Illinois’ New Department of Early Childhood
By Lily Padula Illinois is in the process of consolidating early childhood services into a new agency, the Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC). The Department will assume…
By Lily Padula Illinois is in the process of consolidating early childhood services into a new agency, the Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC). The Department will assume…
By Lily Padula Each fall, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) issues its…
By Paula Worthington Over 41 million individuals rely on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”) to assist in buying food each month—including nearly 1.9 million individuals in Illinois. The current federal…
As the role of the federal government in funding state and local governments has shifted rapidly, it has become important to understand what federal funding looks like on a state-level basis. This dashboard provides detailed information on…
This report was updated on August 22, 2025 to incorporate additional details on K-12 Education.by Lily PadulaOn May 31, the Illinois General Assembly passed three budget bills for the 2026 fiscal year: the appropriations bill, which…
By Lily Padula Over the past three decades, the Illinois state government's personnel levels have undergone notable shifts, shaped by economic cycles, policy changes, and evolving administrative practices. The number of full-time…
by Lily PadulaPlease note: This report reflects the most current information available as of July 10, 2025. For more details on how Medicaid works and information on previous proposals, please refer to our…
This report is part of a three-part educational series on what's at stake for CPS in FY2026 and beyond. Click here to view the one-page summary…
by A.D. Quig, Olivia Olander, and Jeremy…