Classrooms First Act unanimously passes Illinois House committee

By Brad Weisenstein

03/24/2021

A bill to channel education dollars from duplicate bureaucracy and into classrooms or back to property taxpayers won committee approval. It is headed for a full vote in the Illinois House.

TAGS: administrative bloat, Classrooms First Act, consolidation, Rita Mayfield, school district efficiency

Three myths about district consolidation under the Classrooms First Act

By Adam Schuster

03/24/2021

A bill that could reduce property taxes and improve education quality faces a misinformation campaign from school district administrators seeking to preserve wasteful bureaucracy. Here are the facts about the Classrooms First Act.

TAGS: administrative bloat, consolidation, Rita Mayfield, school district efficiency

Consolidating school districts could cut family’s tax bill by $1,030

03/23/2021

House Bill 7 would create a process to review and recommend consolidating school district administration, with the goal of cutting bureaucracy so the money goes to classrooms or back to taxpayers.

TAGS: administrative bloat, Classrooms First Act, consolidation, Rita Mayfield, school district efficiency

113 six-figure school district administrators oppose Classrooms First Act

By Patrick Andriesen

03/22/2021

Of the 113 school district administrators earning six-figure salaries who oppose a bill to reduce bureaucracy, 21 are above the $200,000 mark. The bill intends to put more money into classrooms or back in taxpayers’ pockets.

TAGS: administrative bloat, Classrooms First Act, consolidation, property taxes, school district efficiency

Citizens Empowerment Act could mean relief for Illinois property taxpayers

By Justin Carlson

03/22/2021

House Bill 433 would make it easier for Illinois taxpayers to dissolve unnecessary units of government in the state with the nation’s highest number of government units.

TAGS: administrative bloat, Citizens Empowerment Act, local government consolidation, property taxes

Illinois education spending belongs in classrooms, not in administrative offices

02/05/2021

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.

TAGS: administrative bloat, education bureaucracy, education spending, school district efficiency

Illinois wastes taxes supporting too many school district bureaucracies

By Adam Schuster

02/25/2020

Illinois could put $708 million more toward classrooms or property tax relief if it reduced school district bureaucracy to national average.

TAGS: administrative bloat, consolidation, education bureaucracy, education spending, Rita Mayfield, school district efficiency

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

Illinois is home to one of the worst pension crises in the country.1 At 39% funded, according to the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, Illinois has the worst pension funding ratio of any state.2 By contrast, neighboring Wisconsin’s pension system is 103% funded.3 In fiscal year 2022, Illinois’ total general funds pension costs, including pension bond...

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Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

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Susie Warden

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students