Illinois’ comeback story starts here.

The Policy Shop: Illinois’ 3rd graders are struggling

The Policy Shop: Illinois’ 3rd graders are struggling

This episode of The Policy Shop is by policy analyst Hannah Schmid.  If you are spending part of your day reading this, it’s more than a little likely you had solid teachers in first through third grades. They taught you to read, which was essential to learning all that was to come during the rest...

The Policy Shop: Springfield’s bad budgeting

The Policy Shop: Springfield’s bad budgeting

This episode of The Policy Shop is by Bryce Hill, director of fiscal and economic research. It’s all just numbers, right? $53.1 billion? Why, with 12.5 million Illinoisans, that will only cost a family of four about $17,000. A mere pittance for all the good done by the state politicians who generously spend other people’s...