Featured

IEA statement on Gov. Pritzker’s budget address

SPRINGFIELD – Today Gov. JB Pritzker gave his annual budget address at the Capitol in Springfield. The following statement can be attributed to Al Llorens, president of the Illinois Education Association: “In a time when Illinois is facing a budget shortfall and much uncertainty about funding from the federal government,…

Burlington educators announce recommendations for District 301 school board

Burlington – The Central Education Association (CEA) is recommending Andy Dogan, Scott Mrkvicka, Ryan Wasson and Micheline Welch in the upcoming Central Community Unit School District 301 school board election. CEA represents more than 325 members, including early childhood through high school teachers and other licensed staff who support the…

Statement from Illinois Education Association President Al Llorens on changes to U.S. Homeland Security immigration policy

Springfield – This week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it is ending a well-established federal policy that regulated how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could operate in and around schools and churches. Previously, schools were classified as “sensitive locations,” which meant ICE agents were generally prohibited…

Kirby educators Announce Recommendations for District 140 School Board

Tinley Park – The Kirby Education Association (KEA) and the Kirby Para-Educator Association (KPEA) are recommending Carol DeMichael, Lucy Shalash, Aileen Mullee and Thomas Martelli in the upcoming Kirby School District 140 school board election. KEA represents 331 members, including preschool through eighth grade teachers, media directors, school counselors, social…

IEA statement on the repeal of WEP and GPO

For 40 years, educators have been fighting to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) laws that have deprived educators of earned Social Security benefits. That advocacy work has now paid off. This law denied more than 2.7 million of American public sector employees their hard-earned…

Cook County Commissioner visits District 59 schools, meets with educators and students

ELK GROVE VILLAGE – Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison toured schools in Community Consolidated School District 59 (CCSD59) on Tuesday. Morrison made the visit at the request of the District 59 Education Association (DEA). He met with students, staff and visited two schools. “We think it’s important for all of our…

U.S. House votes to repeal GPO-WEP, Senate is next

The following statement can be attributed to Al Llorens, president of the Illinois Education Association: “It is long past time to repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). This measure denies Illinois educators who are part of either the Teachers’ Retirement System or State Universities Retirement…

Crystal Lake school district 47 administration illegally hires outside firm to recruit temporary teachers, engages in bad faith bargaining

This new charge comes after District 47 entered into a settlement for illegally hiring education support staff. CRYSTAL LAKE – The Crystal Lake Elementary Teachers Association (CLETA) this week filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB) after Community Unit School District 47 administrators…

Crystal Lake teachers declare impasse

CRYSTAL LAKE – After several federally mediated bargaining sessions between the District 47 Board of Education and the Crystal Lake Elementary Teachers Association (CLETA), CLETA is declaring impasse and initiating the public posting process. Once the public posting process is initiated by the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB) the union…

Southern Illinois University faculty secure new contract

CARBONDALE – Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) and the Southern Illinois University Faculty Association (SIU-FA) have reached a collective bargaining agreement that has been ratified by the SIU-FA membership, the university and the association announced today (Aug. 5). The agreement is effective July 1, 2024. “Our most valuable resource is our…

73% of Crystal Lake teachers considering leaving the district

Teachers and community will rally ahead of tonight’s federal mediation session CRYSTAL LAKE – The Crystal Lake Elementary Teachers’ Association (CLETA) recently surveyed its members and found 73% are considering leaving teaching and 89% of those surveyed say their jobs have gotten harder in the last year. This new data…

IEA statement on Sonya Massey murder

SPRINGFIELD – The following statement is attributable to Illinois Education Association (IEA) President Al Llorens: “On July 6, 36-year-old Springfield resident and mother of two, Sonya Massey, called 911 to ask police to come to her house to check for a prowler. Within minutes of entering her home, a Sangamon…