More than 200 new laws are going into effect in Illinois on January 1, and many will have significant impacts on the state’s students.
One of the signature pieces of legislation signed into law by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker was House Bill 3247, also known as “The Safe Schools for All Act.”
That bill will ensure that Illinois students will be guaranteed a public education regardless of their immigration status or their parents’ immigration status.
Schools will not be permitted to discourage students from going to school based on their real or perceived immigration status, such as asking for Social Security Numbers. They also cannot disclose information about a student’s immigration status, and must develop protocols for when law enforcement seek to enter school property, according to the text of the bill.
In addition to the immigration enforcement actions taken by the Pritzker administration, numerous other laws are also going into effect that will affect the learning programs of students.
Under provisions of HB 3039, all seventh and eighth grade students are permitted to enroll in high school courses to receive high school credits.
Senate Bill 1672 will require all school districts serving kids in grades K-3 to report to the State Board of Education early literacy screenings, and the frequency with which the screenings take place.
Schools will also be given more flexibility when it comes to how they construct programs for gifted students under provisions of SB 1983.
Students interested in seeking internships and externships will also be given additional information in the new year, as HB 2801 will require the State Board of Education to publish a statewide list of such opportunities. The list will be published July 1 each year, and will be shared with every school district in the state.
HB 2802 will allow participation in various career development experiences and other work-based learning activities for students, counting work done with Future Farmers of America, 4-H and other groups as valid education activities.
Children in special education programs will have new laws impacting them as well, with parents gaining additional access to their children’s mental health records if they receive special education services, thanks to provisions of HB 2994.
Several new programs will also create additional types of licenses for teachers, substitutes, and short term sub teachers in schools, along with a new program expediting licenses for paraprofessionals.
SB 1920 will encourage school districts to compile materials about the benefits of American Sign Language, and ways to incorporate instruction into K-8 curriculum.
The bill will also require the State Board of Education to develop guidance on the usage of artificial intelligence in schools.
Effective dual-language programs will also be impacted, as the State Board is required to provide guidance on such programs in an effort to encourage students to be bilingual.
The State Board of Education will also be required to collect data on how much funding is allocated to assist students experiencing homelessness, according to HB 3377.
Even colleges are impacted, as public and private universities will be required to post their cost of attendance on their website each school year under provisions of SB 1376.
Finally, HB 3385 will require public universities and colleges to make at least three mental health service providers available to their students beginning on January 1.
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