Education

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.

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school board shall require a school that operates a library to place the library's catalog of library materials in a searchable database accessible over the Internet to a parent or guardian of a student at the school. Provides that a school board shall require a school that operates a library to allow a parent or guardian of a student at the school to prohibit the student from accessing any library materials that the parent or guardian designates. Provides that the school shall require the parent or guardian to designate in writing which library materials the parent or guardian is prohibiting the student from accessing, shall keep the written designation on file in the library, and shall prevent the student from accessing that material.

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.

SB 3805 appropriates $40 million from the General Revenue Fund to the State Board of Education for its English learner grant program, effective July 1, 2026. This funding directly supports schools and districts serving English learner students across Illinois by providing resources for language instruction and academic support. The bill is a straightforward funding allocation with no additional requirements or program changes beyond the specified monetary amount.

Amends the School Code. Provides that beginning July 1, 2026, each school district shall determine a plan for responding to all incidents of battery committed by students against teachers and other school personnel, which shall include reporting and documentation procedures, student safety plans, behavioral intervention plans, and remedies for injured teachers and school personnel. Effective immediately.

Makes appropriations for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Southern Illinois University for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, as follows: General Funds $234,246,700; Other State Funds $1,266,000; Total $235,512,700.

Amends the Children's Mental Health Act. Requires each school district to ensure that every student in grades K-12 receives direct instruction in social and emotional learning no fewer than 4 times each academic year, approximately once per academic quarter. Requires social and emotional learning instruction to be delivered by a trained professional, provided during a class period, and address age-appropriate competencies as outlined in the Illinois Learning Standards for Social/Emotional Learning. Requires classroom teachers to reinforce social and emotional learning concepts through integrated academic curriculum and classroom practices. Requires each school district to provide professional development to assist educators in aligning instructional practices with social and emotional learning principles. Effective January 1, 2028.