Peter Medlin

We go behind the grill with the 2022 Pork & Pigskins Champions. Learn more about the savory competition from the Illinois High School Association!

The new Illinois state budget includes $250 million for early childhood programs. Some of that will support “early intervention services” for Illinois’ youngest children with disabilities. WNIJ’s Peter Medlin reports on why it’s so challenging for families to get their kids with disabilities the care they need.

A deadline is fast approaching for preschool providers to help with bringing preschool to underserved areas.

In the past decade, the number of Illinois high schoolers earning early college credit from Advanced Placement or Dual Credit courses has skyrocketed.

“The internet allows us to connect to a lot of really great important information, and kids are less likely to access it if they know that they're being surveilled," says Cody Venzke at the Center for Democracy & Technology. But school technology officials say the benefits outweigh the concerns.

State Superintendent of Education Carmen Ayala says student growth slowed dramatically during the first years of the pandemic. But in 2022 it bounced back and student growth was -- on average -- even slightly faster than it was in 2019.

“Some of [the concerns] were very silly, but some of them were things I wouldn't know unless I was getting out there and involved. Like, they're speaking to me about their lunch period. I think it's about 30 minutes and if you're a child who's at the end of lunchtime, you only get like three minutes for recess. And I'm like, that's an inequity!”

One rural school needs a science teacher. The other can't offer AP classes. Leaders say combining into a brand-new district could solve both problems and more. It would be the first consolidation in five years.

They came to the conclusion that the word is a racial slur and its use should not only be retired at the school but also that use of the word is a violation of the student handbook that prohibits derogatory slurs.

Schools don't have enough short-term teachers to fill in the gaps. School districts in Illinois are now holding one-day online training to get short-term subs, even ones without teaching backgrounds.