A boost in early childhood education, more funding for K-12 schools, and a major investment in accessing higher education are in the final version of the 2024 budget that the House passed early Saturday morning. It now heads to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk to be signed.
Illinois legislators pass bill that requires school districts to have a full-day kindergarten bill by 2027 as spring legislative session starts to wind down.
Very few Chicago students are graduating from high school with associate degrees. The district wants to change that.
Illinois legislators passed a bill on Friday that will require the State Board of Education to create a literacy plan for public schools to ensure that schools are teaching evidence-based reading.
Districts for the soon-to-be-elected Chicago Board of Education must be drawn by July 1, but lawmakers could finalize a map in the coming days. Those who spoke at the latest public hearing rejected the current proposal, saying it is rushed and does not represent public school families, which are mostly Latino.
Lawmakers are scheduled to discuss and potentially vote on the draft at 5 p.m. Thursday. They have until July 1 to solidify the electoral districts for Chicago’s soon-to-be-elected school board.
Ten teachers from across Illinois were recognized with the awards for excellence in teaching.
The controversial Illinois tax credit scholarship program known as Invest In Kids will sunset unless lawmakers agree to an extension. Here’s four things you should know.
A decade after leaving the classroom to help the Chicago Teachers Union build political power and improve conditions outside schools, Brandon Johnson has been sworn in as the city’s 57th mayor.
The district’s principals association hopes the district will recognize a new union voluntarily.
As Chicago’s next deputy mayor of education, Jen Johnson will oversee policy related to the city’s public schools, youth, and families. Historically, the deputy mayor of education also represents the mayor in contract talks with the teachers union.
Backers of a proposed $300 million youth jobs program are holding up a new research study as evidence it’s needed.
Illinois lawmakers are tasked with drawing Chicago’s elected school board map by July 1. Advocates want to see state officials ensure that Latino families are fairly represented and able to vote for school board members.
The proposal divides the city into 20 districts, seven majority white, seven majority Black, and six majority Latino. It’s based on the city’s population, which is 33% white, not the school district’s, which is 46.5% Latino and 36% Black.
The board will go from seven members appointed by the mayor to 10 elected and 11 appointed. By 2027, a full-elected 21-member school board will be in place.
The Illinois State Board of Education told after-school providers that due to an error, they will not receive additional funding after fiscal year 2024. Now, students, parents, providers, and school districts are calling on the state board, Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and the general assembly to make up the funding to continue programs.
The building at 7627 S. Constance Ave. has not been a school since 2014, when students were moved to the new South Shore International College Preparatory High School. It’s served as a temporary police training facility since 2020.
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Illinois Teacher of the Year Briana Morales supports her students in East St. Louis District 189 by using written and spoken word to navigate poverty, gun violence, and personal loss.
The school board approved a new school quality policy unanimously even as some employee groups argued it needs more work.
One bill moving quickly in Illinois’ general assembly would require state education officials to develop a statewide literacy plan aimed at improving reading instruction.
The school board is slated to vote on the policy Wednesday, but the teachers union and principals group say it needs more specifics.
State lawmakers are considering a bill that would require school districts to have a full-day program beginning in 2027.
Leaders with the nationally-recognized charter school network said Wednesday they filed a lawsuit to keep control of its remaining two campuses serving Black boys in Englewood and Bronzeville. Chicago Public Schools has said it plans to keep the schools open under district management.
CEO Pedro Martinez said he looks forward to working with Brandon Johnson’s administration on lobbying for more state funding.
Millennium Park bans people younger than 18 from being in the park without an adult after 6 p.m. Thursday-Sunday. Bag checks at beaches are also planned.
Chicago shut down 50 schools in one year with the promise of providing students better educational opportunities. A decade later, we want to hear from those impacted by that decision.
Four-year-olds will get priority, but officials say more than 30,000 spots are available across Chicago Public Schools and community-based early childhood providers. Families are encouraged to apply before May 2 to get an offer by May 19.
The election of a teachers union organizer over a former district chief in Chicago is a win for local progressives. It could also be a bellwether for public education policy in the historically Democratic city and beyond.
Illinois’ general assembly is at the halfway point of the spring legislative session. Some education bills are moving fast in Springfield and could make it to the governor’s desk.
Here’s why it’s so hard to keep early learning centers afloat — and what we can do about it.
Chalkbeat Chicago sat down with Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson for a brief interview. He talked about being the last mayor with control of Chicago Public Schools, what he told his kids about his new job, and what it means to be a public school parent.
Two years after Gov. J.B Pritzker signed Chicago’s elected school board bill into law, it’s time for the general assembly to draw new district maps. Advocates and educators want the district mapped in a way that ensures representation for the Black and Latino students who attend CPS.
Johnson won with 51.4% of the vote, according to preliminary election results. He will be the last mayor with control of Chicago Public Schools.
District and teachers union leaders want to increase the number of certified educators, especially in high-needs schools.
Brandon Johnson’s biggest donors are teachers unions. Paul Vallas is raking in cash from wealthy individuals — some of whom have supported charter schools and other education reform efforts in Chicago.
Early childhood education advocates want the winner of the April 4 runoff to prioritize access to affordable child care, attracting and retaining early childhood education staff.
The assessment exhausts and excludes student teachers, Kate Sjostrom writes.
The district has fielded concerns about Skyline’s online platform and profusion of materials.
Back-to-back shootings, one a block from my Illinois house and another at a Tennessee elementary school, have me wondering how to support future teachers.
A new mayor will face a school system with declining enrollment, a fiscal cliff, another round of labor negotiations, and the transition to an elected school board.
LEARN Excel Charter and the Boys and Girls Club partnered to offer enrichment opportunities beyond academics.
City residents ages 14 to 24 are eligible to apply for the six-week jobs program. New numbers show participation rates have yet to bounce back from a pandemic decline.
Chicago schools’ budget strategy is to lobby for more state dollars, officials said.
EduLog, which previously worked with Chicago schools, will provide transportation planning and bus routing for Chicago students.
A push to remove police from Chicago schools intensified after the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
Chalkbeat breaks down Paul Vallas’ and Brandon Johnson’s positions on education issues.
State lawmakers must draw districts for Chicago’s elected school board by July 1, 2023 ahead of the November 2024 election. They’re accepting ideas for how to divide up the city through a new online portal.