Illinois / School Boards / Decatur SD 61
Vendors demonstrated SuperEval, a cloud-based superintendent-evaluation platform aligned to an AASA-derived rubric; the board expressed interest and asked IT to vet security and administrators to review contract language before any purchase decision.
Illinois / School Boards / Decatur SD 61
At the Jan. 27 meeting the Decatur Board approved consent items, personnel actions, a Lamar digital-billboard renewal, a maintenance grant and a tolling agreement with building partners; the board tabled the community summer‑program scholarship agreement pending contract and enforcement clarifications.
Illinois / School Boards / Decatur SD 61
A demographer told the District 61 board the district has seen long-term student losses and accelerating declines—driven by falling birth rates, an aging population and rising private-school enrollment—and recommended partnerships with the city, boundary adjustments and incentive strategies to attract young families.
Illinois / School Boards / Decatur SD 61
Parsons Elementary principal Holly Kitson told the board the school has implemented direct phonics instruction, achieved 82% staff retention, sustained enrollment growth since merger and will hold several celebratory and STEM events. She shared data on continuous-enrollment students showing higher FastBridge scores.
Illinois / School Boards / Decatur SD 61
Board members reported on a superintendent-evaluation tool used by many Illinois districts that covers 24 competencies, is online and evidence-based; members asked the vendor to present and said adopting a standard tool would promote consistency before hiring a new superintendent.
Illinois / School Boards / Decatur SD 61
After a Truth in Taxation hearing on Dec. 16, 2025, the Decatur School District 61 Board of Education adopted a resolution to levy a 4% property-tax increase for tax year 2025 (payable in 2026), following presentation of multiple levy options and public comment.
Illinois / School Boards / Decatur SD 61
The Decatur SD 61 board approved a districtwide Raptor badge-alert system and the related annual renewal (described at $120,000 per year for 36 months), citing faster law-enforcement notification and location triangulation during on-campus emergencies.
Illinois / School Boards / Decatur SD 61
At the Dec. 16 board meeting, Montessori Academy principal Nate Tallent reported steady multi-year test-score gains and community partnerships; Delia Jackson described a new middle-school FFA pilot at Dansby with about 99 students and high student interest.
Illinois / School Boards / Decatur SD 61
Board members agreed to resume work on the district's strategic plan (the "road map") beginning the Jan. 13 board meeting, with a target to finish by June. The board also asked for a draft superintendent evaluation tool by the Dec. 16 meeting to align the search and contract process.
Illinois / School Boards / Decatur SD 61
At a Nov. 17, 2025 special open session, the Decatur SD 61 Board of Education authorized expulsions for five students, voting 7–0 on each case. The expulsions remove students for the remainder of the 2025–26 school year and all of 2026–27, with eligibility to return at the start of 2027–28.