Unit Four School Board To Consider New Facilities Planning Process

The Champaign Unit Four School Board returns to the issue of building new school facilities at its Monday evening meeting, with a plan to try to determine in advance if the next proposal will be welcomed by the community.

Board members will review a proposal to form a special, two-tier committee to come up with proposals for a long-term facility plan. One tier would come up with ideas, which would be reviewed by a second tier standing in for the local community.

Tier one of the proposed committee would be made up of Unit Four faculty and staff. They would study the district’s needs for high school capacity and programs, and submit their proposals to the Tier two committee, which would be made up of local elected officials, members of the business sector and community members. They would review the proposals from Tier One and pass on their own recommendations to the School Board.

Unit Four is trying to come up with a plan to build a new high school and renovate other school buildings that voters will accept. Referenda for two previous building plans failed at the polls in November 2014 and April 2015. Both referenda included an unpopular proposal to build a new Champaign Central High School building on the far north end of Champaign.

School board members are expected to review the committee proposal Monday night. The News-Gazette reports a final vote on the idea is expected on January 25.

The Unit Four School Board meets at 5:30 PM, Monday, Jan. 11, at the Mellon Administrative Center, 703 South New Street in Champaign.