What to know about Illinois education as students head back to school

By Hannah Schmid

08/20/2024

Students in Illinois are steadily returning to class across Illinois’ 852 school districts, where improvement is needed on the 35% of elementary students who can read at grade level. What to know about how well the state’s public schools are preparing students for life.

TAGS: public schools

Illinois unemployment rate in July hits 2nd highest in U.S.

By Ravi Mishra, Jon Josko

08/16/2024

July unemployment hit 5.2% in Illinois, ranking second worst in the nation. It equated to 341,630 workers looking for a job.

TAGS: IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, taxes, unemployment

Democratic National Convention to tout education policy near Chicago school where no kids read at grade level

By Dylan Sharkey

08/16/2024

Education will be a major platform piece during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Too bad the party will meet near a Chicago school where spending $27K per student yields none who can read at grade level.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, education

Illinois No. 2 in nation for highest gas taxes

By Dylan Sharkey

08/16/2024

Only California has higher gasoline taxes than Illinois. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s automatic gas tax boost just bumped the rate to 47 cents per gallon. It was 19 cents before Pritzker took office.

TAGS: gas prices, JB Pritzker, taxes

Johnson’s loyalty to Chicago Teachers Union clear as he pushes out schools chief

By Patrick Andriesen

08/16/2024

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is reportedly working to get rid of Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez. Martinez has been fighting financial ploys by Johnson and the mayor’s former employer, the Chicago Teachers Union.

TAGS: Brandon Johnson, Chicago public schools, education

Pritzker scorecard: Illinois’ governor failing on economy, taxes, education

By Bryce Hill

08/15/2024

Real-world outcomes for Illinoisans have dropped since Gov. J.B. Pritzker took office. The nation’s Democrats need to see where he’s taken Illinois before following his lead.

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Chicago unemployment is highest in nation

By Bryce Hill

08/15/2024

Nearly 100,000 Chicago-area residents are out of work, and at 6.2% the Chicago metro area has the highest unemployment rate of the nation’s 50 largest metro areas. Illinois as a whole isn’t doing much better, with a 6.1% unemployment rate.

TAGS: Chicago, unemployment

Chicago’s average rent rises to $2,200, up 46% in 10 years

By Benjamin O'Donnell

08/15/2024

Rent is unaffordable for half of Chicagoans, averaging $2,200 a month. The key to affordable housing is to build more housing, but that won’t happen until city government reduces its role.

TAGS: affordable housing

Pension reform vote coming to suburban Chicago township

By Patrick Andriesen

08/14/2024

Barrington Township will be the first local government in Illinois to give taxpayers a vote on reforming the single-largest property tax driver in the state: public pensions. The advisory referendum will be on the ballot Nov. 5.

TAGS: Barrington, pension reform

3-in-10 Chicago public school teachers send their children to private school

By Hannah Schmid, Jon Josko

08/14/2024

Nearly 31% of public school teachers in Chicago send at least one of their kids to private school. What does that say about the quality of a public-school education in Chicago?

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Illinois

What to know about Illinois education as students head back to school

Illinois unemployment rate in July hits 2nd highest in U.S.

Democratic National Convention to tout education policy near Chicago school where no kids read at grade level

Illinois No. 2 in nation for highest gas taxes

Johnson’s loyalty to Chicago Teachers Union clear as he pushes out schools chief

Pritzker scorecard: Illinois’ governor failing on economy, taxes, education

Chicago unemployment is highest in nation

Chicago’s average rent rises to $2,200, up 46% in 10 years

Pension reform vote coming to suburban Chicago township

3-in-10 Chicago public school teachers send their children to private school

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

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