Literacy epidemic hits Illinois as fewer than 1 in 3 students read well

By Hannah Schmid

03/28/2025

Student literacy is in trouble nationally. Illinois is one of 41 states where just 1 in 3 or fewer of its fourth-graders met reading standards in 2024.

TAGS: public schools

Parents would see what children are learning under school transparency bills

By Dylan Sharkey

03/06/2025

Illinois schools would be required to share curriculum materials with parents under a pair of bills in Springfield. State Rep. Amy Grant’s House Bill 3806 and state Sen. Andrew Chesney’s Senate Bill 2080 require school materials be made available to parents.

TAGS: public schools

Teachers unions don’t want teachers evaluated on how well students are learning

By Hannah Schmid

03/04/2025

Democrats in the Illinois Senate filed a bill to remove student academic growth data as a measure for teacher evaluations. The Illinois Federation of Teachers backs the bill – another effort by the union to obstruct accountability.

TAGS: public schools

Illinois students show continued struggles in reading, math on national exam

By Hannah Schmid

01/30/2025

The nation’s report card was just released and shows Illinois students continue to struggle to meet proficiency standards in reading and math. State leaders are spinning 8th-grade results as a win, but in reality, they lag. Ignored are the struggles of younger students.

TAGS: public schools

Illinois school boards should provide opportunities to all kids in their districts

By Mailee Smith

01/27/2025

Some Illinois school boards allow all resident children – including private and homeschooled kids – to participate in district activities. That should be the case for all taxpaying families in all districts.

TAGS: public schools

5 solutions for Illinois schools to fight literacy crisis

By Hannah Schmid

01/08/2025

The first three years of elementary school are critical in building reading skills so a student succeeds in school and life. Illinois lawmakers can push five proven literacy reforms to give the state’s students a better start.

TAGS: literacy, public schools

5 ways Illinois can learn from Colorado’s ‘blue state’ literacy reforms

By Hannah Schmid

12/25/2024

Colorado lawmakers passed an act in 2012 to focus on early literacy development and the science of reading. Its fourth graders are now in the Top 5 states for reading proficiency. Illinois can benefit from adopting five of their tactics.

TAGS: literacy, public schools

4 things wrong with how Illinois leaders want to change public schooling

By Hannah Schmid

12/12/2024

A report outlining public education reform in Illinois doesn’t address a core issue facing students: reading proficiency. It also lowers standards for students and threatens to muddle the understanding of students’ progress.

TAGS: public schools

What to know about Illinois education as students head back to school

By Hannah Schmid

08/20/2024

Students in Illinois are steadily returning to class across Illinois’ 852 school districts, where improvement is needed on the 35% of elementary students who can read at grade level. What to know about how well the state’s public schools are preparing students for life.

TAGS: public schools

See how well your local 3rd graders can read

By Hannah Schmid

05/30/2024

Third grade is a critical year for young readers, predicting the success of their entire educations. See how well your local schools are doing at producing proficient readers by the end of third grade.

TAGS: ISBE: Illinois State Board of Education, public schools