Education

Amends the Public Community College Act. Provides that the board of trustees of a community college district shall require the primary instructor of a course to meet specified qualifications set forth in the Illinois Administrative Code and any other applicable rules adopted by the Illinois Community College Board. Provides that a course may not, in lieu of a primary instructor, use artificial intelligence or a generative artificial intelligence program.

Amends the School Code. Requires school districts to annually report to the State Board of Education the following: (1) the amount of funds received by each school district in the preceding school year; (2) the amount of funds reserved by each school district in the preceding school year to serve homeless children and youth; (3) the number of homeless children and youth identified and enrolled in each school district for that same school year; (4) the amount of such funds that were spent on homeless children and youth; (5) the activities on which such funds were spent; and (6) any auxiliary funding provided to the school district through supplemental funding. Requires the State Board to post the information on the State Board's website.

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. With respect to impartial due process hearings, provides that no mediation agreement, resolution agreement, or settlement agreement may include, as a condition of settlement, that a parent, a student (if at least 18 years of age or emancipated), or the designated representative of a student who is at least 18 years of age prospectively waive a free, appropriate public education or prospectively waive the right to assert claims for the nonimplementation of a free, appropriate public education. Provides that any mediation agreement, resolution agreement, or settlement agreement containing such prospective waivers is unenforceable in an administrative proceeding or in a State or federal court. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education shall compile and disseminate annually a list of Illinois organizations offering externships, internships, and volunteer opportunities to young women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Provides that each school board shall post the list disseminated by the State Board of Education in a location easily accessible to students.

Amends the Student Investment Account Act. Allows the State Treasurer to originate, guarantee, acquire, and service refinance loans; invest in, and enter into contracts with, institutions that provide refinance loans; deposit funds with financial institutions that provide refinance loans; establish specific criteria governing the eligibility of entities to participate in the making of refinance loans; charge and collect premiums for insurance on refinance loans; and deduct from a State employee's salary, wages, commissions, and bonuses the recovery of a refinance loan debt. Removes language allowing the State Treasurer to: enter into income share agreements with participants, facilitate income share agreements between participants and eligible income share agreement providers, and perform other acts as may be necessary or desirable in connection with income share agreements; enter into contracts and guarantee agreements as necessary to operate the Student Investment Account with income share agreement providers or qualified income share agreement organizations; establish specific criteria governing the eligibility of entities to participate in the making of income share agreements; pay income share agreement providers or qualified income share agreement organizations an administrative fee in connection with services provided pursuant to the Student Investment Account; charge and collect premiums for insurance on income share agreements; and deduct from a State employee's salary, wages, commissions, and bonuses the recovery of an income share agreement. Allows (rather than requires) the State Treasurer to establish fees to cover the costs of administration, recordkeeping, marketing, and investment management related to the Student Investment Account. Removes language allowing moneys in the Student Investment Account Assistance Fund to be used to provide assistance to income share agreement participants. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, no Later than July 1, 2026, the State Board of Education shall create educational materials that shall be posted publicly on its website and distributed to all school districts in the State that serve any grades kindergarten through 8 on the implementation of American Sign Language instruction into a school's curriculum. Includes a list of educational materials. Allows the State Board to receive assistance from outside organizations, State agencies, or individuals with expertise in American Sign Language that the State Board deems appropriate to assist with the creation of the education materials.

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Adds the Secretary of Early Childhood or his or her designee as a member of the Advisory Council on the Education of Children with Disabilities. Provides that the Council shall establish a committee charged with ensuring that all children aged 3 to 5 with disabilities have access to high-quality, inclusive, early-childhood services, provided in the least restrictive environment, across all early learning settings. Effective immediately.

Creates the Educational Credit for Firefighting Experience Act. Provides that before June 1, 2027, each institution of higher education shall adopt a policy regarding its awarding of academic credit for firefighter training considered applicable to the requirements of a student's certificate or degree program. Requires the policy to apply to any individual who is enrolled in the institution of higher education and who has completed a firefighting training course or program that meets certain requirements. Provides that each institution of higher education shall develop a procedure for receiving the necessary documentation, provide a copy of its policy to certain applicants, and develop and maintain a list of qualifying firefighting training courses and programs. Provides that each institution of higher education shall submit its policy for awarding academic credit to the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board, if applicable, before June 30, 2027 and before June 30 of each year thereafter. Provides that the Board of Higher Education shall collect data in the Illinois Higher Education Information System on students who are firefighters to assess enrollment and completion outcomes.

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that a school shall provide written notice to the parents or guardian of a child with disabilities that the parents or guardian have the right to have an individualized education program (IEP) advocate present at any meeting regarding the child's current or prospective individualized education program and that the parents or guardian have the right to ask for an IEP facilitator for the child's IEP. Provides that the school may provide the written notification as a part of other provided documentation, including, but not limited to, admission and enrollment documents.

Creates the Public University Direct Admission Program Act. Provides that, beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year, the Board of Higher Education, in collaboration with the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and the State Board of Education, shall establish and administer a direct admission program. Requires each public university in the direct admission program to identify and provide its grade point average standards for general admission for first time admission and for transfer students to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission by March 1 of each year. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026 and each July 1 thereafter, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall use data collected from school districts to determine which students meet the standards for general admission and provide the data to the Board of Higher Education. Provides that, beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year, the Board of Higher Education, in collaboration with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission and the State Board of Education, shall develop, in consultation with the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a preselection outreach campaign to encourage qualifying State high school juniors and seniors to apply to the University of Illinois at Chicago or the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Requires the Board of Higher Education to submit a report on the direct admission program and the preselection outreach campaign to the Governor and General Assembly by August 1, 2029 and each August 1 thereafter. Amends the School Code. Requires a school board to provide access to high school student directory information and each student's email address and grade point average to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and each public institution of higher education for the purpose of informing students of educational and career opportunities.