Longer public schools closed for pandemic, more students they lost

By Hannah Max

05/26/2022

New research shows remote learning spurred the enrollment declines plaguing public schools. Schools with more in-person instruction lost fewer students.

TAGS: COVID-19, public schools, teachers union

Illinois marks 10th month of job gains, but still missing 1-in-5 jobs

By Bryce Hill

05/12/2022

Illinois is steadily adding jobs lost during the COVID-19 economic downturn, but despite 10 months of gains the state recovery lags the nation. Some metropolitan areas are far behind where they were.

TAGS: COVID-19, economic recovery, jobs, unemployment

Illinois House to probe Pritzker failure to stop 36 veterans’ home deaths

By Dylan Sharkey

05/09/2022

The Pritzker Administration failed to respond despite 11 days of reports about a COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home, resulting in 36 deaths, according to a state audit. Now Illinois House members plan to probe the failings.

TAGS: COVID-19, Illinois Auditor General, Illinois Veterans' Home at LaSalle, JB Pritzker

Union power vote, population loss threaten Illinois’ labor market recovery

By Bryce Hill

04/28/2022

Key indicators show Illinois’ labor market could begin adding jobs faster than the national economy if population decline and Amendment 1 don’t derail the state’s trajectory.

TAGS: COVID-19, economic recovery, Illinois, jobs, unemployment

Illinois adds 18,300 jobs in March, still missing 154,500 from pandemic

By Bryce Hill

04/15/2022

Illinois’ employment recovery continued in March, but the state is still missing one in five jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic downturn and state restrictions.

TAGS: COVID-19, economic recovery, Illinois, jobs, unemployment

Illinois’ leisure, hospitality industry suffering 3rd-worst recovery in U.S.

By Bryce Hill

03/30/2022

Illinois is still missing 77,000 jobs from its restaurants, bars, hotels and other leisure industries since COVID-19 shutdowns. That Illinois jobs sector has recovered only 72% of what it lost in the pandemic – one of the nation’s worst recoveries.

TAGS: COVID-19, economic recovery, Illinois, jobs, unemployment

Illinois COVID-19 school closures hurt math, reading scores

By Hannah Max

03/29/2022

SAT math scores dropped nearly 15%, and reading scores dropped 9% from 2019 to 2021 among Illinois high school juniors. Low-income and minority students saw bigger losses.

TAGS: COVID-19, ISAT: Illinois Standards Achievement Test, public schools, school closures

Only 1 Illinois metro area fully recovered its pandemic-related job losses

By Bryce Hill

03/24/2022

Bloomington is the only metro area to recover jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic and statewide mandated shutdowns. Illinois is still missing 200,100 jobs as of January 2020.

TAGS: Bloomington, COVID-19, economic recovery, jobs, unemployment

Hispanic Illinoisans only group to fully recover from COVID-19 job losses

By Ann Miller

03/22/2022

Although Hispanics were one of the groups hardest hit by pandemic-related job losses, 85,000 more Hispanic Illinoisans were employed in December 2021 compared to December 2019. Hispanic women are driving their recovery.

TAGS: COVID-19, economic recovery, Illinois, jobs, unemployment

Illinois adds 8,600 jobs in January, but still missing 200,100 from pandemic

By Bryce Hill

03/18/2022

Illinois’ employment recovery continued in January, but the state remains far from a full recovery and still lags the nation.

TAGS: COVID-19, economic recovery, jobs, unemployment