Chicago

An End to Taxpayer-Funded Advertising for Politicians?

04/26/2011
by Brian Costin One of my biggest pet peeves of all times is how some politicians have an insatiable need to put their name on things at the expense of the taxpayers. The open road tolling signs with former Governor Blagojevich’s name and the Richard M. Daley signs at O’Hare Airport come to mind. However, a...

Digital Learning in Illinois

By Chris Andriesen
04/26/2011
by Collin Hitt The Chicago Tribune carried a good story over the weekend about online learning in the Chicago area. Technology-led learning will be playing a larger role in education in the area. Included was a quote from yours truly, regarding the uneven spread of online learning statewide. “There is no real, robust, state-led effort in online...

Emanuel Names New Head of CPS

By Chris Andriesen
04/20/2011
by Mark Cavers Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel has named Jean-Claude Brizard to serve as the new head of the Chicago Public Schools. Mr. Brizard spent the past three years as the Superintendent of the Rochester School District where he pushed for a number of the education reforms that Chicago will need to implement to give our kids...

Who Do Vouchers Help?

04/15/2011
by Mark Cavers Today the New York Times published an article asserting that the main beneficiaries of vouchers are “church-affiliated schools.” In truth, vouchers are above all else about helping the neglected students of our worst performing schools. But by ignoring the kids and framing their opposition on this ground, opponents in the White House,...

Another State Rejects High-Speed Spending

By Chris Andriesen
04/14/2011
by Mark Cavers Bloomberg Business Week reports that legislators in Missouri are moving to reject some federal money to fund work that would speed up rail travel between St. Louis and Kansas City. The mounting concerns over future costs to Missourians echo similar concerns in a host of other states that have rejected federal money. Over...

Cook County, Chicago Suffer Steep Population Drops

03/25/2011
by Brian Costin Cook County and the city of Chicago both share a dubious distinction: Both are in the top 10 most populous counties and cities in the U.S., and both are the only city and county in the top 10 to drop in population, according U.S. Census numbers released Thursday. See the Chicago Tribune story....

A Moral Obligation

03/25/2011
by Mark Cavers An article in the Chicago Tribune yesterday quotes a representative of the Chicago Teachers Union arguing against the CPS decision to explore closing some under enrolled schools in an effort to close a $750 million deficit. The president attacks the decision saying the Chicago Public School system has, “a moral obligation to … stop these...
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FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

Illinois students could soon benefit from scholarship money to help them find a tutor, attend ACT or SAT prep sessions, pay tuition, get special education services or assist with other academic needs. That will happen in Illinois only if Gov. J.B. Pritzker lets the state’s schoolchildren benefit from the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program, established...

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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