The Illinois State Board of Education wants to double the amount of money dedicated to investigations of alleged cheating on state exams by teachers and principals. But it’s unlikely the state will grant the board the money it’s requesting.
School officials in Niles say the number of students taking class instead of lunch is on the rise. Kaine Osburn, principal at Niles West High School, said the change is mostly due to scheduling conflicts.
CPS is using state funds to pay off its debt: $160 million last year alone. That’s 17 percent of Chicago’s general state aid, which is state money meant to follow students. CPS budget director Ginger Ostro said it’s not a new practice, but lawmakers were still caught off guard.
A national study of early childhood education funding finds Illinois lagging behind. A decade ago, the same researchers lauded Illinois for its commitment to early childhood education. But today, they say the state needs to put its money where its mouth is.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is pushing for big changes at Chicago Public Schools next year, including a longer school day, a different calendar and new teacher evaluations.