Granite City Community Unit School District 9 announced on April 15 that it will hold a special meeting for parents of home-schooled students who have been or may be identified with a disability. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29 at 2 p.m. at the James J. Greenwald Administration Building, located at 3200 Maryville Road in Granite City.
The district said the purpose of the meeting is to discuss plans for providing special education services to students with disabilities who attend private schools and home schools within the district during the upcoming 2026-27 school year. Parents residing within the boundaries of Granite City CUSD #9 are encouraged to attend if they have children who are homeschooled and may qualify for these services.
Parents seeking more information about this event can contact Micki Watkins at 618-451-5800, Ext. 2419. Further details about Granite City School District #9 can be found on its website at www.gcsd9.net.
Granite City Community Unit School District 9 represents Madison County and includes Coolidge Junior High School, Frohardt Elementary School, Granite City High School, Grigsby Intermediate School, Maryville Elementary School, Mitchell Elementary School, Prather Elementary School, and Wilson Elementary School according to Illinois Report Card.
The district enrolled approximately 5,990 students in grades pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade during the 2019-2020 school year and spent $17,739 per student in that period—a total expenditure of $106,256,610 according to Illinois Report Card. The teaching staff consists of about 320 teachers earning an average salary of $67,898 before pension contributions; women make up roughly three-fourths of this group according to Illinois Report Card.
Student demographics show that Granite City Community Unit School District 9 is composed of approximately 65 percent White students; Black students account for nearly sixteen percent; Hispanic students nearly twelve percent; and Asian students less than one percent according to Illinois Report Card. Chronic truancy remains a concern: there were reportedly755 chronically truant students enrolled in the district during the last available school year—about thirteen percent—compared with a statewide average just under ten percent as reported by Illinois State Board of Education.
This upcoming meeting aims to address support needs among homeschooled children with disabilities as part of ongoing efforts by GCSD9 administrators.
