Posts About State Investment

Here are the latest updates from the Forum’s education team.

Early Childhood Education Advocacy Day

The Forum’s partners and advocates headed to the state capitol on April 20 to advocate for the fair tax amendment and early childhood education. More than 10 organizations and 72 participants made the journey to Springfield, Illinois, visiting over 20 legislators. Parents shared emotional tales of their child’s progress and offered regalitos, or small gifts, to emphasize the positive results of funding early childhood education.

See photos of parents and advocates in action here. The conversation also continued on Twitter, engaging and informing audiences citywide. Check out the conversations... Continue Reading

Posted In: Infant & Toddler Services , Preschool, K-3, Parent Engagement, Families & Communities, Educators, Access & Resources, State Investment

by Communications intern Michelle Jimenez

Latinos hold the power to change the outcome of political elections. Earlier this year, the Huffington Post reported a total of “8.6 million Latinos…eligible to vote,” couldn’t vote because they were not registered. This number intensifies when one considers the fact that, “there are almost as many potential Latino voters (11.1 million) as actual voters (12.2 million)” in the U.S.  In Illinois, the 2010 gubernatorial election was decided by just 19,000 votes. That’s not many—especially when you think about how 361,000 eligible Latinos never registered. 

Knowing this, the Forum is taking action to change the narrative on Latino civic engagement by working with its nonprofit partners and volunteers to register new... Continue Reading

Posted In: Representation in Government, Strengthening Leadership, State Investment

Illinois’ list of gubernatorial hopefuls continues to grow as the campaign season for the March 18, 2014 primary gains steam.  While midterm elections tend to attract fewer voters (and primaries have even lower levels of participation) these midterm primaries have high stakes for Illinois residents as the state’s unemployment rate remains higher than the national average, its pension crisis remains unresolved, and  Illinois’ investment in our children’s public education has diminished by $670 million since Fiscal Year 2009.

At this stage in the primary, gubernatorial challengers Senator Bill Brady, Bill Daley, Senator Kirk Dillard, Bruce Rauner, and Treasurer Dan Rutherford have been focused on initiating effective campaign... Continue Reading

Posted In: Representation in Government, State Investment

While the spring legislative session closed on May 31 with frustrating indecision on several critical issues—pension reform, same-sex marriage, state-run health insurance, and a gambling expansion among them—the Latino Policy Forum and other advocates are heartened by the passage of a FY14 state budget that protects funding for education and vital human services.
 
Education
Thanks to the leadership of the appropriation chairs who oversee the education budget in the Senate and House, lawmakers approved an elementary and secondary education budget that increased the state’s investment in our children by 2 percent.  On the surface, the news is very positive: the total appropriation allows the state to maintain funding for significant items in the education budget. However,... Continue Reading

Posted In: State Investment

The line for the early train toSpringfieldwas decidedly Latino on May 7, Latino Unity Day at the state capitol. With 2013 marking its second year, Latino Unity Day is a relatively new but vital opportunity for leaders from Latino-led, Latino-serving organizations, as well as the community at large, to send a collective, coordinated message to legislators:  The state’s investment in Latinos must keep pace with the community’s growth—and its economic, cultural, and civic contributions.

The coordinated events planned for the day would be a clear demonstration of collaboration between co-conveners, including: Hispanic Illinois State Law Enforcement Association,Illinois Association of Hispanic State Employees, Illinois Latino Council on Higher Education (ILACHE), Illinois Latino Family Commission, Latino Policy Forum,... Continue Reading

Posted In: Leadership, Strengthening Leadership, Representation in Government, State Investment
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