Illinois now requires K-12 students to learn Native American history. What has to be in the lessons, and who is checking?
The law requires teachers to cover contemporary Native American history and urban communities like Chicago.
Garden Hills Academy in Champaign reopens for fall as pre-K-8
The Unit 4 School District decided to add grades to both Garden Hills and International Prep Academy last year. The rationale was to decrease pre-kindergarten and middle school overcrowding, as well as promote socioeconomic diversity.
Danville school board votes to add fourth police officer next year
The Danville School District 118 school board voted Wednesday to add the officer at South View Upper Elementary School.
Some school districts are using COVID-19 aid to catch up on construction. Is your district one of them?
While the focus of federal COVID-19 relief money for schools was on recovering from the pandemic, districts were allowed to use some for construction. For many districts, it was a once-in-a-lifetime infusion of cash.
Teachers prepare for new Asian American history requirements at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign
Some sessions focused on how to teach amidst political backlash, while others helped attendees learn which children’s books were helpful and which promoted stereotypes.
Buttigieg visits Savoy to tout infrastructure money for new underpass
After a decade of planning and lobbying, the village has put together enough money to build a new bridge so the train can pass over the traffic.
Decatur superintendent to ask for inspections for every school after structural concerns at Dennis Lab School
After structural problems at Dennis Lab School caught Decatur Public Schools administrators by surprise, Superintendent Rochelle Clark wants structural engineers to check every school.
Over half of Vermilion County lost power during severe storms in late June. Can solar panels prevent the next outage?
Most homes with solar panels are connected to the utility grid, and they lose power alongside their neighbors for worker safety reasons.
Danville’s newest coworking space supports small businesses in city’s economic growth
Alderman and Trep School founder Tricia Teague says small business owners can create as many jobs as large companies, and the jobs are more likely to go to locals.
Decatur school board decides to move all Dennis Lab students together after structural issues
The Decatur Public Schools board voted Tuesday to install three mobile buildings at Garfield Learning Academy, instead of the one they initially approved. That will allow all 500 Dennis Lab students to move there together, as requested by parents. Earlier this month, engineers found the Dennis Lab buildings were not structurally sound.
Decatur’s Dennis Lab students to move to Garfield to avoid structural issues at home school
DECATUR — Kindergarten through 6th graders from Dennis Lab School in Decatur now know where they will attend school in the fall – Garfield Learning Academy. Decatur Public Schools announced last week that it would close both Dennis buildings for a year after engineers found they were not structurally sound. Students were already on summer…
Urbana schools equity audit finds identity-based bullying rampant
In a survey of about one-thousand students, about half said they had been the victim of hurtful comments. Over half thought bullying was a problem at school.
After violence at a pop-up party on Sunday left 9 injured, Champaign considers how to prevent future violence
CHAMPAIGN — Neighbors and social workers gathered at the Douglass Annex Thursday to discuss violence at parties that pop up after bars close. Some wanted curfews and security cameras. Middle school teacher Rhonda Harris suggested the city host its own safe version with police and chaperones. “We can have a controlled area, like a parking…
Unsafe neighborhoods particularly distress Black men in relationships, new study from University of Illinois finds
Neighborhood quality can make a big difference in the mental health of Black Americans over 10 years – even more than relationship quality.
Summer park parties give Garden Hills neighborhood hope to change perceptions and prevent violence
The events are part of Champaign’s effort to invest in the neighborhood and prevent gun violence.