Five reasons school districts shouldn’t lock students out of extracurriculars

By Mailee Smith

05/05/2026

More than 160 districts in Illinois bar participation by those who aren’t full-time students in their schools.

Pritzker could unlock $1 billion for Illinois students

By Lilly Rossi

04/14/2026

The governor should say yes to a program that would provide donated education money for Illinois families.

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Chicago Teachers Union demands ‘no work, no school’ May 1 shutdown

By Mailee Smith

03/13/2026

The union wants teachers and students to skip school for rallies and “mass resistance training.”

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Illinois students could boost ACT scores with scholarships

By Lilly Rossi

11/25/2025

Federal scholarships could give low-income students access to ACT tutors and study materials to help them improve on the college exam.

TAGS: Federal Scholarship Tax Credit

Scores down, absences up for Chicago low-income, minority students

By Hannah Schmid

11/12/2025

Chicago Public Schools’ low-income and minority students recorded lower proficiency rates than the state average. They are also missing more school.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Low-income students 16 points below Illinois average

By Hannah Schmid

11/05/2025

New Illinois State Board of Education data shows low-income and minority public school students are struggling, scoring well below average.

Half of Illinois students reading at grade level, fewer in math under loosened standards

By Hannah Schmid

10/30/2025

Newly released data from state assessments show just half of Illinois public school students could read at grade level and 2-in-5 could do math proficiently in 2025. That’s after the state lowered proficiency standards to make the numbers look better.

‘Homeschool Act’ changes create more problems, could traumatize kids

By Mailee Smith

04/09/2025

Bill sponsors for a second time amended the ‘Homeschool Act’ as they tried to blunt the heavy criticism of the constitutional, parenting and privacy rights it could trample. Illinois Policy expert testimony showed the changes create more problems with the bill.

TAGS: homeschool

Vallas: ‘Social promotion,’ grade inflation destroying achievement, accountability in schools

By Paul Vallas

09/12/2023

Higher grades are being awarded for less achievement in our schools, which helps hide our students’ struggles since the pandemic. Combine that with teachers unions pushing for fewer accountability measures, and the needed push for academic excellence withers.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

SAT scores in decline across Illinois, Chicago since 2017

By Hannah Schmid

03/08/2023

SAT scores are dropping for high school students in Illinois and Chicago. Here’s how Illinois’ 20 largest school districts compared to the state average in reading and math.

TAGS: ISBE: Illinois State Board of Education

ACT

Five reasons school districts shouldn’t lock students out of extracurriculars

Pritzker could unlock $1 billion for Illinois students

Chicago Teachers Union demands ‘no work, no school’ May 1 shutdown

Illinois students could boost ACT scores with scholarships

Scores down, absences up for Chicago low-income, minority students

Low-income students 16 points below Illinois average

Half of Illinois students reading at grade level, fewer in math under loosened standards

‘Homeschool Act’ changes create more problems, could traumatize kids

Vallas: ‘Social promotion,’ grade inflation destroying achievement, accountability in schools

SAT scores in decline across Illinois, Chicago since 2017

Pathway to a Profession: How Apprenticeships Could Reshape Illinois’ Beauty Service Industry

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students