CHAMPAIGN – If the Champaign Police Department has enough staff, the Champaign Unit 4 School District Board of Education wants to reinstate resource officers – or SROs – at schools. Six school board members voted to renew the SRO contract at Monday’s meeting. Board member Elizabeth Sotiropoulos voted no. She said the board resolved to…
CHAMPAIGN — The Unit 4 Board of Education unanimously approved a new teacher contract on Monday. This ends months of negotiations with the Champaign Federation of Teachers. The disagreement over whether to add time to the elementary school day almost led to a teacher strike. School board member Gianina Baker says the conflict over the…
CHAMPAIGN – Champaign Unit 4 School District teachers voted 76 percent to 24 percent on Tuesday to ratify their new contract, rather than go on strike. The contract would lengthen the school day, something the Unit 4 Board of Education has pushed but teachers say will burn them out. Champaign Federation of Teachers co-president Mike…
CHAMPAIGN — Champaign Unit 4 School District teachers vote on their new contract on Tuesday, the day they had originally planned to go on strike. Illinois Newsroom obtained copies of the draft agreement and pay scale. Read those documents here and here. Unit 4 and the Champaign Federation of Teachers have tentatively agreed to lengthen…
CHAMPAIGN — Champaign Unit 4 teachers have a tentative contract agreement with the district. In an email to union members early Wednesday morning, Champaign Federation of Teachers leadership says there will be a vote for teachers to ratify the contract on Tuesday April 5th, the day teachers had planned to go on strike. Speaking at…
CHAMPAIGN – As Champaign teachers prepare for a possible strike, a Unit 4 School District Board of Education member explained the district’s side of contract negotiations. The board has otherwise declined all interview requests and provided generic, written statements instead. Board member Bruce Brown spoke at Monday’s meeting. He emphasized that elementary school teachers would…
CHAMPAIGN — Michael Davis describes an ideal client for his new project. An elderly couple is trying to make ends meet with their retirement income. They can’t afford to fix their leaky roof. By the time they pass their house onto their children, the house has mold and is too far gone for repairs. This…
CHAMPAIGN – The three Democratic contenders for Illinois’ 13th Congressional District faced off on Tuesday, revealing different approaches to gun violence, reparations for slavery, immigration and more. Tuesday marked the first public forum with the three candidates. The progressive Jewish organization Bend the Arc hosted the event online. Illinois Democrats redrew the Congressional districts last…
SPRINGFIELD — Lawmakers in Springfield are attempting to address stigmas around mental illness and substance abuse – by paying employers to hire those in recovery. If the Recovery Tax Credit bill passes, the state would lower taxes for businesses that hire people who have, at minimum, started treatment for mental illness or substance abuse. “One…
DANVILLE — As schools throughout Illinois grapple with teacher shortages, Danville is working out the kinks in a grow-your-own teacher program. Danville School District 118 has promised to cover class costs for assistant teachers and other staff who want to go back to school to become teachers. Despite interest from about 20 staff members, just…
MAHOMET — Two Champaign County residents affected by the Peoples Gas methane leak have filed the first class action lawsuit related to the incident. Meanwhile, Peoples Gas continues to maintain that methane levels at affected wells do not pose a danger. The lawsuit covers potentially thousands of people who live in rural Mahomet and Fisher. …
CHAMPAIGN — A new business in Champaign County specializes in providing mental health support during and after pregnancy. The Village started in the era of remote therapy and the founders plan to keep it that way. “Our population actually works very well with virtual, because if you’re not feeling well, you’re at home with a…
CHAMPAIGN — A network of legal aid groups across Illinois is hoping to expand, and is asking for more state money to do so. Tanya D. Woods is one of the nonprofit leaders behind Illinois Access to Justice. She says the places that are called food deserts due to a lack of grocery stores are…
URBANA — Illinois schools are signing up for a new state tutoring initiative to help the students who struggled most in remote school. By this summer, the state plans to send tutors out three times a week to 48 school districts across Illinois. School districts in Danville, Decatur, Rantoul and Urbana are among those eligible…
CHAMPAIGN – A small group of University of Illinois students met with Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton on Monday about the state’s K-12 teacher shortage. Stratton spoke about the administration’s efforts to diversify the profession. “Some of the students that I’ve met on these campuses have said they have never had a teacher of color, or…