School funding rally takes place at Capitol
May 20, 2017: Nearly 1,000 teachers, students, parents and community members rallied on the steps of the Capitol on May 17 to show support for a fair and adequate school funding formula to benefit ALL children across our state.Read more
Legislator Forum showcases equity in education
Advance Illinois’ Legislator Forum brought together 36 organizations and nearly two dozen legislators March 14 in Springfield for a conversation about equity in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
Too many low-income students are being left behind
November 30, 2016: Low-income students remain academically well behind their wealthier peers and are less likely to complete a postsecondary degree, according to our biennial report, The State We’re In 2016-2017. Only 20% of low-income Illinois 4th graders are reading proficient, 35 percentage points lower than their more affluent peers.
Funding IL’s Future Works To Improve School Funding
Over 230 organizations are part of Funding Illinois’ Future, a coalition of educators and advocates committed to fair funding for Illinois schools.
HB2808, school funding bill, passes out of committee
April 3, 2017: The passage of HB2808 out of House committee is a monumental victory for low-income children across the state. The bill would reform Illinois’ worst-in-the-nation school funding formula.
Read More60 by 25 Network
The Illinois 60 by 2025 Network is a network of communities in Illinois that are committed to the goal of ensuring that 60% of all adults have a college or career credential by 2025. This network is designed to meet the needs of communities that are working together to provide rigorous, real world learning in and out of the classroom.
Read MoreExplore our new data visualization tools
Our interactive maps highlight demographic differences, resource disparities and postsecondary attainment gaps throughout the state. The data show how inequitable our education system really is.
Statewide series of town halls address funding formula
April 26, 2017: A series of seven town halls across the state brought together education stakeholders to build momentum toward passing funding reform this spring.
Read MoreBlog: Funding leaves Beardstown lost in translation
March 29, 2017: A rural community has seen an influx of African and Hispanic students, yet it struggles to provide supports due to limited funding.
Read MoreBlog: Doing more with less in Sandoval
January 23, 2017: Its test scores qualify Sandoval as a “low-performing” priority school district yet the district doesn’t have the funds needed to retain teachers, offer social supports, or provide art, physical education or AP classes.
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