Education

passed · Illinois · House Jun 2, 2025

HB 3503: CURRICULUM OVERVIEW&ALIGNMENT

Creates the Illinois Curriculum Overview and Alignment Act. Requires, beginning January 1, 2026, the State Board of Education to conduct a comprehensive review of all mandated units of study every 5 years. Sets forth what the review shall include. Provides that the review process shall incorporate feedback from educators and administrators, parents and guardians, students, via surveys or focus groups, and subject matter experts and community organizations. Requires the State Board of Education to publish a public report summarizing findings and recommendations from the curriculum overview. Provides that following each curriculum overview, the State Board of Education shall: (1) develop an action plan to address identified gaps or areas for improvement; (2) provide professional development for educators on updates or changes; and (3) monitor the implementation of curriculum updates and assess their impact on student outcomes. Requires the General Assembly to appropriate funds necessary for the State Board of Education to carry out the requirements of the Act. Effective immediately.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires curriculum review with stakeholder feedback to ensure alignment and quality, advancing educational standards through structured oversight.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Illinois · House Jun 2, 2025

HB 1838: SCH CD-SELECTIVE ADMISSIONS

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school board of a school district with 275,000 students or more shall prohibit any school of the district that has selective admission requirements from requiring a student in a pre-kindergarten program of the district to take a standardized test in order to be admitted to that school. Effective immediately.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves standardized test requirement for pre-K admission to selective schools, expanding access without barriers for young students in K-12 education.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Illinois · House Jun 2, 2025

HB 2466: HIGHER ED-INCARCERATED STUDENT

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Removes a provision specifically excluding academic programs for incarcerated students from the definition of "institution of higher learning", "qualified institution", and "institution". In provisions concerning the AIM HIGH Grant Program, removes the grant eligibility requirement that an applicant not be incarcerated.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves barriers to higher education for incarcerated individuals, promoting rehabilitation and reducing recidivism - key criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves exclusion of incarcerated students from higher education program definitions and grant eligibility, expanding educational access for a previously barred population.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed both · Illinois · Senate May 31, 2025

SJR 13: LIBRARY ACCESS TASK FORCE

Creates the University Library & Professional Librarian Access & Transparency Task Force to examine the current state of libraries and professional librarianship on Illinois public university campuses and present a recommendation to the General Assembly to ensure that public academic libraries and the educational services provided by professional librarian faculty remains a viable and healthy benefit to Illinois students.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates task force to examine and recommend preserving university library services and professional librarian roles, directly protecting educational resources for students.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Illinois · House May 30, 2025

HJR 39: SUPPORT-AUTISTIC INDIVIDUALS

Reaffirms commitment to upholding the health, dignity, and civil rights of all people with disabilities, including Autistic individuals across the spectrum of strengths, needs, and identities. Recognizes and honors the rightful presence, contributions, and leadership of neurodivergent individuals in inclusive schools, workplaces, and communities throughout every stage of life.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly recognizes neurodivergent individuals' presence in inclusive schools, advancing educational access for autistic students through civil rights affirmation.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Illinois · House May 27, 2025

HJR 29: ISBE-GIFTED LEARNERS

Directs the Professional Review Panel and the Illinois State Board of Education to conduct the analysis and financial modeling required to evaluate the implications of including other categories of advanced learners in addition to gifted as adequacy factors beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationDirects analysis to expand gifted learner categories, supporting broader educational access for advanced students through potential policy adjustments.85% confidence | Rep's Stance Voted absent

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passed · Illinois · House May 27, 2025

HR 133: WHOLE CHILD MONTH

Declares March 2025 as Illinois Whole Child Month to recognize the value of assuring that each student is challenged, supported, healthy, safe, and engaged. Urges parents, educators, and community members to support a whole child approach to education for each student. Urges every school in Illinois to celebrate Whole Child Month by adopting at least one of the whole child tenets to promote and encourage throughout the month.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationUrges schools to adopt whole child tenets promoting student health, safety, and engagement, enhancing holistic educational approaches95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Illinois · House May 21, 2025

HB 2696: SCH CD/SOPPA-COVERED INFO

Amends the School Code. Provides that the vendor of an assessment administered by the State Board of Education for the purpose of student application to or admissions consideration by institutions of higher education under a contract entered into, amended, renewed, or extended on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act must not sell or commercially exploit in any way covered information, as defined in the Student Online Personal Protection Act, that the vendor has access to because of its status as the vendor. Amends the Student Online Personal Protection Act. Provides that any person aggrieved by an operator's violation of the Act shall have a right of action in a State circuit court or as a supplemental claim in federal district court against the operator.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationPrevents commercial exploitation of student assessment data under SOPPA, protecting student privacy in educational contexts per bill's vendor restrictions.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyPrevents vendors from selling student data under SOPPA, directly protecting student data privacy per bill's prohibition on commercial exploitation of covered information.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Illinois · House May 2, 2025

HB 3252: SCH CD-WORK PREP COURSE

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school district that maintains any of grades 9 through 12 and offers school facilitated employment, career pathways, or internship experiences shall provide to students participating in the program (rather than may include in its high school curriculum): (1) instruction on workplace preparation that covers legal protections in the workplace; and (2) protection against sexual harassment and racial and other forms of discrimination.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates workplace prep and anti-discrimination training in career programs, enhancing curriculum standards for student safety and rights in K-12 education.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires workplace preparation instruction covering legal protections, anti-harassment, and anti-discrimination, directly advancing worker rights education for future employees.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Illinois · House Apr 23, 2025

HB 1869: SCH CD-SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

Amends the Regional Superintendent of Schools Article of the School Code. Allows the State Superintendent of Education to designate a regional office of education or intermediate service center as a learning partner in any iteration of the statewide system of support so that services are provided to schools that are identified for school improvement under (i) the accountability system and (ii) the definition for Targeted, Comprehensive, or Intensive. Provides that the status of learning partner may be revoked at the State Superintendent's sole discretion. Effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationDesignates regional offices as learning partners to provide support services to schools under improvement, strengthening systemic support for struggling schools.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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