Illinois Quick Hits: Report card shows gains following state change in benchmarks
(The Center Square) – After Illinois changed student assessment performance levels last year, the state board of education says student proficiency increased in all three tested subjects.
The 2026 Illinois Report Card released on Friday said math proficiency improved from 38.4% in 2025 to 39.2% this year. ELA proficiency increased from 52.4% to 55.4% and science proficiency rose from 44.6% to 48.7%.
The state said chronic absenteeism fell from 25% in 2025 to 23.5% in 2026.
Taxpayers help fund Joliet housing development
State and local officials celebrated on Friday the opening of a $25 million development of 48 homes for women in Will County.
Hope Manor Village Joliet received $21 million from the Illinois Housing Development Authority in the form of bond financing, loans and low-income housing tax credits, plus $4 million in additional funding.
The development pairs housing with access to services designed to help women overcome opioid addiction. The homes were built on land donated by Silver Cross Hospital.
State police investigate Metro East officer-involved shooting
State police are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Fairview Heights.
Officers said a suspect with a knife charged at them early Friday when they responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 9100 block of Bunkum Road.
Fairview Heights officers said they discharged their firearms after the suspect did not comply with commands to drop the knife. T
he suspect was later pronounced dead at an area hospital. No officers were injured.
Registered sex offender arrested at trunk or treat
Illinois State Police arrested a registered child sex offender at a church Halloween Trunk or Treat event in St. Anne on Wednesday.
Mitchel R. DeYoung, 52, of St. Anne is charged with eight counts of failure to register as a child sex offender, one count of child sex offender in a school zone and one count of child sex offender participation in a holiday event.
Slight Chance Rain Showers
