ILLINOIS — Hazardous winter conditions — including heavy snow, extreme cold and icy roads — have led to numerous school closures, e-learning days and modified schedules across parts of Illinois for Monday, January 26, 2026, as administrators respond to dangerous travel conditions and severe wind chills.
In central Illinois, several districts will not hold in-person classes Monday. Peoria Public Schools announced a full closure due to extreme cold and unsafe travel, with forecasts calling for wind chills near -21°F in some areas.
Unit 5 schools, which cover parts of Bloomington-Normal, canceled classes Monday as a traditional weather day with no e-learning due to frigid forecast conditions; other nearby districts are using a mix of e-learning and closures, including remote instruction in LeRoy, Lexington, Heyworth, Olympia and Ridgeview schools.
In Champaign County, numerous districts — including Champaign Unit 4, Urbana District 116, Rantoul City Schools and others — are switching to e-learning or virtual instruction rather than in-person teaching Monday as snow and cold persist. Parkland College and Lake Land College also announced campus closures with classes and programs canceled.
Central and southern Illinois districts are also adjusting schedules. Frankfort CUSD #168, Sesser-Valier Schools and Trico CUSD 176 are closed Monday, while several other schools including Benton Consolidated High School and Woodlawn schools have designated the day as an e-learning day for students.
In the St. Louis metro-East area, Edwardsville District 7 will hold an e-learning day Monday, with all district buildings and offices closed and after-school activities canceled.
Not all Illinois schools are closed: Chicago Public Schools said it will remain open Monday despite the cold, ensuring buildings are safe and warm for students, although families were advised to bundle up for bitter temperatures.
Families across the state have been urged to monitor district communications throughout the day for any updates, as rapidly changing weather conditions could lead to additional closures or schedule changes.
