Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Changes the name of the School and Municipal Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program to the Social Worker and School Counselor Shortage Loan Repayment Program. Allows a school counselor to apply for the Program. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall award a grant of up to $8,000 (rather than $6,500) per year for a maximum of 4 years to each qualified applicant. Provides that a grant shall be used for repayment of the recipient's educational loan instead of the Commission encouraging the recipient to use the grant to repay the recipient's educational loan. Makes other and conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2026.
Amends the School Code. Creates the Out-of-School Time (OST) Advisory Council for the purpose of providing information and advice to the Governor and State agencies regarding State and federal policy and funding issues affecting out of school time programs. Sets forth membership, co-chairperson's and meetings. Provides that the OST Advisory Council shall: (1) provide information on the status of funding provided for OST programs in each fiscal year; (2) provide recommendations on legislative and administrative action needed to ensure that funding for before and after school programs is allocated promptly to qualified providers of OST programs; (3) provide information on the quality of services and accountability measures that are appropriate for school-age children and youth; (4) provide information regarding challenges faced by OST programs that impede the provision of the best possible services; (5) provide recommendations on the equitable reach of OST programs to ensure that the State has policies in place that promote access to the children and youth most in need of services; (6) make recommendations to the Governor and State agencies on reporting requirements, priority points, statewide evaluation, and licensure for OST programs; and (7) create and deliver to the Governor and General Assembly an annual report on statewide successes in OST and areas of growth for the future. Effective July 1, 2025.
Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Creates emergency rulemaking procedures for the student teaching stipend program. Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Authorizes a person to establish optional credit for periods of service as a student teacher under a specified provision of the Board of Higher Education Act. In provisions requiring an additional employer contribution for certain salary increases greater than 6%, provides that the System shall exclude any stipends paid to an eligible cooperating teacher under the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Creates the student teaching stipend program. Defines terms. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of Higher Education of all eligible students and eligible cooperating teachers who qualify for the stipend program. Creates requirements for the disbursement of stipend funds under the program. Provides that an educator preparation program may not prohibit an eligible student from participating in the stipend program or from receiving a stipend from the stipend program. Requires an eligible cooperating teacher who receives a stipend to complete specific training. Requires the Board to issue a report in collaboration with the State Board of Education evaluating the impact of the stipend program. Permits the Board to adopt emergency rules regarding the administration of the stipend program in certain circumstances subject to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Effective immediately.
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Establishes that a municipality that operates an automated speed enforcement system shall set aside 10% of the net proceeds from each system that generates more than $500,000 in revenue for the respective school district or park district in the safety zone in which the automated speed enforcement system is located. Provides that the set aside proceeds may be allocated for any purpose designated by the school district or park district. Set forth home rule provisions.
Creates the Educator Health Insurance Task Force to study the feasibility of creating regional health insurance purchasing pools of school districts accessible to all public educators in school districts that have a population of less than 500,000.
Amends the Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act. Provides that the expert panel designated by the board of trustees to develop and implement policies and procedures shall be comprised of at least 2 administrators, 2 members of faculty, and one mental health professional. Requires each public college or university to provide at least 3 on-site licensed clinical professional counselors or licensed clinical social workers.
Amends the Student Loan Servicing Rights Act. Creates within the Act an Article concerning educational income share agreements. Contains provisions concerning: monthly payment affordability; maximum annual percentage rates; limits on the duration of income share agreements; risk sharing; limits on covered income; fees; restrictions on security interests; discharge of obligations; prohibitions on cosigners; limits on acceleration; assignment of wages; limitations on garnishment; use of multiple agreements; required disclosures; early completion of the agreement; assumption of increases in future income; receipts; and adjustment of dollar amounts. Provides that the Attorney General may enforce a violation of the Educational Income Share Agreements Article of the Student Loan Servicing Rights Act as an unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Makes other changes. Amends the Consumer Installment Loan Act and the Interest Act to make conforming changes. Provides that the provisions of the amendatory Act are severable. Effective immediately.
Amends Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act. Defines "transfer articulation agreement". Sets forth the purpose of the Act. Provides that a State university shall (rather than the General Assembly encourages State universities) to facilitate the seamless transfer of credits toward a baccalaureate degree. Provides that a State university shall enter into a transfer articulation agreement with the community college district to provide a seamless pathway for transfer. Provides that if, within 180 calendar days of the community college's initial request to enter into a transfer articulation agreement with the State university, the community college and State university do not reach agreement on the transfer articulation agreement, then the community college and State university shall jointly implement the provisions of the Model Transfer Articulation Agreement. Provides that a Model Transfer Articulation Agreement shall be developed through a Transfer Articulation Committee by December 31, 2025. Requires each community college and State university to publish the institution's process and timeline for reviewing and making decisions regarding transfer credit requests on the institution's website. Removes language regarding the Board of Higher Education's reviews and reports. Provides instead that, by May 1, 2026, and May 1 of each subsequent year, each State university shall report to the Board of Higher Education specified information. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Allows a student enrolled in grade 7 or 8 to enroll in a required high school course if the course is offered by the high school that the student would attend and the student participates in the course where the student attends school as long as the student passes the end of course exam given at the high school granting the credit for the same course, demonstrating proficiency at the high school level (course is taught by a teacher who holds a professional educator license issued under Article 21B of this Code and endorsed for the grade level and content area of the course).
Amends the Illinois Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act. Provides that Local Emergency Planning Committees and the State Emergency Response Commission shall partner with schools and school districts regarding safety threats posed by storage and transport of hazardous substances near schools. Provides requirements for a comprehensive emergency response plan to go into effect. Details duties of the State Emergency Response Commission, working in consultation with Local Emergency Planning Committees and schools, with respect to planning and preparedness. Provides for rulemaking by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security. Directs the Illinois Emergency Response Commission and Local Emergency Response Committees to create a timeline for compliance with the requirements of the amendatory Act not to exceed 2 years. Defines terms.
