Illinois child advocacy group calls for increased education funding

Just one day after Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget address named education as a top priority, the advocacy group Voices for Illinois Children issued its annual Kids Count report and called for increased funding for early childhood education and family support services. Among the report's findings are that fourth graders’ reading achievement has only marginally improved since 2003, learning disparities have widened among racial groups and low-income students, and a sharp rise in children’s poverty levels has resulted in increased enrollment of economically disadvantaged students. Read more about the Kids Count report at the Voices for Illinois Children website.