February 9, 2026
Morton Grove, IL - Ted Dabrowski, a Wilmette-based conservative policy analyst and former head of the Illinois Policy Institute and Wirepoints, has positioned himself as a data-driven reformer in the crowded Republican field. Central to his platform is an aggressive agenda on education reform; he frames Illinois’ literacy crisis and school performance as foundational problems that must be fixed to restore economic competitiveness and opportunity in the state.
Dabrowski has declared that he wants to be the “literacy governor,” emphasizing that schools should focus on core skills like phonics-based reading and numeracy and that students should not advance beyond grade level if they can’t read at the required proficiency. He also advocates for grading schools and increasing accountability for poor academic outcomes, tying education performance directly to policy success or failure.
On the question of school choice and subsidization, a matter of great importance for the Assyrian community, Dabrowski supports making universal school choice a centerpiece of state education policy. His campaign calls for vouchers or education savings accounts that would allow families to use public education dollars toward the school — whether public, private, or alternative — that best meets their children’s needs. This aligns with a policy orientation that would shift funds and control away from traditional public school monopolies toward individual families and providers, effectively subsidizing school choice through state-supported financial mechanisms. Dabrowski’s emphasis on school choice is tied to broader reform goals: reducing bureaucracy, improving literacy outcomes, and empowering parents to make decisions rather than leaving choices solely to district administrators or unions.
In addition to school choice, his education proposals dovetail with other Republican priorities such as reducing property tax burdens, which for many Illinois families are heavily driven by school spending, and eliminating administrative bloat in education systems. Dabrowski has also called for consolidating overlapping school districts to streamline costs and increase efficiency. While not as widely reported as some of his other fiscal policies, his school choice stance underscores a more market-oriented approach to public education spending than has typically been seen in Illinois politics.
In a recent meeting with members of the Assyrian Chamber of Commerce, Ted Dabrowski stressed that the Chamber’s mission aligns closely with his goal of improving Illinois’ overall business climate. He noted that the Assyrian community’s entrepreneurial tradition and its extensive networks across the United States and abroad represent a valuable resource for economic growth, job creation, and cross-cultural investment. Dabrowski encouraged greater collaboration between state leaders and Assyrian business owners, emphasizing that policies which support small businesses, reduce regulatory burdens, and expand opportunity would benefit both the community and Illinois as a whole.
Members of the Chamber welcomed the dialogue and expressed appreciation for Dabrowski’s willingness to engage directly with Assyrian stakeholders. On behalf of the community, the Chamber also affirmed that it looks forward to meeting with other candidates for Illinois governor to hear their visions for economic development, education, and the concerns of the Assyrian community. Mr. Dabrowski welcome further meeting with other groups and institutions of the community, noting the growing importance of Assyrians in Illinois.
