Bannockburn teachers to call for immediate return to remote learning
BANNOCKBURN – Tonight, the Bannockburn Education Association (BEA) will call for an immediate switch to remote learning for students and staff. The BEA plans to make the statement at tonight’s Bannockburn School District 106 Board of Education (BOE) meeting. On Tues., Oct. 20, the BOE voted to keep schools open...
After Lake County Health Department issues warning to schools, Lake Forest teachers push for immediate return to remote learning
LAKE FOREST – Today, the Lake Forest Education Association (LFEA) is calling for Lake Forest High School to switch its focus back to remote learning. This announcement comes after the Lake Forest School District 115 Board of Education (BOE) voted Thursday night to keep the building open for in-person...
Illinois Department of Public Health should identify schools with verified COVID-19 outbreaks
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Education Association (IEA) called for the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to identify verified COVID-19 outbreaks in schools. The announcement comes after ProPublica Illinois revealed in a story published today that while Illinois public health officials have identified COVID-19 outbreaks in at least 44...
Alderman calls for equal pay at City Colleges of Chicago
CHICAGO – At this morning’s Chicago City Council meeting, Ald. Sue Sadlowski Garza will introduce a resolution that seeks to close the pay equity gap between full-time professors and adjunct faculty members at City Colleges. The resolution now has 24 sponsors. “This resolution highlights the pay disparity we are currently fighting...
State Board engages Illinois unions to support first-year teachers with coaches and mentors as they navigate unique fall
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) announced today a partnership with the Illinois Education Association (IEA) and the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) to pair new teachers with building mentors and virtual instructional coaches to help guide them through this most unique first year of teaching....
Illinois Educator Well-Being Survey 2020
The Illinois Education Association (IEA) and the University of Illinois Springfield invites you to participate in the Illinois Educator Well-Being Survey. The purpose of this survey is to examine how the climate and culture of your workplace impacts the quality of your life. When considering how to improve the climate...
Avoca teachers hold rally for a fair contract, issue warning about programming cuts
WILMETTE – Tonight teachers and other supporters plan to gather at a safe social distance just before the Avoca School District 37 Board of Education (BOE) meeting to push for the best contract for students, educators and the community. "We fear that positions will be cut and program offerings will be...
Greenville community comes together, sets up free childcare for educators during COVID-19
GREENVILLE - The Greenville Education Association (GEA) worked with Greenville First Christian Church and Greenville University to set up the Education Connection, which provides childcare for educators who work in Bond County Unit 2 School District. “If we didn’t do something, we’d have several teachers and other support staff who...
Minooka Teachers push to continue remote learning after Will and Grundy Counties see COVID-19 spike
MINOOKA – Tonight the Minooka Education Association (MEA) President Dave Barney will speak at the board meeting and encourage the Minooka Community High School District 111 Board of Education to continue remote learning instead of moving to a hybrid learning plan. District 111 serves more than 2,700 students from Grundy,...
Unions and Management Organizations Release Guidance for Teacher Evaluations
Joint Statement from the Illinois Education Association, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Association of School Administrators, and the Illinois Principals Association on Guidance to Illinois Schools Districts on Managing Teacher Evaluation SPRINGFIELD - Illinois school districts will be working through the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for the foreseeable future....
Harvey Educators to distribute 2,000 bags of supplies to community members in need
HARVEY – The Harvey Education Association (HEA) will be holding a community drive-thru to distribute supplies like hand sanitizer, masks, disinfectant wipes and other much needed essentials to families and students in the South Suburbs on Saturday. “With school starting again, we want to make sure all our students and...
“Big Jim” stood tall for education employees, students and working families
During his four terms as Illinois Governor, Jim Thompson acquired a deserved reputation as a builder. His legacy includes scores of crucial roads, bridges and buildings, in every part of the state, that were constructed or restored under his leadership. But nothing Jim Thompson built, no legislation he signed into...
Joint statement from the IEA and the IFT: Unions File Amici Brief in Sangamon County court hearing on face coverings in schools
SPRINGFIELD –The Illinois Education Association (IEA) and the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) filed a joint amicus brief in support of a motion for preliminary injunction filed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to compel Hutsonville Community...
Burlington teachers hold car rally for student safety, raise concerns about school district’s return to learn plan
BURLINGTON – Tonight, teachers, community members, students and parents plan to gather in their cars and “honk to have their voices heard” at a car rally just before the Central School District 301 Board of Education (BOE) meeting. The COVID-19 pandemic means only a small group will be allowed to...
North Clay Educators Demand Fair Contract, Supports for Students
LOUISVILLE – After months of failed negotiations, the North Clay Education Association (NCEA) is calling for the North Clay Community Unit School District #25 Board of Education (BOE) to invest in the North Clay students, educators and staff. NCEA has been in contract negotiations with the BOE since April 23,...
Riverside Brookfield High School teachers, parents, students will rally tonight to advocate for full-remote learning plan
District still does not have official return-to-learn plan, less than one week until school starts RIVERSIDE – The Riverside Brookfield Education Association (RBEA) plans to rally tonight, ahead of this evening’s school board meeting, calling for Riverside Brookfield Township District 208 to put safety first and start the school year with...
Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin highlights importance of community metrics, safety measures in Gov. JB Pritzker’s press conference on face coverings
SPRINGFIELD – Today, Gov. JB Pritzker held a news conference in Chicago in which he announced a proposal he will introduce to the state legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules to give local law enforcement and public health departments more options when trying to enforce mandates on face coverings...
Orland Park, Palos Hills and Tinley Park District 230 teachers push to start school year with remote learning, will hold car caravan to highlight unanswered questions
ORLAND PARK – Orland Park, Palos Hills and Tinley Park educators plan to take their concerns about the start of the new school year to the public. At 10 a.m. today, teachers from the District 230 Teachers’ Association (TA) plan to caravan in cars, calling for the adoption of...
Medical review panel will determine whether school districts are opening safely
SPRINGFIELD – Today, the Illinois Education Association (IEA) and the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (ICAAP) announced a medical review panel that will determine if school district re-opening plans are safe for students, staff and communities. The panel, which will consist of more than a dozen doctors,...
Hinsdale teachers push to start school year with hybrid learning plan, will hold socially-distanced rally to highlight unanswered questions
CLARENDON HILLS – Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills educators plan to take their concerns about the start of the new school year to the public ahead of a special Hinsdale Community Consolidated School District 181 Board of Education (BOE) meeting tonight. At noon today, teachers plan to stand six feet...
