Education

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.

Amends the School Code. Allows a teacher to grieve the issuance of a warning regarding causes that are considered remediable pursuant to the applicable collective bargaining agreement to determine whether the school district had just cause in issuing the warning. Requires notice of remedial warnings to be narrowly specify the nature of the alleged misconduct that needs to be remedied. Provides that general allegations of unprofessional conduct are insufficient to link together otherwise unrelated offenses as related. Provides that under no circumstances shall a notice of remedial warning remain effective or within a teacher's personnel file or record for longer than 3 years from the date of the occurrence which gave rise to the issuance of the notice of remedial warning. Effective immediately.

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.

Creates the Scholarship Accessibility Act. Establishes the Illinois Scholarship Database, to be developed, implemented, and administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, as a utility to improve Illinois students' access to higher education scholarships, as well as to improve their knowledge of scholarships. Provides that to inform students and their parents on what scholarships are and how they are attained and maintained: (1) beginning in the 7th grade, a public school shall inform students of the Database and shall require them to create an account with the Database; (2) the account shall be created jointly by the student and the parent; and (3) both the student and the parent shall have access to the account and the ability to manage activity on the account. Provides that the Database shall allow the student to have and the student is required to complete a profile that: (1) presents a portfolio of the student and who the student is and the student's current year of enrollment; and (2) lists any criminal charge that requires the student to be a part of a registry for a crime the student has committed, unless the student is legally protected under law or court order or another exigent circumstance. Requires the Database to include and display a comprehensive list of scholarships. Allows students 18 or older to be able to create an account with and have access to the Database.

Amends the Public Higher Education Act. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, each public institution of higher education with student health services shall provide enrolled students with access to health care professionals authorized under State law to prescribe contraception. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, if the public institution of higher education's student health services includes a pharmacy, the pharmacy on campus shall dispense contraception to enrolled students who wish to fill their prescriptions at the university pharmacy. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, each public institution of higher education with student health services shall provide enrolled students with access to health care professionals authorized under State law to prescribe medication abortion. Provides that a public institution of higher education that dispenses medication abortion from the university pharmacy shall enter into a referral agreement with a tertiary care facility with obstetrics and gynecological services in the event of complication from medication abortion or suspected complicated pregnancy prior to dispensing medication abortion. Requires each public institution of higher education to report annually to the Board of Higher Education that policies under the provisions have been adopted. Requires the Board to post to its website annually each public institution of higher education's compliance with the policies under the provisions. Effective immediately.

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.