New Illinois Education Association Survey

According to a new poll released by the Illinois Education Association (IEA), public school funding is a concern for many Illinois residents. The poll, which was conducted on over 1,000 people cites 83% of individuals believe that funding education is an important issue within their community and 16% of individuals believe it is the single most important issue. Of those surveyed, 71% believe Illinois should increase its funding for public schools. Chicago and surrounding suburban residents account for 40% of those surveyed.

This survey illuminates the public perception of the Illinois public school system at large. Overall, Illinois residents have a negative opinion of the state’s public education. IEA’s President, Kathi Griffin claims that 62% of residents think “the state is on the wrong track” concerning public school education. When asked to compare the quality of public schools nationally versus those in Illinois, residents were more likely to give Illinois schools a failing status.

Though many concerns were raised regarding the Illinois public education system, residents have a much higher opinion of teachers as individuals. Around 58% of residents had positive statements about teachers, believing they are underpaid for the necessary work they do. This sentiment is echoed as many individuals believe teachers should be the ones developing standards for students in the public school system. The Illinois Education Association hopes this new information will propel lawmakers to implement changes regarding the funding of Illinois public schools.

Kayley Horton, Tutoring Coordinator
kayley@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

Illinois Child and Education Expense Tax Credit Information

The state of Illinois has introduced new laws expanding tax credits for residents. Low to middle-income individuals will benefit from the new initiatives from the department of revenue known as The Illinois Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), The Illinois Child Tax Credit (CTC), and The Education Expense Credit (EEC).

The Illinois Child Tax Credit will benefit families who qualify for the EITC and have at least one child under the age of twelve years old so long as this child is a dependent. This credit accounts for 20% of the total EITC. This will be increased to 40% in the 2025 tax year.

The Education Expense Credit will allow parents or guardians of students under the age of 21 to claim education expenses between $250 - $750 on their taxes. For traditionally schooled children, these expenses include textbooks, tuition, and lab fees paid to the school. For homeschooled students, textbook and lab fees are qualifying expenses. Families will receive a 25% credit for these payments if their student is enrolled in a full-time K-12 program.

David Harris, Illinois Department of Revenue Director, urges Illinois residents to “double check their eligibility status and take advantage of these benefits when filing their returns this year.”

Kayley Horton, Tutoring Coordinator
kayley@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

Illinois Education Plan - Vision 2030

Vision 2030 is Illinois’ newest plan to improve and re-strategize the state of education throughout its school districts. The initiative seeks to improve safety, encourage high-quality teacher retention, and increase post-secondary student success through structural adjustments. These changes will target standardized testing requirements to make them more effective for student growth. The plan also seeks to attract more diverse educators through pension reform. Executive Director of the Illinois Association of School Boards, Kimberly Small, is quoted as saying the new program “seeks to put systems and processes in place that support all school districts throughout the state in sharing what works for our kids and our communities.”

The plan comes as a development from several teams including The Illinois Association of School Administrators, the Illinois Association of Regional School Superintendents, the Illinois Principals Association, and the Illinois Association of School Business Officials. Each organization is working in tandem to use Vision 2030 as an outline for the implementation of long-lasting legislative and policy changes. Education leaders working on the project claim the new structure will continue to protect the evidence-based practices currently utilized.

Kayley Horton, Tutoring Coordinator
kayley@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

Proposed Bill Aims to Freeze Changes in Chicago Public Schools

Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill aimed at halting Chicago Public Schools (CPS) officials from closing schools or altering selective-enrollment programs until a fully elected school board assumes control in 2027. This legislative move follows a decision by Mayor Brandon Johnson's Board of Education in December to focus on providing resources to neighborhood schools, which have suffered from years of funding cuts, rather than prioritizing selective enrollment schools. Johnson's administration has provided reassurance that selective schools won't face severe cuts or closure, since these represent some of the best schools in the country; its goal is rather to expand some of the programming available at selective schools to neighborhood schools.

The proposed bill, sponsored by state Rep. Margaret Croke, would prevent CPS from changing the “standards for admission” to selective enrollment schools. It also seeks to ensure that major decisions about school closures or program changes await the establishment of a fully elected school board. However, critics argue that the bill might hinder efforts to diversify selective programs and address demographic disparities.

Supporters emphasize the need for democratic decision-making and transparency, but concerns remain about the potential consequences of delaying significant educational reforms. The bill's passage would signify a significant shift in governance structure for CPS, impacting everything from admission policies to budget allocations. As debates continue, the bill's fate holds implications not only for Chicago's educational landscape but also for broader discussions surrounding equity, resource allocation, and democratic governance in public education.

Anna Jordan, Tutoring Coordinator
anna@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

Illinois Potentially Switching from SAT to ACT

Within the next year, Illinois may be switching from the SAT to ACT as it’s mandated state test. In the state of Illinois, all public high school students are required to pass a standardized college entrance exam to graduate. The Board of Education’s current contract with College Board requires 11th grade students to take the SAT and 9th and 10th grade students to take the PSAT. As this contract expires in June, it is likely the Board of Education will make the switch to the ACT for the 2024-2025 school year.

The state has begun negotiating a deal with ACT Inc. that will award the company a $53 million contract over the course of three years. If this deal is successful, it will be the first time the ACT is mandated for Illinois public school students since 2016. While the state is developing these contracts, the Chicago Board of Education recently renewed its contract with College Board for another two years. Therefore, Chicago public school students can expect to continue taking the SAT until 2026.

Some are dismayed by these potential changes, claiming the ACT does not align with current Illinois educational standards. Matthew Raimondi, a district employee, stated “that high school assessment is ultimately going to guide how teachers teach. Teachers are going to teach to the test you select. I urge you as board members to make sure you make the best decision to move to Illinois forward and not back to a test from the last century.” The state superintendent responded to this by assuring educators that whatever test is selected will align with the requisite learning standards.

Kayley Horton, Tutoring Coordinator

kayley@testprepchicago.com

312-848-1266

Underfunding Public Universities in the State of Illinois

A state-funded commission reports that public universities are underfunded by approximately 1.4 billion dollars in Illinois. Co-chair of the commission Kimberly Lightfoot outlines how underfunding  these establishments creates an inequitable educational environment as it “perpetuates a cycle of inequalities, where those from affluent backgrounds have access to better education and subsequently better opportunities, while others are left behind.”  Similarly, the executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability claims “we are making higher ed more unaffordable for everyone in Illinois generally, but in particular, for low-income families and families that have been marginalized for decades.”

From 2002 – 2021 they found that state funding has decreased from 72% to 35%. The commission posits that allocating 100 – 135 million dollars to public universities each year would nullify this issue within the next 10-15 years. A 135 million dollar increase would amount to a 12% difference leading to a 10-year track to fully funding public universities, while a 100 million dollar increase would net a 9% difference culminating in a 15-year timeline. These findings will be presented at budget hearings within the coming weeks.  

Kayley Horton, Tutoring Coordinator

kayley@testprepchicago.com

312-848-1266

An Overview of Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (also known as IMSA) is located in Aurora, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. IMSA is a public high school that houses its student body (which is comprised of sophomores, juniors, and seniors) in dorms on the Aurora campus. Students who are eligible to apply must have achieved at least one year of ninth-grade science and Algebra.

IMSA prides itself on being one of the top-ranked math and science academies in Illinois and retains its academic vigor by teaching with an honors-level curriculum for all its students beginning in their first year. IMSA’s academic programming includes college preparatory courses in mathematics, science, arts, and humanities. Because the school’s teaching philosophy aims to arm their students with knowledge that emphasizes application over memorization, they do not offer AP classes. Instead, IMSA chooses to focus on how to best educate its students without having to teach to the specific standardization of Advanced Placement. However, students are still welcome to and often do take AP exams in order to earn college credit.

IMSA is unlike other schools of its caliber in the Chicagoland area because it provides the unique opportunity of offering dorms on campus to its students. IMSA highly encourages students to remain on campus for all years that they attend. In doing so, students get to participate in extracurricular opportunities that focus on various types of real-life learning strategies such as budgeting and conflict resolution. Beyond this, IMSA offers a vast curriculum of activities available to their students during the evenings or on weekends;  including clubs, athletics, service, and research opportunities. 

To find more information for Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, please IMSA’s website: https://www.imsa.edu/

Written by former Tutoring Coordinator, Ramisha Ejaz

For more information about Test Prep Chicago contact:

Lauren Lynch, Director of Tutoring and Communications

lauren@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266