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Illinois State Board of Education
Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
11:44am
Thu Apr 25

Voices For Illinois Children Discusses Quinn's Proposed Budget, Offers Revenue Solutions

With a little more than a month remaining in the spring legislative session in Springfield, advocates for Illinois children say it's important to understand the factors driving the state's fiscal year 2014 budget debate and what can be done to help avoid damaging cuts to education and other critical programs.

David Lloyd, senior policy analyst with the Fiscal Policy Center at Voices for Illinois Children, told advocates on a web conference call this week that maintaining funding for their priorities depends on a sustainable state budget that raises necessary revenues.

“These are difficult choices, but I think eventually the math wins," Lloyd said. "Without additional revenues to pay the liabilities such as pensions and Medicaid, Illinois will be forced to cut other programs. There’s just no other way around it."

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PI Original
by Ellyn Fortino
5:09pm
Tue Apr 2

Local Advocacy Groups Call For Restoration Of State Homeless Student Education Funds

Given the potential record-breaking number of schools closing in Chicago and a recent report showing an increased number of homeless students in Illinois, anti-homeless advocates say it’s more important than ever for the state to restore funding for the education of students with unstable homes.

Quick Hit
by Ashlee Rezin
5:58pm
Fri Mar 22

Low-Income & Homeless Students Stand To Lose The Most From CPS School Closures

The same week Chicago Public Schools (CPS) announced it will close a record-breaking number of schools at the end of the school year, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) released a report revealing increased instances of homelessness and poverty amongst Illinois’ students.

Nearly half of Illinois’ approximately 2 million students qualify as low income, increasing from 37.9 percent to 49 percent since 2008, according to the ISBE.

“Research tells us that children in areas of concentrated poverty often experience higher levels of stress and can exhibit more severe behavioral and emotional problems than children overall,” the report reads. "These difficulties often impact a child’s likelihood of success in school, leading to lower achievement scores and higher dropout rates."

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PI Original
by Ashlee Rezin
6:04pm
Tue Mar 19

Illinois Students With Positive HIV/AIDS Status May Soon Be Able To Keep Anonymity

Illinois is the only state that requires principals be notified of students’ HIV-positive status, but legislation working its way through the Illinois General Assembly may change that. Here, we take a closer look at the disclosure law and the bill looking to undo it.

PI Original
by Ashlee Rezin
4:59pm
Thu Jan 17

Chicago Parent Mentor Program Expands Across The State (VIDEO)

Logan Square Neighborhood Association’s Parent Mentor Program is expanding to 45 low-income schools across Illinois this spring, thanks to a $1 million grant from the Illinois State Board of Education and a partnership with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and other state-wide community organizations. Progress Illinois was there for the kick off the program's expansion.