The Problem What would you do if your children could be on a championship-level team…but they weren’t allowed to try out? Every day, kids from many of Illinois’s roughest communities prove they can compete in the classroom. All they need is the opportunity—an opportunity often provided by charter schools. Tragically, thousands of children are not...

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...

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...

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...