Samantha Smylie

Samantha Smylie

State Education Reporter, Chalkbeat Chicago

Samantha Smylie is currently the State Education Reporter for Chalkbeat Chicago. Before joining Chalkbeat’s team, she worked at the Hyde Park Herald covering housing, education, retail and development in the Kenwood-Hyde Park neighborhoods on the city’s south-east side. She was a reporter fellow for City Bureau and participated in Propublica’s Data Institute. She had bylines in Block Club Chicago, the Chicago Reader and South Side Weekly.

Illinois education advocates and lawmakers are asking for more state funding to support migrant students enrolled in public schools.

Illinois is planning to have 11th graders take the ACT next spring, after almost a decade of using the SAT.

Illinois lawmakers have debated over Chicago’s elected school board districts for months. On Thursday, the House passed a bill that would allow voters to choose 10 out of 21 members in November.

Senate Bill 15 would have Chicagoans vote for 10 school board members and let Mayor Brandon Johnson appoint 11 members in November.

School officials, educators, and advocates are seeing a rise in demand for career and technical education programs. Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposed adding more state funding to support, but some say it might not be enough.

A new report commissioned by Illinois State Board of Education found that while Illinois public school students scored higher on state tests than tax credit scholarship recipients, students enjoyed private schools they attended.

Illinois lawmakers are back at the capitol filing bills on early childhood education and K-12 schools. Here are five education issues Chalkbeat Chicago will watch during the session.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said his plan to increase early education spending would put the state on track to have universal pre-K by 2027.

Contract negotiations between SEIU Local 73 and Chicago Public Schools have been going on since May 2023. Union leaders say talks have stalled.