Newsroom

December 7, 2020

Education unions call for lawmakers to make schools safe for all

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Education Association (IEA) and the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) are calling on the state legislature to address the issues outlined below that would make Illinois schools safe for all. School district failure to implement and enforce the IDPH guidance and requirements for schools puts the…

November 24, 2020

Rockford Education Association will call on Board of Education to allow educators the choice to work from home

ROCKFORD – Tonight, the Rockford Education Association (REA) will call for the Rockford Public School District No. 205 Board of Education (BOE) to allow educators to choose whether they want to teach from their classrooms or from their homes. “The district finally did the reasonable thing and granted an adaptive…

November 20, 2020

Dunlap teachers will call on Board of Education to responsibly spend taxpayer money, will virtually pack board meeting

PEORIA – Tonight, the Dunlap Education Association (DEA) will call for the Dunlap Community Unit School District 323 Board of Education (BOE) to responsibly spend taxpayer dollars instead of cutting millions from the budget, which could mean cutting 60 teachers from the district. “The district has the money to close…

November 11, 2020

One-third of Illinois educators considering leaving profession in midst of COVID-19 pandemic

SPRINGFIELD – Today, the Illinois Education Association (IEA), the largest education organization in Illinois, announced that a poll of its membership showed one-third are considering leaving the profession, amid an already existing teacher shortage, over concerns of safety and stress. “This should sound the alarm for every person in Illinois…

November 10, 2020

Glendale Heights teachers call for immediate shift to remote learning

GLENDALE HEIGHTS – Tonight, the Marquardt Education Association (MEA) will call for an immediate switch to remote learning at the Marquardt School District 15 Board of Education (BOE) meeting. “We are calling for an immediate switch to remote learning, and we are asking for a clear, transparent plan that uses…

November 9, 2020

Lake Forest teachers warn of liability concerns after school board votes to defy health department’s remote-learning recommendation

LAKE FOREST – The Lake Forest Education Association (LFEA) sent a letter to the Lake Forest School District 115 Board of Education warning about the financial dangers of keeping schools open after the Lake County Health Department recommended moving to remote learning because of a growing COVID-19 positivity rate. At…

October 29, 2020

Lake Forest teachers will confront school board ahead of expected vote on remote learning

LAKE FOREST – Tonight, the Lake Forest Education Association (LFEA) will continue its call for an immediate switch to remote learning at the Lake Forest School District 115 Board of Education (BOE) meeting. The board is expected to vote tonight on whether, or not, to take what it is calling…

October 28, 2020

Lake Forest Board of Education accused of violating Open Meetings Act

During the meeting in question, the board voted to keep Lake Forest High School open for in-person learning despite rapidly rising COVID-19 positivity rates. LAKE FOREST – The Lake Forest High School teachers strongly believe the Lake Forest School District 115 Board of Education (BOE) violated the Open Meetings Act…

October 28, 2020

With growing COVID-19 positivity rates, Addison teachers will hold car rally to push for immediate switch to remote learning

ADDISON – Tonight, the Addison Teachers Association (ATA) will call for an immediate switch to remote learning for students and staff. The ATA plans to make the statement at tonight’s Addison School District 4 Board of Education (BOE) meeting. Ahead of the meeting, teachers will hold a car rally and…

October 27, 2020

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…

October 23, 2020

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 learning.…

October 8, 2020

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 school…

October 7, 2020

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…

October 5, 2020

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. The…

September 24, 2020

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…

September 24, 2020

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…

September 2, 2020

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,…

August 31, 2020

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.…

August 28, 2020

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…

August 21, 2020

“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…

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