Chicago

Private Sector Educators, Public School Students

By Collin Hitt
02/27/2009
There are more than two million students enrolled in Illinois’ public schools.  Private providers — firms and individual contractors — play a pivotal role in helping schools to educate those children. No district can perfectly predict the future needs of their students.  Nor can every district maintain a permanent staff capable of meeting the specific...

Time To Throw A TIF: Invisible, unaccountable taxes you’ve never heard of

By Kate Campaigne Piercy
01/09/2009
The Problem Bob and Rita Smith* are generous people. Every year, they give about $2,000 to wealthy, politically connected real estate developers doing business in their Wilson Yard neighborhood. Bob and Rita live frugally, work hard to save for retirement, and struggle to make ends meet each month—and yet, they keep on giving to the...

A Survey and Overview of Privatization in Illinois’ Public Schools

By Collin Hitt
07/24/2008
Executive Summary Illinois has 871 school districts.  Each one is supposed to efficiently provide a high-quality education to all students who enroll in its schools.  It is no secret that many districts have struggled with providing a high-quality education.  Others have struggled to do so efficiently. A number of reforms exist to help school districts...

Why Health Care Costs So Much and What We Can Do About It

By Chris Andriesen
06/16/2008
WHY HEALTH CARE COSTS SO MUCH AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT (Springfield, Ill.) Government intervention in the economy, whenever it is tried, often comes with unintended consequences that make matters worse.  The arena of health care is no exception. Over recent decades, the debate over what has caused health care costs to rise so...

2008 Illinois Piglet Book

By Chris Andriesen
04/09/2008
We’ve joined with Citizens Against Government Waste to put together the book that Springfield doesn’t want you to read, highlighting over $686 million in wasteful spending. Highlights include: $4 million for a Ford Technical Training Center in Chicago Heights $1 million for the Illinois film office in Chicago $920,000 for the Chicago Aerospace Education Initiative $550,000 for the conservation of pheasants...

Should Affordable Health Care Stop at the State Border?

By Chris Andriesen
03/27/2008
Many Illinois citizens, facing unaffordable insurance costs within state borders, are forced to cross their fingers when it comes to their family’s health.  It doesn’t have to be this way.   Illinois families and children can live healthier, happier and safer lives. Every day, Americans purchase products from around the country—vegetables from California, fruit from Florida,...

Tax Credits Benefit Students…And the Budget

By Collin Hitt
03/20/2008
Many Illinois children are currently trapped in failing public schools.  Most of these children, whose futures are put at risk due simply to geography and bureaucracy, would thrive if given equal choices and greater educational opportunities. Those opportunities can come in the form of the expansion of a simple tax credit—the Illinois Education Expense Tax...

Why Aren’t There More Charter Schools in Illinois?

By Collin Hitt
01/31/2008
The most significant development in American public education over the past fifteen years has been the advent of charter schools.  There are more than 4,000 charter schools operating nationwide.   Some states are home to hundreds of charter schools.  Illinois is lagging far behind. There are only 35 charter schools in Illinois, enrolling less than one...

4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

Causes, costs, how to set the state free

View Report

Report Archive

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