Education

Amends the Illinois Library System Act. Increases the amounts to be provided by the State Librarian for annual library system grants, for annual grants to qualified public libraries in the State, and for annual school library grants. Effective immediately.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Allows an institution of higher education approved to offer educator preparation programs to pursue accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). Provides that an institution of higher education that receives and retains CAEP accreditation may forgo the State reauthorization process. Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules for the reauthorization of a CAEP-accredited institution of higher education.

Amends the School Code. In the Courses of Study Article, provides that each school district and its schools shall create, maintain, and implement a policy for providing academic, social-emotional, and behavioral intervention within a framework of a multi-tiered system of support. Provides that the multi-tiered system of support process should use a collaborative team approach and include the engagement of and regular communication with the child's parent or guardian. Requires the parent or guardian of a child identified for additional support to be provided with written notice of the school district's use of scientific, research-based intervention within a multi-tiered system of support and the purpose of the intervention. Allows the parent or guardian to be part of the collaborative team approach at the discretion of the school district. Provides that the parent or guardian shall be provided all data collected and reviewed by the school district with regard to the child in the scientific, research-based intervention or multi-tiered system of support process. Allows the State Board of Education to provide guidance to school districts and identify available resources related to facilitating parent or guardian engagement in a multi-tiered system of support process. In the Children with Disabilities Article, repeals a Section concerning the response to scientific, research-based intervention or a multi-tiered system of support process.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In a provision regarding endorsements on Professional Educator Licenses, provides for a special education endorsement in the area of deaf-hard of hearing with sign proficiency.

Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning the administration of asthma medication, epinephrine injectors, opioid antagonists, and oxygen tanks, provides that "trained personnel" includes athletic coaches and trainers. Allows a pupil with asthma to self-administer and self-carry the pupil's asthma medication at a school-sponsored athletic practice or game. Allows a school nurse or trained personnel to administer undesignated asthma medication to a person at a school-sponsored athletic practice or game. Makes a change to provide that a school district, public school, charter school, or nonpublic school may maintain a supply of asthma medication in the nurse's office. Requires a school district, public school, charter school, or nonpublic school to maintain a supply of asthma medication in a secure location that is accessible before, during, and after school where a person is most at risk on account of physical activity. Requires at least one member of an athletic coach's staff at a school and any athletic trainers at that school to complete the training curriculum relating to the administration of undesignated asthma medication.

Amends the School Code. Requires every public elementary and high school to include in its curriculum the study of the contributions made by Latin Americans to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the United States. Provides that the regional superintendent of schools shall monitor a school district's compliance with the requirement during the regional superintendent's annual compliance visit and make recommendations for improvement. Provides that the failure by a school district or school to comply with the requirement shall result in a written warning for the first offense, and if the school district or school continues to fail to comply with the requirements, the school district or school shall face disciplinary action at the discretion of the regional superintendent. Requires the State Superintendent of Education to prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials and professional development opportunities that may be used as guidelines for the development of a Latin American unit of study. Effective August 1, 2026.

Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning radon testing, provides that every school building of a school district that is occupied or will be occupied shall be tested by January 1, 2029 and shall be retested every 5 years thereafter for radon (instead of recommending that every occupied school building of a school district be tested every 5 years for radon). Provides that all new schools of a school district shall be built using radon resistant new construction techniques in accordance with the American National Standards Institute/American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists CC-1000, Soil Gas Control Systems in New Construction of Multifamily, School, Commercial and Mixed-Use Buildings standard or a successor standard (instead of recommending that new schools of a school district be built using radon resistant new construction techniques, as shown in the United States Environmental Protection Agency document, Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings). Removes a provision allowing a person to perform radon screening tests without a license. Makes changes concerning the exemption. Provides that if radon is found to exceed specified levels, then the school district shall (instead of may) hire a licensed radon professional to perform confirmatory measurements (instead of to perform measurements before any mitigation decisions are made). Sets forth provisions concerning mitigation. Provides that a school district may use life safety funds, if available, for radon testing and mitigation. Preempts home rule powers.

Creates the Servicemember Education Rights Veneration Act. Requires institutions of higher education (institution) to accommodate service member student's academic military leave and grant prompt readmission when the service member student has not exceeded a cumulative academic military leave period beyond 5 years, provides advance notice of academic military leave to the institution, and provides notice of intent to return to the institution. Requires the institution to readmit a service member student on academic military leave into the next class, classes, or academic year division following the receipt of the notice of intent to return in accordance with the terms of the accommodation. Contains provisions on exemptions to readmission and related reporting requirements on service member students; investigations by the Attorney General's appointed ISERRA Advocate on whether a readmission exemption exists; and other matters. Requires service member students to provide advance notice of pending military service and prohibits institutions from imposing conditions for academic military leave not otherwise imposed under the Act. Contains provisions on military accommodation; academic obligations of service member students; reimbursement for school expenses; academic withdrawal due to military service; rejection of accommodation and the institution's burden of proof; a 5-year military service limitation; records documentation; advance notice requirements on service member students; notice of intent to return; anti-discrimination protections; academic leave for the spouses of servicemembers; Attorney General enforcement authority; remedies; rulemaking authority; and other matters.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In a provision regarding the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program, changes the definition of "hard-to-staff school" to mean a public school that either (i) is identified as hard-to-staff based on data reported on its school report card or (ii) does not have a school report card but serves a student population in which 30% or more of the student enrollment is considered low-income as determined by the State Board of Education using available enrollment or funding data, and provides that the State Board may not deny a National Board certified teacher a retention bonus solely because the public school at which the teacher is employed does not have a school report card.

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that within 14 school days after receiving a written request for a federal Section 504 plan from a child's parent or guardian, a school district shall determine whether the clinical information provided by the parent or guardian is sufficient to support the need for a Section 504 plan, whether further evaluation is warranted to make that determination, or whether there is no basis for an evaluation or plan based on available information. Provides that if the district decides not to confer eligibility based on existing information or to conduct an evaluation, the district shall provide written notice to the parent or guardian explaining the rationale for the decision. Provides that if the district agrees to an evaluation, a meeting with the parent or guardian shall be held no later than 14 school days after receiving the written request. Requires the district to convene a team that shall identify the assessments necessary to complete the evaluation. Provides that for a student with documentation from a licensed health care provider indicating the need for an individualized health care plan to address a likely medical threat to the student's health or safety, the school's Section 504 plan team shall meet with the parent or guardian to consider creation of an interim Section 504 plan consistent with the health care provider's recommendations within 5 school days after receipt of the documentation, and if the Section 504 plan team agrees with the health care provider's recommendation, implementation of the requisite accommodations shall commence no later than 5 school days after the planning meeting. Effective immediately.