Virginia raises bar for students while Illinois hides struggles

By Hannah Schmid

10/20/2025

Low student proficiency is being hidden in Illinois. Virginia raised its expectations for students.

Illinois lowers standards making more students seem “proficient”

By Hannah Schmid

08/22/2025

Illinois students are struggling to meet proficiency standards on state assessments. Instead of working to improve student learning, the state is lowering standards to hide the crisis.

Vallas: Illinois returning to soft bigotry of low expectations

By Paul Vallas

06/26/2025

Illinois students are not learning, but instead of boosting the quality of education state leaders are trying to lower standards so scores don’t look as bad. Blame it on the Chicago Teachers Union and other teachers unions pushing for less accountability.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education

State board of education recommends lowering student proficiency standards

By Hannah Schmid

05/28/2025

Illinois students are struggling to meet proficiency standards on state assessments. Instead of working to improve student learning, the state wants to lower standards to hide the crisis.

TAGS: ISBE: Illinois State Board of Education

Lawmakers seek to strengthen student literacy through teacher training

By Hannah Schmid

05/08/2025

House Bill 1368 builds on previous literacy efforts by state lawmakers in 2023. If passed, professional development for literacy instruction would be aligned with “science of reading” strategies.

TAGS: public schools

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

Literacy epidemic hits Illinois as fewer than 1 in 3 students read well

By Hannah Schmid

03/28/2025

Student literacy is in trouble nationally. Illinois is one of 41 states where just 1 in 3 or fewer of its fourth-graders met reading standards in 2024.

TAGS: public schools

Illinois students show continued struggles in reading, math on national exam

By Hannah Schmid

01/30/2025

The nation’s report card was just released and shows Illinois students continue to struggle to meet proficiency standards in reading and math. State leaders are spinning 8th-grade results as a win, but in reality, they lag. Ignored are the struggles of younger students.

TAGS: public schools

Illinois’ low social mobility: causes and cures

01/28/2025

Published Jan. 28, 2025 Illinois Policy Institute Center for Poverty Solutions, in partnership with the Archbridge Institute By Joshua Bandoch, Ph.D., head of policy, Illinois Policy Institute and Justin Callais, Ph.D., chief economist, Archbridge Institute EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A low-income person’s ability to move up in society is worse in Illinois than in any other Midwestern...

5 solutions for Illinois schools to fight literacy crisis

By Hannah Schmid

01/08/2025

The first three years of elementary school are critical in building reading skills so a student succeeds in school and life. Illinois lawmakers can push five proven literacy reforms to give the state’s students a better start.

TAGS: literacy, public schools

National Assessment of Educational Progress

Virginia raises bar for students while Illinois hides struggles

Illinois lowers standards making more students seem “proficient”

Vallas: Illinois returning to soft bigotry of low expectations

State board of education recommends lowering student proficiency standards

Lawmakers seek to strengthen student literacy through teacher training

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

Literacy epidemic hits Illinois as fewer than 1 in 3 students read well

Illinois students show continued struggles in reading, math on national exam

Illinois’ low social mobility: causes and cures

5 solutions for Illinois schools to fight literacy crisis

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

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