By Andrew Thomason | Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD — llinois’ 12 percent increase in higher education spending this year isn’t going to benefit students. Instead, the additional funding for fiscal 2012 is going into the State Universities Retirement System, or SURS, to address its underfunded pension program.

By Benjamin Yount | Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD — Illinois may have to take responsibility for another huge debt. College Illinois! administrators and lawmakers are talking about ways in which the state can rescue the badly underfunded pre-paid college tuition program.

By Benjamin Yount | Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD — Illinois' regional superintendents are expected to leave the fall veto session with their first paychecks since June, but not with answers to questions about their future.

By Benjamin Yount | Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD — Half of Illinois’ high school students cannot read or solve math problems at grade level, but state school leaders are not blaming the students or teachers. They are blaming the federal program No Child Left Behind, or NCLB.

By Andrew Thomason | Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD — The board that oversees Illinois’ troubled prepaid college tuition program is undergoing an overhaul with the nomination of new members.

By Andrew Thomason | Illinois Statehouse News SPRINGFIELD — Illinois taxpayers can voice their opinions on how the state should spend money on elementary and secondary education at five public hearings throughout the state. The Illinois State Board of Education, or ISBE, will hold its first hearing, beginning at 4 p.m. Wednesday at its office here.