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Archive for the ‘Barrington Education Association’ Category
Half of Illinois students reading at grade level, fewer in math under loosened standards
Posted in Barrington Education Association, Education, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois Policy Institute, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on October 31, 2025| 1 Comment »
Newly released data from state assessments show just half of Illinois public school students could read at grade level and 2-in-5 could do math proficiently in 2025. That’s after the state lowered proficiency standards to make the numbers look better.
By Hannah Schmid | Illinois Policy Institute
Just over half of Illinois public school students could read at grade level and 39% were proficient in math on 2025 state assessments, according to newly released data from the Illinois State Board of Education.
That’s after the state artificially inflated the number of students meeting standards by lowering the scores needed to be considered “proficient” in reading and math in 2025.
That means many students are reported as “proficient” but are struggling. And by changing the standards, parents are unable to compare proficiency rates in their schools or districts to previous school years.
The data also shows enrollment continues to decline and absenteeism remains high.
How many students are reading or doing math at grade level?
Data released on Oct. 30 by the Illinois State Board of Education shows the reading and math proficiency rates for third through eighth grade students on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness and 11th graders on the ACT.
Even after changing the way the state determines if a student is proficient under the IAR, the scores are still troublesome:
- 53% of students were proficient in reading on the IAR for 3rd-8th grade
- 39% of students were proficient in math on the IAR for 3rd-8th grade
- 52% of students were proficient in reading on the ACT for 11th grade
- 39% of students were proficient in math on the ACT for 11th grade
That means nearly half of students still did not meet proficiency standards in reading on both the IAR and ACT, and more than half could not perform math proficiently, even after the state manipulated the numbers.
Read more here.
CUSD 220 reports another decline in student enrollment
Posted in 220, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Politics, Property Taxes, School Districts, Taxes, Topics Of Interest, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on October 27, 2025| Leave a Comment »
At their October 21st meeting, the CUSD 220 Board of Education received the, “Enrollment Status 30-Day,” report for the 2025-2026 school year. The report shows 7,953 students are currently enrolled.
This marks the 3rd year enrollment has declined, and 355 fewer students have been enrolled since 2020. A copy of the report can be found here.
Chicago’s Union Boss Gets a Promotion | Wall Street Journal
Posted in 220, 300, Barrington Education Association, Clown Car, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Fools and their money, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, The Chicago Way, Unions, Wall Street Journal, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on October 21, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Stacy Davis Gates | Nam Y. Huh Nam/Associated Press
Stacy Davis Gates will bring her educational failures to Springfield.
By The Editorial Board | Wall Street Journal
Talk about failing up. Stacy Davis Gates, the Chicago Teachers Union president who has presided over the educational failures of Chicago public schools, has been elected to lead the Illinois Federation of Teachers. Here we have in a single event the problem that is ruining Illinois.
From her new perch, Ms. Davis Gates will be the voice of more than 100,000 Illinois teachers, faculty and others at the statewide union. Downstate parents wondering what’s ahead are warned: It won’t be higher test scores. Less than a third of Chicago eighth grade students are proficient in reading and math. For that, she gets a promotion.
Students and parents don’t get to vote in union elections, alas. But union teachers do and they care most about money and dodging accountability for student failure. Ms. Davis Gates has delivered on both counts. In 2024 she told a Chicago radio station that academic testing “at best is junk science rooted in white supremacy” and “you can’t test black children with an instrument that was born to prove their inferiority.”
Yes, grading is racist, so stop using tests to judge students—and heaven forbid don’t hold teachers accountable. By the way, Ms. Davis Gates sends her own son to a private school.
Read more here.
District 220 Board of Education meets tonight
Posted in 220, Agendas, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Conflict of interest, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Elections, FOIA, His Master's Voice, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois State Board of Elections, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), League of Women Voters, Open Meetings Act, Organizations, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Springfield, Taxes, Video Streaming, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on October 21, 2025| Leave a Comment »
The District 220 Board of Education meets this evening at 6:00 PM at the District Administration Center, 515 W. Main Street. Items on their agenda include:
- FOIA Reports
- Revised Personnel Report
- Consideration to Approve Audit Report
- Consideration to Approve Project Lead the Way Lease Agreement
- Consideration to Approve the Reciprocal Reporting Agreement with the Village of Carpentersville
- Enrollment Status 30-Day
- Framework Update: Social Media Awareness & Digital Citizenship Guidelines Implementation Report
A copy of the agenda can be viewed here. The meeting will be live-streamed on the district YouTube channel.
Related: “District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated),” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency,” “Ding Politicking on School District Property,” “District 220 posts Notice of Tentative Budget Public Hearing,” “Dual School Board and State Rep Positions Legally Incompatible,” “D220 Abuses Taxpayer Funds in favor of Partisan Campaign,” “Ding In Her Own Words – CONFLICTED!,” “District 220 Board of Education meets this evening (07.15.25)” “Ding Doubles Down,” “Ding’s D220 Deception,” “Chan Ding running in Democratic primary in 52nd,” “Three (3) Democratic candidates queued to run for the IL 52nd District House seat in 2026”
Report offers mixed review of educational progress in Illinois
Posted in Barrington Education Association, Capitol News Illinois, Education, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Organizations, Springfield, Taxes on October 16, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Campbell
Attainment levels are growing, but proficiency rates stagnate despite billions in new spending
By Peter Hancock | Capitol News Illinois
A new report about education in Illinois suggests that overall, the state has made significant progress in key areas, from readying toddlers for kindergarten to helping young adults earn college degrees or industry certificates before entering the workforce.
But it also shows that despite billions of dollars in additional spending on K-12 education, proficiency rates in reading, writing and math have stagnated, and in some cases have declined, a fact that mirrors national trends.
Those findings are reported in the 2025 edition of “The State We’re In,” a biennial project of the nonpartisan research and advocacy group Advance Illinois.
The report looks at measurements across the entire spectrum of education, from birth through college and professional school. It examines inputs such as staffing and funding, as well as outcomes like proficiency rates and overall educational attainment.
Robin Steans, president of Advance Illinois, said in an interview that while there is significant cause for concern in some areas, “overall educational attainment in Illinois continues to move in the right direction, and it does so for every single group.”
Higher education attainment
In 2009, state lawmakers established the Illinois P-20 Council to bring together multiple state agencies, educational institutions, local schools, community groups, employers and citizens to identify needed reforms and make recommendations for improving the quality of education in the state.
The “P” stands for preschool and “20” refers to grade 20, or education after college.
The following year, the council put forth a goal that within the next 15 years, by 2025, 60% of Illinois’ adult population would have either a high-quality degree or industry credentials.
According to this year’s report, Illinois appears to have fallen just short of meeting that goal.
Read more here.
It’s not your Mother’s League of Women Voters anymore (And it hasn’t been for some time)
Posted in Barrington Education Association, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Ethics, Fat Bastard, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois State Board of Elections, Immigration, League of Women Voters, Look For The Union Label, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Unions on October 13, 2025| 4 Comments »
What follows is from the League of Women Voters of Palatine, Barrington and Schaumburg Area’s website:
“No Kings 2 Rally — Unite and Rise for Democracy
The League of Women Voters is an official, national partner of the No Kings II rally. We are marching on October 18 to support the Bill of Rights, oppose federal overreach, and reject cuts to essential services. Join us!
We are calling on friends, neighbors and the community at large to unite at a nearby protest and rise up for our democracy.
This is our time. It’s our time to be present, brave, and loud, working together as a concerned community to speak out for our neighbors and the Constitution.
The League has made simple signage that you can print and take along.
And if you can’t attend, we hope you’ll raise your voice with a window sign, or by helping us promote the event and encourage others to attend via social media or a good old fashioned phone call!
There are three nearby locations:
- Palatine — Volunteer Plaza at the Clocktower — 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
- Arlington Heights — Recreation Park (NOTE new location!) — 3:00 pm – 5:00 p
- Schaumburg — North Roselle and Schaumburg Roads — 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Look for a member of LWVPA holding an LWV sign at the Palatine and Arlington Heights locations to meet up. In Schaumburg, look for an LWV member holding purple and gold balloons. If you are able, try to attend more than one event. For example, Palatine at 11:00 am and then Arlington Heights at 3:00 pm. Help us make these rallies the largest yet!”
Note: The LWV website states: “The League of Women Voters of the Palatine, Barrington, and Schaumburg Areas is a nonpartisan political organization and does not support any political party or candidate.” Really? This may have been true at one time, but we’ll leave it up to readers to decide if it is today.
And it should be noted there is no disclosure statement revealing who or what is funding this political campaign, and that is what it is. The staggering of the rally hours provides partisan candidates the opportunity to appear and speak at all three rallies.
District 220 Board of Education meets tonight
Posted in 220, Agendas, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Conflict of interest, Countryside Elementary School, County, Deception, District 220 referendum, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Education, Elections, Ethics, His Master's Voice, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Illinois State Board of Elections, Intergovernmental agreements (IGA), Lake, Land Use, New Normal?, Open Meetings Act, Organizations, Pension Funding, Politics, Property Taxes, Public Safety, Real Estate, School Districts, Taxes, Transparency, Unions, Video Recordings, Video Streaming, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on October 7, 2025| Leave a Comment »
The District 220 Board of Education meets this evening at 6:00 PM at the District Administration Center, 515 W. Main Street. Items on their agenda include:
- Special Public Comment on IASB Resolutions
- FOIA Reports
- Personnel Report
- Consideration to Approve Reunification Contract with Willow Creek Community Church
- Consideration to Approve a District Representative at the Lake County Lake Division Meeting
- Consideration to Approve the Proposed Lake County Slate of Officers
- Consideration to Approve IASB Resolutions
A copy of the agenda can be viewed here. The meeting will be live-streamed on the district YouTube channel.
Related: “District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated),” “District 220’s Lack of Transparency,” “Ding Politicking on School District Property,” “District 220 Board of Education meets tonight (9.15.25),” “District 220 posts Notice of Tentative Budget Public Hearing,” “Dual School Board and State Rep Positions Legally Incompatible,” “D220 Abuses Taxpayer Funds in favor of Partisan Campaign,” “Ding In Her Own Words – CONFLICTED!,” “District 220 Board of Education meets this evening (07.15.25)” “Ding Doubles Down,” “Ding’s D220 Deception,” “Chan Ding running in Democratic primary in 52nd,” “Three (3) Democratic candidates queued to run for the IL 52nd District House seat in 2026”
District 220’s Lack of Transparency (Updated)
Posted in 220, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Conflict of interest, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Illinois Federation of Teachers, New Normal?, OP/Ed, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Transparency, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on September 26, 2025| Leave a Comment »
In response to a recent Observer article, “District 220’s Lack of Transparency,” we received the following from a reader regarding Superintendent Winkelman’s and the D220 Board’s response to his concerns over the D220 Educator’s social media post:
(Click on image to enlarge)
In fact, there are D220 policies that require its educators to:
“adhere to the high standards for Professional and Appropriate Conduct… at all times, regardless of the ever-changing Social Media and Personal Technology platforms available. This includes employees posting images or private information about themselves or others in a manner readily accessible to students and other employees that is inappropriate…” 5:125.
We think that’s a reasonable policy. D220 policies further hold that:
“The District will not tolerate harassing, intimidating conduct… that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment. Examples of prohibited conduct include… threatening or causing physical harm…” 5:120.
What’s more intimidating to a parent or student that identifies as a Trump supporter to learn that one of the District’s educators is comfortable enough to publicly post her vitriol of the U.S. President, threatening the wish of physical harm to him? Seems to us that the Board policies referenced by Winkelman clearly allow for this D220 educator to be reprimanded, suspended or even terminated.
Why aren’t we, the taxpayers, parents and students of D220 entitled to know the outcome of the Board’s discussions on this matter, assuming there were any?
Related: “District 220’s Lack of Transparency”
District 220’s Lack of Transparency
Posted in 220, Barrington Education Association, Board of Education, Conflict of interest, Deception, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Illinois Federation of Teachers, OP/Ed, Politics, Pritzker’s Rules of Order, Property Taxes, School Districts, Transparency, Unions, What the Ficke (Bradford)? on September 22, 2025| 1 Comment »
At the recent meeting of the D220 Board of Education we heard public comment surrounding social media posts made by a D220 educator. One of the speakers referenced the recent death of Charlie Kirk in making his public comment.
This, of course, piqued our curiosity as to what the public comments surrounded and we awaited a response to the comments from Superintendent Winkelman, President Ficke Bradford, or other BOE members. As we’ve seen in the past, Ficke Bradford picks and chooses what she will allow Winkelman to respond to, and we were left with no comment from the BOE this night. So, we did a little digging ourselves.
It appears from posts captured by LibsOfTikTok, a D220 educator who identified herself on her Instagram as a 1st Grade Teacher at Barrington 220 School District, responded to a post about United States President Donald J. Trump, stating: “Makes me so sick. God I hate him, why can’t he die? That’s the only way to end this insane cult that has taken over our country.”
https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1966252902139519334?s=46
In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, we’ve seen educators receive reprimands and even lose their jobs for such divisive and inflammatory comments on their social media pages. These discussions have appeared in the public, as school board meetings should, given that they exist to serve the public that elected them.
During this time we’ve received several inquiries related to an educator, Benjamin Fillo, teaching at Barrington High School, but the one located in Barrington, Rhode Island.
Apparently, several mistook the Rhode Island school for District 220. Well, we can report to you that there is one clear and glaringly distinct difference between the Rhode Island school, it’s school board, and teachers union, and that’s when its educators and board members violate the rules, they take action and they do so publicly so the public trust is not violated. In this instance, Educator Fillo, who also served as the NEA-Barrington Union Co-President, was put on administrative leave and removed from his Union position.
Nahum Mitnik, the other co-president of NEA-Barrington, spoke at Rhode Island’s school board meeting on Sept. 15, stating:
Tonight, I want to share with you the sentiments I conveyed to our members on Friday afternoon. We as a union believe it is important for you, and for the Barrington community as a whole to hear from us directly.
As you know, our colleague and co-president made a statement on his personal TikTok account that has receive widespread negative attention. We are deeply disappointed by his actions. Let me be clear: We unequivocally condemn violence in all its forms. Violence has no place in our schools, our district, or our society.
It would be refreshing to have such transparency from our own Barrington D220 Board of Education and Superintendent Winkelman. Here, we have an educator who has violated school policies in making this violence charged comment while publicly identifying herself as a D220 educator and there’s been no discussion with the public on the actions being taken. But, then, as we have seen with President Ficke Bradford‘s and Superintendent Winkleman’s refusal to address the many violations made by Board Member Erin Chan Ding since running for the 52nd District, we are, sadly, not surprised.
Our hope is that the residents of this community have the boldness and courage of those of our namesake in Barrington, Rhode Island. There will be no action without the public’s request for it.
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