Illinois school districts spend taxpayer money on Springfield lobbying

By Eddie Damstra

06/01/2018

Residents are seeing property tax dollars flow toward lobbying for policies that increase homeowners’ property tax bills.

TAGS: education, lobbying, property taxes, school district consolidation

Illinois families catching crossfire in scholarship fight

By Austin Berg

05/17/2018

Despite that booming demand, there are political efforts afoot to crush the scholarship program.

TAGS: education, Invest in Kids, school choice, tax credits

Government union lobbying turns legislation against students

By Mailee Smith

05/14/2018

SB 2838 was meant to aid school districts – and students – by providing a means for schools to recruit substitute teachers. But government union lobbying transformed it into a pro-union, pro-strike bill that hinders educational opportunities for students during teacher strikes.

TAGS: AFL-CIO, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers

Lawmakers seek to dismantle school-choice scholarship program for low-income students

By Vincent Caruso

04/25/2018

A bill in the Illinois Senate could axe the state’s first-ever tax credit scholarship program.

TAGS: education, Invest in Kids, opportunity scholarships, school choice

Tax Day: Where do Illinoisans’ state tax dollars go?

By Adam Schuster

04/17/2018

Pensions and employee health insurance costs consumed nearly a quarter of Illinois’ fiscal year 2018 budget.

TAGS: education, Health and Human Services, health insurance, higher education, Medicaid, public safety, taxes

School funding, the ballot box and Illinois’ high property taxes

By Austin Berg

03/08/2018

Before your school district asks for another penny in property taxes, ask your school board what they’re doing to get their own house in order.

TAGS: education, pensions, property taxes, teacher salaries

House committee passes tackle football ban for Illinoisans under age 12

By Brendan Bakala

03/01/2018

The CTE Prevention Act would forbid any child under the age of 12 from playing tackle football.

TAGS: CTE Prevention Act, education, football, regulations

Illinois spends more on education, but outcomes lag

By Bryce Hill, Joe Tabor

02/25/2018

Misplaced priorities in Illinois' education system may be the reason students are less prepared for college than peers in other states.

TAGS: college readiness, education, property taxes, Spending, taxes

Senate bill puts school-choice scholarships at risk for low-income kids

By Brendan Bakala

01/30/2018

The bill would cut off Illinois’ new tax credit scholarship program if the Illinois State Board of Education determined public school funding levels were inadequate.

TAGS: budget, education, Invest in Kids, school choice, vouchers

Illinois General Assembly, 2017 in review: State pet, state grain, but no fixes

By Mindy Ruckman

01/02/2018

Illinois lawmakers passed hundreds of bills in 2017, but enacted no real reforms to boost the state’s economy, rein in the cost of government or provide relief to taxpayers.

TAGS: education, Illinois General Assembly, income tax, property taxes, small business, taxes