The area offers residents a mix of collegiate, residential, business, agricultural, industrial, athletic, social, and intellectual pursuits. Champaign is one of the twin cities of Champaign-Urbana and the home of the University of Illinois. The Champaign Unit 4 School District serves approximately 9,182 students within 17 schools. In addition, Unit 4 has one alternative middle school and one alternative high school that provide students with opportunities for smaller class sizes and enriched learning opportunities, Mastering the basic skills of reading, writing, and mathematics is central to a student's education in Unit 4. In addition to the basics, students gain skills that enable them to be productive in a technologically changing society.
All schools have computers, which are used in individual or laboratory settings.
Unit 4 has extensive specialized education programs moving toward full inclusion of students. As early as kindergarten, children are using computers and other technology to learn to read and write. Unit 4 is committed to staying abreast of current educational trends. Through this association, Unit 4 provides leadership to other school districts nationwide in the areas of curriculum and school planning. Unit 4 has six schools that have been recipients of the National Blue Ribbon Award for Excellence in Education presented by the U.S. Department of Education.