Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation

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

By Patrick Andriesen
05/28/2026
Occupational licensing requirements present one of the steepest barriers to low-income Illinoisans starting careers in beauty services. Illinois requires anyone seeking to become a barber, cosmetologist, nail technician or hair braider to obtain a state license, essentially a permission slip to work. Unlike 45 other states, Illinois offers only one pathway to licensure for each...

Pritzker mask mandate leads to threats against 58 schools, districts

By Patrick Andriesen
08/27/2021
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Aug. 4 mask mandate drew criticism from the communities he just weeks earlier promised would keep local control over student COVID-19 safety. School districts that fail to kowtow face severe state sanctions.
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Pathway to a Profession: How Apprenticeships Could Reshape Illinois’ Beauty Service Industry

Occupational licensing requirements present one of the steepest barriers to low-income Illinoisans starting careers in beauty services. Illinois requires anyone seeking to become a barber, cosmetologist, nail technician or hair braider to obtain a state license, essentially a permission slip to work. Unlike 45 other states, Illinois offers only one pathway to licensure for each...

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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