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 School Code. Provides that no institution of higher education shall establish or maintain any policy which requires student teaching for preservice teachers to be unpaid. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Prohibits a child from being denied a free public education through secondary school while in the State based on the child's or associated person's perceived or actual citizenship or immigration status. Prohibits a school from excluding a child, or associated person, from participation in or denying a child, or associated person, the benefits of any program or activity on the grounds of that child's, or associated person's, actual or perceived citizenship or immigration status. Provides that a school must not use criteria, measures, or methods of administration that have the effect of excluding from participation or denying the benefits of any program or activity because of a child's, or associated person's, actual or perceived immigration status. Prohibits a school from threatening to disclose information regarding or relating to the actual or perceived citizenship or immigration status of a child, or associated person, or actually disclosing information based on perceived or unverified citizenship or immigration status, to any other person, entity, or any immigration or law enforcement agency. Provides that a school must not allow an immigration agent to enter a school site or school district facility for any purpose without providing valid identification, a written statement of purpose, and a valid judicial warrant, and, to the extent possible, receiving approval from the superintendent of the school district or the principal of the charter school, and their legal counsel. Provides that a school district or school must not detain any individual solely on the basis of any formal or informal request, or immigration detainer or civil immigration warrant from an immigration agent. Requires a school district or school to adopt a policy for complying with the amendatory Act. Allows any party aggrieved by a violation of the provisions to bring a civil lawsuit no later than 2 years after the violation occurred. Provides that if the court finds that a violation has occurred, the court may award to the plaintiff 3 times actual damages or $17,000, whichever is greater. Makes other changes.
Amends the Public Community College Act. Provides that the board of trustees of a community college district shall require the primary instructor of a course to meet specified qualifications set forth in the Illinois Administrative Code and any other applicable rules adopted by the Illinois Community College Board. Provides that a course may not, in lieu of a primary instructor, use artificial intelligence or a generative artificial intelligence program.
Amends the Holocaust and Genocide Commission Act to make changes concerning Commission members. Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education shall have departments (rather than divisions) within the State Board. Makes changes concerning block grants for Chicago. Removes language encouraging the State Superintendent of Education to establish a program of academic credit for Tech Prep work-based learning for secondary school students with an interest in pursuing such career training. With respect to a school district's required account audit, provides that the auditing firm for each school district shall file with the State Board the Annual Financial Report no later than February 15 following the end of each fiscal year and makes other changes. With respect to a school financial condition statement, removes language providing that any district from which a report is not received when required shall have its portion of the distributive fund withheld for the next ensuing year until the report is filed and makes other changes. Makes changes concerning a statement of affairs and a report on contracts. Removes language providing for enrollment of an English learner in a program in transitional bilingual education for a period of 3 years. Repeals provisions concerning: the Mathematics and Science Block Grant Program Article; rewards; the Reading Improvement Block Grant Program; the Continued Reading Improvement Block Grant Program; the School STEAM Grant Program; and civic education advancement. Makes conforming and other changes in the School Code and the Bikeway Act. Repeals the Illinois Summer School for the Arts Act and the Interagency Board for Children who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing and have an Emotional or Behavioral Disorder Act.
Amends the School Code by adding the Dual Language Education Article. Requires the State Board of Education to adopt comprehensive guidance for school districts on starting new dual language education programs and expanding existing programs. Provides that the guidance shall cover a comprehensive program structure, curriculum, instruction, assessment and accountability, staff quality and professional development, family and community engagement, and support and resources. Provides that the State Board of Education's Equity Journey Continuum shall integrate: (1) dual language education into the broader framework of student learning to ensure it is considered an essential part of educational equity and excellence; and (2) specific provisions for dual language teachers, focusing on recruitment, professional development, and retention of bilingual educators. Requires a school district to establish recognition pathways for biliteracy at various levels before high school. Requires each school district to: (1) create an intuitive and resource-rich online platform that provides comprehensive information and tools for potential bilingual educators; (2) develop strategies to ensure bilingual educators remain in the profession; and (3) launch a marketing campaign that aligns with the U.S. Department of Education's "Being Bilingual is a Superpower" initiative, focusing on the benefits of bilingualism and highlighting inspiring stories of bilingual educators and students.
Amends the Student Investment Account Act. Allows the State Treasurer to originate, guarantee, acquire, and service refinance loans; invest in, and enter into contracts with, institutions that provide refinance loans; deposit funds with financial institutions that provide refinance loans; establish specific criteria governing the eligibility of entities to participate in the making of refinance loans; charge and collect premiums for insurance on refinance loans; and deduct from a State employee's salary, wages, commissions, and bonuses the recovery of a refinance loan debt. Removes language allowing the State Treasurer to: enter into income share agreements with participants, facilitate income share agreements between participants and eligible income share agreement providers, and perform other acts as may be necessary or desirable in connection with income share agreements; enter into contracts and guarantee agreements as necessary to operate the Student Investment Account with income share agreement providers or qualified income share agreement organizations; establish specific criteria governing the eligibility of entities to participate in the making of income share agreements; pay income share agreement providers or qualified income share agreement organizations an administrative fee in connection with services provided pursuant to the Student Investment Account; charge and collect premiums for insurance on income share agreements; and deduct from a State employee's salary, wages, commissions, and bonuses the recovery of an income share agreement. Allows (rather than requires) the State Treasurer to establish fees to cover the costs of administration, recordkeeping, marketing, and investment management related to the Student Investment Account. Removes language allowing moneys in the Student Investment Account Assistance Fund to be used to provide assistance to income share agreement participants. Makes conforming changes.
Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Adds 5 administrative or faculty members of community colleges to the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board. For a Professional Educator License: provides that the requirements to successfully complete specified coursework are only required until July 1, 2027 or the date that the revised test for a particular content area is implemented, whichever is later; and exempts persons seeking a school support personnel or chief school business official endorsement from the requirement that a person must successfully complete specified coursework. Requires, by July 1, 2027, the State Superintendent of Education to begin incorporating specified topics into revised examinations for individuals seeking a Professional Educator License endorsed in teaching or administration, excluding a chief school business official endorsement. Exempts, for educator licenses, applicants seeking a school support personnel endorsement who hold an active and valid professional license in the same subject matter as the endorsement sought from being required to pass a test of content area knowledge for each area of endorsement for which there is an applicable test. Creates the Teacher Performance Assessment Advisory Committee to aid in operationalizing and creating a pilot, State-developed, teacher performance assessment. Establishes the Paraprofessional to Teacher Pathway Program to provide an expedited pathway for paraprofessionals to earn a Professional Educator License in a specific content area. Sets forth the Program criteria, the requirements for individuals for entry into the Program, and the adoption of rules by the State Board of Education. Provides that an institution of higher education approved to offer educator preparation programs may enter into a partnership agreement with a community college to offer an approved educator preparation program leading to educator licensure for individuals who already hold a bachelor's degree. Makes other changes.
Amends the School Code. Removes language providing that a local program for the education of gifted and talented children may be approved for funding by the State Board of Education if funds for that purpose are available and if the local program submits an application for funds that includes a comprehensive plan. Removes language providing that the State Board of Education staff person in charge of educational programs for gifted and talented children shall be responsible for developing an approval process for educational programs for gifted and talented children. With respect to the evidence-based funding provisions, provides that in the adequacy target calculation, each organizational unit shall receive $40 per kindergarten through grade 12 for advanced academic programs (rather than for gifted investments). Makes related changes.
