District 87

An after-school program at Bloomington Junior High School is now going back to the Boys and Girls Clubhouse on Illinois Street after federal funds that supported the program weren't awarded. The funding impact includes well over a dozen other clubs in the state.

Central Illinois educators and administrators are getting creative as already limited funding for rent and utility assistance dwindles and student need for housing support services soars.

WGLT is the recipient of a $20,000 grant stemming from a partnership between the Institute for Nonprofit News and the Google News Initiative. The money will fund expanded news coverage of K-12 education in McLean County.

There will be no movement on E-scooter regulations in the Town of Normal in the immediate future.

A vast majority of school districts in McLean County have formally endorsed asking voters for a countywide sales tax to support schools.

The Unit 5 and District 87 school boards and several other districts in McLean County have voted to put a sales tax referendum on the April 1 ballot. The proposed 1% sales tax would raise money for school facilities, school resource officers, and mental health programming.

The District 87 and Unit 5 school boards will decide Wednesday whether to ask voters for a 1% sales tax increase to help pay for school facility repairs, additions, renovations and other priorities. If approved, the question would go on the April 1, 2025 ballot.

The First Lego League held a regional event at Benjamin Elementary School. Twelve teams of students demonstrated their robots to a panel of judges scoring based on innovation, design, scoring and adherence to the league’s core values.

Board members celebrated successes and planned to address shortcomings highlighted by a yearly state report. They also discussed the yearly tax levy and the idea of implementing a sales tax.

The McLean County Museum of History has unveiled a web-based app that allows visitor to choose a Spanish audio self-guided tour. Staff created the app to broaden access.