Prairie State Wire

Dan Proft, host of the radio show "Chicago's Morning Answer," has expressed concerns over schools implementing mandatory student mental health screenings. He argues that schools are already struggling with their primary educational mission and should not overextend by adding these screenings.

"These institutions are not fulfilling their main objective and now they're expanding their mission into areas where it isn't their lane," said Daniel K Proft, Radio host and commentator.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1560 on July 31, which aims to provide free mental health screening tools to public schools and expand parental resources through the BEACON portal. This initiative was announced at an event hosted by Evanston School District 65, known for its early adoption of social-emotional learning screeners. The new legislation mandates annual screenings for students in grades 3–12 starting in 2027 and instructs the Illinois State Board of Education to provide model policies, guidance, and no-cost screening technology by September 2026. Pritzker said, "Thanks to the bill sponsors and partners joining me today, annual mental health screenings will be available for all Illinois students in grades three through twelve by the 2027 school year."

Carolyn Gorman, a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute writing for City Journal, highlights that decades of research indicate universal mental-health assessments do not prevent issues or improve access to care even when conducted by trained physicians. According to Gorman, experts caution against these assessments due to their lack of a solid evidence base and questionable accuracy in non-clinical settings like schools. She notes a high rate of false positives—over 50 percent—which can lead to misdiagnoses and unnecessary treatments.

Gorman states that "universal assessments can yield more than 50 percent false positives, resulting in inappropriate diagnoses and unnecessary treatments," as reported by City Journal. She adds that experts consider such screenings "unethical" unless schools have adequate resources for accurate diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care. Given that Illinois schools are not clinical settings, they cannot meet these prerequisites.

Wirepoints reports on data from Illinois public education: In 2024, there were 80 schools where no students were proficient in math and 24 with zero proficiency in reading; yet nearly 70% of students in those schools graduated. Statewide, only about 39% of students could read at grade level despite 97% of teachers being rated "excellent or proficient."

Proft is also known as a former Republican candidate for Illinois governor. He attended Northwestern University and earned his law degree from Loyola University Chicago.