Tagged: Illinois State Board of Education

Updated with quotes from SIUC and union officials. Reporting from Jennifer Fuller at WSIU was used in this report.

One union at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale has approved a strike authorization, and three more are slated to vote on similar questions.

Illinois' board of education says a former top federal prosecutor will head a probe it has launched into spending by East St. Louis' cash-strapped public school system.

Friday's announcement of the probe comes as the 7,500-student district is under state control and beset by questions about its paying millions on consultants and conventions.

The state board says the probe will be headed by A. Courtney Cox, southern Illinois' former U.S. attorney. His firm will be paid up to $100,000 a year to do the investigation, at the district's expense.

Ill. Senate Unanimously Approves Legislation Reducing Teacher Job Security

The Illinois Senate has unanimously approved sweeping legislation that would reduce teachers' job security and emphasize performance over seniority. The legislation would make it harder for teachers to achieve tenure. Even after getting tenure, bad teachers could be fired.  If a district has to make layoffs, jobs would be protected based on classroom performance instead of seniority.