Madison Lammert

Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it planned to freeze $1 billion for child care and other family assistance programs in Illinois, citing fraud concerns. A judge last week granted a temporary restraining order preventing the freeze, at least for now.

Chicago-based nonprofit ACT Now, which distributes these federal funds to the two East St. Louis schools and others across the state, filed its suit against the department and Secretary Linda McMahon in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

The U.S. Department of Education has canceled an estimated $168 million of ongoing, multi-year funding for community schools, saying the grants “did not align with the Administration’s priorities.”

Southwestern Illinois College's taxing district includes all or parts of eight counties. In recent years, SWIC’s levy increases have been closer to 4%.

Leaders at Belleville Township High School District 201, East St. Louis School District 189 and Belleville School District 118 say they have not received any indication that the federal reimbursements they receive for providing free or reduced price meals are in jeopardy.

A Columbia High School teacher’s resignation sparked a flurry of public comments at a school board meeting last week.

A Columbia, Illinois, teacher's alleged social media posts sparked a flurry of public comments at the school's board meeting this week.

Starting in fall 2025, the district’s elementary schools, at minimum, will serve grades kindergarten through six, with two schools serving pre-K students as well.

The completion of major heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades in all 10 of District 189’s schools hinges on this funding.

Students at Joseph Arthur Middle School in O'Fallon are expected to be able to return to their normal classrooms and activities in August.

Construction begins in early June, and students are set to start using the building in Spring 2026. The $5.5 million project will house welding and industrial electricity programming, plus forklift training.

The Collinsville Kahoks, Granite City Warriors and Freeburg Midgets are some of the Metro East schools that could be required to change if the bills pass.