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.

Parents beware: Chicago Teachers Union contract is anti-student

By Mailee Smith

04/25/2025

The new Chicago Teachers Union contract grows an education model that is failing students while attacking parents’ ability to choose alternatives. All that, at a higher cost.

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Chicago mayor praises school with just 2% adept readers as example of his values

By Hannah Schmid

04/03/2025

Mayor Brandon Johnson celebrated Dyett High School where only 2% of tested students can read at grade level – and none can do math at grade level – as a “great example” of a schooling model the Chicago Teachers Union’s tentative contract plans to boost.

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

5 solutions for Illinois schools to fight literacy crisis

By Hannah Schmid

01/08/2025

The first three years of elementary school are critical in building reading skills so a student succeeds in school and life. Illinois lawmakers can push five proven literacy reforms to give the state’s students a better start.

TAGS: literacy, public schools

5 ways Illinois can learn from Colorado’s ‘blue state’ literacy reforms

By Hannah Schmid

12/25/2024

Colorado lawmakers passed an act in 2012 to focus on early literacy development and the science of reading. Its fourth graders are now in the Top 5 states for reading proficiency. Illinois can benefit from adopting five of their tactics.

TAGS: literacy, public schools

19 of 20 schools touted by Chicago Teachers Union see reading lag in 2024

By Hannah Schmid

11/26/2024

The Chicago Teachers Union is pushing to expand the 20 “sustainable community schools” in the district. But the model doesn’t work: fewer students are proficient, absenteeism is higher.

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

What Illinois can learn from Florida’s emphasis on early literacy

By Hannah Schmid

11/21/2024

Florida state lawmakers began mandating science-based literacy education in the early 2000s. It improved reading proficiency among early grades and cemented Florida as a leader in early literacy education. Illinois should do the same.

TAGS: Florida, literacy

Chicago Public Schools sees uptick in enrollment, but still lower than 10 years ago

By Hannah Schmid

10/16/2024

For the second year in a row, student enrollment has slightly increased in Chicago Public Schools. But the effects of a decade-long annual loss of enrollment remain, with 71,378 fewer students than in 2014.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Enrollment barely rises at Chicago Public Schools amidst 12% increase in English Learners

By Hannah Schmid

09/27/2024

Preliminary enrollment data for the 2024-2025 school year show a less than 1% uptick in enrollment. The biggest increase is in English Learners.

How Mississippi ended its worst-in-the-nation early literacy epidemic

By Hannah Schmid

09/27/2024

Mississippi state lawmakers enacted science-based literacy legislation in 2013, laying the groundwork for improved reading proficiency among early grades, and additional legislation in 2016 to solidify improvement in literacy trends.

English

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

Parents beware: Chicago Teachers Union contract is anti-student

Chicago mayor praises school with just 2% adept readers as example of his values

5 solutions for Illinois schools to fight literacy crisis

5 ways Illinois can learn from Colorado’s ‘blue state’ literacy reforms

19 of 20 schools touted by Chicago Teachers Union see reading lag in 2024

What Illinois can learn from Florida’s emphasis on early literacy

Chicago Public Schools sees uptick in enrollment, but still lower than 10 years ago

Enrollment barely rises at Chicago Public Schools amidst 12% increase in English Learners

How Mississippi ended its worst-in-the-nation early literacy epidemic

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