Today PEER Illinois provided testimony at the first FY28 ISBE) Budget Hearing. We asked for a $6.96 billion additional investment into Evidence-Based Funding: the amount needed to bring all districts to 100% adequacy. Read our full statement here: buff.ly/7U8vVbY

Regulations for the federal school voucher program have been released. This program is not about advancing educational opportunity. It’s a tax credit for the wealthy. And it will siphon your tax dollars away from public schools. We strongly urge Gov. Pritzker to opt-out.

"We heard feedback from students and parents to understand what students need to succeed. We realized that there are three pillars that students need: physical, psychological and relational support to thrive in schools." borderlessmag.org/2026/09/15/c...

As Chicago Elects Its School Board, This Parent is Advocating for Safer Schools – Featured – Borderless Magazine NFP

As Chicago Elects Its School Board, This Parent is Advocating for Safer Schools – Featured – Borderless Magazine NFP

borderlessmag.org

We are so excited to announce that these familiar faces at PEER Illinois have new titles – Beatriz Diaz-Pollack is our new Director and Maddy Murray is our new Director of Grassroots Engagement and Campaigns! Congrats to both of you on your new roles! 🎉

State and federal officials have left students to confront climate change in buildings built nearly half a century ago– and students are done paying the price. To learn more, check out @peer_equity’s new report: Learning Among the Elements at peerforeducation.org/report/ Art by Shauda Islam

Students need support in their schools. In order for Illinois students to have that support, we must create a school community that centers educational growth and excellence. This week, meet Maria, a community member who lives on the Southwest side of Chicago.

Public education is a public good and children in Illinois should have the freedom to pursue their dreams. Our children can’t do that without meaningful funding for them to have the resources they need to achieve those dreams.  This week, meet Krystal, one of our parents.

You can look up the adequacy of funding in school districts by legislative district here with tool from @peerillinois.org peerillinoisfundingtool.streamlit.app [Note that IL House 30, Davis' district doesn't cover any portion of CPS District 299!]

🏫 IL school resource ≠ app

Authors:

peerillinoisfundingtool.streamlit.app

Rep Will Davis doesn't represent Chicago! His district covers South Suburban communities many w/ schools even more underresourced than CPS: “There are things that we can do. The question is are we willing to sit down & have the tough conversations to make it happen?” said Davis, a Chicago Democrat."

Illinois Families for Public Schools@ilfps.bsky.social · 2mo ago

😭 "The law requires the state to add a min of $350M in new funding to the formula each year—but that isn’t adjusted for inflation. To keep pace with rising costs 'we’d really need to bump up that amount to at least $500M or $600M/year,' said Ralph Martire" www.chicagotribune.com/2026/08/01/c...

In a video posted by @ctulocal1.bsky.social Speaker Chris Welch promised to fight for supplemental funding for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) during the upcoming veto session. We call on the state to fund the Evidence-Based Funding formula to 100% of adequacy for all districts.

As back to school season begins, we’ll be highlighting stories from our coalition’s new webpage, More Than a Formula. Meet Ethan, a student from Forest Park who speaks about his experience and the need for investments in our public schools.

Thousands turn out for Waukegan D60’s school resource fair: ‘Free school supplies are a big blessing’

Thousands turn out for Waukegan D60’s school resource fair: ‘Free school supplies are a big blessing’

chicagotribune.com

Now more than ever, in the face of unprecedented federal cuts to education, underfunded classrooms, and the threat of school privatization, we must make good on the promise of fully funding the Evidence-Based Funding formula (EBF). www.peerillinois.org/morethanafor...

Full funding of Illinois public schools is long overdue. PEER Illinois is encouraged to see articles like this highlighting the importance of funding the EBF funding formula. However, Illinois has a long way to go to meet 100% adequacy for ALL school districts across the state. www.peerillinois.org

Happy Pride! This month we’re celebrating LGBTQ+ families, students, and educators. Schools should be places where kids of all races, genders, and family backgrounds are free to grow into all they dream to be. #PRIDE

This week Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights held their Power of Connection Civil Rights Workshop! Our coalition members and lead staff held an engaging session on how coalition members collaborate, the history of PEER Illinois and the power of parent organizing.

What does it take for lawyers and organizers to build strong, lasting partnerships? Join "Building the Partnership: How Lawyers and Organizers Can Build Collaborative, Effective, and Durable Partnerships" at the Power of Connection Civil Rights Workshop. www.eventbrite.com/e/power-of-c...

‼️🗣️ Take action: Call your legislators and demand Illinois tax the ultra-rich to fully fund our schools. Budget negotiations are happening NOW, and the proposed funding levels aren’t enough for students to thrive. Every child deserves a fully funded school community. bit.ly/emailyourleg

“Keeping things current and up to date is pretty important in the world these kids live in, and we haven’t had the funding to do it. Our students have been sitting with outdated material as the world moves on.” capitolnewsillinois.com/news/illinoi...

Illinois lawmakers question progress under Evidence-Based Funding for public education

Article Summary State Lawmakers will assess how much progress has occurred in public education under the Evidence-Based Funding formula. According

capitolnewsillinois.com

Join our friends at Citizens Action Illinois to call fellow Illinoisans to educate them on progressive revenue proposals that would rebuild Illinois’s current tax system and create more dollars for our neighborhood public schools. Register here: www.mobilize.us/citizenactio...

“The majority of public school parents in Illinois do not want vouchers. They want fully resourced and well-funded public schools where every child — regardless of race, ZIP code or income — is able to succeed and grow.“ — Erykah Nava, PEER Illinois

Erykah Nava: History tells us that school vouchers segregate and alienate

Voucher programs deepen segregation. Across several different states, voucher programs have shown to contribute to a racial and class divide.

chicagotribune.com

Our 2026 advocacy day is in the books! 🗣️🏛️✊🏽 What an incredible day in Springfield of talking with legislators about fully funding our public schools through EBF & progressive revenue. Special thanks to so many of our amazing partners!

It was so exciting to support the many of coalition member organizations at the Parent Mentor Program Convention today! Congrats to all the parent mentors today!

“Public dollars are for public schools. Point blank, period,” "We are the stewards of those public dollars. Money pays for what we give our students — so this is about the students.” www.chicagotribune.com/2026/04/08/c...

Chicago school board approves resolution against federal tax-credit scholarship program

The Chicago Board of Education approved a resolution Wednesday calling on Gov. JB Pritzker to reject the Trump administration’s federal tax-credit scholarship program.

chicagotribune.com

“Public dollars are for public schools. Point blank, period,” "We are the stewards of those public dollars. Money pays for what we give our students — so this is about the students.” www.chicagotribune.com/2026/04/08/c...

Chicago school board approves resolution against federal tax-credit scholarship program

The Chicago Board of Education approved a resolution Wednesday calling on Gov. JB Pritzker to reject the Trump administration’s federal tax-credit scholarship program.

chicagotribune.com

The board voted 15-0, to adopt a resolution Wednesday that denounces the Trump administration’s efforts “to expand and incentivize voucher or publicly funded scholarships for private schools” and criticized private schools as nontransparent institutions.

Chicago school board asks Pritzker to stay away from federal school choice programs

The board passed a resolution that criticizes efforts from the Trump administration to “expand and incentivize voucher or publicly funded scholarships for private schools.”

chalkbeat.org

The board’s resolution argues that “the diversion of public funds for private education weakens not only public schools but other vital public goods and services such as transportation, healthcare and efforts to preserve the environment.” www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2026...

Chicago school board to vote on denouncing Trump efforts to use public funds for private schools

The school board’s vote will come as Gov. JB Pritzker remains quiet on whether he will opt Illinois into a new, federal tax-credit scholarship program.

chalkbeat.org

We’ve got governor envy! WI, MN, and KY’s leaders firmly rejected federal vouchers and made the fight for public schools their priority, we need Pritzker to say loud and proud, NO VOUCHERS for IL—we love our public schools! Write today (even if you’ve reached out before): bit.ly/no_vouchers_letters

In addition to emailing your Board member, you can submit a written comment to the Board for the record: chicagopsprod.service-now.com/sp?id=board_...

You can enter the lottery to speak to the Board about the voucher resolution here: www.cpsboe.org/meetings/reg...