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Jacksonville Today
By the People, for the People
Jacksonville Schools Aim to Reduce Suspensions with New Discipline Plan
District ordered to implement strategies after being in top 5% for suspensions statewide.
Published on Feb. 26, 2026
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Jacksonville School District 117 has been ordered by the state to implement a student discipline improvement plan that aims to decrease the number of disciplinary actions in the district. The district has reported high suspension rates in recent years, ranking in the top 5% of districts statewide. The new plan includes providing staff training on racial bias, increasing partnerships with students and families, and connecting students with youth services.
Why it matters
High suspension rates can negatively impact student outcomes and raise concerns about racial disparities in discipline. Jacksonville's plan aims to address these issues and provide more support for students to keep them in the classroom.
The details
The district reported 609 suspensions last school year, which is not extremely out of line with other districts in the area. However, the state has ordered the district to implement a discipline improvement plan. The plan includes providing staff training on racial bias, increasing partnerships with students and families through home visits, and connecting students with youth services. The district has also seen a decrease in the racial disproportionality rate for suspensions.
- The district reported 609 suspensions in the 2024-25 school year.
- Suspension numbers decreased from 768 in 2021-22 to 654 in 2023-24.
- The racial disproportionality rate fell from 2.4733 in 2021-22 to 2.0259 in 2024-25.
The players
Jacksonville School District 117
The public school district serving the city of Jacksonville, Illinois.
Steve Ptacek
The superintendent of Jacksonville School District 117.
Kelly Zoellner
The curriculum director for Jacksonville School District 117.
What they’re saying
“Our numbers are not extremely out of line with other districts in our area. We do have plans in place and there isn't a concern that our school atmosphere is more hostile or out of line.”
— Steve Ptacek, Superintendent (myjournalcourier.com)
“Our goal is not to remove students from the classroom. We have a lot of proactive supports to help and support our kids.”
— Kelly Zoellner, Curriculum Director (myjournalcourier.com)
What’s next
The state has approved the district's list of actions in its discipline plan, which will be implemented over time to address the high suspension rates.
The takeaway
Jacksonville's new discipline plan aims to provide more support and resources for students to keep them in the classroom, rather than resorting to suspensions. This approach could help address racial disparities in discipline and improve overall student outcomes.
