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

Who is running for judge in Illinois?

By Aimee Morrissey, Perry Zhao, Joe Tabor

11/03/2022

On Nov. 8, Illinoisans will vote for important judge positions, including three Illinois Supreme Court justices and 16 appellate court judges. Their decisions impact daily life, yet about 25% of voters leave their ballots blank when they get to the judges.

TAGS: election, judges

These lawmakers will decide whether to criminalize small business owners who defy Pritzker order

05/19/2020

Small business owners trying to save their livelihoods could face up to a year in prison under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s new emergency rules, unless a key committee fights back.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order, small business

Illinois Senate passes bill requiring kindergarten for all 5-year-olds

By Brad Weisenstein

04/17/2019

Lowering the compulsory age to attend school from 6 to 5 would tie Illinois for the lowest compulsory attendance age in the nation.

TAGS: compulsory school attendance, education, Kimberly Lightford

$15 minimum wage hike to cost Illinois taxpayers $1.1B

By Vincent Caruso

02/06/2019

As Pritzker’s minimum wage bill advances to the Senate floor for a vote, the new administration’s first major victory would come with a $1.1 billion price tag, courtesy of Illinois taxpayers.

TAGS: employment, JB Pritzker, jobs, minimum wage, unemployment

Madigan’s money: AFSCME spending trail reveals extensive and hidden political activity

By Mailee Smith, Joe Tabor

11/01/2018

AFSCME Council 31, its PAC and AFSCME headquarters are major political players, funneling millions of dollars every year to Democrats or self-proclaimed progressive organizations.

Waste Watch: Nearly $100M of waste in Illinois state and local government

By Adam Schuster, Alec Mena, Travis Nix

10/08/2018

Illinois taxpayers are fed up and overtaxed. Residents have little faith that their governments are spending their tax dollars well – and for good reason. The state’s most recent spending plan is out of balance by as much as $1.5 billion, and includes $54.2 million in wasteful spending and $27 million in pork-barrel spending. The...

More than 90 local government leaders sign on to letter opposing progressive tax

By Jim Long

05/21/2018

Local government leaders across Illinois are asking their state lawmakers to stand up against House Speaker Mike Madigan’s progressive tax push.

TAGS: local government, Mike Madigan, progressive income tax, taxes

Land of lagging: Illinois’ sluggish economy and lawmakers’ tax hike treachery

By Orphe Divounguy

01/24/2018

Illinois will not diverge from its path of poor growth until lawmakers realize the failures of recent tax hikes.

TAGS: GDP: gross domestic product, income tax, investment, taxes

Illinois Senate passes Chicago bailout, overrides Rauner’s amendatory veto

By Austin Berg

08/13/2017

All Senate Democrats and one Republican voted to override Gov. Bruce Rauner and pass Senate Bill 1 in its original form, including a bailout for Chicago Public Schools.

TAGS: Andy Manar, Bruce Rauner, education, Illinois Senate, Senate Bill 1, veto

Kimberly Lightford

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

Who is running for judge in Illinois?

These lawmakers will decide whether to criminalize small business owners who defy Pritzker order

Illinois Senate passes bill requiring kindergarten for all 5-year-olds

$15 minimum wage hike to cost Illinois taxpayers $1.1B

Madigan’s money: AFSCME spending trail reveals extensive and hidden political activity

Waste Watch: Nearly $100M of waste in Illinois state and local government

More than 90 local government leaders sign on to letter opposing progressive tax

Land of lagging: Illinois’ sluggish economy and lawmakers’ tax hike treachery

Illinois Senate passes Chicago bailout, overrides Rauner’s amendatory veto

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