Advance Illinois has released its most recent findings about education in Illinois. “The State We’re In 2025: A Report on Public Education in Illinois” presents data that should give us pause and spur action. These findings, coupled with major federal cuts in education, pose serious challenges for school districts and their students.
Advance Illinois is an organization whose mission states, “All students deserve equitable access to a high-quality education.” The group focuses on an education system that strives for equity and supports the whole child from cradle to career by looking at five elements: adequate funding and resources, data systems that foster continuous improvement, whole child support, high-quality and diverse teachers, staff and leaders, and rigorous instruction. Its work involves community engagement, policy and data analysis, legislative advocacy and coalition-building.
Robin Steans, president of Advance Illinois, said, “We have been hit with many things outside our control, but we can do things that are in our control.” Advance Illinois applauds the work of teachers, support staff, administrators and school boards who work daily for the well-being of students.
Federal actions by President Donald Trump and Congress present many concerns. Illinois will face major challenges in taking on the responsibility for ensuring students and schools receive support.
“The State We’re In 2025” presents Illinois-specific findings from early childhood through higher education and some stark realities emerge. Early childhood costs for families are high. According to the report, a median-income family pays 14.7% of earnings for child care; that figure rises to 41.2% for a family at the federal poverty level.
Illinois college tuition is $4,000 higher than the national average, and families pay 65% of tuition while the national average is 40%. Illinois ranks 48 out of the 50 states in higher education funding. Colleges rely on federal grants for research; many have been cut or eliminated.
Currently, 11% of federal funding flows to Illinois schools. This equates to around $2,500 per student. With cuts in many areas within the U.S. Department of Education, the agency that serves as a unified source for schools across the nation with educational experts, and in cuts in federal funding support, students and school districts will be affected.
Federal grants have been canceled for teacher-preparation programs, mental health services, student nutrition and magnet schools. Others have been frozen in areas of child care, social services and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Several court cases have been filed to keep some funds flowing or to reinstate funding. In the meantime, there is uncertainty for the future.
In addition, the U.S. Office for Civil Rights, which investigates allegations of civil rights violations, has been reduced and pending cases have been dismissed. Many of these violations affect students with disabilities; without the mechanism to file a complaint, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is in violation. The technical assistance center which offers resources and aid during emergency disruptions in schools has been shut down. Close to 130 staff at the National Center for Education Statistics were laid off;. Although Illinois does a good job in collecting data, this means there is no national database to be able to compare Illinois student performance and progress to other states.
Other work handled by the U.S. Department of Education has been farmed out to four other agencies that have little or no expertise in areas such as title funding, career and technical education, rural-school programs, foreign language and education programs, child care services for low-income college parents and Indian education and tribal colleges.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions have led families to keep children at home instead of going to school. Statistics show that losing even five days of instruction affects student learning. In Illinois, one in four students miss 18 days of school each year, which equates to almost a month of lost learning.
Federal reductions in the Institute of Education Sciences, the cancellation of $1 billion in previously approved research grants and elimination of federal datasets mean the work to track student absenteeism and student outcomes is lost.
Illinois schools receive some funding based on the number of low-income students. Rules have changed for students receiving the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid. Eligibility for those younger than 18 has been lowered to those younger than 14. This means families lose coverage and schools lose low-income student numbers; thus, funding to schools decreases. In addition, students miss out on the free-and-reduced-lunch program, which affects the well-being of families in our communities.
Illinois uses the Evidence Based Funding model. Since its passage in 2017, an increase of $2.8 billion has been invested in K-12 schools. In 2017, there were 459 underfunded districts, which has fallen to 56 in 2026. Illinois is still $3 billion short of meeting adequate funding levels.
As Illinois continues to combat various issues, Advance Illinois recommends additional school funding, developing an alternative model for calculating the number of low-incomes students and addressing civil rights protections. The organization also encourages those who care about education to donate to schools and universities, support legislative efforts, provide resources, and speak out for our students and get involved.
Cinda Ackerman Klickna is a former Springfield teacher and past president of the Illinois Education Association. She has followed the work of Advance Illinois for many years.
This article appears in April SBJ 2026.