Illinois students’ academic proficiency remains below pre-pandemic levels. Demographic achievement gaps persist. School choice is part of the solution.
Chicago parents spend one-third more than the national average on school supplies. A 5% state sales tax holiday does little to help those struggling with back-to-school costs.
The number of students enrolling in Chicago Public Schools continues to fall as teachers’ unions impose COVID-19 policies and infringe on parents’ choices about their childrens’ health and safety. A ballot proposal would make that worse.
New research shows remote learning spurred the enrollment declines plaguing public schools. Schools with more in-person instruction lost fewer students.
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.
Illinois school districts paid out $8.8 million in penalties over two school years to cover salary and sick days in excess of what is allowed by law. Those are dollars taken from classrooms, but only hint at the full taxpayer cost.
After the Illinois Supreme Court determined the state’s appeal of decisions regarding the governor’s school mask rules was moot, the governor declared schools can move to mask optional policies on Feb. 28.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker is asking the Illinois Supreme Court to let him keep his authority to force Illinoisans to mask. But his effort to keep his COVID-19 mandate power is ignoring relevant data.