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Joanna Isitt, 28, reads with her son, Xavier Rogers, 4, before teaching her Head Start class at Hometown Child Care on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, in Aurora, Ill. (AP Photo/Octavio Jones)
Education
3 weeks ago
Trump administration’s proposal could make it easier to suspend or expel Head Start students

“With these supports in place, I feel like he has grown tremendously,” said Xavier’s mom, Joanna Isitt, a Head Start teacher herself.

Local
3 weeks ago
Meet the Secretary of IL’s newest state agency

Teresa Ramos heads the IL Dept of Early Childhood.

Books
Local
3 weeks ago
State leaders distribute 8,000 books to children during Illinois Literacy Day

States hope to address the country’s historic low literacy rate.

Students in the "Nurse for a Day" program hosted by UIS look over a simulated patient.
Local
3 weeks ago
Program gives local high schoolers hands-on medical experience

Students from area high schools take part in two-day event at University of Illinois Springfield and UIC’s Springfield campus.

Lincoln Library - Springfield's Public Library
Local
3 weeks ago
Spine tingling book events coming to the library

Plenty of Halloween-themed events throughout the month of October at Lincoln Library.

UIS
Local
3 weeks ago
Open house for prospective UIS students, families coming soon

The University of Illinois Springfield is hosting an open house for curious students interested in going to college.

With preschool, your child gets a head start. Shot of a group of preschool students sitting in a classroom.
Education
4 weeks ago
Head Start preschools serve parents, too. Under Trump, advocates fear that will change

Last month, President Donald Trump’s administration proposed gutting Head Start regulations that spell out how programs must support families with financial, education or housing concerns.

Nathan Speagle walks along the edge of a burn unit as he and other members of The Nature Conservancy’s Illinois Chapter control burn portions of the Shawnee March 25, 2026, in Makanda, Illinois. (Lylee Gibbs for the Saluki Local Reporting Lab)
IL State News
4 weeks ago
25 years ablaze: SIU’s ‘Fire Dawgs’ inspires land management careers

More than 1,000 students have completed the program over the past quarter century.

Education
4 weeks ago
Best colleges in Illinois

Stacker compiled a list of the colleges in Illinois using data from Niche.

Local
4 weeks ago
October events in Springfield include history lessons, Route 66 conference

Living history, and a Route 66 conference, are among the activities for the public in Springfield in October.