
Category: Featured Work


Geographic Differences in the Mortality Burden of the COVID-19 Pandemic
This study examines how the mortality burden of the Covid-19 pandemic varied across US states during the time period April 2020 through December 2022. The

What Happened to Illinois’ Open Data Movement?
Under Governor Pat Quinn, Illinois passed the Open Operating Standards Act (Public Act 98-627) which established policy for the state government’s open data portal. Effective

Addressing Barriers to Homelessness Data in Illinois
While long-term trends in homelessness rates have been in decline, rates started to increase in 2015. In Illinois, Governor JB Pritzker signed an executive order

The Impact of COVID on Illinois’ Licensed Child Care Capacity
Affordable, high-quality child care is often difficult for parents to find. Illinois is no exception. Child Care Aware reports that the average monthly price of

Recovering from a COVID (Spending) Fever
When the state of Illinois’ 2022 fiscal year ended on June 30, 2022, the state and the nation had endured more than 27 months of

Assessing Illinois’ Fiscal Future After an Influx of Federal Funds
As the U.S. continues to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, state governments are faced with the challenge of prudent fiscal management considering

February U of I Flash Index increased slightly
Urbana – The U of I Flash Index for February 2023 increased to 103.4 from the 103.1 level in January, fueled by strong Illinois state revenues. The Illinois economy

January U of I Flash Index continued to decline slowly
Urbana – The U of I Flash Index for January 2023 continued to decline slowly, falling to 103.1 from the 103.3 level in December 2022.

Replenish, Replace, Repair: How Illinois is Using its ARPA Aid
In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments across the United States found themselves grappling with a public health crisis while simultaneously experiencing sharp