Amends the Education for Homeless Children Act. Allows a school district to provide for an extended motel stay for a child who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Effective immediately.
Creates the Servicemember Education Rights Veneration Act. Requires institutions of higher education (institution) to accommodate service member student's academic military leave and grant prompt readmission when the service member student has not exceeded a cumulative academic military leave period beyond 5 years, provides advance notice of academic military leave to the institution, and provides notice of intent to return to the institution. Requires the institution to readmit a service member student on academic military leave into the next class, classes, or academic year division following the receipt of the notice of intent to return in accordance with the terms of the accommodation. Contains provisions on exemptions to readmission and related reporting requirements on service member students; investigations by the Attorney General's appointed ISERRA Advocate on whether a readmission exemption exists; and other matters. Requires service member students to provide advance notice of pending military service and prohibits institutions from imposing conditions for academic military leave not otherwise imposed under the Act. Contains provisions on military accommodation; academic obligations of service member students; reimbursement for school expenses; academic withdrawal due to military service; rejection of accommodation and the institution's burden of proof; a 5-year military service limitation; records documentation; advance notice requirements on service member students; notice of intent to return; anti-discrimination protections; academic leave for the spouses of servicemembers; Attorney General enforcement authority; remedies; rulemaking authority; and other matters.
Amends the Evaluation of Certified Employees Article of the School Code. Prohibits an evaluator from using an artificial intelligence tool to assign a numerical score or qualitative rating for any component of a teacher's evaluation or any evaluation task that requires professional judgment. However, allows an artificial intelligence tool to be used to support the evaluator in administrative tasks.
Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that a National Board certification-early childhood generalist endorsement on an Educator License with Stipulations may be issued to an applicant who holds a valid Early Childhood Generalist certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Provides that the endorsement holder is deemed qualified and authorized to provide instruction in early childhood education programs and is deemed to meet or exceed all early childhood instructional competency requirements established by the State Board for pre-kindergarten instruction.
Amends the Smart Start Illinois Act. Expands eligibility under the Smart Start Child Care Workforce Compensation Program to Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
Creates the Servicemember Education Rights Veneration Act. Requires institutions of higher education (institution) to accommodate service member student's academic military leave and grant prompt readmission when the service member student has not exceeded a cumulative academic military leave period beyond 5 years, provides advance notice of academic military leave to the institution, and provides notice of intent to return to the institution. Requires the institution to readmit a service member student on academic military leave into the next class, classes, or academic year division following the receipt of the notice of intent to return in accordance with the terms of the accommodation. Contains provisions on exemptions to readmission and related reporting requirements on service member students; investigations by the Attorney General's appointed ISERRA Advocate on whether a readmission exemption exists; and other matters. Requires service member students to provide advance notice of pending military service and prohibits institutions from imposing conditions for academic military leave not otherwise imposed under the Act. Contains provisions on military accommodation; academic obligations of service member students; reimbursement for school expenses; academic withdrawal due to military service; rejection of accommodation and the institution's burden of proof; a 5-year military service limitation; records documentation; advance notice requirements on service member students; notice of intent to return; anti-discrimination protections; academic leave for the spouses of servicemembers; Attorney General enforcement authority; remedies; rulemaking authority; and other matters.
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 Educator Licensure Article of the School Code with respect to the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program. Provides that a maximum of $2,000 (rather than $1,000) shall be given as monetary assistance and incentives toward the National Board for Professional Teaching standards' renewal application fee. Removes other monetary assistance and incentives. Provides that the State Board of Education shall provide an annual stipend of $4,000 for up to 5 years to teachers who hold current National Board for Professional Teacher Standards certification. Provides that to receive the $4,000 annual stipend, the National Board certified teacher must be employed as a public school teacher and must hold a valid National Board for Professional Teacher Standards certificate throughout each year of the stipend. Provides that if there are adequate funds available, mentoring programming must be made available to support qualified educators in their pursuit of National Board certification. Sets forth specific incentives, and provides that funds may also be used for (i) professional development training provided by National Board certified teachers or (ii) instructional leadership training for qualified educators interested in supporting implementation of the Illinois Learning Standards or teaching and learning priorities of the State Board of Education or both. Provides that the selection of teachers who hold both a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards designation and a current corresponding certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards shall be encouraged for other mentoring programs.
Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning twice-exceptional children, changes references from "children" to "students" and defines "twice-exceptional student". Provides that in the development of an individualized education program (IEP) or federal Section 504 plan for a twice-exceptional student, if the student's ability or achievement indicates that the student would benefit from advanced academic programs, then those abilities or achievement levels shall be recognized and addressed in the student's IEP or Section 504 plan and be reflected in the individualized services, goals, accommodations, and objectives for the student, while continuing to provide appropriate services and support for the student's disabilities in all educational settings. Sets forth what the services, goals, objectives, accommodations, and best practices for identifying and addressing the educational and related needs of a twice-exceptional student may include. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. Creates the Out-of-School Time (OST) Advisory Council for the purpose of providing information and advice to the Governor and State agencies regarding State and federal policy and funding issues affecting out of school time programs. Sets forth membership, co-chairperson's and meetings. Provides that the OST Advisory Council shall: (1) provide information on the status of funding provided for OST programs in each fiscal year; (2) provide recommendations on legislative and administrative action needed to ensure that funding for before and after school programs is allocated promptly to qualified providers of OST programs; (3) provide information on the quality of services and accountability measures that are appropriate for school-age children and youth; (4) provide information regarding challenges faced by OST programs that impede the provision of the best possible services; (5) provide recommendations on the equitable reach of OST programs to ensure that the State has policies in place that promote access to the children and youth most in need of services; (6) make recommendations to the Governor and State agencies on reporting requirements, priority points, statewide evaluation, and licensure for OST programs; and (7) create and deliver to the Governor and General Assembly an annual report on statewide successes in OST and areas of growth for the future. Effective July 1, 2025.
