Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Springfield Public Schools could be closer to using land on the University of Illinois Springfield campus to build a new school.

The District 186 board Monday night voted to approve a “collaboration agreement” with the university to eventually build a new elementary school on unused UIS land.  It’s like a lease, except no cost is expected, and the university doesn’t necessarily want to sell or lease the land.

However, at least part of that land — roughly 29 acres of it — is in the Ball Chatham School District.  That district’s school board has already approved detaching that land from their district, so that it can be a part of District 186.  The District-186 board approved that move, too.

No word on any timetable or cost.

The District 186 Board Monday night learned the district has started posting available positions within the district again, as of the start of the fiscal year — positions that were initially unknowns for the coming school year.