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Illinois legislators introduce bills to kill the state charter school commission

11/14/2013
The state charter school commission is under attack. State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora, has contempt for the state charter school commission, even though she voted for its creation more than two years ago. It was on full display the last time Jeanne Nowaczewski – the commission’s executive director – appeared in front of the...

TAGS: Charter Authorizer Task Force, charter schools, ISBE: Illinois State Board of Education, Jeanne Nowaczewski, Kimberly Lightford, Linda Chapa LaVia, school choice, vouchers

Fitch Ratings: Chicago approaching “inflection point”

11/12/2013
Triple-notch credit downgrades for government entities are supposed to be rare. They normally happen only in response to major financial events, such as a sudden fiscal emergency. But Chicago just received its second triple-notch downgrade in just six months. And that spells trouble for Chicago taxpayers. Citing skyrocketing pension costs and a lack of meaningful...

TAGS: Chicago, Chicago Park District, Detroit, downgrade, pensions

Illinois General Assembly passes bill to help Teamsters who picketed funerals

11/12/2013
Since July, Illinois Teamsters have been on strike against funeral home operator Service Corporation International, or SCI, because SCI didn’t offer a contract that the union found satisfactory. At first, the Teamsters fought their battle by aggressively picketing funeral homes SCI owns in Illinois. Among other things, strikers at Illinois funeral homes reportedly blocked mourners...

TAGS: Service Corporation International, Teamsters, Tony Munoz

It’s time to stop misleading parents about the quality of Illinois schools

11/06/2013
State government officials, district administrators and union bosses have been actively misleading parents about the quality of Illinois’ elementary schools for years. New Illinois Standard Achievement Test, or ISAT, scores released last week by the Illinois State Board of Education, or ISBE, prove as much. In fact, most schools across the state experienced significant drops...

TAGS: Common Core, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, Illinois Standard Achievement Test, ISAT: Illinois Standards Achievement Test, ISBE: Illinois State Board of Education

Unions take advantage of Illinois’ prevailing wage law

By Paul Kersey
10/28/2013
When a state construction project goes up for bid, a union outfit often ends up with the contract. This is one of the seamier aspects of Illinois government. State laws and common practices for bidding are designed to cover up for union firms’ disadvantages and steer projects their way. The unions are always ready to...

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, IDOL: Illinois Department of Labor, International Union of Operating Engineers, IUOE, prevailing wage

Illinois Obamacare grant goes to California

By Jackson Adams
10/28/2013
A California group with a history of making political contributions to Illinois politicians and connections to the Obama administration was awarded a federal “navigator” grant from the Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, to help Illinoisans enroll in the Obamacare health insurance exchange. The East Los Angeles Community Union, or TELACU, was awarded...

TAGS: ACA: Affordable Care Act

Trapped in Chicago’s worst schools: Education outcomes in Chicago’s lowest-performing public schools

10/24/2013
THE PROBLEM More than 21,000 students in Chicago Public Schools, or CPS, are being left behind. They are attending schools that fail to prepare them for life. A majority of students attending the lowest 10 percent of elementary schools and high schools in Chicago don’t have basic competence in reading, science and math. They’re significantly...

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Illinois Standard Achievement Test, ISAT: Illinois Standards Achievement Test

Veto session at a glance

By Matt Paprocki
10/22/2013
Today marks the first day of the Illinois General Assembly’s two week veto session. Veto session is held for six days every fall to allow the General Assembly to take action on bills that the governor has vetoed. Since the spring legislative session, the governor has vetoed 10 bills – only three of those bills...

TAGS: Archer Daniels Midland, CME: Chicago Mercantile Exchange, fall veto, Groupon, John Cullerton, NALCO, Navistar, Sears, tax credits

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4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

Causes, costs, how to set the state free

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Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

By Paul Kersey
06/19/2014

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

By Ted Dabrowski
05/02/2016