WHAT WE KNOW...
WHAT IS HAPPENING...
The Unit 4 Board of Education is considering changing how schools are assigned in the district. The school board hired a consulting firm Cooperative Strategies, and are now considering 2 new school assignment scenarios that will impact over half of the elementary children in the district. Both plans put forth involve moving current elementary students next year (the 2023-24 school year). The school board plans to make final decisions in December 2022, following community input.
Why is the Unit 4 Board of Education Considering these Scenarios?
In the spring of 2021, the Champaign Unit 4 Schools began a process to analyze the existing elementary student assignment plan, as well as explore alternatives to the current schools of choice model. According to cooperative strategies, the main reasons are “transportation efficiency” and “impact on socioeconomics” (to better balance socioeconomics, as measured by the number of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch among schools in the district)
SCENARIO 1: Sister School with Islands
*impacts up to 90% of students
School of choice ends.
Creates fixed-boundaries around 8 of the schools in the district.
Combines students in “sister schools” (Booker T. Washington is combined with Carrie Busey; Stratton is combined with Barkstall)
Sister schools would become grade-level centers. For example, one school would only have only grades K-2, and the other would have 3-5.
School assignments would be based your address within the boundary lines.
If you live in a sister school zone, your child would change schools in 3rd grade.
Siblings who are in grades K-2 and 3-5 would be split apart.
Unclear: how IPA would be assigned in a system of fixed boundaries, without a choice system.
SCENARIO 2: THREE CLUSTERS
*impacts up to 65% of students
School of choice is maintained, but choices are limited to 4 instead of 12, depending on where you live.
Unclear: there is a chance they will re-run the whole cluster so you may not get to stay even if you are currently in a school in your cluster
Unclear: how IPA would be assigned in a cluster system.
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
The balanced calendar model is eliminated in both scenarios.
Middle School assignments are unclear in each scenario.
WHAT CAN I DO?
PARTICIPATE
Participate in the community feedback survey by scanning the QR code on the left or visiting the link below:
REGISTER
Register for one of the focus groups! Scan the QR code on the right or visit the link below:
