Newsroom

Illinois Education Association honors Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and former co- director of Citizen Action/Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – Today the Illinois Education Association (IEA) honored Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and William McNary for their commitment to public education. Welch was honored with the IEA “Friend of Education.” McNary was awarded the IEA “President’s” award. The following statements are attributable to IEA President Al Llorens:…

Illinois Education Association honors educators from around the state

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Education Association (IEA) awarded seven educators from around the state for their outstanding commitment to their schools, students, communities and public education. The awards were presented during the IEA Representative Assembly (RA). The RA is the legislative body of the IEA and helps the state’s largest…

Nursing program will provide much needed healthcare to South Side residents

CHICAGO – City Colleges of Chicago and University of Chicago have partnered to bring a nursing program, known as the Malcom X College Learning Center, to the City Colleges’ Kennedy King campus on the southside of Chicago. The new center is expected to open for the 2026-27 school year and will be…

Illinoisans believe teaching is harder than ever, support fixes

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Education Association (IEA) will release its sixth annual IEA State of Education report on Tues., March 12, the only bipartisan poll monitoring Illinoisans’ views on all aspects of public schools. The findings will be shared during a news conference today on Zoom at 10 a.m. The poll…

IEA recommends Michael Crawford, Ph.D., for Illinois House District 31

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Political Action Committee for Education (IPACE) voted to recommend Michael Crawford, Ph.D., for the Illinois House of Representatives District 31. The following statement is attributable to Illinois Education Association (IEA) President and IPACE Chairman Al Llorens: “IPACE recommends Michael Crawford for Illinois House District 31 because of…

Lowest paid employees hit with financial double whammy just before holiday break

Tuscola paraprofessionals plan to speak at board of education meeting TUSCOLA – The Tuscola Community Unit School District 301 Board of Education (BOE) rescinded the district’s contribution to the Tuscola Education Support Professional Association’s (TESPA) health savings account (HSA) contributions and also abruptly canceled a long-standing, annual holiday bonus. The administration’s…

IEA calls for continued cease fire in Gaza

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Al Llorens issued the following statement in response to the conflict in Gaza: “The Illinois Education Association (IEA) supports a permanent truce in Gaza, the release of any hostages and a resolution to the ongoing violence. Both sides have agreed to a four-day truce…

Kewanee teachers and staff secure new contract

The new agreement provides historic wage increases, back pay and addresses the teacher shortage KEWANEE – After more than six months and the help of a federal mediator, the Kewanee Education Association negotiations team and Kewanee Community Unit School District 229 Board of Education have accepted a new contract. “We…

Illinois Education Association statement on Invest in Kids Act sunset

SPRINGFIELD – The following statement is attributable to Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Al Llorens: “It is a new day in Illinois. We are incredibly grateful to our lawmakers for choosing to end the voucher scheme known as Invest in Kids. This program sent millions of taxpayer dollars to private…

Burr Ridge teachers wear red, pack school board meeting

WILLOWBROOK – Dozens of Palisades Education Association (Palisades EA) members, along with parents and other community members, plan to pack tonight’s Community Consolidated School District 180 school board meeting. Palisades EA and District 180 are now in federal mediation and have been bargaining since the beginning of June. The teachers…

Heritage teachers call on school board to create new hallway monitoring positions

HOMER – Heritage Education Association (HEA) President Lori Aten plans to attend tonight’s special school board meeting to call for change to better protect students and staff. Aten plans to ask the school board to add trained hallway monitor staff similar to positions in other school districts. This comes after…

Heritage Education Association President Statement on incident at Heritage School

HOMER – The Heritage Education Association President (HEA) Lori Aten issued the following statement: “The Heritage School teacher, who has been vilified in the news media, is an outstanding educator. She’s worked in public education for years and is devoted to the students she serves and her community. Recently, she was…

Illinois Education Association Statement on New Invest in Kids Act Proposal

SPRINGFIELD – The following statement on the new Invest in Kids Act proposal is attributable to Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Al Llorens: “We believe the new Invest in Kids voucher scheme proposal acknowledges that more white students have been helped by the program than anyone else, even though proponents…