Champaign Unit 4 parents asked: does desegregation help close achievement gaps? Here’s what five education researchers say.
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Champaign Unit 4 parents asked: does desegregation help close achievement gaps? Here’s what five education researchers say.

“A lot of research suggests that that attending a high-socioeconomic status (SES) school kind of rubs off on you – more than your own SES even. It’s kind of amazing,” Palardy says.

Champaign Unit 4 superintendent recommends keeping current schools of choice system
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Champaign Unit 4 superintendent recommends keeping current schools of choice system

The Unit 4 school board hired a consulting firm to figure out how to further desegregate its schools. But after months of parent pushback, both the company and the district superintendent are recommending keeping the current schools of choice system, with some tweaks.

Rockford community disappointed by school board’s response to school violence protests
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Rockford community disappointed by school board’s response to school violence protests

ROCKFORD — In October, the family of a Rockford Public Schools student filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the school board, a school resource officer and several administrators from Auburn High School. The suit says that in the fall of 2021, Parris Moore, who was a freshman at the time and stood less than…

Retiring Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White reveals the racism that shaped his legacy
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Retiring Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White reveals the racism that shaped his legacy

You may know White because his name is on your driver’s license or you’ve seen his tumblers at parades. But there’s a lot more to White’s legendary political career as it comes to an end. CHICAGO — Democrat Jesse White is leaving office next month as Illinois’ longest-serving and first African American secretary of state….

Spanish-speaking families struggle with language barriers at home

Spanish-speaking families struggle with language barriers at home

Ariana and Andres Loor grew up in Champaign. Throughout their childhood, they were placed in dual-language classrooms to help them learn Spanish.  Now a 20-year-old student at Parkland College, Ariana said she is still learning the language.  “I am still trying to learn Spanish because I mean, you can only get better,” Ariana said.  Even…

Urbana’s school board paused its vote for one Spanish-English school. Now, dual language parents and teachers are setting a deadline.
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Urbana’s school board paused its vote for one Spanish-English school. Now, dual language parents and teachers are setting a deadline.

URBANA – The Urbana school board will reconsider in January how to establish a fully dual-language elementary school for Spanish and English. This comes after renewed pressure from dual language teachers and families. The district currently has two schools with partial-building, dual-language programs. “White privileged families and community members can and do fight for justice…

Parent backlash delayed school desegregation plans in Champaign. What are the options now?
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Parent backlash delayed school desegregation plans in Champaign. What are the options now?

CHAMPAIGN – After parent backlash, the Champaign Unit 4 school board has a new option for further desegregating schools – keeping student placements mostly the same. Consulting firm Cooperative Strategies presented this new option to the Unit 4 Board of Education on Monday. The board hired the consulting firm to improve racial and class equity…

Next ‘News, Brews & Beatz’ discussion to center around lack of affordable housing and its connection to crime
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Next ‘News, Brews & Beatz’ discussion to center around lack of affordable housing and its connection to crime

URBANA – According to many financial experts, you should spend no more than 30 percent of your gross monthly income on housing. For renters, that includes utility costs like heat, water, and power. But following that advice is a challenge for many people in Champaign-Urbana. Housing is the subject of a public discussion in downtown Champaign…

Urbana decide mantener las clases bilingües de español en las escuelas primarias Leal y Dr. Preston Williams
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Urbana decide mantener las clases bilingües de español en las escuelas primarias Leal y Dr. Preston Williams

El consejo escolar de Urbana ha decidido no combinar sus dos programas bilingües de español en una sola escuela: Leal Elementary. El cambio hubiera movido a unos 170 estudiantes de las clases monolingües de inglés de la escuela primaria Leal a la escuela primaria Dr. Preston L. Williams Jr. y a otras escuelas cercanas. Aproximadamente…

Urbana decides to keep Spanish dual language classes at both Leal, Dr. Preston Williams elementary schools
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Urbana decides to keep Spanish dual language classes at both Leal, Dr. Preston Williams elementary schools

The Urbana school board has decided not to merge its two Spanish, dual language programs into one school – Leal Elementary. The change would have moved about 170 students in Leal Elementary School’s monolingual English classes to Dr. Preston L. Williams Jr. Elementary School and other nearby schools. About 160 dual language students from DPW…