Education

Creates the Equitable Access to Education, Employment, and Training for Incarcerated Individuals with Disabilities Act. Provides that reasonable accommodations for incarcerated individuals with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability shall include a waiver of any requirement that the individual take the Test of Adult Basic Education and receive a passing score, or take and receive a passing score on any other examination or test that the Department may require to determine academic achievement or access to educational programs, work assignments, and vocational programs. Provides that participation in these programs through the Test of Adult Basic Education waiver and other reasonable accommodations shall qualify individuals with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability to earn earned sentence credit, consistent with opportunities provided to other incarcerated individuals. Provides that Department of Corrections staff, including educational personnel, shall receive annual training on: (1) identifying individuals who have an intellectual disability or a developmental disability; (2) providing accommodations and supports to an individual with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability in educational, employment. and vocational settings; and (3) administering appropriate alternative assessments. Provides that staff training programs shall be developed in collaboration with disability advocacy organizations and educational institutions. Provides that the Department shall ensure compliance with federal disability laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and Rehabilitation Act of 1973, through the implementation of the Act. Provides that individuals with an intellectual disability or a developmental disability who are denied access to programs or accommodations under the Act may file a grievance through the Department's established grievance procedures. Effective immediately.

Appropriates $5,000,000 to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for the School Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program and the Post-Master of Social Work School Social Work Professional Educator License scholarship. Appropriates $1,000,000 to the Department of Human Services for the Nonprofit Clinical Supervision Program grant. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall award a nursing in correctional facilities scholarship to each qualified applicant. Provides that, prior to receiving scholarship assistance for an academic year, each recipient of a scholarship must sign an agreement pledging that, within the one-year period following the termination of the academic program for which the recipient was awarded a scholarship, the recipient shall begin working as a nurse within the Department of Corrections for a period of not less than 3 years. Sets forth provisions concerning the scholarship amount, applicant eligibility, the selection of recipients, applications, the distribution of funds, the fulfillment of the agreement, funding, and rulemaking. Provides that the Department of Corrections, in consultation with the Commission, shall provide an annual report to the General Assembly on effectiveness, including the number of recipients, their service periods, and any challenges faced. Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Creates emergency rulemaking procedures for the student teaching stipend program. Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Authorizes a person to establish optional credit for periods of service as a student teacher under a specified provision of the Board of Higher Education Act. In provisions requiring an additional employer contribution for certain salary increases greater than 6%, provides that the System shall exclude any stipends paid to an eligible cooperating teacher under the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Creates the student teaching stipend program. Defines terms. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of Higher Education of all eligible students and eligible cooperating teachers who qualify for the stipend program. Creates requirements for the disbursement of stipend funds under the program. Provides that an educator preparation program may not prohibit an eligible student from participating in the stipend program or from receiving a stipend from the stipend program. Requires an eligible cooperating teacher who receives a stipend to complete specific training. Requires the Board to issue a report in collaboration with the State Board of Education evaluating the impact of the stipend program. Permits the Board to adopt emergency rules regarding the administration of the stipend program in certain circumstances subject to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Effective immediately.

This bill proposes the appointment of Franciene Sabens as a new member of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

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.

Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that any program of study at a public institution of higher education that improves employability shall be considered equivalent to an acceptable SNAP Employment and Training (E&T) program component, unless prohibited by federal law. Defines "public institution of higher education". Requires the Department of Human Services to adopt any rules necessary to implement the amendatory Act. Provides that rulemaking shall not delay full implementation of the amendatory Act. Effective immediately.

Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Governors State University for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, as follows; General Funds $27,376,700.

Amends the School Code. Provides that immediately upon the determination of a substantial deficiency in reading or the characteristics of dyslexia based upon (i) screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, or assessment data, (ii) statewide assessments, or (iii) teacher observations, the parent or legal guardian of a student in grades 1 through 3 who exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading must be notified in writing by the student's teacher of the following: (1) that the student has been identified as having a substantial deficiency in reading; (2) a description of the services that the school district currently is providing to the student; (3) a description of the proposed supplemental instructional services and supports that are designed to remediate the identified area of reading deficiency which the school district plans to provide the student; and (4) strategies for parents and guardians to use in helping the student to succeed in reading proficiency. Amends the State Mandates Act. Provides that no reimbursement by the State is required for the implementation of any mandate created by the amendatory Act.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Removes language providing that each State university must submit its plan for capital improvements of non-instructional facilities to the Board of Higher Education for approval before final commitments are made if the total cost of the project as approved by the institution's board of control is in excess of $2 million.