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For over a year, two of Kiana Kelly’s four children have been caught in the middle of a bitter dispute between their parents and North Shore School District 112 over special education. Hezekiah, 13, has autism and is nonverbal, and has been out of school since June 2023. And with few exceptions, his sister Ke’Asia, also evaluated as having autism, has been without a school since October 2022.
Special education experts say the Kelly family’s quarrel with District 112, while unusual in its duration and intensity, highlights the pitfalls of a state special education system stressed by the COVID-19 pandemic, plagued by staff turnover and hampered by a lack of robust training needed to meet behavioral challenges in students.
All this has created gaping holes for vulnerable children to fall through while leaving parents — even the most savvy — lost in a complex maze of special education laws and regulations and curriculum rife with jargon and acronyms.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Jonathan Bullington.
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From parades to pulpits, candidates make one final push before primary
Politicians fanned out across Chicago during a furious final weekend of campaigning, making appearances in St. Patrick’s Day parades, church pulpits and restaurant gatherings as they sought to energize voters ahead of Tuesday’s Illinois primary elections.
What you need to know about Bring Chicago Home
On Tuesday evening, polls will close in the March primary election in which Chicago voters will decide the fate of a yearslong grassroots campaign to raise taxes for a fund to address homelessness, also known as Bring Chicago Home. Scores of Chicagoans have already cast their ballots early.
On Election Day, progressive candidates and causes are at the center of Democratic primary ballot
With the presidential nominations of Democratic incumbent Joe Biden and Republican challenger Donald Trump already assured, the focus of Tuesday’s primary election in Illinois moves to down-ballot contests that could represent a defining moment in the steady advance of the Chicago area’s progressive movement.
Behind the wheel without a license: Migrants buying cars to make a life in Chicago
Behind a West Loop migrant shelter, dozens of cars sit without license plates. Several of their owners stand nearby, acknowledging they lack licenses to drive them.
But they increasingly have been driving, according to a Tribune analysis of police data that suggests sharp rises in arrests among migrants for breaking traffic laws. The analysis found many are now being detained in Chicago each week for driving- or vehicle-related infractions, roughly at five times the rate from last summer.
Solar eclipse: Glasses are key, but did you know clothing choice could enhance viewing?
Nicole Bajic was completing her medical residency at the University of Chicago when she briefly ducked out between surgery training classes to watch the 2017 solar eclipse darken the skies. At the time, she didn’t fully appreciate how much excitement surrounded the event.
Now an ophthalmologist at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute in Ohio, Bajic is among the eye doctors, specialists and eclipse experts advising enthusiastic viewers across the country on how they can make April’s total solar eclipse as safe — and as fun — as possible.
‘Bailey’s End’ begins a Chicago-based thriller trilogy by South Side author
With a healthy dose of paranoia, fear of darkness, Felicia Bailey comes to life in the 145 pages of M. Denise Conner’s book, “Bailey’s End: Book 1 The Encounter” . Conner lets the audience glimpse the inner workings of the introverted, yet successful Felicia as she traverses the Chicago landscape trying to cope with her anxiety and bolster her mental wellness.
Column: Illinois heads into March Madness with the Big Ten Tournament title, while NU sweats out its bid and Loyola misses out
Illinois coach Brad Underwood called the Big Ten “the best league in the country” Sunday after beating Wisconsin to win the conference tournament, then predicted the teams would “kill in the NCAA tournament.”
It’s going to take some convincing — and wins — to prove Underwood right, but the Illini certainly looked ready for the task Sunday, writes Paul Sullivan.
Brad Biggs’ NFL mock draft 2.0: Which team is in position to trade up for a QB?
With the major wave of free agency having passed and a highly anticipated quarterback draft a little more than five weeks away, it’s easier to assess what needs remain and which fits could be in place for mock draft season.
Presenting Brad Biggs‘ mock draft 2.0, which includes projected trades.
How Coby White’s family helped him rediscover joy on the court in a star-making season for the Chicago Bulls
For those closest to Coby White, nothing about this season is a surprise.
The NBA’s Most Improved Player Award recognizes a single season of growth, so it’s no surprise White is a front-runner. He has the league’s second-highest increases in minutes (13.2) and points (9.6) per game. After starting only two games last season, White has started every game he has played this season, leads the league in minutes and ranks in the top 10 in 3-pointers, loose balls recovered and offensive fouls drawn.
Review: Maman Zari translates Iranian American tastes to a Persian escape in Chicago
Mariam Shahsavarani opened Maman Zari named after her late grandmother with chef Matteo Lo Bianco last summer.
Louisa Kung Liu Chu says they’ve created a transportive experience. And somehow they’ve done it at $85 for nine seasonal courses, including a constantly changing amuse bouche. That’s a shockingly low price in the world of tasting menus that typically start at triple digits.