After Dennis Lab closure, Decatur Public Schools hires engineers to check structural safety of all district schools
The Decatur Public Schools board has hired an engineering company to check the structural safety of all 24 of its buildings.
As Urbana school board considers redistricting company, Spanish-English dual language program remains central question
The Urbana school board plans to hire an outside company on Tuesday to redistrict its schools.
Urbana school board votes to permanently end Wiley Elementary classes, reopen building as sixth grade center
The Urbana District 116 school board voted 4-to-3 on Tuesday to open the sixth grade center in the former Wiley Elementary.
Construction begins on Illinois school renamed after local Tuskegee Airman
Born in 1919 in Decatur, Ellsworth Dansby, Jr., was fascinated by planes. He first flew alone at age 12 – without ever previously riding in a plane. He used knowledge from books he had read to land his solo flight safely.
Tuskegee Airman honored in new Decatur public school
Born in Decatur, Dansby served in World War II as the master sergeant for the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American division of the U.S. Army Air Corps. The airmen first formed at Chanute Airfield Base in Rantoul.
“This is not an isolated incident.” Decatur school closure exposes gaps in state-required inspections
Decatur Public Schools District 61 only found out it had problems in the two century-old buildings when they brought in a structural engineer in May to look at ceiling leaks and other issues raised by teachers.
Decatur Public Schools increases literacy and school attendance with extended day program
The pre-K through 8 students in the DPS 61 Extended Day program had higher attendance, higher reading scores and fewer disciplinary issues than their peers, according to the district.
Illinois experts testify against book bans before Congress
WASHINGTON – Book bans have been growing in many states and some Illinois experts on the subject brought the matter before the US Congress. US Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “Let’s be clear. Efforts to ban books are wrong whether they come from the right or the left,”…
The newest Decatur Public Schools teaching assistants and security guards make about $19 an hour. Tuesday, they rallied for higher wages.
Teaching assistants and security officers rallied Tuesday in front of the Decatur Public Schools Board of Education meeting.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth visits Champaign in quest to require school bus seat belts
Sen. Tammy Duckworth has been introducing her School Bus Safety Act since 2018. It would require all school buses be equipped with seat belts, automatic breaks and other safety features.
Education secretary praises Springfield after-school program during visit
U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona met Gov. J.B. Pritzker and state school Superintendent Tony Sanders Wednesday at Fairview Elementary School to promote the Education Department’s “Raise the Bar: Lead the World” agenda.
COVID-19 on the rise at University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign
Students and staff can still access free, take-home, COVID tests on campus. Two weeks in, those tests are in high demand.
Update: Emergency ends at U of I Engineering Sciences building after hazardous materials release
This is a developing story. It will be updated as new details emerge. 6:40 p.m. Update University of Illinois officials have sounded the “All-Clear” at the Engineering Sciences Building at Springfield and Goodwin on campus after a release of hazardous chemicals prompted an evacuation. Urbana Fire Battalion Chief Clint Weidert says firefighters were called to…
Mexico, Illinois research exchange blooms at the University of Illinois
“We have common problems, so we need to find common solutions. And there are very, very talented researchers and scholars,” Elvira de Mejia said.
Some Central Illinois schools will close Friday due to heat
URBANA – Due to forecasted high temperatures on Friday, August 25, some central Illinois schools will be closed. The National Weather Service in Lincoln has issued an Extreme Heat Warning. Combined heat and humidity will make it feel like 110-115 degrees. Here are the August 25 school closures or advisories: Danville School District 118 All…