Stories by Matt Masterson

The Illinois State Board of Education and Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools each released findings Monday which showed, for the first time in several years, that the state is seeing some improvements in the number of educator hires.

Kwame Raoul’s office joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general who are seeking a temporary restraining order against numerous federal agencies to stop what he’s called the “illegal mass layoffs.”

Brittany Hall, 31, of Chicago, was charged this week with five counts of sexual abuse of a ward and three counts of abusive sexual contact.

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias on Thursday announced that of the nearly 385,000 votes his office received between January and February, more than 165,000 (43% of all ballots) were cast for the existing flag.

CTU leaders met outside Chicago Public Schools’ Loop headquarters ahead of Wednesday’s Board of Education meeting where they expressed hope that a new contract could be finalized soon if district leaders agree to their final demands.

Twenty people were killed in the city last month, according to new preliminary figures released Wednesday by the Chicago Police Department. That marks a decline of 35% compared to February 2024.

Opening statements were set to begin Monday morning at the Lake County Courthouse, where Crimo was accused of 21 counts of first-degree murder and 48 counts of attempted murder charges stemming from the 2022 mass shooting.

The 21-member board at its monthly meeting Thursday voted to amend language in a revised resolution that would now aim to save five Acero schools: Cisneros, Casas, Fuentes, Tamayo and Santiago.

In a letter to families Wednesday, officials with the Acero charter school network said the individual was taken into custody by ICE agents, though the agency itself did not respond to a request for comment.

Antonio Reyes — who was charged this week with five new counts of first-degree murder as well as four counts of attempted first-degree murder — now stands accused in six separate fatal shootings.

The Acero charter network announced last year plans to shutter Cruz K-12 as well as Casas, Cisneros, Fuentes, Paz, Santiago and Tamayo elementary schools due to declining enrollment, increasing personnel and facilities maintenance costs.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in a Lake County courtroom where Robert Crimo III will stand trial on 117 charges, including 21 counts of first-degree murder, representing three charges for each person killed.

Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti on Thursday granted a prosecution motion that will allow any victim who is set to testify against Robert Crimo III to remain in court throughout the entirety of his trial.

“It is research that is essential, it is research that is nonpartisan, it is research that improves lives and improves communities,” said Aaron Krall, president of the UIC United Faculty union. “This is deadly serious, these are life-and-death matters.”

Cydney Wallace, who serves on the board of directors for the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, has been named as the 21st member of the new school board.

“He has stuck a middle finger in the face of the American people,” U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood (14th District) said, “and it’s unacceptable.”

CTU vice president Jackson Potter said the union is “very concerned” about Linda McMahon’s potential confirmation as she’s expected to carry out orders to essentially dismantle the Department of Education.

Michael Madigan, once the state of Illinois’ most powerful politician during his decades-long run as Illinois House Speaker and chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois, has now joined the long list of local and state powerbrokers convicted on federal corruption charges.

The jury of eight women and four men began deliberations late on Jan. 29. They have now completed 10 days of discussions without yet reaching a verdict.

“That is the last thing that students and families need,” CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said of a possible teachers strike, “and given how close our teams are to an agreement, we see no reason for such a drastic step.”

While the train operator was found to have alcohol in his system at the time of the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board determined that this was not what caused the Nov. 16, 2023, collision north of the Howard Street CTA station.

There were 38 homicides recorded throughout the city in January, an 8.6% jump over the same month in 2024, according to new data from the Chicago Police Department.

Michael Madigan’s defense team rested Thursday, nearly three months after opening statements and testimony began in the landmark case. Here is what you need to know about the case.

Jury deliberations finally got underway Wednesday afternoon in the landmark corruption trial of powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan after six days of closing arguments.

Of the 23 total charges in the indictment, Michael McClain faces six counts including racketeering conspiracy, federal program bribery and wire fraud. He has pleaded not guilty.

Monday marked the fourth day of closing arguments in Michael Madigan’s landmark corruption trial at the Dirksen Federal Building in downtown Chicago.