Jim Broadway Publisher

217 544-6919

State School News Service

Contact:

• Subscribe to the SSNS Newsletter by clicking HERE.
• Receive free SSNS School Policy Updates by clicking HERE.
• Email your comment or questions to SSNS by clicking HERE.
• Write to SSNS at: State School News Service, State Capitol - Stratton Building, P.O. Box 10263, Springfield, IL 62791

Mission and History:

Public K-12 education is the highest priority, yet often least understood, of all services provided under state authority. It is frought with paradox. The media of general circulation can provide only general coverage at best, making conditions affecting every child and parent go unnoticed unless a crisis arises. Detailed information is provided to educators by state agencies and associations, but that information is filtered through the agenda of each organization and often blunted by organizational imperatives to protect their advocacy programs.

As a consequence, historically there has been a wide information gap. Often, facts are hard to come by, effects of far-reaching policy initiatives are hidden, with significan unintended consequences.

Democracy requires broad public understanding of priority issues. The core mission of SSNS is to support democracy by providing that understanding with respect to the highest priority issue of Illinois government- public education.

State School News Service was launched in 1995 to provide comprehensive and aggressive coverage of state school policy for educators and citizens. We do advocate strongly in favor of state support for public education, but we have no other agenda except to report clearly, honestly and forthrightly on all state policy matters significantly impacting public schools, educators and schoolchildren.

In the intervening years, we have grown to become Illinois' primary source of independent and objective school policy news - and one of the state's most influential voices of advocacy for public education in general.

Sarah Payne Business Mgr.

217 726-7767