Civic Leaders, Foundations, Educators Launch Advance Illinois
November 19, 2008
This press release, posted to Marketwatch.com (part of The Wall Street Journal Digital Network) highlights the launch of Advance Illinois -- a new Illinois bi-partisan education reform organization dedicated to developing a long-term, student-focused vision of educational reform having the goal of improving public education in Illinois.
Attending the launch events were Jim Edgar (former Governor of Illinois) and Bill Daley (former U.S. Secretary of Commerce), along with the Bill & Melinda Gates and Joyce foundations, plus Illinois civic and business leaders.
Concurrent with the launch events, Advance Illinois released its report, "The State We're In: Advancing Public Education in Illinois” which reports an alarming gap between education and job requirements. Advance Illinois looks to infuse the dialogue on what needs to be done with objective information; find statewide common ground; and build public will and civic action for meaningful change.