Opinions on Education

The following are editorials, commentaries, and opinions from various sources regarding public education, collected in June and July 2017.  The views and opinions of authors expressed below do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Illinois Association of School Boards. The appearance of external links does not constitute endorsement by the Illinois Association of School Boards of the linked web sites. All links are provided with the intent of informing readership of issues relating to public education in Illinois.

Illinois lawmakers set time bomb to get Rauner, hit students instead
Editorial Board, Belleville News-Democrat, July 30

Guest column: Senate Bill 1 is needed to end education inequality
Kathi Griffin, president of the Illinois Education Association, and Dan Montgomery, president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, State Journal-Register, Springfield, July 30

Editorial: ‘It’s the right thing for kids. Doesn’t that count?’
Editorial Board, Peoria Journal-Star, July 28


BROWN: CPS finds fewer school-funding allies in suburbs
Mark Brown, Chicago Sun-Times, July 29

Editorial: Dear Illinois parents:
You're being played by Democrats in Springfield
Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, July 28

Column: The politics of education funding in Illinois is truly deranged

Eric Zorn, Chicago Tribune, July 27

Editorial: 'Cullerton's School Crisis' ©2017

Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, July 27

Editorial: Back 2 School program needs our help

Editorial Board, The Pantagraph, Bloomington, June 26

KADNER: Next big Springfield battle is about nothing

Phil Kadner, Chicago Sun-Times, July 26

Guest view: Q-C districts shouldn't bail out Chicago schools

Rep. Tony McCombie (R-Savanna), Quad Cities Dispatch Argus, July 26

Editorial: Legislative leaders hold only hope for school funding

Editorial Board, Daily Herald, Chicago suburbs, July 25

Column: So when will the Illinois lottery fund education?

John Kass, Chicago Tribune, July 25

Our View: Legislators need to solve school funding now, not later

Editorial Board, State Journal-Register, Springfield, July 25

BROWN: Downstaters ready to bail on Rauner over ‘Chicago bailout’?

Mark Brown, Chicago Sun-Times, July 25

Illinois has a chance to focus school funding on students

Patricia Levesque, executive director for ExcelinEd in Action, State Journal-Register, Springfield, July 25

Editorial: How to save school funding reform

Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, July 24

Opinion: We support Rauner's fix to SB1

Rep. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) and Rep. Dave Severin (R-Benton), The Southern Illinoisan, Carbondale, July 23

OUR VIEW: Goal achieved; Central site to fill new purpose

Editorial Board, The Times, Ottawa, July 23

Our View: Focus on school funding, not political theater

Editorial Board, State Journal-Register, Springfield, July 22

State aid to local schools next showdown

Jim Dey, News-Gazette, Champaign, July 22

KADNER: Nobody willing to fall on their sword for Illinois school kids

Phil Kadner, Chicago Sun-Times, July 21

Letter: Cheers to Pritchard for state budget vote

Kendra Asbury, Belvidere Education Association President, Daily Chronicle, DeKalb, July 21

Time to call out powerful Illinois Policy Institute

Jim Nowlan, former Illinois legislator and retired senior fellow at the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs, Quad Cities Dispatch Argus, July 23

Release the school funding bill for the students — before time runs out

Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy), McDonough County Voice, July 21

Opinion/Voice of The Southern: Budget done, now real work starts

Editorial Board, The Southern Illinoisan, Carbondale, July 12

Column: What goes up, doesn't always come down

Tamara Abbey, News-Tribune, LaSalle, July 12

EDITORIAL: DeVos sides with for-profit schools, against students

Editorial Board, Chicago Sun-Times, July 10

Letter to the Editor:
Thanks to legislators for making tough vote on education

Executive Director Roger Eddy, Illinois Association of School Boards and Executive Director Brent Clark, Illinois Association of School Administrators, Effingham Daily News, July 4

Editorial: The Supreme Court and vouchers:

A case could affect students, and not only at recess

Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, July 3

My View: Every school district gains under SB 1124

Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington), Freeport Journal-Standard, July 2

Editorial: School funding needs to be part of budget

Editorial Board, The Pantagraph, Bloomington, June 29

Our View: Illinois has to consider consolidation

Editorial Board, State Journal-Register, Springfield, June 27

Teens in high-achieving schools
face greater alcohol, drug addiction risk, study finds

Aisha Sultan, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 25

Commentary: Union merger would strengthen CTU
and undermine the charter movement

Andrew Broy, president of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools, Chicago Tribune, June 19

Send S.B. 1 to governor

Editorial Board, News-Gazette, Champaign, July 19

Our View: Illinois’ future dimmed by keeping the status quo

Editorial Board, State Journal-Register, Springfield, June 17

Editorial: Why an elected Chicago school board is still a bad idea

Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, June 16

A property tax freeze does nothing for poorest towns in Illinois

Phil Kadner, Chicago Sun-Times, June 16

Point: School funding reform bill corrects long-standing wrongs toward students

Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill), State Journal-Register, Springfield, June 15

Counterpoint: Funding reforms must provide equity and adequacy
for all Illinois school districts

Beth Purvis, Illinois Secretary of Education, State Journal-Register, Springfield, June 15

Letter to the Editor: Funding reform is a victory for students

Michael A. Jacoby, Executive Director, Illinois Association of School Business Officials; Daily Herald, Chicago and suburbs, June 13

Guest Column: State testing issues remain

Thomas Kerins, State Journal-Register, Springfield, June 13

Shuttered high schools leave behind more than brick and mortar

Mary Mitchell, Chicago Sun-Times, June 12

Editorial: How to rescue school funding reform:

Honor the deal. Tie pension relief for CPS to pension relief for Illinois.

Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, June 10

A grand opportunity for the ‘education governor’ of Illinois

Editorial Board, Chicago Sun-Times, June 9

One's heartless, the other soulless—with a troubled city in the middle

Rich Miller, Crain’s Chicago Business, June 9

Why Paul Vallas backs a hybrid school board

Phil Kadner, Chicago Sun-Times, June 6

Gauen: Illinois pols win, local services lose, under tax freeze plan

Pat Gauen, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 6

Editorial: 'We will do whatever is necessary'
Does that include a balanced CPS budget?

Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, June 5

OUR VIEW: Collaboration yields benefits for Streator students

Editorial Board, The Times, Ottawa, June 4

Editorial: School funding equity loses out to Chicago greed

Editorial Board, Daily Herald, Chicago suburbs, June 3

Let’s understand why Illinois has the highest property taxes

Phil Kadner, Chicago Sun-Times, June 1

Editorial: Don't dare applaud Illinois lawmakers

Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, June 1