Education (Student Health)

Encourages all public school districts serving grades 6 through 12 to develop a plan to adopt school start times that reflect the biological sleep needs of adolescents.

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to publish on its website links to resources, self-assessments, and best practices for educators and local policymakers to prevent and address secondary traumatic stress in the workforce. Provides that, by January 1, 2028, each school district must adopt policies and procedures that incorporate the following elements: (1) a commitment to support mental health in the workplace; (2) the establishment of a district-wide workforce mental health committee; (3) regular assessment of district-level and school-level implementation of the policies and procedures that includes input from the workforce; and (4) the provision of appropriate resources and training to schools and staff for continuous improvement. Provides for amending and reviewing policies and procedures.

Amends the School Code. Provides that all mandated categorical programs under the Code and the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act shall be funded at 100% of their required levels as calculated by the State Board of Education, without proration. Provides that, beginning with Fiscal Year 2027, the General Assembly shall appropriate funds for each fiscal year sufficient to fully reimburse school districts for all services and costs under mandated categorical programs, as required under the Code. Requires the State Board to annually provide to the General Assembly, no later than May 1 of each year, the appropriation levels needed to fully fund mandated categorical grant funding for the upcoming fiscal year. With respect to the evidence-based funding formula, provides that the State shall increase annual new State funds to ensure full funding of the formula beginning with Fiscal Year 2027. Requires the State Board to annually determine and report the amount necessary to bring all Tier 1 and Tier 2 organizational units to 100% of their adequacy targets, and requires the General Assembly to appropriate sufficient funds to meet this requirement no later than Fiscal Year 2027. Provides that no organizational unit may receive less than the amount determined under the formula in any fiscal year. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to make grants available for community schools separate and apart from any federal appropriations to be issued to the Afterschool for Children and Teens Now Coalition (ACT Now) through its fiscal sponsor Metropolitan Family Services and disbursed to 32 partner schools in the State. Requires all ACT Now partner schools to develop plans for implementing community schools that include activities in all of the pipeline services. Requires ACT Now partner schools to submit data on services designated by ACT Now annually to the State Board. Requires ACT Now partner schools to submit all oversight and accounting procedures established by ACT Now to the State Board. Requires ACT Now to conduct technical assistance services, provide professional development to schools and partners, and conduct an annual evaluation of a grant awarded by the State Board. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Mental Health Early Action on Campus Act. Requires the Board of Higher Education to establish the Mental Health Council. Establishes the student membership of the Council. Provides that the Council shall make recommendations to the Board regarding youth mental health. Requires the Council to meet at least 4 times annually.

Amends the School Code. Allows a school district, public school, charter school, or nonpublic school to authorize a school nurse or trained personnel to: (1) provide undesignated ready-to-use glucagon to authorized personnel to administer ready-to-use glucagon to a student that meets the student's prescription on file; (2) administer undesignated ready-to-use glucagon that meets the prescription on file to any student who has a plan that authorizes the use of ready-to-use glucagon; and (3) administer undesignated ready-to-use glucagon to any person that the school nurse or trained personnel believes in good faith is having a severe hypoglycemia emergency. Makes conforming changes regarding liability, where and when the undesignated ready-to-use glucagon may be administered, supply maintenance, notification of administration to the student's parent or guardian or emergency contact, training, and reports of administration to the State Board of Education, General Assembly, and Department of Public Health.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Subject to appropriation, requires the Board of Higher Education to create a school counselor stipend program. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of all eligible students and eligible cooperating school counselors who qualify for the stipend program. Sets forth 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 school counselor 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. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to make corresponding changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning the administration of asthma medication, epinephrine injectors, opioid antagonists, and oxygen tanks, provides that "trained personnel" includes athletic coaches and trainers. Allows a pupil with asthma to self-administer and self-carry the pupil's asthma medication at a school-sponsored athletic practice or game. Allows a school nurse or trained personnel to administer undesignated asthma medication to a person at a school-sponsored athletic practice or game. Makes a change to provide that a school district, public school, charter school, or nonpublic school may maintain a supply of asthma medication in the nurse's office. Requires a school district, public school, charter school, or nonpublic school to maintain a supply of asthma medication in a secure location that is accessible before, during, and after school where a person is most at risk on account of physical activity. Requires at least one member of an athletic coach's staff at a school and any athletic trainers at that school to complete the training curriculum relating to the administration of undesignated asthma medication.

Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning in-service training programs for teachers, administrators, and school support personnel, provides that the training regarding health conditions of students shall include the proper handling of service animals in the school setting and the instruction on the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, as it pertains to the school environment, shall include the proper handling of service animals, the rights of students who use service animals, and appropriate interactions with service animals.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Subject to appropriation, requires the Board of Higher Education to create a school counselor stipend program. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of all eligible students and eligible cooperating school counselors who qualify for the stipend program. Sets forth 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 school counselor 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. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to make corresponding changes. Effective immediately.