June's News You Can Use: #PoliceFreeSchools; what reopening means for school funding
In this issue:
- The time is now for #PoliceFreeSchools
- What will schools need to re-open in a pandemic?
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Read moreApril's News You Can Use: What's needed until and when schools reopen
Forty-three states, including Illinois, have closed K-12 schools for the remainder of the year. Mass closures and a sudden switch to crisis schooling from a distance have prompted reflections on the crucial role of schools for children and communities. It’s also prompted speculation about what changes might take place longer term as a result of the closings and the pandemic.
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Read moreMarch's News: Schooling in the time of COVID-19
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“The unprecedented shutdown of public and private schools in dozens of states last week has illuminated one easily forgotten truism about schools: They are an absolute necessity for the functioning of civic culture, and even more fundamentally than that, daily life. Schools are the centers of communities. They provide indispensible student-welfare services, like free meals, health care, and even dentistry. They care for children while parents work. And all those services do much to check the effects of America’s economically stratified systems of employment and health care on young students.” --When Schools Shut Down, We All Lose Education Week March 20, 2020. |
February’s News You Can Use: the Right to Play; Google sued over student privacy; Pritzker's K-12 school budget
In this Issue:
- The Right to Play Every Day bill, SB3717
- New Mexico's AG sues Google for violating student data privacy protections
- Gov. Pritzker’s inadequate budget for K-12 schools
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Read moreJanuary's News You Can Use: the Right to Play; College Board lawsuit
In this issue:
- Our newest campaign: the Right to Play Every Day!
- Keep pressure on the College Board to stop illegal data sales
- Graduated income tax on the ballot in November
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Read moreNovember - News You Can Use: College Board, Cullerton retiring; & more
In this issue:
- College Board’s data sales — Ask your legislators for a subject matter hearing;
- FTC looking at changing privacy rules for schools — Submit comments;
- President Cullerton retiring — One of the biggest obstacles in the ongoing fight for an elected board for Chicago is stepping down in January;
- Quick links — What’s in the new contract for Chicago teachers; ISBE budget hearing & board meeting; delay on effective date for new law on IEP paperwork.
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Read moreOctober news you can use: Veto session; testing & privacy; #RedforEd in IL
In this issue:
- Veto session — Call your legislators about HB256 & SB453;
- Standardized tests and student data privacy — College Board’s data sales and Pearson’s massive breach;
- #RedforEd — Teachers’ fight for resources around the state
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Read moreVictory: Plans for Obama Prep shelved indefinitely
On Wednesday October 12th, we were thrilled to hear that plans to build a new selective enrollment high school, the project known as Obama Prep, were postponed indefinitely. This frees up $60 million in tax increment financing funds---$30 million of which can go back to CPS as part of a TIF surplus.
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