It's been 19 months since Lloyd Knight became principal at Howe Community High School. Next month, the State Board of Education will vote whether the school should close or become a charter school free of state sanctions.

The workshops were designed to help teachers address students with traumatic experiences like food insecurity, physical and sexual abuse, and substance abuse.

One of the event's sponsors said he decided to host the event after calls during the November election for the district to engage more with its community.

District staff will receive between a 3 and 22 percent raise.

The board released an update on the search process Thursday with public engagement as a focus. Former IPS Superintendent Lewis Ferebee was tapped as the new leader of Washington, D.C. schools late last year.

IPS officials estimate the property is valued at $7.6 million. The developers each bid slightly over $2 million for the building.

The district conducted reviews of seven struggling schools, to provide feedback and recommendations on whether a restart should be considered.

State laws and district policies, meanwhile, have for years chipped away at the organization's power and influence.

It remains to be seen if these studies will impact the IPS board's decision-making, which includes an upcoming vote on whether bring several charter schools into the district.

Two of the new commissioners ran campaigns critical of the IPS administration and ousted two incumbent board members