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Illinois Blog

Ms. Williams Goes to Washington

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Posted by Darlene Williams on January 27, 2015

I can honestly tell you that advocating for education is one of the most important experiences I’ve ever had. It’s certainly not one of the easiest, with many issues getting pulled into ugly partisan debates that go nowhere.

But when I heard that Stand for Children was bringing parents from Chicago on a trip to Washington, DC to attend a Congressional hearing and meet with our legislators, I knew I had to be on that trip. But the thing is, before last week’s trip, I had never even set foot on an airplane. Never once taken a flight.

Stand Parents Visit DC to Push for Improved No Child Left Behind Law

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Posted by Scott McDonald on January 23, 2015

Advocating for education is not always something you can do from the comfort of your own home. It’s certainly not easy to deliver your message, with many issues getting pulled into partisan debates with one side against the other.

But that did not deter a number of Illinois parents earlier this week from visiting Washington, DC to attend a Congressional hearing and meet with their U.S. Senators. They all knew they had to be there. To stand up for our kids. To know that their voices were heard.

Stand for Children IL PAC Endorses Emanuel for Re-election

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Posted by Scott McDonald on January 22, 2015

CHICAGO – Today, Stand for Children Illinois – a Chicago-based education advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring every Illinois student has access to a high-quality public education – announced its endorsement of Rahm Emanuel for another term as Mayor of the City of Chicago.

Looking Forward at the 99th General Assembly Inauguration

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Posted by Jessica Handy on January 15, 2015

Yesterday, the 99th General Assembly was sworn in. Sure, it was symbolic and full of fanfare, but I can’t help but be optimistic about 2015. (Crazy, since I am a notorious pessimist – but hear me out!)

HS Seniors’ & College Students’ 2015 Resolution: Fill Out the FAFSA

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Posted by Scott McDonald on January 5, 2015

The return to work, school, and normalcy following the holidays always brings with it a long list of tasks to be completed. For high school seniors and college students and their families, one of the most important items to be tackled immediately in the New Year is the FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Illinois Earns Early Childhood Education Grant

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Posted by Scott McDonald on December 10, 2014

Earlier today it was announced that Illinois is a recipient of a $20 million federal preschool expansion grant. The grant will help to increase the availability of high-quality preschool programs in targeted communities, and serve as a model for expanding preschool to all 4-year-olds from low-income families.

Stand Parents Visit Capitol to Rally for SB16

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Posted by Scott McDonald on November 19, 2014

What do we want? EQUITY! When do we want it? NOW!

That chant rang out loud and clear in the rotunda of the state Capitol yesterday as leaders from Stand and the coalition of Funding IL’s Future rallied for equitable state funding for public education. The rally filled the rotunda with advocates from across the state, among them legislators, teachers, administrators, students, and parents.

Stand UP Graduation: Celebrate the Next Crop of Education Leaders

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Posted by Scott McDonald on November 6, 2014

Parents are the best advocates for their kids’ education, and last night Stand University for Parents (Stand UP) celebrated the latest group of education advocates at the LEARN campus in North Chicago. The group of 43 parents (a record number of parents for one class) became the newest Stand UP graduates, signaling their commitment to improving public education for all kids in their communities.

Stand Candidates Win Big: A Great Election Night for Ed Champs

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Posted by Mimi Rodman on November 5, 2014

Stand for Children's mission of building better public schools drives our involvement in Illinois politics. We need to elect smart legislators who take courageous votes and strong stances on student-focused policy.

On Election Night all that effort paid off! Our candidates ran strong campaigns, and we're enormously proud of their success.

One candidate ran a great race and came up a bit short, while another race is still too close to call. That means last night at least 21 of 23 Stand-endorsed candidates won their races.

Stand IL & Univision Present "Parent Academy" October 4 in Chicago

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Posted by Brian Herman on October 1, 2014

On Saturday, October 4, Stand for Children Illinois in collaboration with Univision will present “Parent Academy” – a Spanish-language program designed to raise awareness of the new academic standards for local schools and provide parents with the tools they need to ensure their child is prepared for college. The program will also include State Rep. Fred Crespo, Vice Chairperson of the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee, and radio personality Dr. Isabel Gomez-Bassol.

 

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