Decatur SD 61 board upholds three expulsions, approves personnel and facilities actions and hears updates on vacancies and strategic plan

The Decatur Public Schools Board of Education voted Jan. 28 to authorize expulsions of three students following hearing officer recommendations, approved a slate of personnel actions and facility projects, and heard extended reports on staffing shortages and the district's strategic-plan outreach.

The board voted 4-2 (one member absent) to expel student 2425-0017 for the remainder of the 2024-25 school year and all of 2025-26 with no stay for alternative education; the student may return to their home school the first day of the 2026-27 school year. The board took the same action 4-2 (one absent) on student 2425-0018. On student 2425-0019 the board voted to expel with a stay for alternative placement (vote result: five in favor, one abstention, one absent). The expulsions were presented on the record as consistent with the hearing officers' reports.

The board also approved several personnel and operational actions, including: - One-day suspensions without pay each for custodial employees Amanda Francis and Shantia Elsley (approved unanimously by the members present). - A three-day suspension without pay for school security officer Brian Hart (approved unanimously by the members present). - Ratification of the termination of a Macon Pyatt Special Education District paraprofessional, effective Jan. 29, 2025 (approved unanimously by the members present). - Approval of the personnel action items prepared by the human resources department, which included the hire of a recruitment and retention specialist, Katherine Rollon, effective Feb. 3, 2025 (approved unanimously by the members present). - Approval to purchase network equipment to connect DPS to the City of Decatur fiber ring and approval of the Pershing Early Learning Center fencing project (each approved unanimously by the members present).

Why it matters: expulsions and personnel actions affect individual students and staff and signal the board's stance on discipline and operations. The vacancy report and recruitment initiatives presented at the meeting point to system-level staffing challenges the district aims to address as it enters the spring hiring season.

Key details and discussion

Student discipline and votes: Superintendent-level staff recommended the expulsions following hearing officer findings. Board members debated the severity of recommended discipline during roll-call votes. For student 2425-0017 one board member said, "When I looked at the videos, I saw a different story than what is being recommended by the administration. I believe the punishment is way too severe," before casting a dissenting vote. The board recorded the formal tallies during roll call and carried each motion according to the vote counts announced on the record.

Vacancy report and recruitment efforts: Monica Wilkes, director of human resources, told the board the district had 94 open DPS vacancies (66 certified and 28 classified) and an additional 40 vacancies associated with the Macon Pyatt Special Education District, for a combined total the presentation listed as 134 openings across the district. Wilkes said the majority of certified vacancies are being covered by long-term substitutes, including 23 retirees returning to fill roles, and that about 33% of the long-term subs hold professional educator licenses.

Wilkes described two local pipeline efforts: the Teacher Ready program, which the district is funding for 25 candidates and has produced 10 certified teachers to date; and a Grow Your Own program for paraprofessionals that partners with the University of Illinois Springfield and requires a five-year teaching commitment on successful completion. Wilkes said the district will host a classified job fair Feb. 20 at Johns Hill Elementary from 3 to 6 p.m., timed to precede a Roadmap 2030 community forum the same evening at MacArthur High School.

Public comment and staffing pressure: In public participation, Sam Mills urged the board to acknowledge the strain created by "internal subbing," where teachers voluntarily cover additional classes because of vacancies. "What your Decatur teachers are doing is a great service to this community in putting in that extra work," Mills said, urging board support for teachers who take on those assignments.

School highlight and reading initiatives: The meeting opened with a school highlight from Holly Kitson, principal at Parsons Elementary, who described programming intended to boost reading and math, staff retention metrics and student engagement activities. "We are preparing and persevering through continued challenges," Kitson said, noting 100% of scholars receive daily direct instruction time the school tracks. Board members later discussed districtwide reading supports and asked administration to review a proposal to encourage weekly book take-home programs for kindergarten students; the board also raised the possibility of wider use of book vending machines, a program mentioned by the Parsons principal as supported in part by the Macon County Foundation.

Strategic plan outreach: District staff presented the Roadmap 2030 process and emphasized two community forums: Jan. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at MacArthur High School and Feb. 20 (a second forum). "Please come out and join us," said a district presenter, describing the forums as opportunities for SWOT feedback (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) to inform the strategic plan. Board members encouraged broad public participation.

Other business: A board member reported receipt of a red-line contract from a solar company; staff said negotiations remain in progress and that an action item to authorize contract negotiations is likely to appear on the Feb. 11 board meeting agenda, with final contract action possible at the second February meeting. Board counsel and staff also discussed proposed policy language changes from the PRESS policy service related to Title IX procedures; board members debated whether to approve the PRESS updates in Issue 116 or to pull that item pending further guidance after federal rule changes and recent court decisions were discussed. No final roll-call vote on Issue 116 was recorded in the available transcript; board members expressed intent to approve Issue 115 while delaying or amending Issue 116.

Ending

The board adjourned after completing the agenda items recorded; several follow-up items were scheduled for future meetings, including a report back on a proposed kindergarten book take-home idea and a possible vote on authority to proceed with solar contract negotiations in February. The district also reiterated public outreach opportunities for Roadmap 2030 on its website and in mailed notices to Macon County residents.