Education

signed · Illinois · Senate Jul 24, 2026

SB 2773: PARAPROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Allows the State Superintendent of Education to issue a short-term approval for a paraprofessional educator to an individual who does not meet the requirements necessary for issuance of an Educator License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator endorsement. Provides that the short-term approval authorizes an individual to serve as a paraprofessional educator in a school district, including a charter school, or a State-operated program, with the short-term approval expiring on June 30 immediately following the third full fiscal year after the approval was issued without renewal. Provides that upon expiration of the short-term approval, the State Superintendent of Education shall issue an Educator License with Stipulations with a paraprofessional educator endorsement to the individual if the individual meets specified requirements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows short-term paraprofessional roles without full licensure, easing staffing flexibility for schools and supporting educational access through workforce availability.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Illinois · Senate Jul 24, 2026

SB 2749: DHS-GAMBLING DISORDERS

Amends the Substance Use Disorder Act. Expands the Act to include counseling, referral, and other supportive services for persons with gambling disorders. Requires the Department of Human Services to collaborate with the State Board of Education in the development of instructional resources for substance use or gambling disorder prevention and awareness that may be used by school districts. Permits the Department to cooperate with institutions of higher education in the development of programs on substance use and gambling disorders. Requires the Department to establish a toll-free hotline and website that provides crisis counseling and referral services for families experiencing difficulty related to a gambling disorder. Requires the Department to promote public awareness regarding the impact of gambling disorders on individuals, families, and communities. Makes other changes.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires DHS collaboration with State Board of Education to develop school district instructional resources on gambling disorder prevention, enhancing curriculum content.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands mental health services to include gambling disorder counseling and prevention programs, strengthening public health initiatives under healthcare.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Illinois · House Jul 24, 2026

HB 4581: SCH CD-SPEC ED TRANSITION PLAN

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that, by January 1, 2027, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the State's Work Incentives Planning and Assistance program, shall establish an efficient process by which information about the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance program is disseminated through the State Board to students, parents and guardians, transition planning and services coordinators at school districts, special education joint agreements, and other relevant educational agencies. Effective immediately.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates improved dissemination of transition services info for special education students, enhancing support access and coordination per special education requirements.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Illinois · Senate Jul 24, 2026

SB 2914: SCH CD-REMOVE/DISMISS TEACHERS

Amends the Employment of Teachers Article of the School Code. In a provision requiring a school board, before setting a hearing on charges stemming from causes that are considered remediable, to give a teacher reasonable warning, in writing, stating specifically the causes that, if not removed, may result in charges, allows a teacher to grieve the issuance of such warning pursuant to the applicable collective bargaining agreement to determine whether the board had just cause in issuing the warning. Requires the written warning to narrowly specify the nature of the alleged misconduct that needs to be remedied. Provides that under no circumstances may the written warning remain effective for longer than 4 years from the date of the issuance of the written warning. Requires the school district to use reasonable efforts to remove the written warning from the teacher's personnel file after the 4 years have elapsed or sooner if agreed to through the exclusive bargaining representative, with an exception. Effective immediately.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enables teachers to grieve warnings via collective bargaining, protecting due process in employment - a form of supporting teacher rights under education policy.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill allows teachers to grieve written warnings via collective bargaining, strengthening due process and protecting employment rights in disciplinary procedures.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Illinois · Senate Jul 24, 2026

SB 2913: SCH CD-TEACHER EVALUATION PLAN

Amends the Evaluation of Certified Employees Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, if a school district and its teachers cannot reach agreement over the decision on whether to incorporate the use of data and indicators on student growth as a factor in rating teaching performance into a teacher evaluation plan and there is no collective bargaining agreement that includes or incorporates by reference the teacher evaluation plan, then the student growth component shall be removed from the teacher evaluation plan. Effective immediately.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates inclusion of student growth data in teacher evaluations when agreement is unattainable, supporting standardized teacher accountability within education policy.85% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill mandates student growth data inclusion in teacher evaluations without collective bargaining agreement, overriding union negotiations on evaluation methods and restricting collective bargaining rights.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Illinois · Senate Jul 24, 2026

SB 3051: SCH CD-UNDESIGNATED GLUCAGON

Amends the School Code. Allows a school district, public school, charter school, or nonpublic school to authorize a school nurse or trained personnel to: (1) provide undesignated ready-to-use glucagon to authorized personnel to administer ready-to-use glucagon to a student that meets the student's prescription on file; (2) administer undesignated ready-to-use glucagon that meets the prescription on file to any student who has a plan that authorizes the use of ready-to-use glucagon; and (3) administer undesignated ready-to-use glucagon to any person that the school nurse or trained personnel believes in good faith is having a severe hypoglycemia emergency. Makes conforming changes regarding liability, where and when the undesignated ready-to-use glucagon may be administered, supply maintenance, notification of administration to the student's parent or guardian or emergency contact, training, and reports of administration to the State Board of Education, General Assembly, and Department of Public Health.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows school nurses to administer glucagon for student health emergencies, supporting student safety and access to education within school settings.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows school personnel to administer glucagon without individual prescriptions, improving emergency diabetes care access in schools.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Illinois · House Jul 24, 2026

HB 3250: SCH CD-GLOBAL SCHOLAR CERTIFY

Amends the School Code. Provides that if the provider of the micro-credential or digital badge determines and can demonstrate that a student meets all of the criteria required to earn State Global Scholar Certification, then the school district or nonpublic school shall designate that the student has earned State Global Scholar Certification on the student's diploma and transcript.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill requires schools to recognize State Global Scholar Certification on diplomas/transcripts, expanding student achievement acknowledgment and educational access without restrictions or funding changes.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Illinois · House Jul 24, 2026

HB 4137: EDUC-HOMELESS CHILD-PREVENTION

Amends the Education for Homeless Children Act. Allows a school district to provide for an extended motel stay for a child who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Effective immediately.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill directly supports educational access for homeless children by enabling school districts to provide extended motel stays to prevent homelessness disruptions, advancing K-12 student stability.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill addresses homelessness by enabling extended motel stays for homeless children, directly aligning with housing support indicators like preventing homelessness.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Illinois · House Jul 10, 2026

HB 5225: AUTISM SPECTRUM-DIAGNOSIS

Amends the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act. Allows a speech-language pathologist to diagnose autism spectrum disorders if: (1) the child is under 3 years of age; and (2) the speech-language pathologist is trained in autism diagnostic evaluation methods as part of the curriculum of an approved program, through worksite training, or through continuing education. Provides that if a diagnosis requires a plan of care that includes elements that are outside the scope of practice of a speech-language pathologist, the speech-language pathologist must refer the patient to the appropriate medical personnel for further evaluation or management. Makes conforming changes in the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code, and provisions of the Illinois Insurance Code concerning autism spectrum disorders. Effective July 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables early autism diagnosis by SLPs, improving educational access for young children with autism spectrum disorders through expanded diagnostic capacity.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows trained SLPs to diagnose autism in children under 3, expanding access to early autism spectrum diagnosis and intervention services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Illinois · House Jul 10, 2026

HB 4577: KINDERGARTEN-PLAY-BASED LEARN

Amends the School Code regarding the establishment of kindergartens. With respect to a provision stating that kindergarten should provide opportunities for play-based learning, defines: (1) "play-based learning" as either guided play or student-initiated play; (2) "guided play" as intentional teacher-directed play with activities set up and led by a teacher that are aligned to learning goals or standards; and (3) "student-initiated play" as child-selected opportunities to build, pretend, create, move, or explore in an environment intentionally curated by a teacher to align with learning goals or standards.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill defines play-based learning standards to strengthen kindergarten curriculum implementation, aligning with educational best practices for early childhood development.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education