As the curtains draw to a close on Senate Committee Deadline Week, and with the primary election looming on Tuesday, the corridors of government and the intricacies of politics have been bustling with anticipation. We experienced another somewhat understated week at the Capitol - legislatively, that is. You have likely heard by now that the Capitol did experience a lockdown on Tuesday following a possible threat. All was clear within about an hour and legislative activities resumed, uninterrupted for the remainder of the week. Below is a recap of this week’s education-related bill movement.
House Appropriations - Elementary & Secondary Education Committee
On Tuesday, the House Appropriations-Elementary & Secondary Education Committee continued a series of subject matter hearings to discuss FY 25 budgetary proposals. During the subject matter, the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS) discussed HB 4800 (Davis-D; East Hazel Crest), the services ROE’s and ISC’s offer to their districts, and the association's recommendation regarding budget line items that fund safe and alternative schools.
HB 4800 seeks to address funding for alternative school programs. Currently, the base funding for regional safe schools per statute is set at $30,000, and this legislation seeks to fund an increase to the base allocation to $100,000. That base would only move to $100,000 if the legislature funds the program at or above $22.7 million in any fiscal year. Additionally, the bill calls for allocations to be based on the average student enrollment instead of the best three months average daily attendance.
Senate Education
SB 2689 (Peters-D; Chicago) by June 1, 2025, the State Board of Education, with input from the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, will create rules for a Montessori education endorsement to be included on a Professional Educator License. These rules will specify the criteria for acquiring the endorsement. The amended bill passed out of committee with a unanimous vote.
SB 2861 (Morrison-D; Deerfield) requires athletic associations that sponsor interscholastic athletics to adopt the Spirit Rules Book published by the National Federation of State High School Associations to regulate safety standards for student cheerleaders, spirit groups, and their coaches. The bill passed out of committee with a unanimous vote.
SB 2872 (Ventura-D; Joliet) is permissive and allows school districts to incorporate at least 20 minutes per week of relaxation activities aimed at enhancing the mental and physical health of students. The original bill that was filed last spring would have mandated this practice in schools, but the Senator amended the bill following stakeholder discussions to make it optional. The bill passed along partisan lines through committee.
SB 3151 (Stadelman-D; Rockford) includes a requirement to add instruction in worker safety in highway construction and maintenance to the drivers’ education curriculum. The amendment to the bill eliminated the original bill language that would have required this instruction to constitute one clock hour of instruction on this topic. The amended bill passed out of committee with a unanimous vote.
SB 3571 (Harriss-R; Edwardsville) requires every school building to have an AED available on site during the school day and during any school-sponsored extracurricular activities. The AEDs that districts have already installed as per the Physical Fitness Facility Medical Emergency Preparedness Act would satisfy this requirement. The amended bill passed out of committee with a unanimous vote.
SB 3768 (Glowiak Hilton-D; Oakbrook Terrace) expands the definition of which students with disabilities may be served at the Phillip J Rock Center and School in Glen Ellyn. Specifically, the school will be able to serve more students than just deaf and blind individuals by allowing the school to educate students with only a hearing impairment or only a visual impairment in addition to students who are both deaf and blind. The bill passed out of committee with a unanimous vote.
House K12 Education: School Curriculum and Policies
HB 4175 (Croke-D; Chicago) prohibits nonpublic schools from engaging in corporal punishment of a student. The bill passed out of committee with a partisan vote.
HB 5276 (Ness-D; Carpentersville) requires consideration of the assistive technology needs of the student related to the student’s transition goals to be included as part of a transition planning process. The bill passed out of committee with a unanimous vote but was held on second reading for an amendment.
HB 5406 (Yang Rohr-D; Naperville) places limits on the amount of time that students would be allowed to participate in athletic competitions and practices per week. Specifically, the bill provides for no more than 18 hours of practice per week and no more than four hours per day. The bill contains a variety of definitions of what constitutes “practice” that would count towards the weekly and daily limits. The bill passed out of committee with a partisan vote but was held on second reading for an amendment.
House K12 Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools
HB 4581 (Mussman-D; Schaumburg) aims to address situations with students who turn 18, who are placed in residential settings and whose placements are funded by a state agency or private insurance. Specifically, if students turn 18 and their parents have not pursued a guardianship arrangement, they can lose access to their residential placements. The bill provides that the students’ resident district shall be considered the district in which their parent resides. The bill passed out of committee with a unanimous vote.
HB 4622 (Didech-D; Buffalo Grove) is one of several mandate-related bills filed this session and it would create the Local School District Impact Note Act. The proposal would provide that the State Board of Education would create a note that includes the fiscal and operational impact of any bill filed that would impact school districts. The note would be filed upon the request of the sponsor of the mandate bill and individual school districts would also have an opportunity to provide explanatory statements on the fiscal and operational impacts of the bill on their local districts. The bill passed out of committee with a unanimous vote but was held on second reading for an amendment. Conversations will be continuing with ISBE to ensure the process is achievable for all stakeholders.
HB 4903 (Faver Dias-D; Grayslake) creates the Air Quality in Schools Task Force. The group would be charged with studying and making recommendations to the General Assembly on air quality goals for all schools in the state and includes recommendations for funding of these goals. The bill was passed out of committee with a unanimous vote but was held on second reading for an amendment.
House Adoption & Child Welfare
HB 4407 (Faver Dias-D; Grayslake) requires that if a finding of child abuse is overturned through a hearing process, the school district shall receive a notification letter that will include a date for previous reports to be expunged from the child’s record. Requires school districts to purge the final finding report from the student’s record in accordance with the Illinois School Student Records Act.
Senate Executive
SB 1 (Lightford-D; Hillside) is the legislative vehicle that is being used for the creation of a brand-new state agency, entitled the Department of Early Childhood. This initiative of the Governor’s Office is an extension of the Smart Start Illinois Plan and is supported by the Illinois State Board of Education and a number of advocacy groups, such as Start Early, Advance Illinois, Illinois Action for Children and the Latino Policy Forum, among others. The legislation does specify that the Preschool for All (PFA), Preschool for All Expansion (PFAE), and the Prevention Initiative (PI) programs will be transferred to the new agency from ISBE by July 1, 2026. The bill has been a work in progress, undergoing multiple amendments and was passed with a unanimous vote.
Senate Revenue
SB 2878 (Ellman-D; Naperville) permanently eliminates the requirement for senior citizens to have to reapply for the homestead exemption in Cook County. The bill passed out of committee with a unanimous vote.
SB 3455 (Martwick-D; Chicago) directs the Department of Revenue, in conjunction with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, to conduct a study that aims to evaluate the property tax system in the state. The full scope of the directive related to what exactly the Department is expected to study can be found in the full text of the bill here. The bill passed out of committee with a unanimous vote.
House Personnel & Pensions
HB 4662 (Elik-R; Alton) seeks to extend the allowance for TRS retirees to return to full time service in subject shortage areas without impacting their retirement annuities. The program has been in statute since 2003 and has been extended a number of times since enactment. The current bill would extend the program through 2029. The bill passed out of committee with a unanimous vote.
Weekly Wrap-Up
As we prepare for the week ahead, it is important to note that the legislative schedule may see adjustments due to the General Primary Election taking place on Tuesday. With the democratic process at the forefront, we anticipate potential shifts in timelines and priorities as we navigate this significant event. Stay tuned for updates on any changes to the agenda and remember to exercise your right to vote! Your engagement is vital in shaping the future of our legislative proposals and discussions.
As always, thank you for reading, and for your engagement in advocacy efforts for education in Illinois!