As the fall veto session approaches in Springfield in a few weeks, area school leaders will be watching closely for some proposed legislation that will likely impact them.

On a nearly annual basis, legislation aimed at Illinois schools is passed through the legislature, and Illinois State Representative, Dr. Bill Hauter, says Illinois schools are often failing at the most basic tasks of educating kids, while the cost to educate kids goes up.

Dr. Hauter says the process of properly educating kids has not been forgotten, but the best practices are not being done. Like many issues, he calls is multifactorial.

The Morton Republican feels family atmosphere plays a large role in the educational success of a child. 

Based on the latest 2024 Illinois Report Card data from the Illinois State Board of Education, statewide proficiency rates on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness for grades 3-8 show 41% of students meeting or exceeding standards in reading and 28% in math, while 80 Chicago Public Schools reported 0% math proficiency in 2024.

Overall, two-parent homes correlate with 20-45% higher proficiency and attainment per national data. A 2015 national study found single-parent households were weakly associated with lower math/reading scores, and according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development 2009 data - single-parent students scored 16% lower in reading on average. Specifically in the U.S., it was up to 45% lower.