Education

Vallas: Fact check on Stacy Davis Gates’ rationalization for fighting, exercising school choice

Stacy Davis Gates conveniently ignores she and other union bosses actively work to deny poor parents the same educational choices they themselves enjoy. While Davis Gates bemoans “unfair choices” for South Side and West Side parents, she fails to acknowledge CTU leadership is primarily responsible for these disparities.

By Paul Vallas

George Kokuro

“I want lawmakers to know that some people out here don’t have enough money to better themselves, so they depend on people like Empower Illinois."

Vallas: School choice and the hypocrisy of Chicago Teachers Union leaders

According to the Chicago Teachers Union leadership, supporters of school choice for poor children are fascists and racists. What does it say when four out of 10 CTU teachers send their children to private schools, including CTU President Stacy Davis Gates?

By Paul Vallas

Vallas: Chicago Teachers Union out to destroy superior performance of charter schools

Charter schools give low-income and minority students a better shot at success. So why is the Chicago Teachers Union trying to hurt charter schools’ better academic performance at lower cost?

By Paul Vallas

Midwest states expand school choice while Illinois fights to save scholarships for low-income students

Five Midwest states have enacted or expanded school choice programs since the Invest in Kids Act was enacted in 2017. Now Illinois’ scholarships are set to expire while other programs thrive.

By Hannah Schmid

Back to school in Chicago Public Schools

Chicago Public Schools students return to class Aug. 21. Take a look at the state of district proficiency, building utilization, enrollment, student-teacher ratios, absenteeism and finances.

By Hannah Schmid

Illinois teachers unions have threatened to strike 188 times since 2010

Illinois public school students are at a severe disadvantage. Educational unions here can strike, keeping kids out of school, but that’s not the case in other big cities or neighboring states.

By Mailee Smith

Rena Garrett

“If it weren’t for the scholarship, he probably would have been home taught. Public school was just not an option for him.”

Pritzker signs charter neutrality bill, Chicago Teachers Union fights to weaken charter schools

Contracts at 35 Chicago charter schools represented by the Chicago Teachers Union are up for negotiations this year. CTU, with the help of Gov. J.B. Pritzker and House Bill 1120, is positioning itself to grow its power by diminishing charter schools as an alternative for parents and students.

By Hannah Schmid

August is teacher opt out time: know your rights as an Illinois public school employee

Educators and other public school employees in Illinois can opt out of union membership in August and stop paying dues.

By Hannah Schmid

No election? No break on Illinois back-to-school supplies

Iowa, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee are all having back-to-school sales tax holidays. Not Illinois, where state leaders saw the need during the 2022 election.

By Dylan Sharkey

Over 4 of 5 Illinois lawmakers get money from teachers unions

Since 2010, teachers unions have funneled nearly $20 million to current lawmakers in the Illinois General Assembly, with the Chicago Teachers Union alone spending over $1.25 million.

By Mailee Smith, Jon Josko

One-third of Chicago Public Schools are less than half full

Chicago Public Schools has a school utilization problem. Over 34% are less than half full, 57% are underutilized, and 5% are overcrowded. Just 35% are at ideal capacity. The Chicago Teachers Union is preventing solutions.

By Hannah Schmid

Illinois Federation of Teachers spends little on representing teachers, members flee

Just 26% of IFT’s spending in 2022 was on representing teachers. IFT’s questionable spending could be why nearly 16,500 Illinois public school employees have chosen to distance themselves from the union.

By Mailee Smith