Champaign Unit 4 School District

The Education Equity Excellence Committee is a Board of Education Committee

One of the terms in the Consent Decree Settlement Agreement between the Champaign CUSD #4 Board of Education and the Plaintiff’s required the District to create an Education Equity Excellence Committee. Specifically the Agreement language states:

"The Board shall adopt and implement an equity policy establishing an Education Equity Excellence Committee (“EEE”). The EEE shall be comprised of District staff and a diverse cross section of the community and facilitated by a third party familiar with community and District issues for at least one year. The purpose of EEE is to review and discuss the following equity areas, including data disaggregated by race/ethnicity and SES: academic progress of regular education, special education, gifted, AP/Honors, Novak Academy and alternative students; attendance rates; discipline rates and graduation rates. The EEE shall establish task forces on the equity areas as deemed necessary. The Superintendent shall provide a public report each semester on these equity areas to the EEE."

Although the Consent Decree expired in 2009, our District’s commitment to equity, excellence, and community engagement has never ended. The EEE has continued to meet and monitor the progress of historically marginalized student groups while also brainstorming unique ways to further our students’ progress in vital areas such as academics and SEL needs. Following are past and current initiatives the EEE has committed to champion:

Committee Meetings

The EEE meetings are held on select dates from 4-5:30 p.m. at the Mellon Administrative Center, 703 S. New Street, Champaign. The meetings are open to the public. Find upcoming meetings, agendas and minutes here.

Angela Ward, Assistant Superintendent of Equity and Engagement

(217)351-3836 | smithan@u4sd.org

The EEE Committee was formed during the 2009-10 school year as a way to ensure our community had a seat at the table to hear reports related to student achievement and progress. The original intent was to establish a space where historically marginalized segments of the community could gather with district leaders to monitor student progress.
At the close of the Consent Decree, school district leadership opted to maintain this place because it was one of the few where a cross-section of the community gathered to discuss students' progress toward excellence.

As time passed, the EEE began to brainstorm ways the district and community could further enhance students’ experience in Champaign. More recently, the Board of Education extended the opportunity for EEE to broaden their reach by helping the district satisfy a resolution that declared racism as a public health crisis. We are proud to be one of the few school districts that dare to champion collective thought, and we strive to make Unit 4 one of the most progressive districts in the Midwest. The dynamic Unit 4 leaders will continue to sit at the table in the name of education, equity, and excellence.