Board of Education

Accountants with a national financial consulting firm will help Peoria Public Schools District 150 complete a two-year backlog of audits, with the district on track to adopt its annual budget by the end of next month.

Peoria Public Schools will get an increase of about $9.3 million this year in evidence-based funding from the State of Illinois, as district leaders mull the idea of getting outside assistance to address a two-year audit backlog.

"Our crime statistics for juveniles is significantly worse than East St. Louis," said Tom Marshall, an Elite Community Outreach board member who sits on the county's Juvenile Justice Council, describing the findings of a University of Illinois Chicago study he said was shared with the council. "They're known for being one of the worst areas in the state."

The Peoria Public Schools Board of Education has delayed a vote on requesting a half-cent sales tax increase to help pay for facility maintenance.

Incoming Peoria Board of Education member Andy Diaz said his request for a temporary restraining order ahead of Wednesday’s special meeting has been denied on a technicality.

Sarah Howard leads Doug Shannon by 44 votes to replace Larry Ivory and represent the Northern District of the seven-member Peoria Public Schools board.

Peoria Public Schools’ chief financial officer recommends increasing the district’s tax levy for 2024.

District 150 Superintendent Sharon Desmoulin-Kherat said under the proposed plan, Quest Charter Academy High School would become an alternative high school for students struggling with academics or mental health. The middle school would become a biliteracy program.

Chanel Hargrave-Murry and Larry Ivory were sworn in during the board’s meeting Monday night.

The Peoria Public Schools Board of Education adopted the budget proposal for the 2023-24 school year during Monday night's meeting.