Held 7:30 pm
Monday, May 3 
at Stratton Elementary School, 
902 N. Randolph Street, Champaign 

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Parents in Champaign’s Unit 4 School District sued the school district because of the racial achievement gap. As a result, the district is under a “consent decree” which is a legal agreement between Champaign Community School Unit 4 and the plaintiffs in the Johnson v. Unit 4 case. As a result of this decree, Unit 4 schools are being monitored the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. Reports on the racial achievement gap and progress being made by the district are authored by Dr. Robert Peterkin. According to the Peterkin Report, the decree “attempts to mend a tear in the social contract between Unit 4 and the African American parents and students of Champaign.”

The original Peterkin Report was issued in December 2003 with a revision published in 2004.

For a summary of the report, see below. 

^{What’s going on the Urbana public schools?}

^{The racial achievement gap is similar in Urbana’s public schools. Click here to review Urbana Equity Audit Steering Committee recommendations.}

Summary of the Champaign Peterkin Report

Gifted and Talented Participation Findings -- 2004 Peterkin Report
Special Education Assignments -- 2004 Peterkin Report
Disciplinary Actions -- 2004 Peterkin Report
Student Achievement, Drop-out Rates and Graduation Rates -- 2004 Peterkin Report

Gifted and Talented Participation Findings -- 2004 Peterkin Report

· The number of African Americans participating in self-contained elementary gifted and talented classes increased slightly from 25 students in school year 2002 to 30 students in school year 2003.

· This represents an increase from 1.7% to 2.1% of African American elementary students.

· This compares to an increase from 5.6% in school year 2002 to 6.9% in school year 2003 for white elementary students.

· The percentage of African American students participating in Academic Enrichment programs in elementary programs was 18.6% compared to 33.4% of white students.

Special Education Assignments -- 2004 Peterkin Report

· The percentage of African American students assigned to special education programs declined slightly from 47% in school year 2002 to 46% in school year 2003.

· African American students, who comprise 32% of the general student population, continue to be overrepresented in special education assignments.

Disciplinary Actions -- 2004 Peterkin Report

· 51% of African American students had at least one disciplinary action as compared to 24% of white students in school year 2003.

· Suspensions increased by 11% in school year 2003. Fifteen percent of all African American students were suspended at least once, compared to 3% of white students in school year 2003. This represents an increase of 1% for African American students from school year 2002.

· Suspensions at the elementary level increased by 40% in school year 2003 compared to school year 2002.

Student Achievement, Drop-out Rates and Graduation Rates -- 2004 Peterkin Report

•  The ISAT and PSAE performance scores of African American students were lower than those of other racial/ethnic groups at the district and school levels in all areas (Reading, Math, Writing, Science, and Social Science).
  
• The most frequent performance score level for African American students in school year 2003 was “Academic Warning - Below Standards.”
  
• There may be a relationship between days absent and ISAT/PSAE performance.
  
• There may be a relationship between days lost due to disciplinary actions and ISAT/PSAE performance.
  
• Middle School and High School African American students were awarded a disproportionately small share of “A” grades and a disproportionately large share of “D,” “F,” and “Other” grades in all subject areas.
  
• While African Americans comprise 26% percent of all high school students in school year 2003, they comprised just 2.3 % (5 students) of those taking Advanced Placement (AP) classes. The five students were all enrolled at Central High School. None attended Centennial High School.
  
• In school year 2003, 16% of all graduates were African American, closely approximating the African American share of all 12^{th grade students. It is notable in this context that African Americans accounted for 33% of all mid-year graduates, and 14% of “regular” graduates.}
  
• 2003 was 12%, four times higher than the 3% rate for other students.
  
• In school year 2003, 56% of High School drop-outs were African American. This contrasts with the 48% that African American students comprised of total dropout sin School Year 2003.
  
• The dropout rate for African American students in 2003 was 6%, three times the rate for other students.

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Listen to reports from 
AM 580

AM 580's Tom Rogers talks to those who have first-hand experiences with a system that leads to different results for different races

AM 580's Jim Meadows reports on parental involvement and students' successes.

Read the stories at

WILL's Brown v. Board of Education programs