Illinois punishes independents, meaning just 1 got on 2024 ballot

By Patrick Andriesen

11/09/2025

Illinois puts lots of restrictions on independent candidates. Just one got on the 2024 ballot in 155 races.

Suburban Chicago house tax plan would choke lagging growth

By LyLena Estabine

07/31/2025

The Illinois Senate attempted to pass a “rescue package” for Chicago area mass transit that would punish suburban homeowners with a new real estate transfer tax. State leaders must instead focus on reforms to boost housing and economic growth.

Illinois lawmakers only attach price tags to 10 of 3,859 bills

By Lilly Rossi

06/23/2025

For most bills filed in Springfield, taxpayers will have to guess at how much more will be demanded of them. Illinois General Assembly members only worried about costs 10 times for 3,859 of their bright ideas about how to improve the state.

TAGS: ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, taxes

Illinois lawmakers get 26 seconds per page to read 2025 budget

By Patrick Andriesen

05/20/2025

Illinois state lawmakers must be super speed readers, because who would vote on something they hadn’t read? They were given an average of 67 seconds per page to read the past nine state budgets, but last year received only 26 seconds per page.

Lawmakers seek to strengthen student literacy through teacher training

By Hannah Schmid

05/08/2025

House Bill 1368 builds on previous literacy efforts by state lawmakers in 2023. If passed, professional development for literacy instruction would be aligned with “science of reading” strategies.

TAGS: public schools

Illinois House helping health care shortage by easing volunteer requirements

By Lauren Zuar

05/05/2025

A new bill would remove an unnecessary rule forcing health care volunteers to get additional licensing. House Bill 1270, sponsored by state Rep. William E. Hauter, R-Morton, and state Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton, D-Oakbrook Terrace, addresses medical worker shortages.

Testimony: Illinois teachers need ‘science of reading’ training to fix illiteracy

By Mailee Smith

04/29/2025

Illinois students will struggle throughout their educations when 7 in 10 third-graders cannot read at grade level. Illinois Policy supports and submitted testimony in favor of a bill to train Illinois teachers in ‘science of reading’ methods to boost early-grade literacy.

TAGS: public schools

Illinois close to ending strict hair braiding requirements

By Dylan Sharkey

04/08/2025

Hair braiders across Illinois may face fewer restrictions on their trade. The Illinois House unanimously passed a bill changing the state’s hair braiding laws.

Chicago Teachers Union spreads attacks on charter schools across Illinois

By Hannah Schmid

04/08/2025

The tentative agreement between the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools will further damage charter schools in Chicago. CTU also has been working in the Statehouse to hinder charter schools and place more restrictions on them statewide.

Teachers unions don’t want teachers evaluated on how well students are learning

By Hannah Schmid

03/04/2025

Democrats in the Illinois Senate filed a bill to remove student academic growth data as a measure for teacher evaluations. The Illinois Federation of Teachers backs the bill – another effort by the union to obstruct accountability.

TAGS: public schools

Illinois Senate

Illinois punishes independents, meaning just 1 got on 2024 ballot

Suburban Chicago house tax plan would choke lagging growth

Illinois lawmakers only attach price tags to 10 of 3,859 bills

Illinois lawmakers get 26 seconds per page to read 2025 budget

Lawmakers seek to strengthen student literacy through teacher training

Illinois House helping health care shortage by easing volunteer requirements

Testimony: Illinois teachers need ‘science of reading’ training to fix illiteracy

Illinois close to ending strict hair braiding requirements

Chicago Teachers Union spreads attacks on charter schools across Illinois

Teachers unions don’t want teachers evaluated on how well students are learning

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

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