Education

Amends the Local Government Debt Reform Act. Provides that, in the case of bonds authorized to be issued under the School Code and approved by voters of Iroquois County Community Unit School District Number 9 in an April 2021 referendum, the bond approval, once obtained, remains for 10 years after the date of the referendum. Effective immediately.

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 the School Code. Allows a student enrolled in grade 7 or 8 to enroll in a required high school course if the course is offered by the high school that the student would attend and the student participates in the course where the student attends school as long as the student passes the end of course exam given at the high school granting the credit for the same course, demonstrating proficiency at the high school level (course is taught by a teacher who holds a professional educator license issued under Article 21B of this Code and endorsed for the grade level and content area of the course).

Amends the Compulsory Attendance Article of the School Code. Provides that a female student in any of grades 6 through 12 who is participating in an educational program in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, subject to guidelines established by the State Board of Education, shall be permitted by a school board to have one school-day-long, excused absence per school year to participate in an externship or volunteer opportunity with an Illinois organization in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. Provides that the school board may require that the student provide reasonable advance notice of the intended absence to the appropriate school administrator and require that the student provide documentation of the participation in an externship or volunteer opportunity to the appropriate school administrator.

Amends the School Code and the Deceased, Disabled, and MIA/POW Veterans' Dependents Educational Opportunity Grant Act. In provisions concerning the Deceased, Disabled, and MIA/POW Veterans' Dependents scholarship and the Deceased, Disabled, and MIA/POW Veterans' Dependents Educational Opportunity Grant program, provides that the Department of Veterans' Affairs shall determine, by rule, the eligibility of the persons who apply for the scholarship or grant (rather than the Department shall determine the eligibility of the persons who apply For the scholarship or grant).

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Requires an approved provider of professional development activities for the renewal of a Professional Educator License to ensure that professional development related to English language arts is aligned with the comprehensive literacy plan for the State developed by the State Board of Education. Effective immediately.

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Allows the school district to initiate an impartial due process hearing within 14 (rather than 5) days of any written parent request for an independent educational evaluation to show that its evaluation is appropriate. Requires an independent educational evaluation at public expense to be completed within 60 school days (rather than 30 days) of a parent's written request unless the school district initiates an impartial due process hearing or the parent or school district offers reasonable grounds to show that such time period should be extended. Provides that if the due process hearing decision indicates that the parent is entitled to an independent educational evaluation, it must be completed within 60 school days (rather than 30 days) of the decision unless the parent or the school district offers reasonable grounds to show that such period should be extended.