Delivered via email: February 7, 2025
On Tuesday, the Senate Education Committee did meet for the first time this session and voted on two legislative measures, one non-binding resolution and SB28. Both pieces of legislation passed out of committee on an agreed bill list. SB28 (Kimberly Lightford) removes the requirement that student growth be used as a significant factor in educator and principal evaluations. SB28 was filed in response to the findings and recommendations set forth in ISBE’s Teacher Evaluation Research Project Final Report, released in June 2024. This report was issued after a comprehensive analysis and study of the Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA), which recommended the state reconsider its approach to student growth. Under the proposed language, a school district’s PERA committee may continue to incorporate data and indicators of student growth in the evaluation plan but requiring it would no longer be mandated.
The IASB Governmental Relations team is continuing to closely track bills and meet with sponsors on a variety of legislative proposals. Returning issues include bills related to dual credit programs for high school students, student ticketing, seat belts in school buses, and use of Native American mascots in schools. Additional proposals that have been discussed before focus on student teacher stipends, regulating 403(b) plans, and new curricular mandates, including financial literacy. Topics new to this legislative session include bills addressing cellphone use in schools, a new computer science curricular mandate, homeschooling, the implementation of mobile panic buttons in schools, providing designated breastfeeding time for mothers, and updating the school waiver process.
The legislature will break next week and return the following week to hear Governor Pritzker’s much-anticipated state budget address on Wednesday, February 19. With the largest projected budget deficit since 2021 (an approximately $3.1 billion projected deficit for FY2026), IASB will be watching closely to see how the Governor balances fiscal priorities.
SB1519/HB2502 – Municipal Ticketing to Students
Senator Karina Villa and Representative La Shawn Ford introduced legislation addressing the use of municipal ticketing to students. This is an initiative of the Debt Free Justice Coalition, a group that formed following a 2022 Pro Publica article on issuing municipal tickets to students in schools. This session, municipal ticketing of students is also a priority of ISBE, which is working on a separate initiative to address the issue.
SB212/HB2522 – Nursing Mothers in the Workplace
Senator Laura Fine introduced legislation (SB212), which would require employers (including school districts) to provide 30 minutes of paid break time (rather than reasonable break time) to an employee who needs to express breast milk for a nursing infant child, each time the employee has the need to express milk, for one year after the child’s birth. During the press conference, Senator Fine said that a future amendment to the bill was coming.
In an effort to ensure that IASB members can monitor all bills the Governmental Relations team is tracking, legislation has been broken down into nine different topics:
This Week at the Capitol
Once again, it was a light week in the Illinois Capitol as only a handful of legislation was voted on by lawmakers. The House took some action that was largely symbolic as House Democrats passed a series of non-binding resolutions, denouncing President Trump and the Executive Orders, which led to a boycott and subsequent walkout from the House Republicans. In the House, lawmakers have yet to hold a committee hearing this legislative session. In the Senate, 11 of 16 committees scheduled for this week were canceled.On Tuesday, the Senate Education Committee did meet for the first time this session and voted on two legislative measures, one non-binding resolution and SB28. Both pieces of legislation passed out of committee on an agreed bill list. SB28 (Kimberly Lightford) removes the requirement that student growth be used as a significant factor in educator and principal evaluations. SB28 was filed in response to the findings and recommendations set forth in ISBE’s Teacher Evaluation Research Project Final Report, released in June 2024. This report was issued after a comprehensive analysis and study of the Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA), which recommended the state reconsider its approach to student growth. Under the proposed language, a school district’s PERA committee may continue to incorporate data and indicators of student growth in the evaluation plan but requiring it would no longer be mandated.
The IASB Governmental Relations team is continuing to closely track bills and meet with sponsors on a variety of legislative proposals. Returning issues include bills related to dual credit programs for high school students, student ticketing, seat belts in school buses, and use of Native American mascots in schools. Additional proposals that have been discussed before focus on student teacher stipends, regulating 403(b) plans, and new curricular mandates, including financial literacy. Topics new to this legislative session include bills addressing cellphone use in schools, a new computer science curricular mandate, homeschooling, the implementation of mobile panic buttons in schools, providing designated breastfeeding time for mothers, and updating the school waiver process.
The legislature will break next week and return the following week to hear Governor Pritzker’s much-anticipated state budget address on Wednesday, February 19. With the largest projected budget deficit since 2021 (an approximately $3.1 billion projected deficit for FY2026), IASB will be watching closely to see how the Governor balances fiscal priorities.
Legislative Press Conferences this Week
Two legislators held press conferences earlier this week highlighting legislation that would impact K-12 education.SB1519/HB2502 – Municipal Ticketing to Students
Senator Karina Villa and Representative La Shawn Ford introduced legislation addressing the use of municipal ticketing to students. This is an initiative of the Debt Free Justice Coalition, a group that formed following a 2022 Pro Publica article on issuing municipal tickets to students in schools. This session, municipal ticketing of students is also a priority of ISBE, which is working on a separate initiative to address the issue.
SB212/HB2522 – Nursing Mothers in the Workplace
Senator Laura Fine introduced legislation (SB212), which would require employers (including school districts) to provide 30 minutes of paid break time (rather than reasonable break time) to an employee who needs to express breast milk for a nursing infant child, each time the employee has the need to express milk, for one year after the child’s birth. During the press conference, Senator Fine said that a future amendment to the bill was coming.
Advocacy Ambassadors
The IASB Governmental Relations team would love for you to join the Advocacy Ambassador program. This program will provide a more in-depth look at what is happening at the state and federal levels. The next virtual meeting for Advocacy Ambassadors will be on March 14 from noon until 1 p.m. This meeting is open to all registered Advocacy Ambassador members. To learn more about the program and to sign up, visit the Advocacy tab on the IASB website.Legislative Tracking List
The IASB Governmental Relations team tracks all legislation that may impact K-12 public education and makes regular updates to that list. As a reminder, although a bill may be filed, many factors influence whether it makes its way through the legislative process. Some of those factors include whether the bill gets assigned by leadership to a committee, the extent of any opposition, and the priorities of the sponsor.In an effort to ensure that IASB members can monitor all bills the Governmental Relations team is tracking, legislation has been broken down into nine different topics:
- Boards of Education(Opens in a new window)
- Insurance(Opens in a new window)
- Open Meetings Act(Opens in a new window)
- Personnel(Opens in a new window)
- Regional Office of Education(Opens in a new window)
- School Finance(Opens in a new window)
- School Safety and Health(Opens in a new window)
- Students(Opens in a new window)
- Taxation