The first negotiating session involving a federal mediator is scheduled for today. The current three-year teachers contract expires at the beginning of the school year next month.

The Rochester school board and the district's teachers union have approved a new collective bargaining agreement that includes a 5.5-percent base salary increase for the upcoming school year.

Watchdog Group Calls for Investigation Into Rochester Public Library

Springfield School District 186 has recommended not approving a proposed tax increment financing district in Jerome as written. District 186 Director of Business, Finance and Operations Steve Miller told board members Monday night that the district stands to lose more than $4 million over the 23-year life of the distri...

Governor signs new state requirements for dual credit programs, financial aid assistance By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO - Illinois students won't need to fill out applications for most state universities to be admitted - if they have high enough grades. With his signatu...

Judith Ruiz-Branch Illinois News Connection Nearly 30% of "Gen-Z" college students decided where they would attend school based at least partly on political reasons, according to a new report. The education consulting firm EAB found 14% of prospective students removed a school from their consideration list fo...

Over the past 10 years, women have held fewer than one in 10 construction jobs By MAGGIE DOUGHERTY Medill Illinois News Bureau news@capitolnewsillinois.com PEORIA - For 60 years, SkillsUSA Illinois has held workforce development competitions for young people entering the trades. For 60 years, there has never been an ...

Judith Ruiz-Branch Illinois News Connection As Congress considers federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP food assistance, groups advocating for Illinois schools are speaking out on how it would affect students across the state and the education system at large. They said budget cuts would have both direct and indirect effec...

The Rochester school board this week named Rolf Sivertsen as interim superintendent for the upcoming school year. Sivertsen has been in education for 35 years, including 25 years as an administrator, most recently as interim superintendent in Williamsfield in Knox County. The board plans to name a permanent superintend...

Lincoln Land Community College announced that it had conferred more than 1,450 degrees and certificates this past year and held a commencement ceremony Friday, May 16. The graduate list below is in alphabetical order by hometown and includes degrees and certificates conferred. Note: One asterisk indicates a graduate wi...