Reprinted from News Gazette 

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois State Board of Education has ousted the elected school boards in the East St. Louis and North Chicago districts.

The state board took the action Thursday in Springfield, citing nagging academic underperformance.

Under Illinois law, state education chief Christopher Koch will direct the regional superintendents over the affected districts to replace the locally elected board members. Koch then will appoint a five-person independent panel to take their place.

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