More than 2-in-5 Chicago low-income students chronically absent

By Hannah Schmid

01/24/2024

Chronic absenteeism rates are higher in Chicago than statewide, with 44% of low-income Chicago students missing at least 10% of their days in school.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Illinois bill would give unions platform for indoctrination in Illinois schools

By Mailee Smith

01/15/2024

House Bill 4417 requires an annual “Workplace Readiness Week” in all Illinois high schools, which focuses not on getting kids ready for jobs but on the labor movement’s role in the workplace.

TAGS: education, government unions, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly

Chicago Board of Education wants to take police out of schools

By Hannah Schmid

01/04/2024

The Chicago Board of Education is preparing to remove police officers from public high schools. Local School Councils already have the power to remove officers, but district leaders are taking away that local control.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Less than 1/3 of Chicago grads complete college in expected 4 years

By Hannah Schmid

12/29/2023

Research finds less than one-third of Chicago Public Schools graduates earned their bachelor’s degree in the expected four years compared to nearly half nationally. That means more are likely to live in poverty.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

1 in 5 Illinois adults is illiterate, but it’s 1 in 4 in Cook County

By Hannah Schmid

12/26/2023

Research shows income and adult literacy are strongly related. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics show 20% of Illinois adults are “functionally illiterate.” Cook County’s rate is 25%.

TAGS: Cook County

Poverty 4X higher for Chicago high school dropouts than college grads

By Hannah Schmid

12/06/2023

Poverty rates in Chicago drop with each level of educational attainment. Chicagoans without a high school diploma face poverty rates more than four times higher than those with bachelor’s degrees.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Illinois mandated annual reports on Invest in Kids: 4 years, no reports

By Patrick Andriesen

11/22/2023

The Illinois State Board of Education failed to publish diagnostic reports required by the Invest in Kids Act to track scholarship recipients’ progress starting in 2019. State lawmakers are letting the program expire without seeing a single report.

Chicago Public Schools dysfunction hits low-income, minority students

By Hannah Schmid

11/02/2023

Spring test data shows low-income and minority students in Chicago Public Schools continue to record low proficiency rates. The Chicago Teachers Union wants to kill a school choice program that could help those students.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Most Chicago students still read, perform math below grade level

By Hannah Schmid

11/01/2023

Chicago students made gains in proficiency in reading and math on 2023 state assessments compared to 2022, but most students continue to perform below grade level. Overall student proficiency rates remain worse than before the pandemic.

Illinois student proficiency up in 2023, but two-thirds still read below grade level

By Hannah Schmid

10/30/2023

Illinois state education administrators celebrated academic progress in 2023, but student achievement is still behind where it was before COVID-19 hit. Chronic absenteeism remained high. Enrollment dropped again.

Illinois State Board of Education

More than 2-in-5 Chicago low-income students chronically absent

Illinois bill would give unions platform for indoctrination in Illinois schools

Chicago Board of Education wants to take police out of schools

Less than 1/3 of Chicago grads complete college in expected 4 years

1 in 5 Illinois adults is illiterate, but it’s 1 in 4 in Cook County

Poverty 4X higher for Chicago high school dropouts than college grads

Illinois mandated annual reports on Invest in Kids: 4 years, no reports

Chicago Public Schools dysfunction hits low-income, minority students

Most Chicago students still read, perform math below grade level

Illinois student proficiency up in 2023, but two-thirds still read below grade level

Taxed out: 10 reforms to stop Illinois from losing people and jobs

Report Archive

Take advantage of the various ways to vote

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students