Student ambassador urges district to enforce 504 plans and expand gender‑neutral restrooms

Student ambassador Paulina told the Urbana School District 116 board at its May 7 study session that many students with 504 plans are not receiving required accommodations and called the problem a civil‑rights issue. "Many students that have 504 plans, including myself, have experienced teachers arguing and not paying attention to our 504 plans," she said, urging the district to raise awareness and provide training for staff.

Paulina also said Urbana High School has two gender‑neutral bathrooms but that one is hidden and the other is often locked, making access difficult for transgender and gender‑nonconforming students. She asked the board how many gender‑neutral bathrooms exist at Urbana Middle School and requested clearer signage and availability.

District administrators acknowledged the concerns and described steps already taken and planned. The executive director of student services said district staff have conducted trainings for counselors and administrators and plan to continue ongoing professional development. She noted that the student information system (Skyward) includes alerts identifying students with 504 plans or IEPs but acknowledged that not every staff member consistently accesses attached documentation. "We fully recognize that we have some professional development that needs to happen around 504s," she said.

Board members pressed for clearer communication to teachers and asked staff to bring training materials and a plan for wider teacher awareness to upcoming meetings. The student ambassador and board members also discussed practical supports — translated materials for families, a district infographic for newcomers, and how to route individual follow‑up concerns to administrators.

The district said it will continue to incorporate 504 training into summer administrative sessions and explore ways to make 504 information more visible and actionable for classroom teachers.