Amends the Use Tax Act, the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and the State Finance Act. Provides for a sales tax holiday on school supplies during the first 7 days of August of each calendar year. Effective immediately.
Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that, subject to appropriation, school districts and public institutions of higher education are eligible to receive unemployment insurance aid. Sets forth provisions concerning the calculation of the amount of unemployment insurance aid to be given to each school district and public institutions of higher education. Provides that, if the total unemployment insurance aid for a fiscal year is greater than the annual appropriation for that year, the State Board of Education or the Board of Higher Education shall proportionately reduce the aid payment to each school district and public institution of higher education. Sets forth reporting requirements. Makes conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026.
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 School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, every public elementary school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of Latina and Latino history, including the history of Latinas and Latinos in Illinois and the Midwest, as well as the contributions of Latinas and Latinos toward advancing civil rights from the 19th century onward. Provides that these events shall include the contributions made by individual Latinas and Latinos in government and the arts, humanities, and sciences, as well as the contributions of Latina and Latino communities to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the United States. Provides that the studying of this material shall constitute an affirmation by students of their commitment to respect the dignity of all races and peoples and to forever eschew every form of discrimination in their lives and careers. Establishes requirements for the State Superintendent of Education, regional superintendents, and each school board concerning instructional materials and guidelines. Permits a school to meet requirements through an online program or course.
Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Requires every public elementary school and high school to include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of Italian American history. Contains provisions governing this instruction. Effective immediately.
Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning student mental health screenings, requires the State Board of Education's model school district procedures to facilitate the implementation of mental health screenings to include the option to opt in (rather than opt out) and a minimum of 3 written notifications each school year about the use of mental health screenings, one of which must be delivered by first-class mail, to a student's parent or guardian. Effective January 1, 2026.
Amends the School Code. In provisions requiring the State Board of Education to develop model school district procedures to facilitate the implementation of mental health screenings for students, provides that the procedures shall include the option for parents to opt in (rather than opt out) of mental health screenings for their children. Effective January 1, 2026.
Amends the State Treasurer Act. In provisions concerning the College Savings Pool, provides that trade schools and elementary or secondary public, private, or religious schools are also considered eligible educational institutions, subject to certain limitations. Provides that expenses, up to $10,000 per taxable year, for tuition in connection with enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary public, private, or religious school are considered qualified expenses.
Appropriates $2,950,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Board of Higher Education to address shortages of school psychologists in this State through specified methods. Effective July 1, 2025.
Creates the Mobile Panic Alert System Act. Provides that the Act may be referred to as Alyssa's Law. Requires, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, each public school to implement a mobile panic alert system capable of connecting diverse emergency services technologies to ensure real-time coordination between multiple first responder agencies. Allows a school district to implement additional strategies or systems to ensure real-time coordination between multiple first responder agencies in a school security emergency. Sets forth provisions requiring a competitive contract solicitation. Subject to appropriation, requires the State Board of Education to establish and administer a Mobile Panic Alert System Grant Program for the purpose of issuing grants to reimburse school districts for the cost of mobile panic alert systems from moneys appropriated from the Mobile Panic Alert System Grant Fund. Amends the State Finance Act and the School Code to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026.
