Latest news with #Llorens
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
IEA releases State of Education report
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — According to the Illinois Education Association, Illinois adults overwhelmingly are fans of public schools. The IEA released polling Wednesday as a part of its 7th annual State of Education report. The polls showed more than 91% of adults from the state agreed that 'students have a right to education at a public school.' That number stayed the same for students with disabilities. Manufacturers would stop selling Styrofoam containers under Illinois bill 'Public education is the great equalizer. It's the key to the American Dream. It is the one thing our country does that levels the playing field for all children. Rural, suburban, urban, no matter who you are or where you come from, a good education can change your life,' IEA President Al Llorens said. 'We will continue to do whatever it takes to make sure our students have access to strong public schools. It's what Illinoisans want and it's what our students deserve.' Also found from the poll is a majority of Illinoisans are empathetic to teachers, with 74% of people think teaching has become harder over the last few years and 78% of the public say they are very worried about the teacher shortage. Other findings from the report include that the majority of Illinois residents believe schools should get more funding. 'The people of our great state strongly support public education and our students, so much so that they support fixing the funding issues facing our schools. They recognize teachers and staff are working harder than ever before and they also know our educators are not making enough money and don't have enough support in our schools,' Llorens added. Illinois Attorney General joins lawsuit to stop closure of US Dept. of Education The poll was conducted with both a Republican pollster (Next Generation Strategies) and a Democrat polling firm (Normington Petts). 1,000 Illinois adults were surveyed for the poll between Jan. 27 and 30. The pollsters said it has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent with 95 percent confidence. The full summary report can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
13-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Pritzker to discuss U.S. Department of Education cuts at Illinois Education Association meeting
Gov. JB Pritzker will address educators from around the state on Thursday at the Illinois Education Association Representative Assembly, after the Trump administration began cuts to the U.S. Department of Education, slashing nearly half its budget. The cuts are leading to concerns over what will happen to the agency's current responsibilities. Those include funding public charter schools and ensuring equal access to education. One of the biggest is disbursing student loans and operating aid applications. The Trump administration has made it clear their goal is to dismantle the Department of Education entirely, and that is causing a lot of concern and fear among educators in Illinois. Many believe the students most impacted by the cuts will be the most vulnerable. "Students that have special needs, students that are high poverty, Black and Brown students. … and without that extra money all those things and supports are going to dry up," said Albert Llorens, president of the Illinois Education Association, the state's largest teachers' union. Llorens will be at the Hyatt Regency in Rosemont on Thursday, along with Pritzker and about 1,200 educators from across the state for the Illinois Education Association Representative Assembly, what is essentially a mini legislative session for the union. Llorens described the cuts to the U.S. Department of Education as "an insanely bad move" that will impact all students. Jill Scarcelli, a library associate at Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C, and education support professional council chair for the Illinois Education Association, fears the Trump administration's cuts will hit support staff in schools, which she says are already understaffed and underfunded. She said that would likely mean students who need additional supports in their education wouldn't get them. "In our building, I don't hear red or blue, or Republican and Democrat. In our building, it's students. We're focused on what's happening to our students, and for the most part, I think everyone is on board trying to do what's best for them, and we're all scared. We're all scared. We want to support our students. We want them to be successful," Scarcelli said. CBS News this week met Hope Katz-Zogby, a seventh grader with Down syndrome who attends her local charter school in Baltimore, Maryland. She is able to do so because of the speech and occupational therapy she receives in the classroom. "She's benefited from being in an inclusive classroom," said Hope's mom, Liz Zogby. The extra support is made possible through a $15 billion program at the Department of Education. That money also assists poorer students. But concern about the funds is growing now that staffing at the agency has been cut by nearly 50% — from 4,133 to 2,183. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the cuts reflect the department's commitment to efficiency and accountability. Fifty employees from the Department of Education's Chicago office have already been laid off.
CBS News
13-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
U.S. Department of Education cuts have Illinois advocates worried
There was fallout this week in Chicago over the massive shrinking of staff at the U.S. Department of Education across the country. Students, teachers, and families are all worried about the effects. CBS News this week met Hope Katz-Zogby, a seventh grader with Down syndrome who attends her local charter school in Baltimore, Maryland. She is able to do so because of the speech and occupational therapy she receives in the classroom. "She's benefited from being in an inclusive classroom," said Hope's mom, Liz Zogby. The extra support is made possible through a $15 billion program at the Department of Education. That money also assists poorer students. But concern about the funds is growing now that staffing at the agency has been cut by nearly 50% — from 4,133 to 2,183. "I think it's an insanely bad move," said Albert Llorens, president of the Illinois Education Association. "I think the impact on all students is going to be pretty nasty." Llorens said if federal funding is no longer funneled to the states, it is the most vulnerable students who will suffer. "Students that have special needs, students that are high-poverty, Black and brown students," Llorens said, "without that extra money, all those things and supports are going to dry up." At least 50 employees will no longer work at the Chicago office of the U.S. Department of Education — including those laid off in the Office for Civil Rights and Federal Student Aid. The department is also reportedly terminating leases in several cities, including Chicago. The Chicago offices of the Department of Education are located in the Kluczynski Federal Building, which the federal government has said it plans to sell. "When we cut, we want to cut, but we want to cut the people that aren't working or not doing a good job," President Trump said Wednesday. "We're keeping the best people." U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement Tuesday: "Today's reduction in force reflects the Department of Education's commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers. I appreciate the work of the dedicated public servants and their contributions to the Department. This is a significant step toward restoring the greatness of the United States education system." The goal, McMahon has said, is to get rid of the department altogether. "I don't see this as reform or efficiency," said Dan Montgomery president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers. "It's total destruction." Montgomery said he has been hearing "concern and fear" from his members. The cuts at the Department of Education are expected to be a key topic at a huge meeting of teachers in Rosemont Thursday morning. Montgomery, along with more than 1,000 teachers and Gov. JB Pritzker, will be on hand to address the federal cuts.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dave Matthews' Mother Valerie Anne Passes Away at 89
The news of the death of Valerie Anne Matthews, the mother of musician , has shocked and saddened fans around the world. Valerie was originally from South Africa and later moved to the US with her husband and children. She went on to spend the rest of her life there and had a successful career as an architect. So, here's everything you need to know about Valerie's demise as well as the related details. Dave Matthews' mother passed away on Sunday, February 9, 2025, at her home in Charlottesville, Virginia, at age 89. She had been battling Alzheimer's disease for a long time. Valerie Anne Matthews is survived by three of her children — Dave Perer, and Jane — and several grandchildren. Her husband, John, died at age 45 decades earlier. Valerie also lost a daughter named Anne when the latter was 29. In her obituary, it was noted that 'Val's children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild were able to gather around her in the days leading up to her death. It was a time of great sadness but also one of joy, filled with laughter and music and stories. Val's kindness, graciousness, and humor shone through to the end. Her family will always treasure this time together.' The obituary also provided details about Dave Matthews' mother's life. Val, as she was known among friends, was born on May 11, 1935, in Potchefstroom, South Africa. She received an architecture degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and worked in cities like London, Edinburgh, Johannesburg, Mount Kisco, and New York. Valerie then came to Charlottesville and joined the firm Hayward, Llorens, and Boyd. She was employed there for the rest of her professional career and retired in 1994. In 1961, Valerie Anne Matthews exchanged wedding vows with John Matthews, a physicist. Because of his work, the family relocated to the US. Valerie married her second husband, retired biologist Lee Strait, in 1991. They were together for nine years before his passing in 2000. Originally reported by Tamal Kundu on The post Dave Matthews' Mother Valerie Anne Passes Away at 89 appeared first on Mandatory.
