Advocacy group grades Illinois education

An advocacy group is handing out grades on Illinois' education system, and if a student brought them home they might be grounded.

The group Advance Illinois handed out an "incomplete" for early childhood education, a "D'' for kindergarten through 12th grade and a "C'' for attainment of college degrees.

The grades were announced Thursday at a City Club of Chicago luncheon.

Advance Illinois is chaired by former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar and William Daley, the brother of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley who was commerce secretary under former President Bill Clinton.

The report indicates that while Illinois made progress in early childhood education, too few students graduated high school ready for college or a career. It also said the state had mediocre college graduation rates and that higher education was getting less affordable.