Education

Amends the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act. Allows a speech-language pathologist to diagnose autism spectrum disorders if: (1) the child is under 3 years of age; and (2) the speech-language pathologist is trained in autism diagnostic evaluation methods as part of the curriculum of an approved program, through worksite training, or through continuing education. Provides that if a diagnosis requires a plan of care that includes elements that are outside the scope of practice of a speech-language pathologist, the speech-language pathologist must refer the patient to the appropriate medical personnel for further evaluation or management. Makes conforming changes in the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code, and provisions of the Illinois Insurance Code concerning autism spectrum disorders. Effective July 1, 2027.

Amends the Budget Stabilization Act. Provides additional scheduled transfers to the Pension Stabilization Fund, sets termination conditions, and clarifies allocation and applicability of payments. Amends the School Code. Establishes a property tax relief grant program for school districts beginning in Fiscal Year 2030, funded from the Education Property Tax Relief Fund. Makes conforming changes in the State Finance Act.

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to make grants available for community schools separate and apart from any federal appropriations to be issued to the Afterschool for Children and Teens Now Coalition (ACT Now) through its fiscal sponsor Metropolitan Family Services and disbursed to 32 partner schools in the State. Requires all ACT Now partner schools to develop plans for implementing community schools that include activities in all of the pipeline services. Requires ACT Now partner schools to submit data on services designated by ACT Now annually to the State Board. Requires ACT Now partner schools to submit all oversight and accounting procedures established by ACT Now to the State Board. Requires ACT Now to conduct technical assistance services, provide professional development to schools and partners, and conduct an annual evaluation of a grant awarded by the State Board. Effective July 1, 2026.

Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Governors State University for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, as follows: General Funds $27,650,500.

Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code. Provides that a charter school's failure to adequately address racial, socioeconomic, or educational disparities between a school district and the charter school or failure to align the charter mission and vision to a school board's mission and vision are both reasons for the school board or State Board of Education, as the chartering entity, to revoke or not renew a charter. Effective immediately.

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 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 State Finance Act. Provides that the State Comptroller, in coordination with the State Board of Education, shall establish and administer a program under which eligible school districts located in Cook County may receive interest-free loans from the State Treasury to address cash flow shortages caused by the delayed issuance of property tax bills by the Cook County Treasurer. Provides that a school district shall be eligible for a loan if the Cook County Treasurer fails to issue property tax bills by the statutory deadline under the Property Tax Code, the failure results in a delay in the receipt of property tax revenues, and the State Board of Education certifies that the district has experienced or will immediately experience a cash flow deficit as a result of the delay. Provides that the loans shall be limited to the amount necessary to maintain essential operations and shall bear no interest to the borrowing district. Provides that the term for a loan shall not exceed 12 months, and that the loan shall repaid in full upon receipt of delayed property tax revenues. Provides that the Cook County shall reimburse the State Treasury for the full amount of interest income lost by the State on any loan. Effective immediately.

Amends the Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act. Requires the Board of Higher Education to establish the Mental Health Council. Establishes the student membership of the Council. Provides that the Council shall make recommendations to the Board regarding youth mental health. Requires the Council to meet at least 4 times annually.

Appropriates $1,000,000 to the Illinois Community College Board for the purpose of implementing the Community College Economic Empowerment Act. Effective July 1, 2026.