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Illinois Blog

Protect Early Childhood Education: Call Senator Durbin

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Posted by mmcclelland@stand.org on December 5, 2013

Quality early childhood education programs are crucial to improving education in America.  They help boost school achievement, build stronger families and prepare our future workforce of highly productive adults. Simply put, early childhood programs are a key solution to prevent many of the problems that require increased spending and result in budget deficits.

Pension Overhaul Passes in Springfield

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Posted by mmcclelland@stand.org on December 3, 2013

Finally, some action from Springfield!  Today, the General Assembly passed a pension reform bill that will save the state $160 billion over the next 30 years, stabilize retiree pensions, and put our state back on the path to fiscal health.  

What does this mean for you? For starters, it will save over $1 billion in pension costs next year, which is a step closer to a balanced budget that protects education funding.  That’s good news. 

The Stairs of Common Core

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Posted by mmcclelland@stand.org on November 19, 2013

Want to understand Common Core? This video does a pretty darn good job of it.

Three-Minute Video Explaining the Common Core State Standards from CGCS Video Maker on Vimeo.

75% of teachers support Common Core

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Posted by mmcclelland@stand.org on November 18, 2013

Check out Jessica Moore, one of the 75% of teachers who support the new standards, talk about implementing the Common Core in her classroom.  

(HINT: It's a huge success)

 

Thank A Veteran Today

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Posted by mmcclelland@stand.org on November 11, 2013

School Report Cards Are Out

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Posted by mmcclelland@stand.org on October 31, 2013

School report cards were released today, so lots of analysis in the news about what school ranked where.  Below is the Sun-Times article and a couple helpful links:  

Stand Member talks Parent Engagement and Testing Standards

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Posted by Jaela Neal, IL Online Organizer on October 29, 2013

 

Sun-Times: "Common Core learning standards: Thinking beats memorizing any day"

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Posted by mmcclelland@stand.org on October 28, 2013

Excellent editorial in today's Chicago Sun-Times strongly endorsing the Common Core.  They clearly get how the Common Core could help our students, nice to see well reasoned commentary on the issue.  Below is the editorial (links and emphasis ours).  

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CPS to receive increased TIF funds

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Posted by Jaela Neal, IL Online Organizer on October 28, 2013

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has increased the amount of TIF(tax increment financing) funds that will be made available to Chicago Public Schools next year. Parent groups and local school councils across the city have expressed a desire for the release of additional TIF funds to help schools impacted by budget cuts this year.

Arne Duncan, a Nano Lab, and Common Core

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Posted by mmcclelland@stand.org on October 25, 2013

Really cool story from yesterday with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (who was also the former CEO of the Chicago Public Schools), touring Wheeling High School and their new nanotechnology lab as well as participating in the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics panel on Common Core.

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