Amends the Employment of Teachers Article of the School Code. In a provision requiring a school board, before setting a hearing on charges stemming from causes that are considered remediable, to give a teacher reasonable warning, in writing, stating specifically the causes that, if not removed, may result in charges, allows a teacher to grieve the issuance of such warning pursuant to the applicable collective bargaining agreement to determine whether the board had just cause in issuing the warning. Requires the written warning to narrowly specify the nature of the alleged misconduct that needs to be remedied. Provides that under no circumstances may the written warning remain effective for longer than 4 years from the date of the issuance of the written warning. Requires the school district to use reasonable efforts to remove the written warning from the teacher's personnel file after the 4 years have elapsed or sooner if agreed to through the exclusive bargaining representative, with an exception. Effective immediately.
Amends the Energy Community Reinvestment Act. In provisions concerning the Displaced Energy Worker Dependent Transition Scholarship, provides that a student may receive a scholarship under those provisions for a period that is equivalent to 4 years of full-time enrollment, including summer terms (currently, one calendar year of full-time enrollment, including summer terms). Provides that the displaced energy worker must have lost his or her employment while a resident of Illinois to be eligible for the scholarship program. Effective July 1, 2026.
Amends the School Code. Requires every voting member of a school board of a school district (other than the Chicago school district) to complete a minimum of 4 hours of professional development and leadership training within the first year of every elected term (rather than within the first year of his or her first term). Provides that in addition to training, every voting member of a school board shall, within the first year of every elected term, tour any affiliated education buildings that a student may attend while under the direction of the school district. Effective July 1, 2027.
Amends the Use Tax Act and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Creates sales tax holiday periods for clothing, school supplies, diapers, wipes, and hygiene products. Provides that the sales tax periods shall run from January 1 through January 7 of 2027 and each year thereafter and from August 1 through August 7 of 2027 and each year thereafter. Requires retailers to clearly label sales tax holiday items as such in accordance with rules adopted by the Department of Revenue. Requires the Department of Revenue to establish a public awareness campaign in connection with the sales tax holiday program. Effective immediately.
Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish a Project Success pilot program that is aimed at improving child and family well-being by coordinating services that promote school success, local planning and decision-making, parental involvement, and prevention through partnerships between local school districts and community-based organizations and relevant State agencies. Provides that the pilot program shall operate in communities in East-Central Illinois and shall focus on increasing parents' involvement in their children's academic and emotional development by linking parents to community resources and services that include, but are not limited to, violence prevention, mentoring, tutoring, health education, and community safety. Requires participating communities to establish a local governing board to oversee and implement the coordination of needed services and supports. Contains provisions on the composition of the local governing boards and their duties, including the development of an evolving community action plan that guides their community's use of financial resources, time, staff, services, and other resources to improve families' access to basic health care, behavioral health services, and services that promote family stability and proper nutrition. Requires the Department to initially assist participating communities on how to coordinate services through school-community provider partnerships. Requires the Department to hire a Project Manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of Project Success and to assist participating communities in the development of their community actions plans. Requires the Project Manager to post annual reports on the success of the pilot program, issues or barriers to community implementation, and recommendations. Makes implementation of Project Success subject to appropriations and private funding or resources. Amends the State Finance Act. Adds the Project Success Pilot Program Fund to the list of State special funds.
HB 4520 allocates $1 million from Illinois' General Revenue Fund to establish the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Fund. This funding would support colleges and universities in creating or expanding programs to address student food insecurity. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, and is a straightforward funding measure with no new policy requirements. It directly affects higher education institutions eligible to apply for these grants.
Appropriates $1,000,000 to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to fund the Special Education Teacher Tuition Waiver Program and make grants to reimburse universities for unfunded liabilities related to the Program. Effective July 1, 2026.
Amends the Regional Superintendent of Schools Article of the School Code. With respect to the requirement that institutes provide instruction on trauma-informed practices and include the definitions of trauma, trauma-responsive learning environments, and whole child before the first student attendance day of each school year, makes changes to the definitions of "trauma" and "trauma-responsive learning environments". Defines "trauma-informed practices" to include awareness of populations for whom trauma may be ongoing, relational, and developmentally expressed over time. Effective immediately.
Creates the Financial Empowerment Commission Act. Provides for the establishment of the Financial Empowerment Commission. Provides that the Commission shall support the Board of Higher Education and organizations that provide financial educational programming through various capacity building initiatives. Provides that the Commission, in consultation with the Governor and appropriate State agencies, shall design a database platform to communicate with and connect existing financial literacy resources, programs, products and services in the State. Provides that the Commission shall identify, document, and track key metrics for young adults' financial health and well-being over time. Further provides that the Commission shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly, which shall detail the progress of financial empowerment efforts and the Commission's achievement of its main objectives. Provides that the Commission may collaborate with State and federal agencies, local governments, research and educational institutions, community and nonprofit organizations, financial institutions, the 3 main credit bureaus, service providers, and philanthropic organizations to ensure a coordinated, comprehensive approach with equitable access to resources and programming. Provides that the Commission may issue advisory material to stakeholders across Illinois to ensure monitoring, compliance, and adherence to consumer protection standards and may issue a supplementary report to the Governor and associated State agencies on best practices concerning consumer protections. Provides that the Commission may make policy recommendations to the General Assembly to enhance Illinois students' financial literacy and use of new and existing resources and may recommend that education programs be supported by economic policies dismantling structural issues, such as income disparities and financial barriers to health care.
Recognizes and affirms the profound importance of service animals in supporting the safety, health, independence, and academic success of students with disabilities across Illinois. Encourages all Illinois school districts to continue fostering respect for individuals who use service animals and to promote awareness of the rights and responsibilities established under federal and state law. Urges state agencies, including the Illinois State Board of Education, to review existing policies, administrative rules, oversight practices, and enforcement mechanisms to ensure that all Illinois schools fully comply with disability rights laws governing service-animal access, including appropriate staff training, consistent implementation, and timely resolution of barriers or complaints.
