Education

Amends the School Code. Provides that out-of-school suspensions and expulsions should only be used when the student's presence poses a threat to the operation of the school, poses a threat to the health or safety of students or school personnel, or causes a disruption to other students' learning opportunities. Provides that to ensure that students are not excluded from school unnecessarily, it is recommended that school officials consider implementing proactive evidence-based interventions that improve behavioral outcomes for all students. Provides that out-of-school suspensions of 3 days or less may be used only if the student's conduct poses a threat to the operation of the school, poses a threat to the health or safety of students or school personnel, or causes (rather than the student's continuing presence in school would pose a threat to school safety or) a disruption to other students' learning opportunities. Provides that the school board shall be solely responsible for determining, on a case-by-case basis, whether the student's conduct poses a threat to the operation of the school, poses a threat to the health or safety of students or school personnel, or causes a disruption to other students' learning opportunities. Provides that out-of-school suspensions of longer than 3 days, expulsions, and disciplinary removals to alternative schools may be used only if other appropriate and available behavioral and disciplinary interventions have been attempted (rather than exhausted) and the student's conduct poses a threat to the school, poses a threat to the health or safety of students or school personnel, or causes a disruption to other students' learning opportunities (rather than the student's continuing presence in school would either (i) pose a threat to the safety of other students, staff, or members of the school community or (ii) substantially disrupt, impede, or interfere with the operation of the school). Makes conforming changes.

Appropriates $50,000,000 to the State Board of Education for the purpose of providing grants for community learning centers to support afterschool programs and community schools. Effective July 1, 2025.

Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, as follows: Other State Funds $4,349,000.

Appropriates $4,000,000 to the State Board of Education for the purpose of a grant to an organization that manages a statewide coordinated strategy. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a multifunction school-activity bus may additionally be used for transportation to a college, university, student job site developed through a partnership with the school, a college or career fair, or an experience that the school determines will contribute to a student's college or career readiness. Amends the School Code to make conforming changes and to provide that a student in any of grades 7 through 12 (instead of grades 9 through 12) may be transported in a multifunction school-activity bus for specified purposes.

HB 2365 proposes to appropriate $67 million to the State Board of Education. This funding is specifically designated to cover the costs associated with the Healthy School Meals for All Program. The bill directly affects the State Board of Education by providing funds for program operations. Indirectly, it benefits students who participate in the Healthy School Meals for All Program by ensuring continued support for meal provisions. The bill is set to become effective on July 1, 2025.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Repeals provisions regarding the State scholar program, the Merit Recognition Scholarship program, the Silas Purnell Illinois Incentive for Access grant program, the student to student grant program, the Teach Illinois Scholarship Program, grants for persons raised by a grandparent, the Southern Illinois University's Achieve Program, medical assistant grants, the police training academy job training scholarship program, and the adult vocational community college scholarship. Repeals the Public Interest Attorney Assistance Act, the Child Welfare Student Loan Forgiveness Act, and the Community College Transfer Grant Program Act.

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 School Code. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires a school board to allow a student who resides in the school district but attends a nonpublic school to participate in extracurricular athletic activities sponsored by the district without being required to enroll or complete coursework at a public school within the district if certain conditions are met. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that school districts shall regulate and restrict access to public restrooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, and other similar places on the basis of biological sex and shall also adopt a policy that provides for gender neutral or alternative facilities for students, staff, and members of the public, as the school district deems appropriate. Provides that school districts are not required to: (1) limit access by a minor accompanied by an adult guardian of the opposite sex into a specified facility appropriate for the adult guardian; (2) prohibit a person with disabilities from using a specified facility appropriate to the biological sex of either the person with disabilities or of an adult caretaker providing assistance; or (3) prohibit access to these facilities by custodial staff, school staff, or other persons in an emergency situation.