Credit Capitol News Illinois
A new survey of Illinois school districts shows most are continuing to have trouble filling open teaching positions with qualified teachers and even more are having difficulty hiring substitute teachers.
It’s a problem that has existed in the state for many years and one that experts attribute to a variety of factors, such as low pay and the difficulty in attracting new teachers to work in certain parts of the state.
The survey has been conducted each of the past four years by the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools. Regional superintendents are in charge of supervising schools in the state’s 38 educational regions and operating regional offices of education. They also act as a kind of conduit of information and support between the Illinois State Board of Education and the state’s 853 local school districts.
Illinois corruption reforms gain momentum with Madigan gone
Illinois corruption reforms gain momentum with Madigan gone With Mike Madigan out as Illinois House speaker, state lawmakers have a unique opportunity to turn around the second-most corrupt state in the country. Ethics proposals are gaining support.
Now that former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has been replaced by a successor, state Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, there is hope for the state rated as second-most corrupt in the nation.
Welch has indicated he will back some ethics reforms that should give Illinoisans hope for improved transparency and accountability in Springfield. One of his goals is to pass an ethics reform package before the General Assembly adjourns in May, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Normal, IL, USA / www.cities929.com
Mar 3, 2021 12:31 PM
(The Center Square) â A Republican congresswoman is defending her state lawmaker husband from what she says are attacks full of lies about the Jan. 6 capitol riots. Illinois Democrats are demanding an investigation.
Hundreds of thousands of people were in Washington D.C. Jan. 6 when the U.S. Congress was certifying the presidential election. A riot then ensued at the capitol building. Hundreds of people face criminal charges because of the violence and trespassing.
Video and other images on social media show state Rep. Chris Miller, R-Oakland, was in Washington D.C. Jan. 6 attending rallies. Pictures also show a truck purportedly owned by Miller with a decal for a group called The Three Percenters.
WBGZ Radio 3/4/2021 |
By Greg Bishop - Illinois Radio Network
Several Illinois state lawmakers are looking to give the Legislative Inspector General more independence to investigate lawmakers.
The Legislative Inspector General is overseen by the Legislative Ethics Commission, a bipartisan panel of lawmakers from the House and Senate. There have been various reforms to the office over the years since a multi-year vacancy was revealed in 2017 during the peak of the #MeToo movement.
One reform several years ago allowed sexual harassment claims to be investigated without the inspector getting permission from the commission.
State Rep. Mike Murphy, R-Springfield, wants to give the inspector general more freedom with House Bill 2575.
SPRINGFIELD Nearly three dozen Democratic members of the Illinois House of Representatives signed onto a resolution Monday to “condemn” a southern Illinois Republican lawmaker for attending a Jan. 6 rally in Washington, D.C. that preceded the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol.
House Resolution 132 also references a complaint filed Monday with Illinois Legislative Inspector General Carol Pope to investigate the actions of Rep. Chris Miller, of Oakland, on Jan. 6.
The legislative inspector general is responsible for investigating complaints of violations of any law, rule, or abuse of authority or other forms of misconduct by members of the General Assembly.