🏫Peoria Public Schools will replace ELITE with its own NOVA Academy after a 4-3 vote

Peoria Public Schools is changing who runs its safe schools alternative for Grades 6-8. The Board of Education voted 4-3 Monday night to replace ELITE Community Outreach's Game Changer Safe School with a district-run NOVA Academy. Board member Sarah Howard said a deciding factor was meeting standards required by the Illinois Safe Schools Act.

Regional Superintendent George McKenna said his office recently finished a compliance review of ELITE, its first in the program's four to five years. "We didn't necessarily check because we thought Peoria Public Schools was doing an audit," he said. His office didn't recommend ending the partnership.

• Vehicles: not legally permitted to transport students
• Also flagged: learning services, progress data, individualized education plans
• Safe School grant: $304,000, or $152,000 each semester

“Elite is Elite; they've been here for 20 years. They have saved lives, they care. These are amazing people.”

NOVA is expected to open in January at the Trewyn School building. McKenna said his office plans another review in February or March, and it hasn't yet received NOVA's operating plan, staffing information or projected budget.