Champaign school board appoints new leader for its special education district

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND)- During Monday night's Champaign school board meeting, the board selected a new leader for its special education district.

Jacquelyn Teague, currently the principal at Booker T. Washington STEM Academy, has been part of Unit 4 for approximately 12 years, serving as both a special education teacher and administrator.

On Monday, parents voiced to the board that the new director must focus on earning the trust of both staff and families.

"It is imperative that whoever is hired for this position is someone who can help facilitate the desperate need for trust in our community. The person hired for this position needs to be someone who can bridge the gap of teacher retention, as the district cannot afford to lose any more teachers or staff," said Julie Duvall with the Champaign Urbana Autism Network.

Unit 4 leaders say Teague will help address issues raised in an audit of the district's special education program.

The audit is still being finalized.