes. Lawmakers...

Ep. 66: The Chicago Teachers Union’s war on school choice

The Chicago Teachers Union and other teachers’ unions oppose Invest in Kids, a tax-credit scholarship program that allows underprivileged children to attend private schools of their choice. Why would teachers advocate against a program that helps low-income students? Mailee Smith, staff attorney and director of labor policy at Illinois Policy Institute, refutes opponents’ false claims...