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’ 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...

Illinois part of national epidemic, with only 1 in 3 students reading well

By Hannah Schmid

09/19/2024

Student literacy is in trouble nationally, which is why Illinois is one of 35 states where just 1 in 3 – or fewer – of its fourth graders met reading standards in 2022.

Chicago Teachers Union sets a radical example for nation’s teachers unions

By William O'Keefe

04/19/2024

The Chicago Teachers Union prides itself as a leader in “bargaining for the common good” – unionspeak for contract demands related to its political agenda rather than teachers’ wages and benefits. This year’s negotiations could reverberate across the nation.

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

18 states embrace school choice as Illinois hurts low-income families

By Hannah Schmid

01/22/2024

Seven states enacted new private school choice programs in 2023 and 11 states expanded existing programs. But Illinois killed its Invest in Kids tax-credit scholarship program, ending the only help for nearly 10,000 low-income students.

TAGS: school choice

Illinois again taxing your groceries starting July 1

By Dylan Sharkey

06/28/2023

Illinoisans will notice more expensive food July 1 when Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s election-year suspension of the grocery tax expires. Only Illinois and 12 other states will tax groceries then.

Illinois grocery tax returns July 1

By Dylan Sharkey

06/06/2023

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s temporary tax relief expires July 1 when Illinois reinstates the grocery tax instead of joining the 37 states that don’t tax groceries at all.

TAGS: JB Pritzker

CTU-backed Amendment 1 would give teachers unions power over Illinois parents

By Mailee Smith

02/15/2022

Chicago Teachers Union takes credit for spreading the “new gospel” of union strike power across the nation. If the CTU-backed Amendment 1 passes in November, it will lock the union’s militant tactics into the state constitution, to the detriment of children and parents statewide.

TAGS: Amendment 1, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Illinois 1 of 7 states to see residents move out faster in 2021

By Bryce Hill

01/14/2022

Illinoisans fled at a record pace in 2021. The state lost 122,460 residents on net because of moves to other states.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population

$51,627 in unemployment benefits for average salaried parent in Illinois

By Noah Shaar

07/16/2021

Illinois employers are hurting from a lack of workers while the state unemployment rate remains high. When a parent can stay home and make $51,627 on unemployment, the prospects of getting more workers back to work this summer appear dim.

TAGS: Illinois, unemployment

Oklahoma

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

Illinois’ low social mobility: causes and cures

Illinois part of national epidemic, with only 1 in 3 students reading well

Chicago Teachers Union sets a radical example for nation’s teachers unions

18 states embrace school choice as Illinois hurts low-income families

Illinois again taxing your groceries starting July 1

Illinois grocery tax returns July 1

CTU-backed Amendment 1 would give teachers unions power over Illinois parents

Illinois 1 of 7 states to see residents move out faster in 2021

$51,627 in unemployment benefits for average salaried parent in Illinois

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