State taxpayers will be paying for CPS’ underutilized schools

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

10/12/2017

Under Illinois’ new education funding formula, the wildly mismanaged Chicago school district won’t lose a dime in state funding, no matter how many students it loses.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, education, enrollment

Rauner signs school funding plan, tax credit scholarships into law

By Austin Berg

08/31/2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed a school funding reform bill containing Illinois’ first-ever tax credit scholarship program.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, property taxes

Rahm’s celebration of test results ignores how CPS is still failing students

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

08/31/2017

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is touting a specific set of test scores showing improving student performance, while sweeping larger achievement problems under the rug.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, education, Rahm Emanuel

Illinois General Assembly passes school funding plan, tax credit scholarships

By Austin Berg

08/29/2017

The Illinois Senate passed a school funding reform bill containing the state’s first-ever tax credit scholarship program. The bill now awaits the governor’s signature.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, Illinois General Assembly, school choice, TIF: Tax Increment Financing

Illinois House passes school funding plan, tax credit scholarships

By Austin Berg

08/28/2017

After failing to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s amendatory veto of Senate Bill 1, which stripped a Chicago bailout from the education funding proposal, Illinois House members voted to pass a compromise bill containing the state’s first-ever tax credit scholarship program.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, Illinois General Assembly, school choice, TIF: Tax Increment Financing

Chicago TIFs take nearly $500M in yearly tax revenues away from other local governments

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

08/22/2017

Since 2006, Chicago Public Schools has been deprived of $2.5 billion in property tax revenue that has been diverted to Chicago TIF districts.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, Rahm Emanuel, Richard Daley, TIF: Tax Increment Financing

Black students in suburban, downstate Illinois benefit from amendatory veto of education bill

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

08/16/2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner’s amendments to Senate Bill 1 would bring nearly $25 million more to the 10 Illinois school districts with the highest black student enrollment outside of Chicago.

TAGS: budget, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, Senate Bill 1