In today’s Leading News, read about plans for opening, closing, and repurposing school facilities.

Geneseo School Board hears about new school for Henry-Stark Special Education Co-Op
Lisa Hammer, The Dispatch-Argus, December 13, 2025

Herrin officials discuss $347k grant allocation for civic improvements
Paul Wilcoxen, Southern Illinoisan, Carbondale, December 10

Unit 5 enrollment study includes options of adding new school east of Veterans, closing Carlock school
Braden Fogerson, WGLT, Normal, December 11

D65 board still deadlocked
Jeff Hirsh, Evanston Now. December 15

Harlem School District 122 board considering closing two schools and other major changes amid multi-million dollar deficit
Peter Medlin, Northern Public Radio, DeKalb, December 15

Oswego School District 308 officials address questions, concerns regarding proposed housing development
Eric Schelkopf, Shaw Local/Kendall County Now, December 15
 

In today’s Leading News, read the latest coverage of national education stories with local implications.

Meet the teens raising money to help classmates with parents in immigration detention
Sarah Karp, WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times, December 15

North Greene opens staff daycare to retain teachers
Alton Telegraph, December 11

More CPS students are graduating high school, but finishing college is a challenge
Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, December 2

Education Department recalls fired attorneys amid civil rights complaint backlog
Cory Turner, NPR, December 10

Efforts to require Asian American history in schools after anti-Asian hate starting to pay off
Terry Tang, Associated Press, December 12
 

In today’s Leading News, ‘tis the season for music, food, gatherings, and a golden moment.

Homewood middle school student musicians to record at Chicago in studio that hosted the Foo Fighters, Cheap Trick
Evy Lewis, Daily Southtown, December 9

Oak Lawn Students Challenged By Military To Create Dishes Using Meals-Ready-To-Eat
Lorraine Swanson, Oak Lawn Patch, December 9

Westville students, community welcome time together at annual Senior Citizens Dinner
Jennifer Bailey, The News-Gazette, December 10

CPS students cook up Thanksgiving dinner for South Side seniors
Casey He, Chicago Sun-Times, November 18

Leyden students and staff to share Thanksgiving meal, ‘family-style experience’ with 200 Navy recruits
C. R. Walker, Chicago Tribune, November 23

How Wauconda High School students are helping local eatery redefine itself
Mick Zawislak, Daily Herald, December 11

Oak Park and River Forest High School’s new staffer isn’t a Huskie, he’s a golden retriever
Paul Eisenberg, Daily Southtown, December 9

 

In today’s Leading News, school districts discuss space consideration. Also in the news, a conversation about the words we choose.

O’Fallon school district explores expansions, new campus to address space crunch
Madison Lammert, Belleville News-Democrat, December 10

Edison Primary on chopping block
Stephanie Markham, Kankakee Daily Journal, December 10

Harlem School District to hold three public forums over potential cuts, closures
Kevin Haas, Rock River Current, December 8

Lyons Township HS completes South Campus construction projects
Shaw Local/Suburban Life, December 5

Resurgence of a slur: Local parents, intellectual disability advocates condemn Trump's use of the ‘R-word’
Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, December 6
 

In today’s Leading News, read how the media is covering school district tax levy decisions.

QPS looking at “net neutral” tax levy
Deborah Gertz Husar, Herald-Whig, Quincy, November 18

Coal City Unit 1 school board approves almost $34 million 2025 tax levy
Michael Urbanec, Shaw Media/Morris Herad-News, December 9

Taylorville School Board To Meet Tuesday; Public Hearing Scheduled For Tax Levy Discussion
Taylorville Daily News, December 9

Galesburg District 205 levy: Solar lifts EAV, Cottage refunds cut revenue
Jane Carlson, Tri States Public Radio, December 10

Meetings to explain Jacksonville school district's proposed tax levy
Ben Singson, Jacksonville Journal Courier, December 9
 

In today’s Leading News, school districts consider questions of curriculum. Also in the news, classrooms without phones.

Illinois educators hope to tackle thorny issue of math competence
Peter Hancock, CNI/Decatur Herald and Review, December 8

Lansing School District 158 school board discusses AI, curriculum
Kinise Jordan, Lansing Journal, December 7
 
Special delivery: 48 Holocaust education book trunks arrive at Vermilion schools
Luke Taylor, Champaign News-Gazette, December 6
 
State of Schools address by St. Charles School District 303 is Dec. 2
Joey Weslo, Kane County Chronicle, November 26

Students and staff say new phone policy is working as designed at Bloomington High School
Braden Fogerson, WGLT, Normal, November 17
 

In today’s Leading News, schools and the state have conversations about students physical and emotional health.

Rock Island-Milan emails show timeline of response to mold exposure incident this summer
Cesar Toscano, Quad Cities Dispatch-Argus, December 8

CPS reports 2% increase in measles vaccination rate
Hope Moses, Chicago Tribune, December 5

Education Matters: How do school officials decide when to cancel classes?
Madison Lammert, Belleville News-Democrat, December 4

Pritzker signs bill allowing Illinois to issue state-specific vaccine guidelines
Maggie Dougherty, CNI/Champaign News-Gazette, December 2

Spartan Sisterhood at Oak Lawn Community High School offers ‘safe space’ for girls to learn and grow
Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, November 25
 

In today’s Leading News, it’s been 50 years since the passage of federal special education law. ISBE extends conversation on accountability. CPS reports on attendance. Evanston/Slokie SD 65 is at an impasse on school closures. Also in the news, SIU-Carbondale will offer dual credit programs with local high schools.

50 years after the birth of special education, some fear for its future under Trump
Cory Turner, NPR, December 3

Illinois State Board of Education extends timeline for public comment on school accountability overhaul
Samantha Smylie, Chalkbeat Chicago, December 3

CPS attendance stayed mostly the same amid immigration activity this fall, with big drops on some days
WBEZ, Chicago, December 3

D65 School Board impasse blocks path to any school closures
Richard Requena, Pioneer Press/Chicago Tribune, December 2

SIUC launches new dual enrollment program for southern Illinois high school students
Devin Kidd, KFVS, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, December 2

 

In today’s Leading News, educating for the future.

D209 grows dual degree program with Triton College
Amaris E. Rodriguez, Forest Park Review, November 18

Belleville District 201's The CAVE hosts career fair
Joshua Carter and Madison Lammert, Belleville News-Democrat, November 18

CPS culinary students assist in century-old gingerbread tradition at the Drake Hotel
Hope Moses, Chicago Tribune, November 20

Decatur students learn about foundry work and careers
Valerie Wells, Decatur Herald and Review, November 18

Sandburg hosts real-world career experience for students
Nida Tazeen, assisted by AI, Galesburg Register-Mail, November 19
 

In today’s Leading News, Zion SD 6 schools are closed for a third day on Wednesday as the district deals with a cybersecurity breach. Ball-Chatham CUSD 5 and Springfield SD 186 meet about a parcel of land. Quincy SD 172 schools discuss teacher shortages. CHSD 230 (Orland Park) works to reduce student absences. Also in the news, the Illinois education budget.

Zion D6 schools closed two days by cybersecurity breach
Steve Sadin, Lake County News-Sun, December 2

Ball-Chatham board members balk at 'unprecedented' request from D186
Steven Spearie, Springfield State Journal-Register, December 2

“We want kids with a teacher”
Deborah Gertz Husar, Herald-Whig, Quincy, November 28

Orland District 230 finds ‘attendance matters’ campaign reducing chronic absenteeism
Addison Wright,  Daily Southtown, Chicago and suburbs, November 30

Requests for new K-12 funding in Illinois likely to outstrip available resources 
Peter Hancock, CNI/Belleville News-Democrat, November 24

 

In today’s Leading News, read about national-level issues with local implications.
       
School Groups Sue to Stop Dismantling of the Education Department
Michael C. Bender, New York Times, November 25

As immigration agents swept Chicago this fall, communities stepped in to get kids to school safely
Sarah Karp and Amy Qin, WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times, December 2

CTU to cooperate with congressional inquiry over financial audits
Emmanuel Camarillo, Chicago Sun-Times, November 25

Student Fear and Absences Surge as Immigration Enforcement Expands
Ileana Najarro, Education Week, November 25

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library delivers 100,000 books
The Southern Illinoisan, November 16
 

In today’s Leading News, levy tak.

Salem Grade School Board approves tax levy, does not approve TIF #4 agreement
Austin Williams, WJBD, Salem, November 18

District 87 looks at $60.2M property tax levy; sales tax may help
D. Jack Alkire, Bloomington Pantagraph, November 20

District 208 sets public hearing for tax levy jump
Gregg Voss, Riverside Brookfield Landmark, November 18

Springfield 186 School Board weighing 4.56% tax levy increase
WAND, Decatur, November 17

Thornton Fractional District 215 hears proposed 3.5% increase in tax levy
Paul Czapkowicz, Landing Journal, November 25