Advance Illinois

As we continue introducing members of our new Educator Advisory Council (EAC) cohort, today we hear from Dr. Andrea Jamison, a professor whose teaching journey centered on library science and is passionate in ensuring schools remain spaces where diverse perspectives are valued as essential to learning. https://hubs.la/Q04lSHjJ0

The Department of Education this week announced plans to move civil rights responsibilities to the Department of Justice and special education to the Department of Health and Human Services, as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to dismantle the agency.

Across the country, advocates for students with disabilities have expressed concern that HHS is ill-equipped to handle administration of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, arguing that the move will lead to less oversight and fewer students receiving key services to support their right to a free and appropriate public education.

https://hubs.la/Q04lWwPl0

Civil rights enforcement, special education oversight will move out of education department Advocates for students with disabilities fear that moving special education out of the U.S. Department of Education will undermine support for vulnerable students.

Shout out to EAC member and veteran high school teacher Sofia Gonzalez, who at her recent TEDx talk at Syracuse University reminds us that creating space for students also means holding space, inviting the audience to consider: What matters next when the system we relied on can no longer hold us? https://hubs.la/Q04lC1P70

LIBERATE THE LESSON: WHAT URBAN CLASSROOMS TEACH | Sofia Gonzalez | TEDxSyracuse University In a moment when the American education system feels fractured—by g...

📣 Illinoisans: Your Education Story Matters

We’re collecting personal stories from people across Illinois about how federal education policies have shaped your or your family’s access to and experience in education — from early childhood programs through college and beyond.

Whether it’s Head Start, IDEA, Title I, Pell Grants, FAFSA, school nutrition programs, or other federal initiatives — we want to hear how these policies have impacted real lives, not just statistics.

✅ You can share anonymously
✅ All experiences welcome — positive, challenging, or somewhere in between

Share your story here: https://hubs.la/Q04lz3Nf0

Your voice can help illuminate the real impact of federal education policy in Illinois. Thank you for contributing to this important conversation!

We're hiring! Advance Illinois is looking for a Director of Development to join our team. We’re seeking a strategic thinker committed to strengthening public education statewide and growing our impact. Please share with your networks and apply today: https://hubs.la/Q04lqdT80

School and Community Partners: Join us for the 2026 College Changes Everything® (CCE) Conference on Thursday, July 16, 2026 at the Tinley Park Convention Center. Now in our 16th year, we hope you will join us with intention, commitment, and passion as we explore this year's significant, dual-sided theme: “Education Matters.”

Education is consequential, transformative and urgent; it is the ladder of opportunity that helps transform lives. And, matters of education – the systems, policies, and barriers – require our attention and collective action.

Registration is now open for the conference. Space is limited and fills quickly. The conference agenda will be available later in June. For more information about the conference, the Tinley Park Convention Center, hotel information, and registration, visit https://bit.ly/4dT7LV5.

Where public education saw funding increases (and decreases) in Illinois’ new state budget K-12 school funding is getting $350 million more. But some educators say it’s not enough.

📣 Illinoisans: Your Education Story Matters

We’re collecting personal stories from people across Illinois about how federal education policies have shaped your or your family’s access to and experience in education — from early childhood programs through college and beyond.

Whether it’s Head Start, IDEA, Title I, Pell Grants, FAFSA, school nutrition programs, or other federal initiatives — we want to hear how these policies have impacted real lives, not just statistics.

✅ You can share anonymously
✅ All experiences welcome — positive, challenging, or somewhere in between

Share your story here: https://hubs.la/Q04kPlcv0

Your voice can help illuminate the real impact of federal education policy in Illinois. Thank you for contributing to this important conversation!

ICYMI: Read the latest From the Desk legislative analysis. Even amid challenges, Illinois continued investing across the B‑20 continuum and took important steps to safeguard educational opportunity in a shifting federal landscape. https://hubs.la/Q04kCVXN0