In today’s Leading News, the economics of education.

S&P issues Chicago Board of Education a warning: Find revenue or ‘scale down’ operations to fund CTU contract
Sarah Macaraeg, Chicago Tribune, December 14

Bears’ McCaskey visits District 214 not to talk taxes, but he did visit an econ class
Christopher Placek, Daily Herald, December 13

Here’s what your DeKalb school district 2024 property tax bill could look like
Megann Horstead, DeKalb Daily Chronicle, December 10

Newly improved student aid application released following last year’s technical woes
Ikram Mohamed, Chicago Tribune, November 27

Teacher shortage due to compensation and Tier 2 retirement among other factors
Valerie Wells, Decatur Herald and Review, November 1
 

In today’s Leading News, school districts statewide address issues of student safety. Also in the news, it’s about time.

Local school adds stop arms to buses for student safety
Paul Wilcoxen, The Southern Illinoisan, December 10

Centralia City Schools will request South Pine Street be made a one-way for student safety
Austin Williams, WJBD, Salem, December 11

County health department to expand affordable care clinic to Rock Island High School
Olivia Allen, Quad Cities Dispatch-Argus, December 11

Illinois seeking high schools for student-led initiative to prevent targeted violence and hate
Max Cotton, WGEM, December 6

Results of a time study may help educators get more time out of the school day
Cory Turner, NPR, December 13


 

In today’s Leading News, sports.

IHSA votes to change classification system for 2025-26
Matt Cagle, The Southern Illinoisan, December 10

Elgin’s Larkin High School to finally have its own sports stadium
Mike Danahey, Elgin Courier News, December 10

School districts approve Arlington Park tax deal with Bears
Christopher Placek, Daily Herald, December 12

Oak Lawn Community High School plans $40M fieldhouse
Janice Neumann, Daily Southtown, Chicago and suburbs, December 11

Oswego School District 308 wants to redevelop former junior high school into sports facility
Eric Schelkopf, Kendall Cunty Now, December 10

More Muslim girls are playing youth sports and celebrating their religion while doing it
Anna Savchenko, WBEZ, Chicago, December 9
 

In today’s Leading News, take a look at the proposed designs for a new Illinois state flag. Read about the latest news and conversation on book bans. Also in the news, more books.  

Photos: New Illinois state flag designs unveiled
Shaw Local Media/Capitol News Illinois, December 11

New Jersey becomes latest state to prohibit bans on books in school, public libraries
Mike Catalini, AP/Allton Telegraph, December 9

Book banning remains relevant topic in Lockport High School District 205 board race
Olivia Stevens, Daily Southtown, December 10

State anti-book-ban law leads some school districts to forsake grants to maintain local control
Olivia Olander and Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, December 8

'1000 Books' program helps Macon County kids develop language skills
Valerie Wells, Decatur Herald and Review, December 7
 

In today’s Leading News, calls renew for the IHSA to look at public/private school competition. There’s a chill in the air in Country Club Hills. Springfield SD 186 may lose programming with Boys and Girls Clubs. Dixon Unit SD 170 discusses a bond issue. Also in the news, many school leaders experienced an amazing performance by the Joliet SD 83 Mariachi Ensemble.

After the state football finals, is it time to have a private-public school sports discussion?
Kevin Schmit, Daily Herald, December 6

Kids wearing coats in classrooms as heating problems persist at 2 Country Club Hills middle schools
Eric Horng, WLS, Chicago, December 3,

Boys & Girls Clubs could end programming at 8 Springfield schools
Tom Ackerman, Springfield State Journal-Register. December 3

Dixon Public Schools plan to issue $4.5 million in bonds as part of long-range financial plan
Payton Felix, Shaw Media Sauk Valley, November 28

Joliet District 86 student mariachi ensemble performs at state conference
Judy Harvey, Shaw Media/Joliet Herald News, December 9
 

In today’s Leading News, school districts and board members deal with difficult questions about membership,  charter closings, candidacies, and parking. Also in the news, learn about problem-solving skills with students at Bloom THSD 206.

Freeburg school board seeks to remove a second member, alleging he made violent threats
Teri Maddox, Belleville News Democrat, November 27

Acero threatens CPS Board of Education over 'reckless' comments about planned charter closings
Bader Issa, Chicago Sun-Times/WBEZ, December 6

Harvard District 50 school board president tossed from ballot
Claire O'Brien, Northwest Herald, December 2

‘This should not have happened in the first place’: Student allowed to use accessible parking placard at high school
Rick West, Daily Herald, December 5

Bloom High School becomes national model for problem solving
Janice Neuman, Chicago Tribune, November 25
 

In today’s Leading News, an IEA survey gathers teacher opinions. Questions continue on CPS leadership. School bus manufacturer Lion Electric halts operations in its Joliet plant. Also in the news, projections, and projections, in the Quincy area.

Illinois educators feeling financially squeezed, many buying their own supplies, survey finds
Amy Yee, Chicago Sun-Times, December 3

Embattled CPS CEO Pedro Martinez gets buyout offer from law firm tied to Board of Education amid union and mayoral tensions
Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, December 4

Electric school bus maker Lion Electric suspends operations at Illinois plant
Nara Schoenberg,  Chicago Tribune, December 4

Projections show QPS in the red in 2029-30
Deborah Gertz Husar, Herald-Whig, Quincy, November 27

Adams County CEO students offer drive-in movie experience
Deborah Gertz Husar, Herald-Whig, Quincy, November 22
 

In today’s Leading News, school districts seek to manage finances, current and future. Also in the news, flying through high school.

Home values surged in Belleville. What does that mean for the schools’ property tax rate?
Kelly Smits, Belleville News-Democrat, November 21

Rock Island-Milan school officials unveil revised pool plans, lower construction costs
Olivia Allen, Quad Cities Dispatch-Argus, November 29

McLean County school districts may seek 1% sales tax
D. Jack Alkire and Drew Zimmerman, Bloomington Pantagraph, November 21

New Trier board approves $35 million in bond sales to support renovations at both campuses
Peter Kaspari, North Shore Record, November 22

High school students take to the skies through Governors State program
Janice Neumann, Daily Southtown, Chicago and suburbs, December 1
 

In today’s Leading News, catch up with reporting of school board candidate filings. Also in the news, read the WBEZ/Sun-Times coverage of the decision to close some Acero charter schools in Chicago.

Nearly a dozen file to run for DeKalb school board in spring election
Megann Horstead, DeKalb Daily Chronicle, November 20

Who has filed for Macon County school boards
Scott Perry, Decatur Herald and Review, November 20

Three candidates seek three Quincy School Board seats
Deborah Gertz Husar, Herald-Whig, Quincy, November 20

Candidates line up for Naperville, Wheaton school board elections
Katlyn Smith and Alicia Fabbre, Daily Herald, November 13

Why one of Chicago’s largest charter schools decided to close 7 campuses
Sarah Karp and Nader Issa, Chicago Sun-Times/WBEZ, November 21
 

In today’s Leading News, reports from levy time. Also in the news Governor Pritzker names the first head of Illinois’ new Department of Early Childhood.

Geneseo school board approves new tax levy
Lisa Hammer, Quad Cities Dispatch-Argus, November 16

Georgetown-Ridge Farm school board approves 11.2% property tax increase
Jennifer Bailey, Champaign News-Gazette, November 26

Proposed levy could drop QPS tax rate
Deborah Gertz Husar, Herald-Whig, Quincy, November 20

Unit 5 proposes increasing property tax levy and education fund tax rate
Melissa Ellin, WGLT, Bloomington, November 21

Gov. JB Pritzker names first head of state’s new early childhood agency
Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, December 2
 

In today's Leading News to open December, read these updates on stories we were following in November.

The next school reform push in Illinois: testing and accountability
Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois/Quincy Herald Whig, November 29

Peoria Public Schools administrator named Illinois superintendent of the year
Dean Muellerleile, Peoria Journal Star, November 23

Meridian Federation of Teachers and school board approve five-year contract
Valerie Wells, Decatur Herald and Review, November 22

Should school districts, other local governments have the power to kill TIFs?
Brenda Schory, Kane County Chronicle, November 29

Bears reach tentative agreement on Arlington Park property taxes
Christopher Placek, Daily Herald, November 25