Illinois
Privacy & Security
Breach Exposed Data of a Half Million Chicago Students, Staff
The vendor didn't report the Dec. 1 ransomware attack to the district until last month, officials said.
School & District Management
'It Has to Be a Priority': Why Schools Can't Ignore the Climate Crisis
Schools have a part to play in combating climate change, but they don't always know how.
Classroom Technology
Case Study: The Hard Transition to 1-to-1 Computing Continues
Eighty-five percent of educators said their districts now have a device for each individual student at all grade levels.
School Climate & Safety
Lawmakers in 19 States Want Legal Refuge for Transgender Youth
Democratic lawmakers are following California’s lead in seeking to offer legal refuge to displaced transgender youth and their families.
Budget & Finance
Chicago Public Schools Asked to Repay $87 Million It Got From 'Coding Error'
The state of Illinois will distribute the money to hundreds of school districts that were underpaid.
Student Well-Being
Illinois Students Can Now Take Mental Health Days. Why Aren't More Doing It?
Experts and parents said the new policy is welcome for children after a taxing two years of learning amid a pandemic.
States
States Are Dropping School Mask Requirements. Here's the Latest and What's Ahead
By the end of this week, only five states and the District of Columbia will still mandate universal masking in schools.
Student Well-Being
Chicago Schools Are Sending Students Home With COVID-19 Tests Over Winter Break
“I’m not looking for a repeat of last winter. I still have nightmares and insomnia about that," said Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey.
Science
Here's How to Make Science More Relevant for Students of Color
Students get more out of science class, these teachers say, when the lessons are linked to their own lives and communities.
Education Funding
State K-12 Spending Is Inequitable and Inadequate. See Where Yours Ranks
There's a $17,000 per student difference between the highest- and lowest-spending states. High-poverty schools suffer especially.
States
During Site Visit From Cardona, Illinois Governor Defends Vaccine, Testing Policies
“The testing regimen is there in order to make sure that they’re not entering the institution where they work and spreading COVID-19.”
School & District Management
Principals Bear the Brunt of Parental Anger, Staff Fatigue as COVID Drags On
As the face of their schools, principals are front and center in battles over masks, quarantines, and other hot-button COVID issues.
States
From Our Research Center
Map: A-F Grades, Rankings for States on School Quality
Here’s a map showing grades for all the states on this year’s Quality Counts summative report card, on which the nation gets a C overall.
States
From Our Research Center
Nation Gets a 'C' on Latest School Quality Report Card, While N.J. Again Boasts Top Grade
A slight increase in this year's Quality Counts score isn't enough to boost the nation's school system above last year's middling grade.