Illinois Supt. Tony Sanders speaks at a news conference at Streamwood High School in U-46 on March 3. [Gov. JB Pritzker/Facebook] 

Illinois State Board of Education Supt. Tony Sanders admits the job as the state’s top education official is a little different than what he expected. Sanders has gone from overseeing the bustling halls of Illinois’ second largest school district, U-46 in Elgin, to rotating between a quiet Chicago high rise office and another in Springfield.   

“I knew this was always the dream job for me, to become the state superintendent,” Sanders said in an interview with The Daily Line.   

Sanders follows in the footsteps of his dad who also served as Illinois superintendent of education. And now instead of working to solve one district's challenges, he faces challenges for all Illinois schools on teacher shortages, learning loss, funding and the growing politicization of education.