The Illinois Education Association and Partnership for Resilience are teaming up for Resilient Southern Illinois aimed to help students with trauma.
Mary Jane Morris, IEA director of Teaching and Learning says students with Adverse Childhood Experiences risk falling behind in school. Examples of the trauma include verbal, physical and sexual abuse and domestic violence or absence.
"That trauma is having an impact on their learning capabilities and so that's why we want to alleviate the pressure they have or the stressors they have or the trigger, whatever it might be in the classroom for them to be able to fill like they are in a safe surrounding."
Resilient Southern Illinois will provide teachers, staff and the community with resources to help those students.
"Resources through training, resources through shared learning experiences that other districts have had across the state. We've been doing this work for a while, and so just really sharing those learning and sharing with each other because each community is different."
Similar programs have been in Illinois for years, but this program began in June when more than 170 educators received their first bit of training. Seventeen school districts will receive the support over the next year, including some in Giant City, Herrin, Harrisburg, Murphysboro, DuQuoin, Johnston City, Eldorado, Sparta and Vienna.
