Summary of Recent Bills Pending in the Illinois General Assembly Pertaining to Education
Prepared by Bev Johns, January 28, 2022
House Bill 4001—Harper. Amends the School Code. With regard to the student discipline report, provides that the report must include data on the total number of school days missed by a student due to an out-of-school suspension or expulsion and data on the number of arrests made by law enforcement officers of students on school grounds, in school vehicles, at school activities or school-sanctioned events, or as a result of referrals by school officials. Provides that the report must be disaggregated by whether a student qualifies for services under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the total number of school days missed by the student, and the incident type that caused the suspension, expulsion, or removal to an alternative setting. Provides that, in compiling the report, the State Board of Education must use the same disclosure avoidance standards used by the United States Department of Education in its public reporting of data submitted by each school district as part of the Civil Rights Data Collection and must also ensure that cross-tabulation by the various categories of disaggregation is possible. Requires the State Superintendent of Education to convene an Equitable and Restorative School Discipline Advisory Council to advise the State Board of Education on the ongoing implementation of school discipline policies in this State. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 4064—Morrison and Grant. Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. With respect to the social studies prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, provides that the civics requirement applies only to pupils entering the 9th grade through the 2020-2021 school year. Provides that for pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 school year and each school year thereafter, the social studies prerequisite shall include instruction on citizenship. Provides that as part of this instruction, a pupil shall be required to complete the civics test component of the Naturalization Interview and Test administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Allows school districts to utilize private funding available for the purposes of offering citizenship education. Effective July 1, 2021. House Rules.
House Bill 4072—McCombie. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to establish a program to issue micro-credentials in fields of study related to an endorsement on a Professional Educator License. Requires the State Board to approve professional development providers to offer micro-credential courses. Provides that a micro-credential received by a licensee shall be entered into the Educator Licensure Information System and included as part of the licensee’s public educator licensure records. Provides for rulemaking. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 4083—Niemerg. Amends the School Code. Prohibits the State Board of Education, school districts, and elementary and secondary schools from requiring the teachers, other staff, or students of a school to wear a face mask due to the COVID-19 public health emergency disaster declared by the Governor pursuant to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 4089—Nichols and Ammons. Amends the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act. As a part of the school lunch program, requires a school district to provide a plant-based school lunch option to those students who submit a prior request to the school district requesting a plant-based school lunch option. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 4117—Reick. Amends the School Code. By July 15 of each year, requires certain school boards to report, on their school district’s website, a list of the learning materials and activities used for student instruction during the previous school year. Requires that the report also include any procedures that are in effect at each school for the documentation, review, or approval of the learning materials and activities used for student instruction. Specifies the minimum information that must be included in the report. Allows a school district to update the report on an ongoing basis and to utilize collaborative online document or spreadsheet software to update or make additions to the report. Sets forth other requirements. Effective July 1, 2022. House Rules.
House Bill 4131—Chesney. Amends the School Code. Provides that a school board or the governing board of a nonpublic school has the authority to determine, in consultation with the local health department, whether to implement mask-wearing requirements for school staff, students, and visitors when the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency related to COVID-19. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 4135—Gonzalez Jr. Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education may issue, refuse to issue, or revoke recognition for schools. Amends certain provisions of the School Code with respect to public health requirements issued by the Department of Public Health when a public health emergency is declared by the Governor. Allows the State Board to revoke recognition for schools that fail to comply with the public health requirements. In provisions concerning the registration and recognition of nonpublic schools, requires a nonpublic school to comply with public health requirements. Prohibits a school board from passing any resolution that contravenes any of the public health requirements. Makes similar changes to provisions concerning the licensure powers of the State Board of Education. Requires schools to investigate complaints of noncompliance with the public health requirements; sets forth complaint procedures. Provides that the State Superintendent of Education may require a school to operate fully remotely if the public health requirements are not followed. Sets forth penalty provisions. Provides for rulemaking by the State Board of Education. Makes a corresponding change in the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. House Rules.
House Bill 4139—Scherer. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Subject to appropriation, requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish and administer a teacher reimbursement grant program for the purpose of reimbursing public school teachers for up to 8 semesters or 12 quarters of the tuition and mandatory fees paid to a public institution of higher learning in this State to obtain a Professional Educator License and teach in this State. Provides that eligible applicants shall receive a grant in the form of annual reimbursement payments over a period of up to 10 consecutive years. Sets forth provisions concerning eligibility, the grant amount, disbursement and use of a grant, application for a grant, and rulemaking. Repeals the provisions on July 1, 2040. Effective immediately. Second Reading House.
House Bill 4174—Weber. Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Subject to appropriation, requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to establish and administer a teacher reimbursement grant program for the purpose of reimbursing public school teachers for up to 8 semesters or 12 quarters of the tuition and mandatory fees paid to a public institution of higher learning in this State to obtain a Professional Educator License and teach in this State. Provides that eligible applicants shall receive a grant in the form of annual reimbursement payments over a period of up to 10 consecutive years. Sets forth provisions concerning eligibility, the grant amount, disbursement and use of a grant, application for a grant, and rulemaking. Repeals the provisions on July 1, 2040. Effective immediately. House Executive Committee.
House Bill 4200—Nichols. Amends the School Code. Permits a school district to implement a program to allow school personnel, including athletic coaches, school counselors, and administrative staff, who possess comprehensive knowledge about postsecondary academic or vocational options to provide mentoring services or guidance related to postsecondary academic and vocational options to high school students. Sets forth the services and guidance that a postsecondary mentor may provide to a student; allows the State Board of Education to establish guidelines. Provides that the participation of school personnel in the program shall be on a voluntary basis only; prohibits school personnel from receiving compensation for participating in the program. Provides that a school district may issue a certificate to school personnel who participate in the program certifying that the participant possesses sufficient knowledge. Provides that the State Board of Education may provide for the form of the certificate. Provides for rulemaking. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 4202—Carroll. Amends the School Code. Provides for dyslexia screening guidelines and rules. Requires the State Board of Education to employ at least 5 dyslexia specialists or dyslexia therapists with a minimum of 5 years of field experience in screening, identifying, and treating dyslexia and related disorders to provide technical assistance and training. Provides that, beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, each school district must screen students in grades kindergarten through second (and in higher grades under certain circumstances) for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal screener approved by the State Board. Sets forth what the screening must include. Provides for additional screening for a student who is determined to be at risk, or at some risk, for dyslexia to determine if a student has the characteristics of dyslexia. Requires the use of a multi-tiered system of support framework if screening indicates that a student has some risk factors for dyslexia or has the characteristics of dyslexia. Sets forth provisions concerning exceptions to screening, dyslexia intervention services, and reporting. Effective July 1, 2022. House Rules.
House Bill 4203—West, II. Amends the School Code. Requires a school district to develop and implement a plan to provide additional instructional services, support, or special accommodations to students who suffer from trauma related to experiencing the death of a sibling, parent, guardian, or household member by suicide or homicide or suffer from trauma caused by domestic violence or abuse and whom the school has determined require additional instructional services, support, or special accommodations but do not qualify for an individualized education program or for services under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Sets forth what the plan may include. Provides that the plan shall remain in place until the student (i) is no longer enrolled in the district or (ii) has made such significant and sustained academic progress that the student no longer requires the plan. In provisions relating to children with disabilities, provides that beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, the notice that a school board provides concerning who qualifies for services under Section 504 shall include that a child may qualify for those services if the child is a student who is at least 3 years old or older and under 22 years and who (i) has experienced the death of a sibling, parent, guardian, or household member by suicide or homicide or (ii) suffers from trauma caused by domestic violence or abuse. Effective immediately. House Elementary and Secondary Education School Curriculum and Policies.
House Bill 4208—Nichols. Amends the School Code. Provides that a school district shall employ a ratio of no less than one school counselor to 150 students (rather than allowing a school district to employ a ratio of no less than one school counselor to 250 students). Requires school counselors to meet with their assigned students at least once each month. House Rules.
House Bill 4222—Ortiz. Amends the School Code. Provides that a school uniform or dress code policy adopted by a school board or local school council shall not prohibit the right of a student to wear or accessorize graduation attire with items associated with the student’s cultural or ethnic identity or any protected characteristic or category identified in the Illinois Human Rights Act. Provides that the items used to accessorize graduation attire may include, but are not limited to, flags, pins, or any other relevant item. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 4226—Scherer. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Removes the requirement that educator licensure candidates pass a teacher performance assessment. Makes related changes. Effective July 1, 2022. House Rules.
House Bill 4231—Reick. Amends the Downstate Teacher and Chicago Teacher Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that none of the benefits provided for in either Article shall be paid to a person if the person first becomes a member on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act and a board, after an administrative hearing, determines that the person sexually abused a student. Provides that an employer must notify a board if a retiring member has been accused of sexually abusing a student. Provides that a board may, through an administrative hearing, review the claim of sexual abuse and may order that benefits be forfeited. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act shall not operate to impair any contract or vested right acquired before the effective date of the amendatory Act nor to preclude the right to a refund. Provides that all teachers entering service on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be deemed to have consented to the provisions of the amendatory Act as a condition of membership. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 4241—Scherer. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Removes the requirement that educator licensure candidates pass a teacher performance assessment. Makes related changes. Effective July 1, 2022. House Elementary and Secondary Education—Administration, Licensing and Charter Schools.
House Bill 4243—Mason. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Removes the requirement that educator licensure candidates pass a teacher performance assessment. Makes related changes. Effective July 1, 2022. House Elementary and Secondary Education—Administration, Licensing and Charter Schools.
House Bill 4246—Scherer. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides for the reinstatement of a lapsed Professional Educator License upon the payment by the applicant of a $50 penalty (rather than a $500 penalty). Effective immediately. Second Reading House.
House Bill 4256—McCombie. Amends the Employment of Teachers Article of the School Code. In provisions related to the content of evaluation plans, allows a school district to waive, for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years only, the evaluation requirement of any teacher in contractual continued service whose performance during the last school year in which the teacher was evaluated was rated as either “excellent” or “proficient”. In regard to rules adopted by the State Board of Education concerning educator evaluations, for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years only, provides that factors related to methods of measuring student growth may not be used in any educator evaluation. In regard to the development of an evaluation plan for principals and assistant principals, allows a school district to waive, for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years only, the evaluation requirement of any principal or assistant principal whose performance during the last school year in which the teacher was evaluated was rated as either “excellent” or “proficient”. Effective immediately. House Elementary and Secondary Education—Administration, Licensing, and Charter Schools.
House Bill 4257—McCombie. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that for any 5-year renewal cycle that includes the 2021-2022 school year, each professional educator licensee shall complete a total of 100 hours of professional development during the 5-year renewal cycle in order to renew the license (rather than being required to complete a total of 120 hours). For the 2021-2022 school year only, provides that a licensee with an administrative endorsement who is working in a position requiring such endorsement or an individual with a Teacher Leader endorsement serving in an administrative capacity at least 50% of the day is not required to complete an Illinois Administrators’ Academy course (rather than being required to complete one course). Effective immediately. House Elementary and Secondary Education—Administration, Licensing, and Charter Schools.
House Bill 4293—Bennett. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. With regard to licensure candidates being required to pass a teacher performance assessment, provides that a candidate may not be required to submit test materials by video or audio submission (rather than by video submission). Instead of a video or audio submission, provides that a candidate may submit a written letter approved and signed by (i) the principal of the school in which the candidate completed student teaching, (ii) the supervising licensed educator overseeing the candidate’s classroom experience, and (iii) the candidate’s academic advisor at the candidate’s educator preparation program stating that the candidate meets the requirements to pass the teacher performance assessment. Provides that the submission of a written letter by a candidate does not waive the requirement that the candidate pass a teacher performance assessment approved by the State Board of Education. Requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, to develop a standard form to be used by a candidate in the submission of the written letter. Effective July 1, 2022.House Elementary and Secondary Education—Administration, Licensing, and Charter Schools.
House Bill 4316—Mussman. Amends the School Code. Requires the superintendent of an employing school board to notify the State Superintendent of Education and applicable regional superintendent of schools if the superintendent has reasonable cause to believe that a license holder committed an act of sexual misconduct that resulted in the license holder’s dismissal or resignation from the school district. Requires a public or nonpublic school or independent contractor to conduct an employment history review of certain applicants for employment. Requires the governing body of each school district, charter school, or nonpublic school to adopt a policy under which notice concerning an alleged act of sexual misconduct between an educator and a student is provided to the parent or guardian of that student. Sets forth the information that must be included in the notice. Amends the Personnel Record Review Act. Specifies that provisions requiring an employer to review and delete records concerning disciplinary actions that are more than 4 years old do not apply to a school district sharing information related to an incident or attempted incident of sexual misconduct. Effective immediately. House Elementary and Secondary Education—School Curriculum and Policies.
House Bill 4350—Vella. Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. With respect to the substitution of a course required for graduation or graduation requirement with a related vocational or technical education course, removes the provisions that require (i) the vocational or technical education course to contain at least 50% of the content of the required course or graduation requirement for which it is substituted and (ii) a pupil’s parent or guardian to request and approve the substitution. Effective July 1, 2022. House Elementary and Secondary Education—School Curriculum and Policies.
House Bill 4351—Didech. Amends the Children’s Mental Health Act of 2003. In a provision requiring the Illinois State Board of Education to develop and implement a plan to incorporate social and emotional development standards for the purpose of enhancing and measuring children’s school readiness and ability to achieve academic success, provides that the plan shall be reviewed and revised periodically by the Board of Education at least once every 3 years. Requires the plan to include the teaching of grade-appropriate mental health topics, including, but not limited to, topics on: the types of mental illness, suicide prevention, substance abuse prevention, and other matters. In a provision requiring every Illinois school district to develop a policy for incorporating social and emotional development into the district’s educational program, provides that the policy shall be reviewed and revised periodically by the school district to incorporate revised provisions of the Board of Education’s social and emotional development standards. House Rules.
House Bill 4365—Didech. Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Allows a child’s individualized education program (IEP) team to determine whether the special education program of a school district is unable to meet the needs of a child with a disability. Provides that the financial responsibility and reimbursement of the resident district of a child with a disability applies to both nonpublic special education facilities that are approved by the State Board of Education and nonpublic special education facilities that are not approved by the State Board of Education. Requires that a nonpublic special education facility providing services to demonstrate proof to the State Board of Education of (i) appropriate certification of teachers for the student population, (ii) age-appropriate curriculum, (iii) enrollment and attendance data, and (iv) the ability to implement the child’s IEP. Sets forth provisions concerning requests for approval by the State Board of Education of a nonpublic special education facility. Provides that the Community and Residential Service Authority has the power to make final determinations regarding the approval of nonpublic special education facilities. Effective immediately. House Appropriations Elementary and Secondary Education.
House Bill 4369—Collins and Nichols. Amends the Lead Poisoning Prevention Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health or its delegate agency shall (rather than may) conduct a follow-up inspection of any dwelling unit for which a mitigation notice was issued. House Human Services Committee.
House Bill 4391—Hernandez. Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Requires students in grades 9 through 12 to study and successfully complete (rather than just study) courses that include instruction in the area of consumer education. Requires the instruction in consumer education to include planning and paying for postsecondary education and studying economics. Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, provides that the State Board of Education shall require at least one full school year of instruction in consumer education. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 4418—Miller. Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Requires course content in civics education to include a comparative study and discussion of certain political ideologies, including communism and totalitarianism, that conflict with the principles of freedom and democracy that are essential to the founding of the United States. Sets forth requirements concerning the content. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 4439—Evans. Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Requires course content in civics education to include a comparative study and discussion of certain political ideologies, including communism and totalitarianism, that conflict with the principles of freedom and democracy that are essential to the founding of the United States. Sets forth requirements concerning the content. Effective immediately. House Elementary and Secondary Education, School Curriculum and Policies Committee.
House Bill 4459–Yednock and McCombie. Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) of the Illinois Pension Code. In a provision of the IMRF Article concerning service credit for accumulated unused sick leave, provides that if the employee was in the service of more than one employer or regional office of education (instead of more than one employer), then sick leave days from all such employers shall be credited. Amends the School Code. Provides that beginning July 1, 2022, all regional superintendents of schools shall receive the same salary regardless of the population of the region they serve. Provides that the salary for all regional superintendents shall be equal to the highest annual salary tier. Makes a change concerning the posting of information on the institute fund. Repeals a provision of the Code that prohibits regional superintendents from practicing or from holding themselves out as practicing any other profession. Amends the School Construction Law. Authorizes the State Board of Education to make school maintenance project grants to regional offices of education and intermediate service centers. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately. House Personnel and Pensions Committee.
House Bill 4548—West II. Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) of the Illinois Pension Code. In a provision of the IMRF Article concerning service credit for accumulated unused sick leave, provides that if the employee was in the service of more than one employer or regional office of education (instead of more than one employer), then sick leave days from all such employers shall be credited. Amends the School Code. Provides that beginning July 1, 2022, all regional superintendents of schools shall receive the same salary regardless of the population of the region they serve. Provides that the salary for all regional superintendents shall be equal to the highest annual salary tier. Makes a change concerning the posting of information on the institute fund. Repeals a provision of the Code that prohibits regional superintendents from practicing or from holding themselves out as practicing any other profession. Amends the School Construction Law. Authorizes the State Board of Education to make school maintenance project grants to regional offices of education and intermediate service centers. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 4560—Guzzardi and Didech. Amends the Speech Rights of Student Journalists Act. Requires each school board to adopt a written policy for the right of student journalists to exercise the freedoms of speech and the press in school-sponsored media. Sets forth specific requirements for the policy. Prohibits the dismissal, suspension, discipline, reassignment, or transfer of or other retaliation against a student media adviser for (i) refusing to infringe on conduct or (ii) acting to protect a student journalist engaged in conduct that is protected under the Act or the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Sets forth provisions concerning injunctive and declaratory relief. House Elementary and Secondary Education School Curriculum and Policies Committee.
House Bill 4564—Hernandez. Amends the Autism Spectrum Disorders Reporting Act. Provides that, no later than December 31st of each year, the Department of Human Services shall submit a report to the General Assembly regarding access to applied behavior analysis therapy for people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the Department of Insurance to provide all necessary data upon request to the Department of Human Services to facilitate the timely and accurate completion of the report. Sets forth information that the report shall include. House Rules.
House Bill 4571—Welter. Amends the State Finance Act and the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Renames the Financial Literacy Fund the High School Financial Literacy Fund. With respect to consumer education, provides that, beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, a school district shall require an individual to have a professional educator license with a validation in financial literacy to provide financial literacy instruction, unless the individual holds a professional educator license with an endorsement in social studies, family and consumer sciences, or business education. Sets forth provisions concerning the validation. With respect to the 3 years of mathematics required to receive a high school diploma, provides that a one semester course on financial literacy instruction may count toward one semester of mathematics, unless a pupil counts an Advanced Placement computer science course toward the 3 years of mathematics. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 4575—Mazzochi. Amends the School Code. If the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency related to COVID-19 pursuant to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, prohibits the State Board of Education from (i) revoking or removing a school district’s recognition status, (ii) revoking a person’s educator license, or (iii) prohibiting a school district or student from participating in interscholastic athletics or other activities or events for failing to comply with COVID-19 mitigation efforts, policies, rules, and guidance adopted by the State Board of Education and the Department of Public Health. In provisions concerning the use of isolated time out and time out, makes changes to the definitions of “isolated time out” and “time out”. Sets forth procedures concerning the use of isolated time out and time out if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency related to COVID-19 pursuant to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Adds provisions related to disciplinary actions imposed on students who refuse to comply with COVID-19 mitigation efforts in policies, rules, and guidance adopted by the State Board of Education and the Department of Public Health. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 4580—Tarver II. Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. In the year following each federal decennial census year, requires the Chicago Board of Education to redraft high school attendance boundaries and compile demographic information for each redrafted high school attendance boundary in a report to be made public on the school district’s website. Effective July 1, 2022. House Elementary and Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing, and Charter Schools.
House Bill 4632—Haas. Amends the School Code. Provides for dyslexia screening guidelines and rules. Requires the State Board of Education to provide technical assistance for specific learning disabilities to school districts. Provides that, beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, each school district must screen students in grades kindergarten through second for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal screener. Sets forth what the screening must include. Provides for additional screening for a student who is determined to be at risk, or at some risk, for dyslexia to determine if the student has the characteristics of dyslexia. Requires the use of a multi-tiered system of support framework if screening indicates that a student has some risk factors for dyslexia or has the characteristics of dyslexia. Sets forth provisions concerning exceptions to screening, dyslexia intervention services, and reporting. Effective July 1, 2022. House Rules.
House Bill 4688—Yednock. Amends the School Code. Provides that, for one year beginning on the effective date of the amendatory Act, requirements related to completing professional development activities for the renewal of a Professional Educator License do not apply, except that the number of professional development hours required is reduced by 20% for any renewal cycle that includes the 2021-2022 school year. In provisions related to the content of evaluation plans, allows a school district to waive, for the 2022-2023 school year only, the evaluation requirement of any teacher in contractual continued service whose performance during the last school year in which the teacher was evaluated was rated as either “excellent” or “proficient”. With respect to rules adopted by the State Board of Education concerning educator evaluations, for the 2022-2023 school year only, provides that factors related to methods of measuring student growth may not be used in any educator evaluation. With respect to the development of an evaluation plan for principals and assistant principals, allows a school district to waive, for the 2022-2023 school year only, the evaluation requirement of any principal or assistant principal whose performance during the last school year in which the teacher was evaluated was rated as either “excellent” or “proficient”. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 4716—Halpin. Amends the Driver Education Act of the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Illinois High School & College Driver Education Association, to adopt course content and learning standards for the classroom and laboratory phases of driver education for novice teen drivers under the age of 18 years based on the national Novice Teen Driver Education and Training Administrative Standards (rather than requiring the State Board, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to adopt course content standards for driver education for those persons under the age of 18 years). Provides that the course content and learning standards shall be adapted to meet Illinois licensing and educational requirements including the cognitive, physiological, and psychological aspects of the safe operation of a motor vehicle (rather than requiring course content standards to include the operation and equipment of motor vehicles). Filed on January 21, 2022.
House Bill 4723—Guzzardi. Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code. Provides that charter schools that accept funding directly from the State or through a school district directed by the State to administer the funds after the effective date of the amendatory Act and charter school subcontractors regularly performing work at charter school facilities that receive State funding, shall, as a condition of such funding, comply with the amendatory Act and have in place, at all times, a labor peace agreement with any bona fide employee organization or labor organization in which employees participate and that exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of dealing with charter schools or their subcontractors concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours of employment, or conditions of work and that requests a labor peace agreement. Sets forth requirements and prohibitions concerning the labor peace agreement. Sets forth procedures concerning the execution of a labor peace agreement, including procedures for an impasse in negotiations, the appointment of a hearing officer from the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, and the submission of the dispute to final and binding impartial arbitration. Provides that upon receipt of a written request for a labor peace agreement, charter schools shall at all times allow representatives of employee organizations or labor organizations to enter charter school campuses and offices, at any time employees in a designated classification are present at those locations, to meet privately with employees in non-work spaces and at non-working times. Provides that the provisions of the amendatory Act are satisfied if a charter school (i) executes a national or local labor agreement pertaining to the performance of charter school employees and the subcontractor regularly performing work at the charter school facilities or (ii) is negotiating in good faith with the employee organization or labor organization over the terms of a successor labor agreement for a period not exceeding 90 days after expiration of the labor agreement. Effective June 1, 2022. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 4728—Davis. Amends the evidence-based funding provisions of the School Code. Makes changes concerning how an organizational unit’s adjusted equalized assessed valuation is calculated. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 4742—Hernandez. Amends the School Code. Requires the school board of each school district to grant full-time employees of the district 5 mental health days each school year at full pay. Provides that the employee is not required to provide a medical note or other documentation to use the mental health day. Provides that used and uncompensated mental health days are not eligible for pensionable service credit under the Illinois Pension Code. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 4769—Conroy. Creates the Behavior Analyst Licensing Act. Provides for licensure of behavior analysts, assistant behavior analysts, and behavior technicians by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Contains provisions concerning licensure requirements, qualifications, the Board of Behavior Analysts, provisional licenses, and rules. Amends the Public Aid Code to provide that treatment of autism spectrum disorder through applied behavior analysis shall be covered under the medical assistance program for children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder when ordered by a behavior analyst licensed by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to practice applied behavior analysis in the State of Illinois. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 4795—Moeller. Amends the PFAS Reduction Act. Provides that the Agency shall establish a take back program for local fire departments and fire protection districts that use and store firefighting foam identified as having added perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, otherwise known as PFAs. Provides that the program will be available to those fire departments or fire districts who have participated in the annual survey under the Act. Provides that the program shall provide funding and resources to assure the proper destruction of these products, however not require the participation of any fire department or fire protection district. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 4798—Stava-Murray. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to issue a substitute teaching license to those individuals enrolled in a regionally accredited institution of higher education who have earned at least 60 credits and are enrolled in an Illinois-approved educator preparation program. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 4813—Gordon Booth. Amends the School Code. Exempts from contract bidding requirements contracts for goods, services, or management in the operation of a school’s food service, including a school that participates in any of the United States Department of Agriculture’s child nutrition programs. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 4933—Ford. Amends the School Code. Makes changes concerning the Chicago Board of Education’s requirements and criteria for the position of principal of an attendance center. Provides that if the requirements and criteria result or may result in the exclusion of otherwise qualified and licensed candidates from being eligible for selection to serve as a principal, then the Board shall maintain a public database that includes the names of all of the candidates who are eligible to be selected as a principal. Requires the Board to establish due process protections for candidates for the position of principal and establish a grievance procedure for those candidates the Board has deemed ineligible to serve as a principal. Makes changes concerning the use of performance evaluations in determining that a principal is no longer eligible to serve as principal of an attendance center. Effective January 1, 2023. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 4958—Hirschauer. Amends the School Code. Requires a school board to prohibit teachers, school administrators, or other persons employed at a school, employed by the school or by a third party, from carrying a firearm on school grounds. Exempts safety personnel from the prohibition. Prohibits a school board from authorizing exceptions. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 4994—Crespo. Amends the School Safety Drill Act. Provides that each year prior to the start of the school year, a school board shall file its threat assessment procedure and a list identifying the members of the school district’s threat assessment team or regional behavior threat assessment and intervention team with (i) a local law enforcement agency and (ii) the regional office of education or, with respect to the Chicago school district, the State Board of Education. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5016—Collins. Amends the School Code. Provides that alternative learning opportunities programs may include high school completion programs that allow certain students eligible for remote learning to complete their education while incarcerated in a Department of Corrections facility. Provides that the Chicago Board of Education may offer a remote learning option to a student who is in the custody of the Department of Corrections if the student (i) is enrolled at Consuella B. York Alternative High School at the time the student is transferred to a Department of Corrections facility or had been enrolled in the school within the 6 months prior to being transferred to a Department of Corrections facility and (ii) is within 2 school years of completing all of the course requirements necessary for high school graduation. Allows the school district to continue to offer the option of remote learning to the student to complete any remaining course requirements necessary for high school graduation for up to one school year following the student’s release from the custody of the Department of Corrections. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5016—Yang Rohr. Amends the State Board of Education Article of the School Code. Provides for the appointment of 2 nonvoting student members to the State Board of Education, selected from students who have served on the State Board of Education’s Student Advisory Council, to serve for a one year term. Makes related changes. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5060—Vella. Amends the Employment of Teachers Article of the School Code. Makes changes to the probationary periods pertaining to attaining contractual continued service. For the first probationary period, requires the teacher to be employed for 3 (rather than 4) consecutive school terms of service in which the teacher receives overall annual evaluation ratings of at least “Proficient” in the second and third school terms (rather than overall annual evaluation ratings of at least “Proficient” in the last school term and at least “Proficient” in either the second or third school term). For the second probationary period, requires the teacher to serve for 2 (rather than 3) consecutive school terms of service in which the teacher receives 2 (rather than 3) overall annual evaluations of “Excellent”. Effective July 1, 2023. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5062—Jacobs. Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, a child with a disability who has an individualized education program, who has completed 4 years of high school, and whose parent or guardian has decided not to enroll the child in transition services shall receive a regular high school diploma. Effective July 1, 2022. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5068—Sosnowski. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that an applicant that meets all other requirements to receive an endorsement in early childhood education is not required to pass a content area test in early childhood education. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5096—Mussman. Amends the School Code. Provides that the removal of a student with a disability for disciplinary reasons, violations of the student code of conduct, or other inappropriate behavior shall conform with the applicable provisions of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and certain administrative rules. Provides that an in-school suspension is not considered a removal. Provides that removal of a student for any part of a school day constitutes a day of removal. Provides that a directive by school administration to a parent or guardian not to send the student to school on a school day that results in the student not attending school for any part of that school day constitutes a day of removal. Provides that, for each removal, the parent or guardian of the student must be provided with a written notice that includes the action taken, the duration of the action, and the reasons for the action. Provides that the written notice to the parent or guardian and any written or recorded information concerning a removal of the student shall be made part of the student’s school records. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 5110—DeLuca. Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Requires every public elementary school and high school to include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of Italian American history. Contains provisions governing this instruction. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 5111—Delgado. Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. With respect to safety education instruction for students enrolled in prekindergarten through grade 6, adds education in water safety that incorporates the water safety instructional materials and resources developed by the American Red Cross and the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 5116—Nichols. Creates the Sudden Cardiac Death Prevention Screening Act. Defines “sport” and “student athlete”. Provides that a student athlete over the age of 12 must undergo sudden cardiac death screening before the student athlete may participate in sports. Provides that a student athlete must undergo sudden cardiac death screening once in middle school or high school and then once before postsecondary-education-level sports. House Rules.
House Bill 5122—Mazzochi. Amends the School Code. Defines terms. Provides that no school district is obligated to comply with any mandate in any school year in which the school district is designated as a Tier 3 or Tier 4 organizational unit with specified exceptions. Provides that before discontinuing or modifying a mandate, the school district shall conduct a public hearing separate of a regular school board meeting. Provides notice requirements for the public hearing. Provides that the discontinuation and modification of a mandate shall not be more than 5 years and while the school district is still designated as either Tier 3 or Tier 4. Provides that the voters of a school district may submit a petition to place a question on the ballot at the next regularly scheduled election to discontinue or modify a mandate. Provides that no school district that discontinues or modifies a mandate shall be limited in their authority to participate in interscholastic athletics or activities or any other extracurricular events. Effective July 1, 2022. House Rules.
House Bill 5149—Haas. Amends the School Code. Prohibits the State Board of Education from taking any action that requires students enrolled in grades 3 through 8 to take the annual assessment or any part of the annual assessment in English language arts and mathematics more than once per school year. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 5159—Evans, Jr. Amends the Transportation Article of the School Code. Requires school boards for various school districts to cover the transit fees for free transportation for pupils residing at a distance of one and one-half miles or more from any school to which they are assigned for attendance maintained within the districts. Makes conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2023. House Rules.
House Bill 5176—Yedrick. Amends the School Code. Sets forth various limitations on State Board of Education reporting. Removes the requirement that a school district submit a statement of affairs. Requires only the Chicago school district (rather than each school district, charter school, and nonpublic, non-sectarian elementary or secondary school) to file its policy on bullying with the State Board of Education. Repeals provisions concerning a salary and benefit survey and a report of teacher dismissals. Amends the Illinois Pension Code to make corresponding changes. Effective immediately. House Rules.
House Bill 5181—Vella. Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Requires that a course that provides a student with the education and skills required to obtain a commercial learner’s permit or a commercial driver’s license be considered by a school district to be a career and technical education course. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5188—Davis. Amends the School Code. Repeals provisions concerning the School District Emergency Financial Assistance Fund, audit adjustments to State aid claims for alternative education programs, the Giant Steps Autism Center for Excellence pilot program, job training programs, posting of entrepreneurial skills teaching resources, posting of high-skilled manufacturing teaching resources, fast growth grants, the Alternative Route to Administrative Certification for National Board Certified Teachers, and the board of examiners. Makes conforming changes in the School Code and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5193—Hirschauer. Amends the School Code. Amends the School Code. Provides that every school district shall include safe gun storage information in schools’ student handbooks. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5200—Ford. Amends the School Code. Provides that each school district shall develop a plan for electronic learning by January 1, 2023. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5214—Hernandez. Amends the School Code. Adds a provision that any parent who is deaf, or does not normally communicate using spoken English, who participates in a meeting with a representative of a local educational agency for the purposes of developing an individualized educational program, or attends a multidisciplinary conference, a 504 mediation session, or a due process hearing (instead of just a meeting with a representative of a local educational agency for the purposes of developing an individualized educational program) shall be entitled to the services of an interpreter. Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules to implement the provisions. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5237—Swanson. Amends the School Code. Provides that each school board shall adopt a policy to allow pupils, parents, guardians, and members of the public to review each textbook that the superintendent or school board is considering approving for use in the schools of the district for a period of no less than 30 days prior to the textbook being approved for use by the superintendent or the school board. Provides that the policy must be published in the student handbook and on the district’s Internet website if one is maintained. Effective July 1, 2022. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5239—Wheeler. Amends the School Code. Requires a school board to adopt a policy to ensure that the parent or guardian of a student is provided with an opportunity to review the curricula and learning material used in the student’s classroom at any point during the school year if the parent or guardian requests to review the curricula and learning material. Requires the policy to be published in the student handbook and on the school district’s Internet website if one is maintained. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5240—Wheeler. Amends the School Code. Provides that at any time the State Board of Education moves to remove a nonpublic school’s recognition status due to a perceived emergency situation being present at the nonpublic school, the State Board of Education shall file a notice of emergency rulemaking pursuant to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to adopt emergency rules that specifically detail the perceived emergency situation and its impact on students and school personnel. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5241—Wheeler. Amends the School Code. Prior to changing the recognition status of a nonpublic elementary or secondary school, requires the State Superintendent of Education to schedule a conference between the chief administrator of the nonpublic school and representatives of the State Board of Education to discuss issues concerning compliance. Requires the nonpublic school to submit a corrective action plan to the State Superintendent of Education; sets forth procedures concerning the school’s corrective action plan. Provides that if the nonpublic school does not submit a plan or submits a plan that is not capable of being approved, the school’s recognition status shall be removed. Sets forth provisions concerning the appeal process. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5265—Guzzardi. Amends the School Code. Defines “school fees” or “fees” to mean any monetary charge collected by a public school, public school district, or charter school from a student or the parents or guardian of a student as a prerequisite for the student’s participation in any curricular or extracurricular program of the school or school district. Provides that homeless children and youth as defined in Section 11434A of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act also qualify for a waiver for fees and fines for the loss or destruction of school property (currently, fees). Provides that the school board may provide for waiver verification no more often than once every academic year (currently, once every 60 days). Provides that no discrimination or punishment of any kind, including, but not limited to, the lowering of grades, exclusion from classes, or withholding of student records, transcripts or diplomas, (currently, lowering of grades or exclusion from classes) may be exercised against a student whose because the student’s parents or guardians are unable to purchase required textbooks or instructional materials. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5277—Stoneback. Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning the State Board of Education’s school report card, makes changes concerning students participating in a gifted education program, accelerated placement, or another advanced academic program. Sets forth what practices may be incorporated into a school district’s plan to expand access to its accelerated placement program. Makes changes concerning the evidence-based funding formula with respect to gifted and advanced academic program investments, the utilization of gifted and advanced academic program resources, gifted education representation on the Professional Review Panel, and the Panel’s review of gifted and advanced academic programming. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5285—LaPointe. Amends the School Code. Prohibits the State Board of Education from developing, purchasing, or requiring a school district to administer, develop, or purchase a standardized assessment for students enrolled or preparing to enroll in prekindergarten through grade 2, other than for diagnostic purposes. Prohibits the State Board of Education from providing funding for any standardized assessment of students enrolled or preparing to enroll in prekindergarten through grade 2. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5294—Ammons. Amends the School Code. With respect to accelerated placement, provides that for a student entering grade 12, the next most rigorous level of advanced coursework in English language arts or mathematics shall be a dual credit course if the student meets the institution of higher learning’s dual credit placement standards (instead of only a dual credit course) or specified other courses. Makes a conforming change. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5298—Manley. Amends the Regional Superintendent of Schools Article of the School Code. Provides that whenever an elementary, high school, or unit school district (rather than just a unit school district) is located in more than one educational service region, a qualified elector residing in that school district but outside of the educational service region administered by the regional superintendent of schools having supervision and control over that school district shall be eligible to vote in any election held to elect the regional superintendent of schools who has supervision and control over that school district. Removes a provision that provides that the elector shall not also be eligible to vote in the election held to elect the regional superintendent of schools of the educational service region in which the elector resides. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5314—Mason. Amends the School Code. Provides that within 7 days after receiving information that a public school employee is charged with a sex offense, the school board shall notify, in writing, the parents or guardians of the school’s students. Provides that a school district, charter school, or nonpublic school shall begin an investigation upon any indication of a sexual relationship between a student and a school-based employee. Provides that if at any point during or after the investigation it is determined that the school-based employee had a sexual relationship with a student, then the school-based employee may be terminated. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits criminal sexual assault if that person commits an act of sexual penetration and is a school-based employee and the victim is a student. Varied effective date. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5322—Mason. Amends the School Code. Provides that a charter school failing to adequately address racial, socioeconomic, or educational disparities between the local school district and the charter school or failing to align charter mission and vision to the local school board’s mission and vision are both causes for the local school board, State Board of Education, or State Charter School Commission to revoke or not renew a charter. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5323—Mason. Amends the evidence-based funding provisions of the School Code. Includes in the definition of “Organizational Unit” a State-approved charter school that has greater than or equal to 15% fewer low-income students than the school district in which the charter school is located. Requires the State Board of Education to determine how each funding variable within the evidence-based funding formula needs to be adjusted to accommodate the changes made by the amendatory Act. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5330—Cassidy. Amends the School Code. Provides that subsequent endorsements for the Professional Educator License shall require a minimum of 18 (currently, 24) semester hours of coursework in the endorsement area and passage of the applicable content area test, unless otherwise specified by rule. Provides that subsequent endorsements may also be granted through school districts for specific content areas and grade levels, which reflect approval to practice within that school district. Provides that a career and technical educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who has a minimum of 60 semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher education or an accredited trade and technical institution and has a minimum of 1,000 (currently, 2,000) hours of experience outside of education in each area to be taught. Provides that school districts may establish professional development sequences that include a comprehensive review of content standards for subsequent approvals or endorsements that are consistent with other trainings or coursework approved by the State Board of Education for the addition of endorsements to Professional Educator Licenses. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5344—Bourne. Amends the School Code. Requires a school board to ensure parents and guardians of pupils enrolled in the school district are free to petition the school board and provide public comment at all public and regularly scheduled meetings, have access to certain information, are well-informed on specified subject matters, and have the right to meet with a pupil’s teacher at least twice per school year. Requires a school board to ensure curriculum and learning materials are posted on the school district’s Internet website. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5345—Bourne. Amends the School Code. By December 31, 2022, requires the State Board of Education to create a Parent Advisory Committee for the purpose of reviewing and making recommendations to the State Board with respect to the State Board’s process of adopting new teaching or learning standards. Requires the State Board to review and consider the recommendations made by the committee prior to adopting a proposed teaching or learning standard, but does not require the State Board to accept any of the recommendations. Sets forth the membership of the committee; requires all committee members to be the parent of a student enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school in this State. Provides that members shall serve without compensation. Sets forth provisions concerning vacancies on the committee and committee meetings. Requires the State Board to provide administrative support to the committee. Effective July 1, 2022. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5346—Bourne. Amends the School Code. Changes base funding minimum calculation for evidence-based funding. Provides that, for the 2022-2023 and subsequent school years, the Base Funding Minimum of Organizational Units with a Final Percent of Adequacy at or below 80% and Specially Funded Units shall be the sum of (i) the amount of Evidence-Based Funding for the prior school year, (ii) the Base Funding Minimum for the prior school year, and (iii) any amount received by a school district pursuant to Public Act 100-21. Provides that, for the 2022-2023 and subsequent school years, the Base Funding Minimum of Organizational Units with a Final Percent of Adequacy above 80% shall be the sum of (i) the amount of Evidence-Based Funding for the prior school year and (ii) the Base Funding Minimum for the prior school year divided by the Organizational Unit’s Average Student Enrollment for the prior school year and multiplied by the Organizational Unit’s Average Student Enrollment for the current school year. Makes corresponding changes. Effective July 1, 2022. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5347—Bennett. Amends the School Code. Prohibits the State Board of Education from revising its teaching standards or learning standards without the approval of the General Assembly through adoption of a joint resolution outlining the State Board’s specific revisions and granting the State Board the authority to revise those standards. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5348—Bennett. Amends the School Code. Prohibits the State Board of Education from revising its teaching standards or learning standards without the approval of the General Assembly through adoption of a joint resolution outlining the State Board’s specific revisions and granting the State Board the authority to revise those standards. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5349—McCombie. Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Provides that if the parent or guardian of a student wants the student to receive comprehensive personal health and safety and comprehensive sexual health education, the student’s parent or guardian must opt the student in to receive that education (rather than allowing a student’s parent or guardian to opt the student out of comprehensive personal health and safety and comprehensive sexual health education). Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5350—Spain. Amends the School Code. Requires a school board to adopt a policy to (i) allow the parent or legal guardian of a child to notify the school principal or a designee in writing that the parent or legal guardian objects to the use of specific course material and (ii) allow the child to use alternative course material. Requires the alternative course material to be provided at the expense of the parent or legal guardian. Requires the content of the alternative course material to be sufficiently equivalent to the specific course material to enable the child to meet State standards in a particular subject area. Effective July 1, 2022. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5351—Swanson. Amends the School Code. Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, requires each school board to post on its district’s Internet website, if one is maintained, or in the district’s main administrative office, if the district does not maintain an Internet website, all curricula to be taught in each school during the next school year for parents and guardians of students to review. Provides that, as part of the posting, the school board shall identify how each school’s curricula align with the Illinois Learning Standards. Provides that if the curricula is updated at any time during the school year, the posted curricula shall be revised to reflect the updated curricula. Effective July 1, 2022. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5352—Wilhour. Creates the Efficient School District Commission. Provides for the membership and support of the Commission. Requires the Commission to make recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the electorate on the number of school districts in this State and where reorganization and realignment of school districts into unit districts would be beneficial. Sets forth what areas the recommendations must focus on, including drafting recommendations to reduce the statewide total number of school districts through the reorganization of school districts into unit districts. Provides that, on or before May 1, 2024, the Commission must vote on its recommendations and file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly. Provides that if the Commission adopts the recommendations by an affirmative vote of at least 13 of its members, then the Commission’s specific recommendations for reorganization of school districts into unit districts shall be filed with the appropriate regional superintendent of schools. Sets forth the regional superintendent’s and State Superintendent of Education’s duties with respect to the recommendations. Repeals these provisions on January 31, 2025. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5361—Grant. Creates the Paraprofessional Fast Tract to Teaching Degree Pilot Program Act. Makes findings. Provides that the Fast Tract to Teaching Degree Pilot Program is created for a 2-year degree pathway by which paraprofessional educators may enroll to achieve the education requirements to attain a professional education license in this State, which shall comply with the standards of the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education. Provides that, subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2022-2023 academic year or if funds are not appropriated for the Program that academic year, beginning with the academic year in which funds are appropriated for the Program, the State Board of Education and the of Higher Education shall coordinate with each other to assign a qualified individual to serve as a Program director to develop the curriculum for the pathway. Provides that one public elementary or public secondary school and one public university in this State shall be chosen to develop a Program for transitioning paraprofessionals to teachers. Includes the core components of the Program. Provides that the State Board of Education and the Board of Higher Education must submit a report to the Governor, General Assembly, and the Legislative Reference Bureau detailing the impact of the Program and then the Program is dissolved and the provisions are repealed. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5432—Mazzochi. Amends the School Code and the Communicable Disease Prevention Act. Provides that, beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, in any school district in which students are required to receive an immunization against COVID-19 in order to attend the schools of the district and a student is prohibited from attending school for refusal to receive immunization against COVID-19, the student’s parent or guardian may request an educational voucher to be used to cover the necessary costs and fees of education at a nonpublic school or to cover the cost of non-resident tuition at a school district in which the student’s parent or guardian enrolls the student due to the school district not having a COVID-19 immunization requirement. Provides that the voucher shall be in the amount of $5,000 for the school year and may come from the school district’s allotment of evidence-based funding or in a credit against residential property taxes imposed under the Property Tax Code. Includes procedures for requesting the voucher, using the voucher, and responsibilities of the parent of the student and school district accepting the transferring student, including charging no more than the $5,000 provided for from the voucher. Provides that, for the 10-year period following full approval of a COVID-19 immunization by the United States Food and Drug Administration, a school district may require the children attending the schools of the district to receive a COVID-19 immunization that has been fully approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration; however, the Department of Public Health may not adopt any rules to require children to receive an immunization against COVID-19 during that same 10-year period. Includes requirements for school districts which require immunization. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5472—Rohr. Amends the Illinois Pension Code. In the Downstate Teacher Article, provides that beginning July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022, to assist with addressing the substitute teacher shortage that has been exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic and public health emergency, an annuitant may accept employment as a teacher without impairing his or her retirement status if that employment is not within the school year during which service was terminated and does not exceed 140 paid days (rather than 120 paid days) or 700 paid hours (rather than 600 paid hours) in each school year, but not more than 100 paid days in the same classroom. In the Chicago Teacher Article, provides that the service retirement pension shall not be cancelled in the case of a service retirement pensioner who is re-employed as a teacher or administrator (rather than a teacher) on a temporary and non-annual basis or on an hourly basis, so long as the person (1) does not work as a teacher or administrator (rather than a teacher) for compensation on more than 120 days in a school year or (2) in the case of a person who retires with at least 5 years of service as a principal or administrator, does not work as a teacher or administrator for compensation on more than 140 days in a school year. Removes a limitation on the amount of gross compensation a service retirement pensioner may receive for such re-employment without having the service retirement pension cancelled. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5488—Harper. Amends the School Code. Provides that any child from a public school, subject to guidelines established by the State Board of Education, shall be permitted by a school board at least one school day-long excused absence per school year for any middle school or high school student for a child that is absent from school to engage in a civic event. A school board may require that the student provide advance notice of the intended absence and require that the student provide documentation of participation in a civic event. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5494—Weber. Amends the School Code. Provides that school districts may not include certain concepts as part of a course, or allow teachers or other employees of the school district to use supplemental instructional materials that include or promote certain concepts. Provides for a complaint method and cause of action for violations. Sets forth provisions regarding notice, developing a complaint form, ways to determine if there is a valid complaint, and penalties. Provides that if a school district uses a third-party vendor in providing a personal analysis, evaluation, or survey that reveals or attempts to affect a student’s attitudes, habits, traits, opinions, beliefs, or feelings, the third-party vendor and the school district may not collect or maintain the responses to or results of the analysis, evaluation, or survey in a manner that would identify the responses or results of an individual student. Makes changes concerning courses in patriotism and principles of representative government education. Makes changes regarding courses in comprehensive personal health and safety and comprehensive sexual health education. Provides that the data on complaints shall be placed on the school’s report card. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5500—LaPointe. Amends the Children and Family Services Act, the Illinois Youthbuild Act, the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act, the School Code, the Public University Uniform Admission Pilot Program Act, the Public Community College Act, the Higher Education Student Assistance Act, the Illinois Insurance Code, the Pharmacy Practice Act, the Structural Pest Control Act, the Community Association Manager Licensing and Disciplinary Act, the Home Inspector License Act, the Real Estate License Act of 2000, the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Firearm Concealed Carry Act, the Illinois Vehicle Code, and the Unified Code of Corrections. Changes references from high school equivalency certificate to State of Illinois High School Diploma. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5505—Niemerg. Creates the Parental Access and Curriculum Transparency Act, which may be referred to as PACT. Makes findings. Provides that no public school district or public institution of higher education shall direct, require, or otherwise compel a student to personally affirm, adopt, or adhere to specified tenets. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law or administrative rule to the contrary, a school board, parent, legal guardian, or student has the right to object to and refuse any unit of instruction or required course of study that directs, requires, or otherwise compels a student to personally affirm, adopt, or adhere to any of the specified tenets. Provides that school boards have to review and resolve objections to school curriculum. Provides a list of ways to resolve objections. Provides that a school board may submit a certified question to the applicable board of elections to approve or disapprove of funding certain curriculum. Provides that, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no distinction or classification of students shall be made on account of race or color, but nothing in this Section shall be construed to prohibit the required collection or reporting of demographic data by public school districts or public institutions of higher education. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5552—Stava-Murray. Amends the School Code. Provides that a school district operating one or more high schools, a charter school, or a private secondary school shall not make or enforce a rule subjecting a high school student to disciplinary sanctions solely on the basis of conduct that is speech or other communication that, when engaged in outside of the campus, is protected from governmental restriction by the United States Constitution or the Illinois Constitution. Provides that a student who is enrolled in a school at the time that the school has made or enforced a rule that the student would be protected from may commence a civil action to obtain appropriate injunctive and declaratory relief as determined by the court. Provides that the new provisions do not apply to a private secondary school that is controlled by a religious organization to the extent that the application would not be consistent with the religious tenets of the organization. Provides that an employee shall not be dismissed, suspended, disciplined, reassigned, transferred, or otherwise retaliated against solely for acting to protect a student engaged in conduct authorized under the new provisions, or refusing to infringe upon conduct that is protected. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5559—Crespo. Amends the School Code and the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that the State Board of Education and Board of Higher Education shall establish text message hotlines to assist students and other persons in reporting any cases of sexual assault, grooming, or other violations that occurred within a school district or public institution of higher education or at a function of the school district or institution. Provides that the Boards shall adopt rules establishing the guidelines for the text message hotlines and providing for adequate support assistance to students and other persons who use the text message hotlines. Effective immediately. Filed with the Clerk.
House Bill 5577—Robinson, Jr. Amends the School Code. Provides that a school board shall pay a minimum wage of at least $20 per hour by 2025 for all public school employees, including, but not limited to, custodians, support staff, and substitute teachers. Filed with the Clerk.
SENATE BILLS
Senate Bill 2936—Morrison. Amends the School Code. Provides for dyslexia screening guidelines and rules. Requires the State Board of Education to provide technical assistance for specific learning disabilities to school districts. Provides that, beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, each school district must screen students in grades kindergarten through second for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal screener. Sets forth what the screening must include. Provides for additional screening for a student who is determined to be at risk, or at some risk, for dyslexia to determine if the student has the characteristics of dyslexia. Requires the use of a multi-tiered system of support framework if screening indicates that a student has some risk factors for dyslexia or has the characteristics of dyslexia. Sets forth provisions concerning exceptions to screening, dyslexia intervention services, and reporting. Effective July 1, 2022. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 2943—Villa. Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Grants the Community and Residential Services Authority the authority to provide to youth in this State who are eligible for placement in a residential facility, but who have not been placed in a facility with the opportunity to be placed in a residential facility through the use of an individual agreement. Sets forth the duties of the Community and Residential Services Authority in regard to the placement of youth under an individual agreement in residential placement facilities, including prioritizing residential programs that have been approved by State agencies and preparing the individual agreement contract to be used by State agencies. Effective immediately. Senate Behavioral and Mental Health.
Senate Bill 3093—Murphy. Amends the School Code. Provides that school officials shall limit the number and duration of transfers to alternative schools in place of discipline. Requires a school district to create an Alternative School Bill of Rights by which a pupil who is offered a transfer to an alternative school in place of disciplinary action shall be provided with certain information by the appropriate administrator. Provides that the Alternative School Bill of Rights shall constitute a contract between the school board and the educational rights holder by requiring a signature from either a representative, assignee, or other designated member of the school board and the educational rights holder. Provides that in no event may a school board extend the duration of a pupil’s transfer to an alternative school in place of discipline without written notice to the educational rights holder and an opportunity to be meaningful heard before the school board. Makes related changes. Effective immediately. Senate Assignment.
Senate Bill 3143—Cappel. Amends the Employment of Teachers Article of the School Code. With respect to minimum salaries, provides that if a school board establishes a schedule for teachers’ salaries based on education and experience, then all licensed paraprofessionals employed by that board shall be paid at least one-half of the teacher’s rate in accordance with the provisions of such schedule. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3446—Rezin. Amends the Environmental Barriers Act. Creates the ADA Compliance Commission to establish best practices for a person, entity, unit of local government, or the State to comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Provides that the Commission shall have 13 members appointed to serve 3-year terms. Provides that Commission members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred in performing their duties. Requires the Commission to review any plan or design submitted by a person, entity, unit of local government, or the State for accommodations, housing, public venues, parks, transit, or any other location requiring ADA-compliant access and to provide insight, recommendations, and suggestions on ADA compliance issues. Specifies a civil penalty the Commission may impose upon persons or entities who do not comply with the ADA. Requires the Capital Development Board to provide administrative and other support to the Commission. Provides that any moneys collected under the amendatory provisions shall be deposited into the Capital Development Fund to be used by the Capital Development Board for the purposes of administering and supporting the Commission. Provides that compliance with the insight, recommendations, suggestions, or best practices guide provided by the Commission is an affirmative defense for a person or entity charged in a State court with noncompliance with the ADA. Contains other provisions. Effective January 1, 2023. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3474—Koehler. Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, requires a school district to provide informational material about the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account program to the parent or guardian of a student at the student’s annual individualized education program review meeting. Requires the Office of the State Treasurer to prepare and deliver the informational material to the State Board of Education, and provides that the State Board of Education shall distribute the informational material to school districts. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3630—D. Turner. Amends the School Code. Provides that whether weapons were found on school grounds and whether staff were involved in an altercation or violent incident are to be included on the school report card. Provides that all incidents on school grounds shall be reported to the Illinois State Police. Provides that the State Board of Education shall compile this information by school district and make it available to the public. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3680—Hilton. Amends the School Code. Allows a person who is at least 18 years of age (instead of 19 years of age) to be licensed as a paraprofessional educator. With respect to the paraprofessional competency test, requires the test to be passed within 90 days after employment.
Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3698—Belt. Amends the School Code. Provides that a substitute teacher may teach up to 120 (instead of 90) school days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same school year. Provides that an individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License may teach up to 15 (instead of 5) consecutive days per licensed teacher who is under contract. Provides that a school district may hire an individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License for teacher absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who is under contract, if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency. Provides that the application fee for a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License shall be waived when the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3726—Anderson. Amends the School Code. Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, requires a school board to allow a student who resides in the school district but attends a nonpublic school to participate in extracurricular athletic activities sponsored by the district without being required to enroll or complete coursework at a public school within the district if certain conditions are met. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3768—Castro. Amends the School Code. Removes provisions preventing a charter from not being renewed for a term if an authorizer fails to establish standards and goals. Provides that prior to submitting a renewal proposal a charter school must submit its renewal proposal via certified mail or electronic mail to the local school board, which may, no later than 30 days following the receipt of the renewal proposal, choose to either: (i) take no action on the renewal, which can thereafter be submitted to the State Board as the chartering entity, or (ii) renew the charter school as the chartering entity. Removes provisions requiring that when a charter school is revoked or not renewed, a school board must place all enrolled students in schools that are higher performing than the charter school. Provides that when a State Board reverses a local board’s decision to revoke or not renew a charter based on the State Board approving a lesser amount of funding, then the State Board must remand the appeal to allow the local school board to determine if they will renew the charter at the lesser amount. Provides that the State Board shall biannually (currently, no listed reporting timetable) report the number of charter school participants in a school district which shall be disaggregated by race and ethnicity, household income, students who are English learners, students who have an individualized education program, gender, and students who are homeless. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3792—Castro. Amends the Children and Family Services Act, the Illinois Youthbuild Act, the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act, the School Code, the Public University Uniform Admission Pilot Program Act, the Public Community College Act, the Higher Education Student Assistance Act, the Illinois Insurance Code, the Pharmacy Practice Act, the Structural Pest Control Act, the Community Association Manager Licensing and Disciplinary Act, the Home Inspector License Act, the Real Estate License Act of 2000, the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Firearm Concealed Carry Act, the Illinois Vehicle Code, and the Unified Code of Corrections. Changes references from high school equivalency certificate to State of Illinois High School Diploma. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3839—Tracy. Amends the School Code. Provides that for any 5-year renewal cycle that includes the 2021-2022 school year, each professional educator licensee shall complete a total of 100 hours of professional development during the 5-year renewal cycle in order to renew the license (rather than being required to complete a total of 120 hours). For the 2021-2022 school year only, provides that a licensee with an administrative endorsement who is working in a position requiring such endorsement or an individual with a Teacher Leader endorsement serving in an administrative capacity at least 50% of the day is not required to complete an Illinois Administrators’ Academy course (rather than being required to complete one course). In provisions related to the content of evaluation plans, allows a school district to waive, for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years only, the evaluation requirement of any teacher in contractual continued service whose performance during the last school year in which the teacher was evaluated was rated as either “excellent” or “proficient”. In regard to rules adopted by the State Board of Education concerning educator evaluations, for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years only, provides that factors related to methods of measuring student growth may not be used in any educator evaluation. In regard to the development of an evaluation plan for principals and assistant principals, allows a school district to waive, for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years only, the evaluation requirement of any principal or assistant principal whose performance during the last school year in which the teacher was evaluated was rated as either “excellent” or “proficient”. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3840—Chapin Rose. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Removes the requirement that educator licensure candidates pass a teacher performance assessment. Makes related changes. Effective July 1, 2022. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3879—Villa. Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code with respect to high school course requirements. Beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, provides that foreign language courses may include courses in machine control language. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3889—Cappel. Creates the Children’s Mental Health Council Act. Provides that the Children’s Mental Health Council shall conduct at least 4 meetings each year, in addition to emergency meetings called by the chairperson of the Council, research and provide recommendations for the General Assembly on children with mental and behavioral disabilities and residential placements around the State and out of state, research and provide recommendations on how State agencies will be able to provide emergency placement for children with disabilities, research and provide recommendations on expanding residential beds and increasing the workforce, and providing recommendations for the General Assembly, State Board of Education, Department of Children and Family Services, Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Department of Juvenile Justice, and any other agency that is involved in the process of the placement of a child. Provides guidelines for appointing members. Provides terms for members appointed by the Governor. Provides that members shall serve without compensation. Provides that the State Board of Education shall provide administrative support. Provides that the Council shall prepare and deliver annual reports to the General Assembly, the Governor, and State agencies with any recommendations for legislation and any additional recommendations regarding children’s mental and behavioral health. Provides that the Act is repealed on January 1, 2032. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3893—Joyce. Amends the School Code. Provides that a substitute teacher may teach up to 120 (instead of 90) school days for any one licensed teacher under contract in the same school year. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3900—Lightford. Creates the Right to Read Act. Provides that the State Board of Education shall offer support: to each public school district to select evidence-based core reading instruction programs and implement them using structured literacy instruction; and to each early childhood, elementary, and special education teacher, reading specialist, literacy coach, and administrator to complete evidence-based training in teaching reading. Requires the State Board of Education to annually compile and post on its website information on the steps it has undertaken to support school districts to deliver high-quality, evidence-based literacy instruction, including a list of any Early Literacy Grant recipients, documentation of how the recipient allocated the funding to support improved literacy, and what evidence-based literacy curricula the recipient is utilizing. Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning educator testing, requires applicants seeking specified licenses to pass a test in reading foundations, which shall include assessment of the applicant’s understanding of phonological and phonemic awareness, concepts of print and the alphabetic principle, the role of phonics in promoting reading development, word analysis skills and strategies, vocabulary development, application of reading comprehension skills and strategies, and methods for assessing reading development. In provisions concerning minimum requirements for educators trained in other states or countries, provides that an applicant who has successfully completed a reading foundations test of at least comparable rigor to the Illinois reading foundations test is not required to complete a reading foundations test. Makes other changes. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3902—Lightford. Amends the School Code. Resolves conflicts with versions of provisions concerning prerequisites to receiving a high school diploma from Public Acts 101-654 (Sections 50-5 and 60-5), 102-366, and 102-551. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3907—D. Turner. Amends the School Code. Provides that an individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License may teach up to 15 (instead of 5) consecutive days per licensed teacher who is under contract. Provides that a school district may hire an individual holding a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License for teacher absences lasting 6 or more days per licensed teacher who is under contract, if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3914—Cappel. Amends the School Code. Requires the school board of each school district to grant full-time employees of the district 5 mental health days each school year at full pay. Provides that the employee is not required to provide a medical note or other documentation to use the mental health day. Provides that used and uncompensated mental health days are not eligible for pensionable service credit under the Illinois Pension Code. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3915—Cappel. Amends the School Code. Provides that the application fee for a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License shall be waived when the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3936—Sims, Jr. Creates the Student Confidential Reporting Act. Subject to appropriation, requires the Illinois State Police, in consultation with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, State Board of Education, Department of Children and Family Services, and the Department of Human Services, to establish a program for receiving reports and other information from the public regarding potential self-harm or potential harm or criminal acts directed at school students, school employees, or schools in this State. Requires the program to include a Safe2Help Illinois helpline (defined as a school helpline involving a statewide toll-free telephone number, social media, a website, or other means of communication, or a combination of a toll-free telephone number and another means of communication, that transmits voice, text, photographic, or other messages and information to the Safe2Help Illinois operators). Provides for referrals from and the discontinuance of other State-operated school violence help lines (excluding the CPS Violence Prevention Hotline). Sets forth other program and Illinois State Police requirements. Contains provisions concerning the confidentiality of reported information, funding, and annual reporting. Provides that a Safe2Help Illinois employee, law enforcement agency, or law enforcement official acting in good faith in compliance with the Act shall have immunity from any civil or criminal liability that might otherwise occur as a result of handling tips, with the exception of willful or wanton misconduct. Provides that the Illinois State Police may adopt emergency rules to implement the Act. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3955—Rezin. Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to cooperate with the Chicago school district to locate students that stopped attending school since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and to address issues of truancy and chronic absenteeism. Requires a regional superintendent of schools to increase the regional office of education’s capacity to work with school districts to locate students that stopped attending school since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and to address issues of truancy and chronic absenteeism. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3972—Murphy and T. Cullerton. Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education and the Department of Human Services to jointly establish and administer the Community Career Connections Program beginning with the 2022-2023 school year and continuing for a period of 2 school years. Provides that the Community Career Connections Program shall provide high school credits to eligible applicants in a participating school that receives a direct service professional certification. Requires the State Board of Education and the Department of Human Services to adopt any rules necessary to implement and administer the Community Career Connections Program. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3979—Sims, Jr. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that each qualified teacher is entitled to an income tax credit in an aggregate amount equal to 100% of the minimum federal student loan payments required and made by a qualified teacher in each taxable year. Defines “qualified teacher” as an individual who (i) is employed as a public school teacher on or after December 31, 2022, (ii) is a full-time public school teacher during the taxable year in which he or she claims the credit, and (iii) provides specified documentation. Amends the General Provisions, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), State Universities, and Downstate Teacher Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. With regard to Tier 2 members under the Downstate Teacher or State Universities Article and Tier 2 regular employees who are employees of an educational employer: makes changes to the age and service credit requirements for receiving an annuity; increases the amount of the automatic annual increases to retirement annuities; makes changes to the formula for calculating final average salary; and increases the limitation on the amount of salary that is used to calculate benefits. Provides that a person may receive optional credit for certain periods of service as a student teacher. Amends the School Code. Provides that each school district shall, from funds appropriated by the General Assembly, provide a salary to a student teacher employed by the district for certain school years. Makes other changes. Amends the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Adds student teachers to a provision that excludes certain individuals from the definition of “student”. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3980—Sims, Jr. Amends the Employment of Teachers Article of the School Code. Provides that in fixing salaries of employees, school boards shall pay to employees an hourly rate not less than the following: (i) $20 for the 2022-2023 school year; (ii) $21 for the 2023-2024 school year; and (iii) $22 for the 2024-2025 school year. Provides that the minimum hourly rate for each school year thereafter shall equal the minimum salary rate for the previous school year increased by a percentage equal to the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for all items published by the United States Department of Labor for the previous school year. Provides that “employee” means any employee of the school district who provides educational support services to the district, including, but not limited to, custodial employees, transportation employees, food service providers, classroom assistants, administrative staff, or paraprofessional educators. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3981—Sims, Jr. Amends the School Code. Provides that if an employing board determines to dismiss a teacher during the probationary period (instead of in the last year of a specified probationary period), the employing board must provide a written notice for dismissal with specific reasons for dismissal. Provides that any full-time teacher who does not receive written notice from the employing board at least 45 days before the end of any school term and whose performance does not require dismissal (instead of whose performance does not require dismissal after the fourth probationary year) shall be re-employed for the following school term. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3982—Sims, Jr. Amends the School Code. Requires school districts to make reasonable efforts to provide ongoing professional development to teachers, administrators, school board members, school resource officers, and staff on non-exclusionary discipline practices. Effective July 1, 2023. Senate Assignments.
Senate 3983—Sims, Jr. Amends the Employment of Teachers Article of the School Code. Makes changes to each of the 3 probationary periods pertaining to attaining contractual continued service for certain teachers based upon the teacher’s school terms of service and performance. For the first probationary period, requires the teacher to be employed for 3 (rather than 4) consecutive school terms and to receive an overall annual evaluation rating of at least “Proficient” for all 3 school terms of service (rather than in either the second or third term of service). For the second probationary period, requires the teacher to serve for 2 (rather than 3) consecutive terms of service in which the teacher receives 2 (rather than 3) overall annual evaluations of “Excellent”. For the third probationary period, requires the teacher to receive 2 overall annual evaluations of “Proficient” service (rather than “Excellent” service). Makes a conforming change. Effective July 1, 2023. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3986—Pacione Zayas. Amends the School Code. Prohibits the State Board of Education from developing, purchasing, or requiring a school district to administer, develop, or purchase a standardized assessment for students enrolled or preparing to enroll in prekindergarten through grade 2, other than for diagnostic purposes. Prohibits the State Board of Education from providing funding for any standardized assessment of students enrolled or preparing to enroll in prekindergarten through grade 2. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3988—Pacione Zayas. Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that a paraprofessional educator endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who is at least 18 years of age and will be using the Educator License with Stipulations exclusively for elementary education. Makes a corresponding change. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3990—Pacione Zayas. Amends the School Code. Provides that school counseling services may include the promotion of career and technical education by assisting each student to determine an appropriate postsecondary plan based upon the student’s skills, strengths, and goals and assisting the student to implement the best practices that improve career or workforce readiness after high school.Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 3998—Pacione Zayas. Amends the School Code. Makes changes concerning the Chicago Board of Education’s requirements and criteria for the position of principal of an attendance center. Provides that if the requirements and criteria result or may result in the exclusion of otherwise qualified and licensed candidates from being eligible for selection to serve as a principal, then the Board shall maintain a public database that includes the names of all of the candidates who are eligible to be selected as a principal. Requires the Board to establish due process protections for candidates for the position of principal and establish a grievance procedure for those candidates the Board has deemed ineligible to serve as a principal. Makes changes concerning the use of performance evaluations in determining that a principal is no longer eligible to serve as principal of an attendance center. Effective January 1, 2023. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 4006—Bush. Amends the Autism Spectrum Disorders Reporting Act. Provides that, no later than December 31st of each year, the Department of Human Services shall submit a report to the General Assembly regarding access to applied behavior analysis therapy for people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services and the Department of Insurance to provide all necessary data upon request to the Department of Human Services to facilitate the timely and accurate completion of the report. Sets forth information that the report shall include. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 4056—Belt. Amends Public Act 102-466 to change the effective date of certain provisions. Amends the School Code. Makes changes concerning State Board of Education reporting, references to the Certification of Teachers Article and certification, reporting attacks on school personnel, the Annual State Report on Special Education Performance, the High-Cost Special Education Funding Commission, the evidence-based funding formula, a part-time provisional career and technical educator endorsement or a provisional career and technical educator endorsement on an educator license with stipulations, the heroin and opioid drug prevention pilot program, the Emotional Intelligence and Social and Emotional Learning Task Force, and the limitation on non-instructional costs in the Chicago school district. Repeals provisions concerning the Downstate School Finance Authority for Elementary Districts Law, an alternative education program audit adjustment prohibition, high-skilled manufacturing teaching resources, entrepreneurial skills teaching resources, a job training program prohibition, the Giant Steps Autism Center for Excellence pilot program, fast growth grants, and the Alternative Route to Administrative Certification for National Board Certified Teachers. Amends the School Safety Drill Act. Adds a charter school authorized by the State Board of Education and a special education cooperative to the definition of “school” and requires a charter school to have threat assessment procedures. Amends the Property Tax Code, Illinois Pension Code, and Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act to make related changes. Amends the College and Career Success for All Students Act to make a technical change. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.
Senate Bill 4058—Cappel. Amends the School Code. Provides that prior to approving a contract for any district-administered assessment, except those assessments developed by district teachers or administrators, that will be used to measure student progress at an attendance center within the school district, a school board must hold a public hearing at a regular or special meeting of the school board, in which the terms of the proposal must be substantially presented and an opportunity for allowing public comments must be provided. Provides that notice of such public hearing must be provided at least 10 days prior to the hearing by specified methods. Effective immediately. Senate Assignments.