Celebrating 10 years
Advance Illinois will celebrate its first 10 years at an Anniversary Luncheon on Dec. 3 at the Fairmont Chicago. We will honor our Founding Executive Director, Robin Steans, for her many contributions toward our mission, and we will hear from former U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings.
Read more
Elevate Teaching Summit sparks dialogue
June 2, 2018: National and state PreK-12 teachers, principals, advocates, and policymakers came together for a dialog on teacher quality in Illinois on June 2, leaving with new objectives and refreshed momentum toward elevating the teaching profession in Illinois.
Passage of school funding reform is historic triumph
May 31, 2017: The General Assembly’s passage of SB1 tonight is a historic triumph for students and ends an era of Illinois having the most inequitable school funding system in the nation. Read more
New coalition to elevate teaching profession
Feb. 12, 2018: A diverse coalition of teachers, K-12 administrators, higher education institutions, and advocacy organizations have come together to call on leaders to address the state’s urgent need to increase the number of teachers and to elevate the teaching profession in 2018 and beyond. Read more
Understanding the new funding formula under SB1947
SB1947 recognizes that all students can succeed, but each student has different needs. The new law takes into account local ability to pay and closes funding gaps. And all districts win.
Read more
Advance Illinois applauds new, more equitable school funding formula
August 31, 2017: Advance Illinois applauds Illinois’ new, more equitable school funding formula that puts kids first and ends an era of the state having the most inequitable school funding system in the country. Read more
Dr. Teresa Ramos honored with LULAC award
June 21, 2018: Advance Illinois’ Director of Community Engagement received the Latinx Advocate Leadership Award for her work on school funding.
Advance Illinois named Game Changer of the Year
Oct. 27, 2017: The Policy Innovators in Education (PIE) Network recognized Advance Illinois for its work to fix Illinois’ school funding formula.
Read MoreIllinois Educator Shortage Crisis: Survey
The Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools’ (IARSS) educator shortage survey identified a widespread concern for both teacher shortages and substitute teacher shortages. How does your county fare?
Explore our new data visualization tools
Our interactive maps highlight demographic differences, resource disparities and postsecondary attainment gaps throughout the state. The data show the depth of inequity in our education system.
How the Property Tax Relief Fund Drives Equity
June 8, 2018: Illinois’ school funding system is inequitable for students and taxpayers. The goal of the new Property Tax Relief Fund is to start moving districts away from relying on property taxes to fund their schools. The Fund is focused on high-tax, low-property wealth districts.
Read MoreImpact of Illinois teacher shortage hits vulnerable students hardest
December 13, 2017: A good teacher can be the difference between a student going to college and dropping out of high school. But in Illinois, our most vulnerable students do not always have access to the teachers they so desperately need.
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 MoreKIDS and kindergarten transition
August 17, 2017: Illinois is taking significant steps to reinvest in early childhood education.
Read More