Education (School Choice)

Creates the Prohibition on Federal Voucher Program Participation Act. Prohibits the State from opting in to, participating in, implementing, administrating, or otherwise cooperating with any federal voucher, education savings account, or similar program established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code. Provides that upon approval of a charter renewal by an authorizer, the charter operator shall execute the renewal agreement no later than 90 days after the date of the authorizer's final renewal approval. Provides that a charter school that is deemed nonrenewed is ineligible to receive any payments from a school district. Provides that a charter operator that fails to execute a renewal agreement within a specified period may not continue to operate the charter school beyond the expiration of the existing charter term and is subject to closure procedures. Requires every charter operator to maintain closure security. Provides that failure to maintain closure security is a basis for the authorizer to withhold a portion of per-pupil payments until compliance is achieved and for consideration in denying a charter renewal or revoking the charter or ineligibility to operate additional charter campuses. Provides that if the closure security is insufficient to cover the costs of a closure event, the authorizer or the State Board of Education may bring a civil action against the charter operator to recover the unpaid amounts and seek to impose a lien on any property owned by the charter operator to secure recovery. Provides that if an authorizer determines that a charter school is in financial distress, the authorizer may require the charter operator to submit a financial remediation plan within 30 days. Provides that if the authorizer determines that the charter school has failed to implement an approved remediation plan or the financial distress presents an immediate risk to students, employees, or public funds, the authorizer may initiate financial intervention by appointing an independent fiscal manager approved by the authorizer and the State Board. Allows the fiscal manager to exercise authority limited to financial matters. Provides that financial intervention is temporary and may not exceed 180 days, except that the authorizer may extend the intervention once for good cause. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code. Provides that upon approval of a charter renewal by an authorizer, the charter operator shall execute the renewal agreement no later than 90 days after the date of the authorizer's final renewal approval. Provides that a charter school that is deemed nonrenewed is ineligible to receive any payments from a school district. Provides that a charter operator that fails to execute a renewal agreement within a specified period may not continue to operate the charter school beyond the expiration of the existing charter term and is subject to closure procedures. Requires every charter operator to maintain closure security. Provides that failure to maintain closure security is a basis for the authorizer to withhold a portion of per-pupil payments until compliance is achieved and for consideration in denying a charter renewal or revoking the charter or ineligibility to operate additional charter campuses. Provides that if the closure security is insufficient to cover the costs of a closure event, the authorizer or the State Board of Education may bring a civil action against the charter operator to recover the unpaid amounts and seek to impose a lien on any property owned by the charter operator to secure recovery. Provides that if an authorizer determines that a charter school is in financial distress, the authorizer may require the charter operator to submit a financial remediation plan within 30 days. Provides that if the authorizer determines that the charter school has failed to implement an approved remediation plan or the financial distress presents an immediate risk to students, employees, or public funds, the authorizer may initiate financial intervention by appointing an independent fiscal manager approved by the authorizer and the State Board. Allows the fiscal manager to exercise authority limited to financial matters. Provides that financial intervention is temporary and may not exceed 180 days, except that the authorizer may extend the intervention once for good cause. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Prohibits a charter from being granted to an organization that operates a private, parochial, or non-public school or child care facility. Provides that a charter school shall spend no less than 90% of its budget on direct-service costs for students. Removes provisions regarding the closure of charter schools, the use of unspent public funds, and the procedures for disposition of property and assets. Requires the governing body of a charter school that is the subject of a school action to work collaboratively with local school educators and families of students attending the charter school to ensure successful integration of affected students into new learning environments. Requires, for a charter school closure, the governing body of the charter school to ensure that all students of the charter school at the time of the closure will be guaranteed a seat at a receiving school and that all teachers of the charter school at the time of the closure will be guaranteed a job at a receiving school. Sets forth requirements for school transition plans. Requires the governing body of the charter school to designate at least 3 opportunities for public comment at a hearing or meeting on the proposed school action.

Creates the Education Savings Account Act. Requires the State Board of Education to create the Education Savings Account Program. Provides that a parent of an eligible student (defined as any elementary or secondary student who was eligible to attend a public school in this State in the preceding semester or is starting school in this State for the first time and who is a member of a household whose total annual income does not exceed an amount equal to 2.5 times the income standard used to qualify for a free or reduced-price lunch under the national free or reduced-price lunch program) shall qualify for the State Board to make a grant to his or her child's Education Savings Account by signing an agreement. Requires the State Board to deposit into an Education Savings Account some or all of the State aid under the State aid formula provisions of the School Code that would otherwise have been provided to the resident school district for the eligible student had the student enrolled in the resident school district. Provides that parents participating in the Program shall agree to use the funds deposited in their eligible students' accounts for certain qualifying expenses to educate the eligible student. Sets forth provisions concerning the calculation of grant amounts and other basic elements of the Program, administration of the Program, accountability standards for participating schools, and the responsibilities of the State Board and resident school districts.