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Saturday, August 2, 2025

How many times were students suspended or expelled in Pawnee Community Unit School District 11 during 2023-24 school year?

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Dr. Donna Leak Vice-Chair - Flossmoor | firststudentinc.com

Dr. Donna Leak Vice-Chair - Flossmoor | firststudentinc.com

Pawnee Community Unit School District 11 reported 39 suspensions during the 2023-24 school year, according to the Illinois Report Card.

In total, there were 40 disciplinary actions recorded during the school year, of which 39 were suspensions representing a rate of approximately 7 incidents per 100 of the district’s enrolled students. There was an additional case of a student being removed to alternative settings rather than being suspended or expelled.

Among in-school suspensions where a reason was specified, the most common cause was incidents involving violence without physical injury, with 13 recorded cases. There were also seven incidents involving tobacco. Additionally, 10 cases were classified under "other reason" or left unspecified.

There were 25 disciplinary incidents involving male students. Another 14 incidents involved female students.

Of all suspensions issued in the district, 24 involved elementary or middle school students, while 15 involved high school students.

Out-of-school suspensions most commonly were for incidents involving violence without physical injury, with six cases reported.

All of the students suspended during the 2023-24 school year in Pawnee Community Unit School District 11 were white, who made up 95.7% of the district’s student population.

Illinois has approved a 2025 budget that allocates $8.6 billion to K-12 education, a $350 million increase from the previous fiscal year—the minimum required under the state funding formula.

In 2024, Illinois registered a teacher retention rate of almost 90%. Yet, around 91% of superintendents reported having a 'serious' problem teacher shortage problem. In total, almost 4,100 teaching positions remained vacant by the end of the year.

“They’re putting a substitute in there, that’s somebody with a four-year degree that’s not in teaching. They’re using a retired teacher…or worse than that, they’re canceling the class, putting the kids in other classrooms, putting them in study hall, but those are strategies we have to use if there’s no qualified teacher,” said Beth Crider, regional superintendent of Peoria County Regional Office of Education #48.

Pawnee Community Unit School District 11 Student Discipline Report
Type of IncidentIn-School SuspensionOut-of-School Suspension
Alcohol--
Violence with injury--
Violence without injury136
Drug offenses--
Firearm--
Other dangerous weapons--
Tobacco73
Other reason10-
Total309
Length of Suspensions
DurationIn-School SuspensionOut-of-School Suspension
One day or less22-
1-2 days83
2-3 days--
3-4 days-5
4-10 days-1
More than 10 days--

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