Over one-third of Illinois fourth graders don’t have basic reading skills. The state has a plan to change that
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Over one-third of Illinois fourth graders don’t have basic reading skills. The state has a plan to change that

Senate Bill 2243 required the Illinois State Board of Education to create a literacy plan. The law emphasizes the plan should help school districts adopt evidence-based teaching strategies, including phonics. 

New details emerge in University of Illinois police investigation of Akul Dhawan’s death, including alcohol consumption and police timeline
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New details emerge in University of Illinois police investigation of Akul Dhawan’s death, including alcohol consumption and police timeline

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Police Department says they acted immediately on the information they had at the time, some of which they learned after his death was inaccurate.

Electric buses are coming to a school near you — but are they more than a fad?
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Electric buses are coming to a school near you — but are they more than a fad?

The Environmental Protection Agency is beginning to send nearly 5,000 electric buses to school districts around the country after a nearly two-year ramp-up. A few Midwestern districts weigh in on how the new buses are working so far. https://cpa.ds.npr.org/s60/audio/2024/01/electricbuses-featureweb.mp3 The yellow buses lined up after school in the Ralls County School District look nearly identical….

Closings/Delays/E-Learning Days for January 23
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Closings/Delays/E-Learning Days for January 23

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY Champaign County Regional Planning Commission – Opens at 10:00 a.m. Champaign Unit 4 Schools – Closed Parkland College – Closed Rantoul City Schools (PK-8) – Closed University Laboratory High School in Urbana – E-Learning Day University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign  Instructors are recommended to move in-person classes to a remote-learning format until noon Tuesday…

Closings/Delays/E-Learning Days for January 19
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Closings/Delays/E-Learning Days for January 19

VERMILION COUNTY Vermilion County Basketball Tournament — Friday night girls’ play has been moved from Danville Area Community College to Salt Fork High School in Catlin. 5 PM: Armstrong vs. Oakwood (5th place; 6:30 PM: Hoopeston Area vs. Georgetown-Ridge Farm (3rd place); 8 PM: Salt Fork vs. BHRA (championship).  Danville School District 118 – E-learning…

School Closings/E-Learning Days for January 17
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School Closings/E-Learning Days for January 17

MACON COUNTY Decatur Public Schools #61 – no school at the Stephen Decatur Middle School building on January 17 and 18 due to a water pipe break and flooding. DPS Alternative Education and Macon-Piatt Special Education students are also included in the cancellation. The SDMS home basketball game and wrestling matches on January 17 will…

School Closings/Delays/E-Learning Days for Tuesday, January 16
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School Closings/Delays/E-Learning Days for Tuesday, January 16

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY Champaign Unit 4 Schools – E-learning Day Gifford Grade School – E-learning Day Heritage School District 8, Homer-Broadlands – E-learning Day Rantoul City Schools – E-learning Day  Thomasboro Grade School, CCSD 130 – E-learning Day Urbana School District 116 – E-learning Day University Laboratory High School – E-learning Day Unit Seven Schools, Tolono-Philo…

Federal judge promises pragmatic decision in the case of Terrence Shannon, Jr. and UIUC

Federal judge promises pragmatic decision in the case of Terrence Shannon, Jr. and UIUC

A federal judge in Springfield is promising an “expedient” ruling in Illini basketball star Terrence Shannon Junior’s request to undo his suspension, after being charged with rape. Judge Colleen Lawless heard around 80 minutes of oral arguments from attorneys for the 23-year-old Shannon and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on Friday. She said she needed to review the relevant case law before issuing her decision.

Illinois to report for first time how many prisoners are taking college courses – and how many are waiting for access
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Illinois to report for first time how many prisoners are taking college courses – and how many are waiting for access

There will be public data for the first time this year on the enrollment, demographics and waitlists for higher education programs in Illinois prisons, thanks to the Higher Education in Prison Act.

Illinois officials say they were surprised by rape charge against star Terrence Shannon Jr.
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Illinois officials say they were surprised by rape charge against star Terrence Shannon Jr.

Illinois suspended Shannon on Thursday after he was charged with rape for an alleged incident that happened when the football team played at Kansas in September. Whitman spoke at a news conference Friday before Illinois’ game against Fairleigh Dickinson.