Chicago Teachers Union votes to strike for third time in 7 years

By Mailee Smith

10/01/2019

After rejecting an offer based on the recommendations of a neutral third-party report, Illinois’ largest teachers union voted to walk out on their students as soon as Oct. 7.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, Jesse Sharkey, labor, Lori Lightfoot, strike, unions

Illinois K-12 school districts losing students, gaining administrators

By Adam Schuster

08/27/2019

Despite shrinking populations of students and teachers, Illinois school districts have continued to grow their administrative bodies.

TAGS: education, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, school district consolidation, school district efficiency

Cost of Illinois’ education bureaucracy crowds out classroom spending

By Adam Schuster

08/20/2019

More than 9,000 Illinois school district administrators earn more than $100,000 a year. Each of them will collect at least $3 million in pension benefits during retirement.

TAGS: education, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, rita mayfield, school district consolidation, school district efficiency

Illinois Senate passes bill requiring kindergarten for all 5-year-olds

By Brad Weisenstein

04/17/2019

Lowering the compulsory age to attend school from 6 to 5 would tie Illinois for the lowest compulsory attendance age in the nation.

TAGS: compulsory school attendance, education, Kimberly Lightford, unfunded mandates

5 things you should know about putting students ahead of administration

By Mailee Smith

04/10/2019

The Illinois House of Representatives passed the Classrooms First Act by a unanimous vote March 28. If it becomes law, students, teachers and taxpayers will benefit.

TAGS: consolidation, education, local government consolidation, property taxes, school district consolidation, taxes

Illinois House unanimously passes education efficiency bill

By Adam Schuster

03/28/2019

By reducing administrative bloat in Illinois school districts, the bill would enable property tax relief while ensuring education dollars reach students and classrooms first, rather than bureaucrats.

TAGS: education, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, rita mayfield, school district consolidation, school district efficiency, taxes

Pritzker budget slashes school choice scholarships for low-income students

By Vincent Caruso

02/21/2019

The Pritzker administration’s first budget proposes phasing out a school choice program for disadvantaged families. Low-income families loved the program. Public teachers’ unions decried it.

TAGS: budget, education, Invest in Kids, JB Pritzker, school choice

Christmas wish list: 12 gifts for Illinois taxpayers in 2019

By Vincent Caruso

12/19/2018

In 2018, Springfield handed Illinoisans more of the same repackaged policy failures. Lawmakers in the coming year should tape to their desks this wish list of taxpayer-friendly reforms.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, criminal justice reform, education, graduated income tax, income tax, pensions, prison reform, progressive income tax, property taxes, school choice, school district consolidation, sentencing reform, spending cap, U.S. Census Bureau

Geneva teachers union strike leaves 5,800 students in the lurch

By Janelle Cammenga

12/05/2018

Six years after last threatening to strike, the teachers union walked the picket line – a collective bargaining tactic not allowed in any of Illinois’ neighboring states.

TAGS: education, IEA-NEA: Illinois Education Association, pensions, strike, teacher salaries

Highest paid superintendent in Illinois history fired for ‘pay padding’

By Vincent Caruso

11/01/2018

Following an investigation into allegations of “pay padding,” among other offenses, Calumet school district board members dismissed Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent less than a week before retirement.

TAGS: Calumet School District 155, education, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, troy paraday