Education

Amends the School Code. Requires students in the public schools in grades 6 through 12 to receive instruction in career and technical education, which may be satisfied by attending a field trip to a local career and technical education training center. Allows a school board to include the required instruction in the courses of study regularly taught in the public schools, provided that the instruction is given each year to all pupils in grades 6 through 12. Provides that each school board shall determine the minimum amount of instructional time required.

Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning State goals and assessment, provides that a student may not be considered proficient in mathematics or English language arts with a score on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness that is lower than 750/850, nor may a student be considered proficient in science with a score on the Illinois Science Assessment that is lower than 812/850. Provides that for the assessment administered by the State Board of Education for the purpose of student application to or admission consideration by an institution of higher education, a student may not be considered proficient in mathematics with a score that is lower than 22 on the ACT or its recognized equivalent, nor may a student be considered proficient in English language arts with a score that is lower than 42 on the ACT or its recognized equivalent. Effective immediately.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In a provision regarding endorsements on Professional Educator Licenses, provides for a special education endorsement in the area of deaf-hard of hearing with sign proficiency.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act with respect to the Illinois Veteran grant program. Provides that a grant recipient is not required to pay any tuition or mandatory fees while attending a State-controlled university or public community college in this State for a period that is based on the length of his or her active duty service, as verified on his or her U.S. Department of Defense form DD-214, calculated at specified credit hour rates (rather than for a period that is equivalent to 4 years of full-time enrollment, including summer terms). Provides that a grant may be transferred to a qualified dependent beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year. Amends the School Code to make a related change. Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the School Code. Provides that when registering or seeking recognition status with the State Board of Education, a nonpublic elementary or secondary school shall include assurances that the school will not prohibit religious hairstyles, hair-related religious practices, or facial hair worn in accordance with a student's or employee's sincerely held religious beliefs, observance, or practice. Provides that a school uniform or dress code policy adopted by a school board or local school council may not include or apply to religious hairstyles, hair-related religious practices, or facial hair worn in accordance with a student's sincerely held religious beliefs, observance, or practice. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act. Provides that the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board shall develop a policy to foster the reverse transfer of credit for any student who has accumulated at least 30 (rather than 15) hours of academic credit at a community college and a sufficient number of hours of academic credit at a State university in the prescribed courses necessary to meet a community college's requirements to be awarded an associate degree. Provides that each State university shall automatically notify any transfer student accepted to the State university with at least 30 hours of academic credit at a community college of the option for the reverse transfer of credit within the student's first term of enrollment. Provides that a community college shall provide notification to a student wishing to reverse transfer earned academic credit with instructions on application for conferral of an associate degree. Provides that a community college or State university may not charge an application, transfer evaluation, or graduation fee or any other fee associated with conferral of an associate degree through reverse transfer. Provides that a community college shall include each student awarded an associate degree through reverse transfer within its student information system. Effective immediately.

Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Northeastern Illinois University for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, as follows: General Funds $42,401,300.

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that the Board of Higher Education, in approving or disapproving a public institution of higher education's proposal for a new unit of instruction, research, or public service or in approving modifications, must take into account the unique student demographics and needs of the particular institution.

Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education may provide statewide guidance to school districts concerning a workforce development curriculum or programming or both that can be adopted at the school district, school, or classroom level and that provides best practices for teaching artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and other types of rapidly growing technologies as deemed necessary, in a manner that prepares students for workforce, job, and career competencies in the future and informs students of new or growing job or career opportunities in these new fields. Provides that the State Board shall prepare a comprehensive review of any workforce development preparation curriculum and programming specifically designed around technology implemented or considered in other states through other state actions, policies, pilot programs, or school-based programs implemented or tested on a statewide or school-district basis. Provides that the State Superintendent of Education may convene meetings with stakeholders from the public or private sector in preparing the guidance and may allow for the submission of public comments from individuals, organizations, or other entities prior to finalizing the prepared guidance.

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. With respect to the requirement that, beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, each pupil entering the 9th grade must, as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, successfully complete 2 years of foreign language courses, requires a high school to offer 2 years of foreign-language course credit to any student who either (i) successfully passes a standardized test of language proficiency for a language other than English at the level required for the State Seal of Biliteracy or (ii) presents an official transcript demonstrating completion of 2 years of high-school equivalency in which the language of instruction was in a language other than English.