CPS To Raise Property Taxes The Maximum

For the second year in a row, Chicago Public School officials under Mayor Rahm Emanuel will raise property taxes for schools to the maximum allowed by law, yielding the cash-strapped system $41 million. The 1.5 percent increase should cost the average homeowner $28 a...

Illinois lags in science, tech, engineering, math grads

Bad News: Illinois is producing fewer graduates with degrees in science, technology, engineering and math than the national average, according to the June release of the Illinois Innovation Index. … According to the Illinois Innovation Index, the number of STEM...

Illinois’ Pensions are the Worst

A new report being issued today — see the bottom of this post — from the Pew Center on the States says that Illinois once again ranks 50th of the 50 states in assets relative to liabilities. But while Illinois’ absolute position did not sink — a mathematical...

Tale of Two Missions

Absolutely amazing piece of work about Chicago’s failing schools. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmnFQkD0Eg0] I have considerable new found respect for Mr. Williams after seeing this.  I always thought we was railroaded out of NPR unfairly.  But I also...

Chicago Teachers’ Union Closer to Strike

Both sides have agreed to the appointment of a fact-finding panel that has 75 days to issue a report recommending terms for settlement of the labor contract. Once that report is issued in the middle of July, the parties have 15 days to accept or reject the panel’s...