South Side

Illinois’ Corruption Hall of Shame, April 2014

By Brian Costin
05/06/2014
April was a very busy month for public corruption stories in Illinois. In total, there were 45 different public corruption-related news stories in just 30 days. A full list of those stories can be found here. Here are the April inductees to the Illinois Hall of Shame: 5. The city of Chicago spent more than...

Advisory committee on education funding needs to embrace bold reforms

07/07/2013
Nearly every week, I receive a call from an Illinois parent asking about whether the state has a school voucher program. Last week it was a single mother from the South Side of Chicago. Her daughter just graduated from elementary school and will attend one of the city’s worst high schools if her family can’t...

Why Aren’t There More Charter Schools in Illinois?

By Collin Hitt
01/31/2008
The most significant development in American public education over the past fifteen years has been the advent of charter schools.  There are more than 4,000 charter schools operating nationwide.   Some states are home to hundreds of charter schools.  Illinois is lagging far behind. There are only 35 charter schools in Illinois, enrolling less than one...