ISDC
  • Home
  • Senators
    • Alphabetical
    • Committees
    • Leadership
    • Find My Senator
  • Caucus News
    • ILBC Committee Roundup
    • Subscribe
    • Majority Report
  • Issues
    • Agriculture
    • Budget
    • Business
    • Criminal Law
    • Diabetes
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Ethics
    • Health
    • Higher Education
    • Law Enforcement
    • Seniors
    • Transportation
    • Veterans
  • Multimedia
    • Monthly Minute
    • Photo of the Day
    • Sound of the State
  • Resources
    • Bills / Resolutions
    • Fact Sheets
    • For Educators
    • I Like Illinois
    • Illinois Compiled Statutes
    • Illinois General Assembly
    • Internships
    • Media Guidelines
    • NCSL
    • Senate Schedule
  • About the Senate
  • Contact Us
    • How to contact a Senator
    • Employment
    • Submit Feedback
  • ILBC Pillars
    • Pillar 1
    • Pillar 2
    • Pillar 3
    • Pillar 4
  • COVID-19

Lightford: Poor literacy can hurt a student's access to successful career opportunities

Details
Category: Senator Kimberly A. Lightford News
Tuesday, February 08, 2022 04:55 PM
  • Lightford
  • Education
  • SB3900
  • Right to Read Act

lightford 020822SPRINGFIELD – When students struggle with reading comprehension, they often struggle in other areas of education. To address this issue, Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood), Illinois Senate Majority Leader, is sponsoring a measure to increase students' literacy and reading comprehension. 

"Children with strong reading abilities oftentimes have a confident approach to their education," Lightford said. "It’s critical for educators to focus on developing a child’s literacy development within the early stages."

Senate Bill 3900 creates the Right to Read Act in the School Code to help students achieve greater levels of literacy and reading comprehension at an early age through evidence-based literacy instruction. 

Additionally, educators will have additional professional development to ensure those teaching this new curriculum are given the proper tools to help mold our youth. A pilot program will be created to award Early Literacy Grants to districts that commit to comprehensive reform of core literacy curriculum and support for teachers implementing instruction of the new material.

Currently, only 37% of students in the third grade and 35% in the fourth grade met or exceeded learning standards in English Language Arts. Students who are not proficient readers in third grade are four times more likely not to finish high school and six times more likely if they live in a low-income family. Additionally, 85% of juvenile offenders struggle with reading, and 60% of inmates are illiterate. 

"Poor literacy can hurt a student's access to successful career opportunities which may persuade them to low-grade alternatives," Lightford said. "Reading comprehension skills are critical for success and help ensure students are prepared academically and professionally.” 

Senate Bill 3900 passed the Senate Education Committee and now heads to the Senate floor for further debate.

Lightford announces Jan. 1 increase in minimum wage

Details
Category: Senator Kimberly A. Lightford News
Monday, December 20, 2021 02:00 PM
  • Lightford
  • New Laws
  • New Minimum Wage
  • $12

lightford 031321MAYWOOD – Illinois Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood), is excited to announce the new $12 per hour minimum wage in Illinois is starting Jan. 1, 2022.

“Even before the pandemic, many working families were struggling,” Lightford, chief sponsor of the 2019 law raising the minimum wage, said. “This increase won’t solve all of their problems, but it will surely help.”

Read more: Lightford announces Jan. 1 increase in minimum wage

Lightford announces $20 million investment in job training

Details
Category: Senator Kimberly A. Lightford News
Thursday, September 23, 2021 12:36 PM
  • Lightford
  • DCEO
  • Workforce Recovery Initiative
  • American Rescue Plan
  • Education and Workforce Equity Act

lightford 092321CHICAGO – To help adults and youth who have suffered job losses during the pandemic, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) recently announced $20 million will go toward workforce recovery efforts through the American Rescue Plan Act Job Training and Economic Development Program.

“As the result of an unprecedented global pandemic, investments in workforce training have never been more important for our communities, our people and our economy,” Lightford said. “I’m proud to join Gov. Pritzker in announcing the next steps to guide our continued economic recovery with investments that will put more people back to work. I look forward to heading up the work of the commission so that we can close the equity gap that has for too long shut residents out and bring more Illinoisans into not just jobs, but permanent career paths.”

Read more: Lightford announces $20 million investment in job training

Sexual assault survivors will now have more privacy

Details
Category: Senator Kimberly A. Lightford News
Friday, August 27, 2021 05:09 PM
  • Lightford
  • SB2339
  • SB2340

Senator LightfordSPRINGFIELD – Survivors of sexual assault will now have more privacy from the public because of a new law sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood).

“Sexual assault survivors deserve to withhold the details of their traumatic experience, Lightford said. “Now they will have the right to share their stories when they are ready, and no one else will be able to tell them first.”

Senate Bill 2339 clarifies that anyone seeking to inspect or copy court records relating to a child survivor of sexual crimes must get a court order, with reasonable exceptions for people who play a legitimate role in the judicial process. The law, which is supported by the circuit court of Cook County, closes a loophole that prevents them from excluding identities when releasing certain court records.

Read more: Sexual assault survivors will now have more privacy

New law will require public higher education funding model to consider historic and systemic racism

Details
Category: Senator Kimberly A. Lightford News
Wednesday, August 25, 2021 01:48 PM
  • Lightford
  • Higher Education
  • Workforce Development
  • Legislative Black Caucus
  • SB815
  • Commission on Equitable Public University Funding

lightford 042821Lightford wants to provide an equitable education for all students

SPRINGFIELD - Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford’s (D-Maywood) effort to create a commission to evaluate whether public universities and community colleges receive fair funding to serve members of disadvantaged communities was signed by the governor on Monday.  

“Universities and colleges that serve members of disadvantaged communities need fair funding in order to serve their students and reverse the damage caused by historic and systemic racism,” Lightford said.

The new law follows up on the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Education and Workforce Development Pillar law that passed earlier this year. 

Read more: New law will require public higher education funding model to consider historic and systemic racism

Lightford provides over 800 community residents with backpacks filled with school supplies

Details
Category: Senator Kimberly A. Lightford News
Friday, August 13, 2021 11:36 AM
  • Lightford
  • Education
  • Back to School
  • School Supplies
  • COVID-19 Vaccine

Sen. Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (montage)

BROOKFIELD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) hosted her Uplift Our Future 12th Annual free Back to School Event serving over 800 community residents with a fun-filled free day at the Brookfield Zoo with no admission fee, no parking fee, no cost for lunch, and no charge for backpacks filled with school supplies for students from PreK to college.

“As we continue to fight this pandemic, our families still need fun experiences, especially if they help our students get prepared for the upcoming school year,” Lightford said. “The Uplift Our Future 12th Annual free Back to School Event turned out amazing, and I am thankful for all the sponsors, vendors, volunteers, and families who came out and supported our kids this year.”

Since 2009, Lightford has hosted a free Back to School Event for youth and families in the 4th Senate District at the Brookfield Zoo.

Read more: Lightford provides over 800 community residents with backpacks filled with school supplies

Illinois revisits cannabis laws to provide more licenses to minority applicants

Details
Category: Senator Kimberly A. Lightford News
Thursday, July 15, 2021 10:08 AM
  • Lightford
  • HB1443
  • Marijuana Dispensary Licenses
  • Minority Applicants

mj products 071521SPRINGFIELD - Illinois has created new marijuana dispensary licenses for social equity applicants because of a new law sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) that was signed Thursday. 

“The signing of HB1443 moves us closer to making the promise of equity in cannabis a reality in a state where the entire existing industry is White. I was proud to partner with State Representative LaShawn Ford in passing HB1443 which is the result of dozens of meetings with stakeholders and applicants who demanded that their voices be heard,” Lightford said. “This industry has the potential to change lives but only if we keep the principles of equity at the center of every decision we make. The signing of this legislation brings us one step closer to making these promises a reality.”

Read more: Illinois revisits cannabis laws to provide more licenses to minority applicants

Lightford passes legislation to remove “Negro” from Illinois law

Details
Category: Senator Kimberly A. Lightford News
Saturday, May 29, 2021 04:23 PM
  • Lightford
  • Racial Injustice
  • Systemic Racism
  • HB3217

Sen. Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford

SPRINGFIELD – To continue her efforts to dismantle the systemic racism in Illinois, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) passed legislation that would remove derogatory words from Illinois law that describe Black people as “Negro” or “Haitian.” 

“In this era of racial reckoning and righting the wrongs of our predecessors, it’s imperative that we cleanse Illinois law of old, offensive racial terms,” Lightford said. “We are working to undo years of oppression and currently fighting racial injustice.” 

House Bill 3217 reconstructs several state laws by deleting the use of the words “Haitian” or “Negro,” replacing them with “Black” or “African American.” 

HB 3217 passed the Senate floor and now heads to the governor for final approval.

More Articles …

  1. Lightford moves to create more cannabis dispensary licenses for minority applicants
  2. Lightford fights to ensure public institutions serving disadvantaged communities receive fair funding
  3. Lightford seeks to create new mentoring program for teachers and principals
  4. Lightford: Juneteenth should be a state holiday
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10

Page 6 of 16

Follow ILSenDems

Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube

Sign up for the Majority Report

Laws Going Into Effect 2025

Employment Opportunities

Find Your Senator

Senate Schedule

Bills & Resolutions

SPRINGFIELD OFFICE

phone(217) 782-2728

phone309 State House
Springfield, IL 62706

Senate Floor, Illinois State Capitol, Springfield, IL

Senate President Don Harmon © 2025 Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus
FacebookInstagramTwitterYouTube
CHICAGO OFFICE

phone(312) 814-2075

phone160 N. LaSalle St., Ste. 720
Chicago, IL 60601