Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax deduction for any amounts paid by the taxpayer's employer on behalf of the taxpayer as part of an educational assistance program. Creates an income tax deduction for any amounts paid by the taxpayer on behalf of an employee of the taxpayer as part of an educational assistance program. Provides that the deductions are limited to the first $5,250 of such assistance so furnished to any individual. Effective immediately.
Repeals the School Construction Bond Act. Amends the Statute on Statutes, the General Obligation Bond Act, and the Prevailing Wage Act to make conforming changes.
Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.
Appropriates $250,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for the payment of scholarships to students who qualify for the Journalism Student Scholarship Program.
Amends the School Code. In a provision regarding an optional alternative evaluative dismissal process for teacher evaluations, removes the definition of and references to "student growth components". Makes the following changes in the Evaluation of Certified Employees Article: Removes the definitions of and references to "implementation date", "Race to the Top Grant", and "School Improvement Grant". Provides that, beginning July 1, 2025, each school district may incorporate the use of data and indicators on student growth as a factor in rating teaching performance into its evaluation plan for all teachers in contractual continued service and teachers not in contractual continued service (now, a school district is required to incorporate student growth data and indicators as a significant factor). Makes other changes concerning student growth. Changes the components of an evaluation plan for a teacher's performance. Makes changes concerning a principal's or assistant principal's evaluation. With respect to the types of rules the State Board of Education may adopt, removes the inclusion of rules that (i) define the term "significant" factor" for purposes of including consideration of student growth in performance ratings and (ii) establish a model evaluation plan for use by school districts in which student growth shall comprise 50% of the performance rating. Allows a school district (rather than only a school district with 500,000 or more inhabitants) to use an annual State assessment as a measure of student growth for purposes of teacher or principal evaluations. Removes and changes outdated provisions. Makes other and conforming changes. Effective July 1, 2025.
Amends the Grow Your Own Teacher Education Act. In a provision regarding the selection of grantees, provides that: State appropriations shall be allocated with the intention of providing direct candidate support through consortia; and Grown Your Own Illinois may use no more than 5% of State appropriations for operational expenditures, but may supplement its operational expenditures with private funds. In a provision regarding expenditures under the Grow Your Own Teacher Education Initiative: requires grants to be distributed to consortia from Grow Your Own Illinois in an equitable manner based on candidate needs and in such a way as to provide the required support for a cohort of candidates; and provides that site-based cohort coordinators shall indicate to Grow Your Own Illinois the needs of candidates and shall have the authority to inform the development and operations of the cohort pertaining to certain topics. Allows the Board of Higher Education to create a process to allow cohorts to communicate operational or funding challenges pertaining to the implementation of the Grow Your Own Illinois program. Allows the Board to adopt rules to establish a complaint process. Makes other changes.
Amends the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to provide an applicant for licensure with an asynchronous education or training option instead of the current course of education or training requirements under each licensing Act administered by the Department. Provides that the asynchronous education option may be completed online. Provides that the provisions concerning an asynchronous education option shall not interfere with the provided time frame to complete the education or training requirements under any licensing Act administered by the Department. Provides that the Department may adopt rules for the implementation of the asynchronous education option provisions.
Amends the University of Illinois Act. In provisions concerning scholarships for the children of veterans, provides that an honorary scholarship may also be given to the children of persons who served at any time during the invasion of Panama between December 20, 1989 and January 31, 1990.
Appropriates $225,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the State Board of Education for a grant to the Chicago Board of Education to construct a new school facility for Washington High School, located at 3535 E. 114th St., Chicago, IL. Effective July 1, 2025.
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.
