Bunker Hill, Illinois endorses Senate Bill 2288 5/5/2008
Downstate town welcomes new revenues for schools, capital and property tax relief

Illinois Homeowners Pay Bigger Bill for Schools 5/2/2008
Local property taxpayers' share of school funding on the rise in Illinois

Carlinville city council supports Senate Bill 2288 4/25/2008
Downstate Illinois town passes resolution in support of new school funding reform and capital bill

Senate Bill 2288 Toolkit 4/2/2008
Find out more information on the bill and how you can help it succeed

Illinois House of Representatives to Hold Budget Hearings across the state 3/12/2008
A+ Illinois members and partner organizations urged to testify on behalf of schools

Tell your state senator to sponsor Senate Bill 2288 2/26/2008
SB 2288 will provide new revenues to schools and property tax relief for homeowners

Thank you for making A+ Illinois' candidate forums a success! 1/31/2008
Community forums brought candidates together with the communities they hope to represent

Where do Candidates Stand on the most important issues facing Illinois? 1/14/2008
Learn how Illinois General Assembly candidates responded to the A+ Illinois questionnaire.

A+ Illinois to hold forums with candidates for Illinois General Assembly 1/2/2008
The 2008 primary elections are February 5th. What will candidates for Illinois Senate and House of Representatives do to improve school quality & funding?

Letter to A+ Illinois members from campaign manager Mary Ellen Guest 9/28/2007
"Without real reform, our schools will continue to struggle, so we must continue to fight."

A+ Illinois hits Chicago airwaves 8/2/2007
Illinois' leading coaltion for improved school funding and quality launched radio ad urging Gov. Blagojevich to support a modest tax increase for education

A+ Illinois runs full-page ads urging action on school funding 7/24/2007
Ad highlights over 500 organizations that support a modest income tax increase for schools

Sample letters to the editor 7/9/2007
Personalize any of the following sample letters to send to the editor of your local newspaper.

Over 500 organizations pledge support for income tax for schools 6/21/2007
A+ Illinois continues to collect hundreds of pledges from organizations across the state to demonstrate support for school funding refom

A+ Illinois is on the air 5/15/2007
School funding and quality coalition begins airing radio ads on Springfield and Rockford stations

Call your lawmaker on A+ Illinois' legislative hotline 5/15/2007
Tell our leaders in Springfield that the time is now for improved school funding and quality!

Send your online postcard to state leaders 5/10/2007
Tell them that the time is now for reform

10,000 Marchers tell Springfield: The time is NOW! 5/3/2007
Students, parents, teachers and seniors demand action from state leaders

Join the May 2nd Rally in Springfield 4/27/2007
Parking near the Prairie Capital Convention Center

A+ Illinois Statement on Senate Bill 1  4/19/2007
Testimony to Joint Hearing of Senate Education and Revenue Committees on April 18, 2007 by A+ Illinois Campaign Manager Mary Ellen Guest

The Time is Now: Send a message to your lawmakers 4/12/2007
Will 2007 be the year Illinois lawmakers finally get things right for schools? You can help make sure it happens

The Time is Now! May 2nd March on Springfield to demand school funding reform 4/10/2007
On May 2nd, tell our state leaders that the time is now!

Income Tax Increases: Are Illinois politicians vulnerable? 3/12/2007
A+ Illinois Guest Column: Illinois Issues' Charles N. Wheeler III examines the popular myth that voting for an income tax increase will quickly end a lawmaker's political career

A+ Illinois Releases Detailed Policy Platform 2/28/2007
The state's leading advocate for school funding reform establises "benchmark" for evaluating 2007 legislative proposals

"Someday" TV Ads To Air This Weekend 2/9/2007
A+ Illinois partner launches ads urging school funding reform

Chicago Tribune Launches School Funding Series  1/31/2007
Thanks to the hard work of A+ Illinois members and advocates, school funding reform is making headlines on the editorial page!

A+ Illinois Guest Column: It's up to governor to clean up school-funding mess  1/22/2007
Writer and teaching veteran Alice Armstrong explains how Gov. Blagojevich can fix Illinois' school funding system and offer kids a way out of poverty

Better than American Idol: MarySue Barrett on school funding reform 1/18/2007
This Week's edition of "Public Affairs" features MarySue Barrett, President of the Metropolitan Planning Council and leader of A+ Illinois, discussing education funding reform, transportation choices and more with host Jeff Berkowitz

A+ Illinois is Recruiting Regional and Latino Organizers 1/10/2007
A+ Illinois seeks Consulting Regional Organizers and a Latino Organizer to help lead an exciting campaign to improve the quality and funding of education in Illinois

A+ Illinois to Gov. Blagojevich: EFAB needs to begin its work 12/15/2006
A+ Illinois urges Gov. Rod Blagojevich to call members of the state's Education Funding Advisory Board together to begin their work on determining the 2007 "foundation level," the minimum amount of funding needed to ensure at least two-thirds of students can meet Illinois' learning standards

Education returns to forefront, new ed caucus seeks common ground  12/6/2006
Elementary and secondary education issues were back in the Capitol spotlight last week

Spotlight on: Riley School in Marengo, Illinois 10/25/2006
When the three fifth-graders learned that some of their favorite teachers had been let go and that the sports activities they love might be eliminated, they decided to take matters into their own hands

Do you know where your legislative candidates stand?  10/19/2006
Find out where your legislative candidates stand on school funding and quality reform

A+ Illinois evaluates gubernatorial candidates' education proposals 10/12/2006
A+ Illinois released a side-by-side analysis of the candidates' education plans

Tax swap is only way to fix schools  10/12/2006
Short -term fixes, gambling, one-time revenue sources and other politically palatable "fixes" are not going to serve our children well in the long run

Spotlight on: East Aurora School District 10/4/2006
The story of East Aurora school district illustrates clearly that in Illinois, where a child lives dramatically affects the quality of his or her education

Topinka Releases her Education and Revenue Proposals 8/25/2006
With the election only 11 weeks away, Republican gubernatorial candidate Judy Baar Topinka released her education and revenue proposals earlier this week

Study Reveals Considerable Disparities in Graduation Rates across Demographics in Illinois 7/7/2006
A report by the EPE Research Center comparing state graduation rates was released by Education Week in late June. The study employed a uniform, robust method that made a meaningful comparison of states possible. The graduation rate for IL was relatively high, but there were immense differences between the graduation rates of African American and Hispanic students and those of white and Asian students.

The Governor's Proposal Shortchanges Schoolchildren and Taxpayers 6/28/2006
Woodridge, Illinois resident James Durkin explains why he opposes the governor's lottery proposal in this letter to the editor

Chicago Public Schools Budget Highlights Need for Statewide Reform 6/27/2006
Letter to the Editor Submitted June 27, 2006

Study Finds that Chicago's Buildings Pay the Highest Property Taxes in the Nation, Calls for "Sweeping" Reform of the State's Education Funding System 6/16/2006
BOMA/Chicago recently released a study asserting that the state's over-reliance on property taxes to fund education is "fiscally unsound and counterproductive"

House of Representatives Speaker Madigan Issues Letter Asking for More Details on the Governor's Lottery Proposal 6/14/2006
Michael Madigan believes Blagojevich's proposal "deserves serious consideration," but he raises critical questions regarding several aspects of the proposal. Madigan's letter cites A+ Illinois' approach to the proposal as prudent and wise

Sign the petition for real reform with property tax relief 6/7/2006

Does the Governor Have an A+ Education Plan? 5/19/2006
Governor will provide details on a comprehensive, four-year plan to fund schools on Tuesday, May 23

Budget Leaves Schools Treading Water 5/5/2006
A+ Illinois urges all of this year's gubernatorial and legislative candidates to demonstrate leadership by committing to develop and execute a plan for comprehensive school funding, school quality and tax reform

'Promises will not amount to anything unless there is sweeping structural reform in funding practices for public schools' 3/31/2006
Author and Activist Jonathan Kozol Lambastes Education Inequities & Urges Systemic Reform

Illinois' School Funding Failure: A Continued National Embarrassment 1/13/2006
National reports confirm Illinois continues to shortchange its neediest students

The Gap Persists: Closing Illinois' Achievement Divide 11/8/2005
2005 Nation's Report Card results show Illinois has largest achievement gap in country; Resources and school funding reform are critical to closing that gap

Health Insurance for All Kids 10/13/2005
Governor proposes program to cover uninsured children from middle class families

If this was easy, it would be done by now 8/18/2005
MPC roundtable discusses how to overcome the challenges facing real education funding reform

A+ Illinois is Recruiting Two Field Organizers 7/29/2005
A+ Illinois Downstate Field Organizer and A+ Illinois Chicago-Area Field Organizer

State Leaders Adopt Short-Sighted Quick Fix to State's School Funding and Revenue Crisis  6/2/2005
FY06 Budget Fails to Address Comprehensive Reform

A+ Illinois Response to House Bill 755, Senate Amendments 2, 3 and 4  5/19/2005
A+ Illinois encourages the Illinois Senate to create and pass a comprehensive education funding reform proposal

A+ Illinois Ramps Up Grassroots Outreach in Anticipation of Legislation  5/16/2005
Campaign's new field supervisor aims to mobilize thousands by end of session, and work with legislators to ensure solution fulfills campaign's principles

School Funding and Tax Reform Compromise Bill Summary & Comparison: HB755, Senate Amendment 2  5/16/2005
Chart summarizes newest version of proposed school funding and property tax reform legislation

The Vital Learning Link Between Education and Human Services -- and Why Kids Need Both 5/2/2005
"Illinois Kids Count 2005: Twelve Ways to Improve Learning" and "One Child, Many Needs"

Senate Select Committee on Education Funding Reform: Joint Statement of Purpose 3/28/2005

Governor Proposes Sweeping 350 Funds to Finance Schools 3/22/2005
Read a complete list of these funds

Jones: 'I don't care where the governor stands'  3/19/2005
By Kristen McQueary, Daily Southtown

Senate leader pushes 'tax swap'  3/19/2005
By Mike Ramsey, Copley News Service

A+ Illinois Advocacy Results in Efforts to Update Illinois' Per-Pupil Funding Recommendation  3/16/2005
Governor Appoints New Education Funding Advisory Board Members

Crain's Chicago Business Editorial Urges School Funding Reform 3/16/2005
Crain's Chicago Business advocates that state leaders reform the school funding structure

MPC Voices Concerns on School Funding, Smart Growth, and State Revenue Proposals at House Budget Hearing 3/11/2005
Testimony delivered by MPC South Suburban Coordinator Kristi DeLaurentiis at Kankakee hearing

A+ Illinois Urges Senate School Funding Reform Committee to Build Consensus on Solution to School Funding Crisis 3/7/2005
A+ Illinois Campaign Manager Bindu Batchu testifies at first meeting of Senate Select Committee on School Funding Reform in Harvey, IL

Governor Acknowledges State's Education Funding System is Flawed, Yet Offers No Solution to Problem 2/17/2005
A+ Illinois responds to Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich's FY06 Budget Proposal

House Bill 750 (Senate Amendments 1 & 2) 12/13/2004
A fact sheet on 2004's HB750, a comprehensive proposal for resolving our state's school-funding & revenue crisis

Message to Governor: Illinois Schoolchildren Need Tax Reform  11/23/2004
A+ Illinois responds to comments by state's interim school superintendent

The Case for Joining Forces: Affordable Housing and Quality Education 11/2/2004
"Fifty Years Later: Brown v. Board of Education and Housing Opportunity," the Sept. 2004 NIMBY report published by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, examines the historic connections between fair housing and school desegregation efforts and features the Metropolitan Planning Council's work related to quality housing and quality schools

Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Calls For Statewide Education Reform 8/12/2004
Caucus' bold statement positions education reform as 'top public priority'

Illinois Education Leaders Urge for Movement and Accountability  3/25/2004
Highlights from the "Education Funding and Quality Reform in 2004" Roundtable

Report: Illinois continues to fail in supporting public education 1/7/2004
Illinois is dead last in the nation for funding equity