Education

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education shall create appropriate guidelines for students enrolled in peer-support courses, which shall include, but not be limited to: (i) education on common cognitive and physical disabilities and the associated accommodations as defined in the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; (ii) the skills and knowledge required to support fellow students, including skills and knowledge in a specific course or disciplinary area; (iii) possible methods educators can use to assess the proficiency of student aides; (iv) relevant learning standards and expectations required of student aides; (v) basic classroom management strategies and protocols; (vi) best practices and ethics associated with peer support; (vii) the appropriate etiquette that student aides should follow while interacting and supporting special education students; and (viii) appropriate learning standards that apply to all students enrolled as student aides in peer-support courses.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Creates the Deferred Retirement Option Article. Provides a deferred retirement option plan (DROP) for certain participants under the Downstate Teacher Article who are eligible to retire and meet other criteria. Provides that a participant in the DROP may elect to participate for up to 5 years. Provides that on the effective date of the member's election, the System shall credit the member's account on a monthly basis, for as long as the member participates in the DROP, an amount equal to the monthly amount of retirement annuity the member would otherwise be eligible to receive had the member retired on the date of the election. Provides that the DROP member shall be considered in active service for purposes of participation in a collective bargaining agreement, for health care benefits, and for other purposes. Establishes a DROP administered by the State Treasurer for pension funds or retirement systems that are required to establish a DROP and elect to transfer administrative responsibility for the DROP to the State Treasurer. Sets forth provisions concerning interest on the account; termination of the DROP; contributions; administrative costs; and a DROP advisory board. Effective immediately.

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 Department of Human Services Act. Provides that to ensure Illinois parents with children, including foster parents and parents of adult children with intellectual or developmental disabilities, can easily access all publicly available information on State resources for parents, as soon as practicable the Department shall maintain a publicly accessible webpage on its official website that lists each child care, early child care, education, nutrition, mental health, housing, family planning, cash assistance, health care, and any other program or service for parents operated by the Department or another State agency, including, but not limited to, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Early Childhood, the Department of Public Health, the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. Provides that the webpage must include for each listed program and service a hyperlink to a publicly viewable webpage that is operated and maintained by the State agency responsible for administering the program or service and that includes additional information and resources on the specific program or service.

Amends the Charter Schools Article of the School Code. Provides that that for charter schools authorized by a local school district, administrative fees withheld from a charter school for the purpose of conducting administrative duties related to the administration of charter school contracts, oversight, and authorizing services shall be capped at 3% or less of the total annual public dollars allocated to the charter school. Provides that the 3% total administrative fee collected from a charter school shall include a 2% or less administrative fee collected by a local school district for the purpose of conducting administrative duties related to the administration of charter school contracts, oversight, and authorizing services and 1% to a statewide charter school membership association for the purpose of administering state mandated board governance training. Allows the State Board of Education to withhold up to a 3% administrative fee as the sole statewide charter school authorizer for the purpose of conducting administrative duties related to the administration of charter school contracts, oversight, and authorizing services. Requires that principal metric a district shall consider for a charter school renewal to be academic achievement. Provides that a local school district authorizer shall grant renewal terms of no fewer than 5 years upon renewal of a charter agreement if the charter's average annual summative designation over the term of the contract is in the top 3 summative designations on the State Report Card.

Amends the Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Central Management Services to ensure that, for all job titles and for all State employment, positions that require a college degree or in which a college degree is preferred shall allow for the acceptance of a community college certificate as equal to a college degree, if appropriate in the determination of the Department. Allows the Department to adopt rules.

Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Chicago State University for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, as follows: General Funds $41,334,600: Other State Funds $3,307,000; Total $44,641,600.

House Bill 119 appropriates funds from the state's General Revenue Fund to Eastern Illinois University. Specifically, it allocates $2 to cover the university's general operating expenses for fiscal year 2026. This bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Appropriates $7,500,000 to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for the Human Services Professional Loan Repayment Program. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year and subject to appropriation, provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall, each year, receive and consider applications for grant assistance under a pilot program to be known as the Growing Regional Opportunities for Work (GROW) Illinois Grant Pilot Program. Provides that the Commission may award grants under the program to applicants who are enrolled or plan to enroll at a public community college participating in the program in a certificate, license, or degree program to work in a high-demand industry, among other qualifications. Sets forth provisions concerning grant renewal, posting requirements, the allocation of funding, the application process, matching and unclaimed funds, the grant amount, reporting requirements, and rulemaking. Repeals the provisions on October 1, 2031. Effective immediately.