“Last year, only 3 states in the nation actually increased their high school FAFSA completion rates year over year. Who took the top slot? Illinois!”

That’s what Gov. JB Pritzker proudly said on Twitter Thursday, and he issued a press release to the same effect. “Illinois filing was up by almost 4 percent — ranking first among only three states that actually increased their high school FAFSA completion rates year over year,” says the release.

It goes on to praise 400 high schools that got a “Recognition of Excellence banner” for Class of 2021 financial aid application completions. Illinois’ increase in applications is “an achievement that wouldn’t be possible without leaders in our school communities advocating for their students,” according to the press release.

What Pritzker didn’t mention is that completing the applications became mandatory last year for Illinois high school seniors. No completed application, no diploma.

Deceptions like this are easy because nobody in the press points them out. Instead they will usually just reword the press release and make it into a news story, like here.

Onto the list of Pritzker’s deceptions and whoppers this will go, which we are compiling and will publish.

-Mark Glennon