In the News
Advance Illinois serves as a resource for media outlets from across the state and beyond on policy issues in education from birth to career. Here’s our recent coverage.
‘We Need Kids in School.’ Study Says a 1/4 of Illinois Students are Chronically Absent
As the midway point of the school year draws near, educators across the Quad Cities met for the Advance Illinois ‘The State We’re In 2025’ report.
Illinois Schools Still Face Pandemic Fallout as Attendance and Mental Health Challenges Persist
A new report from Advance Illinois shows schools across the state are still struggling to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
School Advocacy Group Discusses Results of Recent StateTrends in Peoria
An Illinois non-profit bipartisan advocacy group focusing on education issues is touring the state to discuss its latest review.
More Illinois Students are Proficient, New Test Scores Show. But the Cut Scores Changed.
On the first standardized test results reported since Illinois changed the scores needed to be deemed proficient, 52% of students met the bar in English and 38% did so in math.
Where Does Illinois Rank on How Well it Funds Local Schools?
Illinois has climbed from 47th to 18th in state K-12 funding after adopting an evidence-based formula — showing gains despite COVID disruptions, but equity gaps and support-staff shortages remain.

