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

Illinois Policy Institute research cited in US Senate hearing on education

By Dylan Sharkey

06/21/2024

Illinois Policy Institute research was cited in a U.S Senate hearing on education spending to show more funding isn’t the solution for poor performance in public schools.

TAGS: U.S. Congress

Utah makes life easier for job seekers; Illinois can, too

By Chris Coffey

06/21/2024

Utah consolidated and integrated government job and social services into a one-stop shop. Illinois can follow that example and efficiently pull more people out of poverty and into the working world.

TAGS: employment

2019-2020 Illinois corruption tracker

By Austin Berg

11/11/2019

Government corruption is nothing new for Illinoisans. Illinois is the second-most corrupt state in the nation, according to research by the University of Illinois-Chicago. And corruption costs the state economy more than $550 million per year. What is new? Powerful Illinois lawmakers, Chicago aldermen, local mayors and business interests are involved in what appears to be...

Illinois lawmakers moving toward $15 per hour minimum wage

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

02/01/2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker is aiming to pass a minimum wage hike ahead of his budget address.

TAGS: employment, Fight for 15, JB Pritzker, jobs, minimum wage, unemployment

Senate bill puts school-choice scholarships at risk for low-income kids

By Brendan Bakala

01/30/2018

The bill would cut off Illinois’ new tax credit scholarship program if the Illinois State Board of Education determined public school funding levels were inadequate.

TAGS: budget, education, Invest in Kids, school choice, vouchers

Capitol Updates: April 22 week in review

By Jane McEnaney

03/31/2013

It was a quiet week in Springfield as the Illinois Senate was the only chamber in session. Heres what took place: Virtual charter school moratorium bill assigned to substantive committee On Wednesday, the Senate Assignments Committee referred House Bill 494 to the Senate Education Committee, where it is scheduled to be heard next Tuesday, April...

TAGS: Illinois Statehouse, virtual learning

Virtual school moratorium bill moves to the Senate

03/31/2013

The Illinois House took another step in the wrong direction last week by passing an amendment to House Bill 494, which institutes a one-year moratorium on new charter schools with virtual learning components located outside of Chicago.

TAGS: digital learning, moratorium

Capitol Updates: Legislative preview for the week of April 22

By Jane McEnaney

03/31/2013

The Illinois Senate is in session this week though the House is in recess until April 29. The Senate deadline for the third reading of substantive bills is on Thursday, April 25 meaning that all Senate bills must be voted on by the full Senate Chamber by Thursday. Otherwise bills will be sent back...

United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

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

Illinois Policy Institute research cited in US Senate hearing on education

Utah makes life easier for job seekers; Illinois can, too

Senate President John Cullerton announces retirement amid sweeping Illinois corruption probe

2019-2020 Illinois corruption tracker

Illinois lawmakers moving toward $15 per hour minimum wage

Senate bill puts school-choice scholarships at risk for low-income kids

Capitol Updates: April 22 week in review

Virtual school moratorium bill moves to the Senate

Capitol Updates: Legislative preview for the week of April 22

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