Jacksonville hosts regional autism training at Eisenhower Elementary

Jacksonville School District 117 turned Eisenhower Elementary School into a regional training site this summer, hosting the Illinois Experiential Practicum for Autism from June 15-18. The four-day workshop brought educators into Morgan County for hands-on work on autism support, with the district serving as the host for a program built around practical classroom application.

The practicum was offered through the Autism Professional Learning and Universal Supports Project in collaboration with Illinois State University and the Illinois State Board of Education. That partnership matters for local families because the training is tied to state-level special education work, not just a one-off workshop on a school calendar. The A+ project at Illinois State University assists the Illinois State Board of Education in addressing the significant behavior needs of children and youth with autism spectrum disorder and related behavior and communication disorders.

For parents, the clearest impact should show up in classrooms this fall. The state program says its professional learning can include online modules, virtual professional learning communities and a hands-on experiential practicum workshop, which points to teachers bringing back concrete strategies rather than broad theory. In a district where families and staff are often looking for more consistent support for students with autism, that kind of training can shape how educators respond to communication needs, behavior challenges and daily routines once school is back in session.

The setting itself also reflected Jacksonville’s role in the region. Eisenhower Elementary, at 1901 West Lafayette Avenue, was the site of the practicum, while Jacksonville School District 117’s central office is at 211 West State Street. The district’s June 2026 calendar showed no regular school events during the June 15-18 window, underscoring that the practicum used summer downtime to make room for visiting educators and district staff.

Jacksonville School District 117 also lists Mekelle Neathery as director of student services and special education, giving the district dedicated leadership in the same area the workshop addressed. That local staffing, combined with the state partnership, suggests the training was not just about filling a room in Eisenhower Elementary. It was part of a broader effort to strengthen the support network that students with special learning needs rely on when classrooms reopen.

The Autism Program of Illinois says its service network includes five universities and nine organizations operating 20 centers statewide for children, families, educators, childcare providers and medical professionals. In that larger system, Jacksonville served as a summer host for training that could translate into more prepared classrooms across Morgan County.