Latest EDUCATION News From The Illinois Newsroom Team
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.

After Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action, University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign plans to use socioeconomics, geography instead of race in admissions
“We’ve had a holistic review process that considers all sorts of factors and that [race] has been one of them,” said U of I spokesperson Robin Kaler. That will not be true next year, she said.

Urbana Public Schools hold two ribbon cuttings to unveil renovations
Renovations at Thomas Paine elementary school and Urbana High School were celebrated.

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.

A survey of farm households finds that the stress of farm life is felt by teens as well as adults.
When farm life causes stress, young people feel it along with the adults. That correlation was noted in a survey of farm families, conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois and the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin.

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.

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.

Lawsuits filed by ex-volleyball player and former football player against Northwestern University
The hazing scandal at Northwestern University has widened to include a volleyball player who has become the first female athlete to sue the university over allegations she was retaliated against for reporting mistreatment and a new lawsuit by former Northwestern quarterback Lloyd Yates.

New provost comes to U of I after increasing diverse enrollment and long political science career
New University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Provost John Coleman talks about why he choose the university, his interest in political science, the state of US democracy, and his focus when he arrives July 19.