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Urbana SD 116 reports sharp drop in suspensions; board approves grant‑tied staffing reductions
Summary
District presenters told the board out‑of‑school suspensions have fallen sharply after multi‑year reforms; the board also approved several personnel reductions tied to uncertain grant funding, prompting an emotional appeal on behalf of adult‑education staff.
District presenters on Monday evening told Urbana School District 116 trustees that multi‑tiered behavior systems and targeted interventions have coincided with a substantial drop in exclusionary discipline across the district, and the board moved to approve a package of routine and grant‑related personnel actions.
The meeting’s strategic‑plan update, delivered by a district staff presenter, said the district’s suspension incidents fell 47% when comparing 2022 and 2025 data and that January–February incidents dropped from 170 in 2024 to 81 in 2026 — a roughly 52% decrease. “As a district, we’ve gone down 47%,” the staff member said, summarizing the multi‑year trend and attributing improvements to MTSS tracking, CHAMPS classroom practices and an expanded focus on restorative supports.
Why it matters: trustees were shown both district‑level and school‑level data and heard how building practices — from first/last‑10‑minute routines and Win blocks to SRS triage teams, restorative circles and community mentoring — aim to reduce days students miss for suspensions and improve school climate.
Administrators from the Sixth Grade Center, Urbana Middle School (UMS) and Urbana High School described building programs and results. Imani Carr, principal of the Sixth Grade Center, said of 304 students in the building, 281 had no out‑of‑school suspensions this year and staff are using Panorama to coordinate Tier‑2 and Tier‑3 plans. UMS Principal Melissa Kearns and Associate Principal Derek Ealy reported similar Tier‑1 and Tier‑2 strategies and noted a large share of students are accessing supports: “131 students have been referred for a support in the building,” Kearns said, representing a notable portion of the middle‑school population.
Trustees asked what behaviors most often produced suspensions. The high‑school assistant principal said physical altercations remain the leading cause at that level, followed by drug incidents (marijuana), and that expulsions and long suspensions can skew total days‑out figures.
Votes at a glance: the board approved the consent agenda and several routine items, accepted multiple donations to middle‑school programs (including gifts totaling $2,250 plus a $2,000 music program donation), and approved a series of resolutions (12.2–12.7) related to reductions in force, dismissals or reductions in assigned days for grant‑funded educational support personnel. The motions were moved, seconded and carried by roll call with all present trustees voting yes.
Staffing context and debate: district staff explained the mechanics behind the personnel motions: some positions are funded by competitive or one‑year grants and Illinois school code requires boards to act on staffing notices in March when funding is uncertain. An administrator described options the district uses to avoid permanent layoffs — for example, temporary reductions in calendar days — and noted that some programs (such as farm‑to‑school) are awaiting federal or USDA grant decisions expected in mid‑June to mid‑July.
A board member delivered a lengthy personal appeal for adult‑education staff, describing the program’s impact on individuals and the community and urging alternatives to reductions. The motion nevertheless passed. The board did not adopt any emergency new permanent layoffs beyond the grant‑tied actions discussed; the motions were framed by staff as compliance steps tied to funding uncertainty.
What’s next: administrators said the district will continue to monitor Panorama and discipline dashboards, refine Tier‑2/ Tier‑3 pathways and return with further implementation details and updates to the strategic‑plan measures. The board expects some grant decisions this summer that could change staffing needs and recalled the possibility of restoring days if funding is secured.
Sources: presentation slides and data presented during the board’s strategic‑plan update and the roll‑call votes recorded during the March business meeting. No external materials were introduced at the meeting.
