Illinois

New technology for old problems: 10 elements of high quality digital learning

By Collin Hitt
10/20/2011
The Problem For years, the same common challenges have escaped solutions in even the best public schools: classes move too slowly for some students but too quickly for others; course offerings in foreign language or Advanced Placement are very limited in small and rural schools; and, especially in elementary schools, the school day leaves too...

Illinois’ pension bonds: The other $26 billion obligation you shouldn’t ignore

10/20/2011
In just ten years, the Illinois General Assembly pushed the burden of billions in government spending onto Illinois’ future generations. Official estimates put Illinois’ unfunded pension liability at $85.6 billion. But that amount does not take into account the $25.8 billion in pension obligation bond (POB) payments still outstanding, which have a net present value...

Overloaded: One in Three Illinoisans on Medicaid by 2019?

By Jonathan Ingram
10/20/2011
The Problem The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as ObamaCare, will have a profound impact on Illinois’ Medicaid patients. It will make the program more expensive and worsen care for those who need it most by adding more people to a failing program. ObamaCare expands Medicaid in two major ways: First, it...

Policy Chart: ObamaCare will make 1 in 3 Illinoisans a dependant of Medicaid

10/20/2011
Download this Policy Chart report here. See the full report for this Policy chart here. The federal health care changes hinge on expanding Medicaid eligibility to cover more Americans. While proponents of this supposed reform say more people will have access to care, the reality is that flooding an already-stressed Medicaid system with new enrollees...

Ask expert Joel Kotkin: What will Illinois & America look like in 2050?

10/20/2011
by Brian Costin Joel Kotkin is a noted author and leading expert on the evolution of cities, towns and rural places across the world. Demographic and technology advancements are transforming how and where Illinoisans will live and work. What’s in store for Illinois, and what policies will best help us capitalize on our future? Should we...

A perfect 10 – Unemployment rises to 10% in Illinois

10/20/2011
by Emily Dietrich Illinois’ unemployment rate rose to 10 percent, the Illinois Department of Employment Security reported today. For yet another month, more Illinoisans were added to the unemployment rolls. Specifically, 10,500 people lost their jobs last month or started looking for work after having given up. Yet, Illinois did experience some job creation. In September, 1,600...

House Republicans Say No to Federal Pension Bailout for IL

10/17/2011
by Amanda Griffin-Johnson As Illinois state legislators head back to Springfield for the veto session next week, pension reform is the hot topic on everyone’s mind. The time for reform is now, but what solutions are available to legislators? The right way: Taking the difficult, but necessary steps towards real pension reform that ensures there will be money...

Teachers’ Pensions: Who’s Really Paying?

By Ted Dabrowski
10/13/2011
Public employee unions balked at pension reform when it was introduced this spring because they claim government workers already have “paid their fair share” by kicking in “8 percent, 9 percent or more from each paycheck” to their retirement funds. But when it comes to public school teachers in Illinois, paying their own way to...

Rahm’s First Budget Address

10/13/2011
by Amanda Griffin-Johnson Yesterday, Chicago’s new mayor, Rahm Emanuel, released his first budget proposal. In his prepared budget address, he acknowledged that Chicago’s history of unbalanced budgets could not continue, and he recognized that “What we cannot do, however, is to protect the status quo by asking more of Chicago’s taxpayers. Raising taxes will drive more people...

Taxes Drive Away Local Small Business

10/12/2011
by Emily Dietrich A recent email from Jeff Hickman – General Manager of Cal Lab Co., Inc. – read: “Attached is just one more reason why we’re looking at moving to Indiana. I took these photos on my way in to work this morning.” Titled “Illinoid,” the pictures showed a whopping $0.37 difference between a...
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FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

Illinois students could soon benefit from scholarship money to help them find a tutor, attend ACT or SAT prep sessions, pay tuition, get special education services or assist with other academic needs. That will happen in Illinois only if Gov. J.B. Pritzker lets the state’s schoolchildren benefit from the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program, established...

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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