Illinois Schools Receive Federal Stimulus Aid, Questions Remain On How Money Gets To Private Schools
Illinois school districts will receive more than half a billion dollars in federal stimulus funds as a result of the CARES Act. School districts across the state are now applying for about $512 million dollars that the Illinois State Board of Education will distribute based on how many low-income students districts serve. The money is […]
State Panel OKs Return of Prone Restraint on Illinois Students
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois school personnel can now temporarily use a type of previously-banned physical restraint on students if necessary. A few state lawmakers Monday said they’re “disappointed” in that decision to roll back the ban. The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, or JCAR, quietly met and approved rolling back a ban on what’s called prone […]
‘It’s Exhausting’: Illinois Special Needs Parents Struggle With Remote Learning Days
Betsy Crosswhite says it felt like a punch in the gut when her son’s school closed to limit the spread of the coronavirus. That’s when she realized she would need to become her son Shane’s teacher and therapist. Crosswhite and her family live in Wilmette. She and her husband have three kids, including Shane, 15, […]
Illinois School Closures Spotlight Opportunity Gap For Poor Students
About half of Gladys Marquez’s students can’t access the internet at home. Marquez teaches English language learners at Dwight Eisenhower High School in Blue Island on Chicago’s south side. The school serves predominantly students of color from low-income backgrounds. Marquez says her students are fortunate to attend a school district that provides an iPad to […]
Illinois State Board Of Education Orders Schools To Begin Remote Learning
The Illinois State Board of Education announced late last week that remote learning days will start for students across the state Tuesday, March 31 and will continue until in-person classes resume. These days are counted as school days and do not need to be made up at the end of year. Districts are instructed to […]
Cafeteria Workers, School Staff On The Front Lines Delivering Food To Illinois Students
Dawnal Mahan is an essential employee. She manages the cafeteria inside Chatham Elementary School, a kindergarten through fourth grade school in the small town located south of Springfield. While most teachers aren’t in the building, Mahan is still going to work each school day to prepare pre-packaged meals for students — including breakfast and lunch. […]
‘They Need To Be Allowed To Scream:’ How School Districts Use Controversial Seclusion Rooms
Documents illustrate what happens when a student is put in an isolation room.
Education Board Calls For Swift Action On School Funding
If you’ve seen Gov. Bruce Rauner’s campaign commercials , you might think the school funding issue was settled last summer. But as often happens with…