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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

IL: Education

The Public Schooling in America 2024 report said
Report touts Illinois' support for public schools

A report released this month by the Network for Public Education ranked Illinois an "A" grade for its overall support of public schools. One …

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The Illinois State Board of Education Literacy Standards indicate fourth graders should be able to determine the main idea of a text, explain how it is supported by key details and summarize the text. (Adobe Stock)
Report: Illinois' child well-being varies widely by race

A new report looks at children's well-being in every state and finds in Illinois, the outcomes vary greatly depending on race. In its Race for …

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YouthTruth Student Survey finds 74% of the class of 2023 wants to go to college while 66% expect to go to college. The survey also finds the gap is further exacerbated when factoring in race and ethnicity. (Adobe stock)
Illinois high school seniors face big college application challenges

Illinois high school seniors have new hurdles to overcome to get to college. High school students are waiting several extra weeks to get their hands …

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About 13% of Black students in the United States choose community colleges. Nationally, there are 12 historically Black community colleges and 49 predominantly Black community colleges. (Adobe Stock)
Leaders advocate for increased funding, services for Black community colleges

Historical and predominantly Black community colleges often get overlooked when it comes to funding for higher education. However, leaders nationwide …

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College students walk on the quadrangle lawn of the Foellinger Auditorium on the University of Illinois campus in Urbana. (Adobe Stock)
America’s 'culture wars' influence students' choice of college campuses

By Jon Marcus for The Hechinger Report.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for Texas News Service reporting for The Hechinger Report-Public News Service Co…

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This year Illinois lawmakers passed a bill ending life sentences without parole for people in Illinois who were under 21 when they were arrested. (Adobe Stock)
More work needed on juvenile justice reform

Advocates for juvenile justice reform recently gathered in Chicago to find ways to keep young people out of the criminal justice system. Herschella …

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In 1873, the Congress passed the Comstock Act, a federal law making it illegal to possess
Banned Books Week: IL librarians face demands to remove titles

It has become almost routine in modern America: activist groups demanding libraries pull what they consider "objectionable books" from their shelves…

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Many librarians are concerned that groups pushing them to pull certain titles from their shelves are promoting authoritarianism rather than democracy. (Adobe Stock)
State Officials Testify in Senate On Illinois Anti-Book-Ban Legislation

A pair of Illinois state officials testified Tuesday before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on the state General Assembly's adoption of a bill to …

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In 2023, the average debt load per student loan borrower in Illinois was $37,757, the seventh-highest amount in the country. (Karen Roach/Adobe Stock)
Thousands in IL Eligible for New Student Loan Repayment Plan

A new student loan repayment plan is expected to help thousands of borrowers cut their monthly payments by half. More than four million student loan …

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Illinois has an incarceration rate of 497 per 100,000 people, including prisons, jails, immigration detention and juvenile justice facilities. This means the state locks up a higher percentage of its people than almost any democracy on earth. (Adobe Stock)
Federal Funding Restored to Educate People in Prison

By Max Lubbers for Chalkbeat Chicago.Broadcast version by Terri Dee for Illinois News Service reporting for the Chalkbeat Chicago-Public News Service …

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According to the 2018 Illinois Autism Project Report, the prevalence of autism in Cook County was 1 in 46 children, which is higher than the statewide prevalence rate. (Adobe Stock)
Back-to-School Tips for Families of IL Kids with Autism

For a child on the autism spectrum, returning to school after the summer break may be viewed with anxiety and hesitancy. However, parents can pave …

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A measure passed in 2021 allows students in Illinois public schools to take up to five
Teachers' Group Seeks to Bolster Public Education in IL, US

A new campaign backed by public school educators aims to bolster public edu cation and student learning. The American Federation of Teachers' Real …

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