Chicago Public Schools board members passed a $10.2 billion budget that could have been worse. They got in this mess because expenditures have ballooned $2.4 billion since 2020, largely because 7,927 workers were added.
Illinois is among the few states to offer no private school choice scholarships after killing its Invest in Kids tax-credit program in 2023. The new federal Educational Choice for Children Act would again give Illinois families access to educational options.
The Chicago Teachers Union had an opinion on everything from immigration to rental fees during the Illinois General Assembly’s regular session. Lawmakers did what the union wanted on nearly 1-in-3 bills.
AAA named Chicago a top domestic travel spot for Labor Day. It also said Illinois has some of the nation’s highest gas prices. Thank Illinois taxes for the extra dings at the pump.
Restrictive zoning laws and policy barriers have prevented new housing construction, driving prices up and Illinois families out.
A new federal law could give Illinois parents funds to help cover the costs of homeschooling, but only if the state agrees to allow it.
The City of Chicago needs a city charter that will bring some certainty to city government. It should learn from the experiences of other cities when choosing the people who will draft that charter.
Illinois students are struggling to meet proficiency standards on state assessments. Instead of working to improve student learning, the state is lowering standards to hide the crisis.
The Chicago Teachers Union and its president want a say about fixing Chicago’s transit and health care problems, rather than focusing on its education problem. CTU’s answer to every problem? More taxes from Chicagoans and the rest of the state.
The Chicago Public Schools board is set to vote on the district’s 2025-2026 budget on Aug. 28. It must close a $734 million budget hole, but the district’s finances are a mess.
Atlas Sweets is a newcomer to Chicago’s summer farmers market and fair scene. For founders Vlad and Ellery Rikhlyuk, the cotton candy enterprise is about more than bringing in a little extra cash – it’s the revival of a family dream once crushed by Soviet Communism.
Illinois continues to be one of the slowest growing economies in the nation, ranking 46th in post-pandemic job recovery and adding just 20,300 jobs in the past year. Unemployment remained above the national average.
Illinois companies announced 444 mass layoffs in July. LSC Communications Transport in Bolingbrook, also known as Enru Logistics, accounted for over one-third of job losses.