Illinois’ university system is losing students to other states as prices per student top the nation. The system and its funding need an overhaul, but state leaders instead are considering letting community colleges create even more competition.
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.
The Educational Choice for Children Act continues to progress after it was included in the budget reconciliation bill passed by the U.S. House on May 22. It is cause for hope for 15,000 low-income Illinois students who lost their private-school scholarships in 2023.
A new Chicago ordinance will remove college degree requirements for most city jobs. The measure breaks down employment barriers for disadvantaged groups and opens new pathways to prosperity.
Adding sales taxes to services is limited in the U.S., with 46 states not generally taxing services. Illinois may break from the pack and start adding sales taxes to haircuts, lawn care, car repair and a long list of other service expected to cost $2.7 billion.
As Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker positions himself as the foil to President Donald Trump, a look at his record as governor is telling. What it is telling is not good.
Outcomes for Illinoisans have dropped since Gov. J.B. Pritzker took office. The nation’s Democrats need to see where he’s taken Illinois before following his lead on the national stage.
Despite Illinois law setting clear budget rules, lawmakers routinely fast-track last-minute, backroom deals, keeping voters and other legislators in the dark.
Illinois municipal leaders didn’t grant building permits to enough new housing in 2024. Low numbers and lack of density indicate Illinois could improve its housing picture with more development.
A lawsuit challenging the Chicago Teachers Union’s failure to release mandated financial audits to its members survived CTU’s attempt to get it thrown out.
Illinois is the most inefficient state in the Midwest and the 14th-most inefficient in the country. That’s driven in part by excessive units of local government – more than in any other state. High property taxes are one result.
Illinois state lawmakers must be super speed readers, because who would vote on something they hadn’t read? They were given an average of 67 seconds per page to read the past nine state budgets, but last year received only 26 seconds per page.