DPS61 offers options for students expelled in violence crackdown

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — Hundreds of Decatur Public School students are back in the classroom this week for the kick off of the new year. But a small group of students are not allowed back to DPS61, or any of the county's alternative schools.

It comes after the district cracked down on fights last year and expelled a total 22 students over the 2022-2023 school year. The first few weeks of this past school year were plagued with fights and violence.

"When you have kids that are going to disrupt the learning environment, they're going to be dealt with accordingly," Dr. Rochelle Clark warned back in September of 2022.

The district responded by taking action. Administrators hired a new Safety and Security Administrator, issuing a robocall to parents for help and ultimately expelling several students.

"I'm not condoning the violence in the schools, but I do not feel comfortable expelling a student who is 13 or 14 years old, for 2 years, with no referral or alternative education in line," Board member Dr. Kevin Collins Brown said during a February board meeting.

Many of the 22 students expelled, were kicked out without a stay or referral. This means they cannot attend DPS61 schools nor alternative schools.

"We want just want to make sure even if they're expelled without a stay they have the opportunity to continue their education and graduate," Eldon Conn, the Director of Student Services for DPS61, told WAND News.

DPS61 is now working to provide options for these families of expelled students. They've put together a menu of options including online learning subscriptions, private schools and community based programs.

"We have some local programs here. We have the Second Chance Program, we have Old Kings Orchard, Homework Hangout, there's a work program in the community that our kids can go to also to learn some skills," Conn explained.

Second Chance told WAND News they no longer offer this program. Old Kings Orchard said it has only received one student interested in a learning program. But Conn said most families are opting for online learning.

"We go over this menu with every family, every kid that's been expelled, because at the end of the day, they know their kid best. We want to make sure that they're making the best decision for them," Conn said.

Students who are referred with a stay, or referral, may attend Garfield Learning Academy, or the Macon-Piatt Alternative schools including Futures Unlimited and Milligan Academy. Click here to learn more about these programs.