IASB Legislative Report 104-03

Delivered via email: February 21, 2025
 

Governor Delivers Joint Budget Address and State of the State

On February 19, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker delivered his combined Budget and State of the State address to a joint session of the Illinois House and Senate. The Governor proposed a balanced budget for the seventh consecutive year, totaling $55.23 billion in state spending — marking a $2 billion increase over FY2025. Pritzker acknowledged that this remains a challenging budget year, highlighting the difficult decisions made to prioritize essential investments.

In the budget address, Pritzker reinforced a commitment to public education in Illinois. His proposal would increase funding for the Evidence-Based Funding formula by $350 million and ensure continued support for the Teacher Vacancy Grant Program. However, the following Mandated Categoricals (MCATs) did not receive any additional funding, which will lead to further proration of these line items: Regular Transportation, Special Education Transportation, and Special Education private facilities.

The Governor also highlighted Illinois' continued academic progress, with eighth-grade reading scores ranking second in the nation and math scores ranking fifth. Additionally, high school graduation rates have reached a 14-year high. The Governor emphasized the critical role that educational institutions play in strengthening our communities, as well as their contribution to boosting the state's economy and workforce development. This is reflected by a funding increase for Career and Technical Education (CTE), which represents an increase when compared to this year's current budget.

For an in-depth look at the Governor's proposed spending plan, go to the IASB Legislative Report - Budget Address, or view the Governor’s budget proposal for a deeper look at the proposed budget numbers.
 

Cell Phone Ban in K-12 Schools

While not directly related to the budget, Governor Pritzker introduced an initiative aimed at banning cell phones during classroom instruction in K-12 schools. The Governor cited concerns over distractions, learning disruptions, and a rise in cyberbullying as key reasons for the proposal, underscoring the importance of creating focused learning environments. After the budget address, IASB Governmental Relations team members met with the sponsors of the Governor’s proposed legislation. The sponsors were understanding of our concerns and committed to working with IASB and other stakeholders.
 

Legislative Activity Update

As expected, committee schedules were light during Budget Address week, with much of the focus on organizing committees. Little movement has occurred on new legislation at this time. However, the IASB Governmental Relations team used this opportunity to meet with legislative sponsors on key issues, including charter schools, cell phone use in schools, and student safety. Committee activity should increase in the coming weeks as the Committee Deadline is March 21.

House Education Policy and House Appropriation; Elementary and Secondary Education Committees met this week for the first time this session, establishing themselves in the 104th General Assembly. Even though both committees met, they did not debate any legislation. The House Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools Committee did not meet this week.
 

Bills that Passed Committee

On February 18, legislation was passed out of the Senate Education Committee. All of the bills passed unanimously.
  • SB1231 (Sen. Meg Cappel) increases the minimum number of days that a school district must initiate a formal hearing to resolve disputes between a parent and a school about special education services. The legislation is an initiative of the IAASE. SB1231 passed 13-0-0.
  • SB1583 (Sen. Michael Halpin) allows the state superintendent to designate a regional office of education or intermediate service center as a learning partner. The legislation is an initiative of ISBE. SB1583 passed 12-0-0.
  • SB1605 (Sen. Doris Turner) provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, agricultural education, agricultural business, or any other course that relates to agriculture shall satisfy prerequisite requirements to graduate from high school. SB1605 passed 12-0-0.
House State Government Administration Committee
  • HB1062 (Rep. Katie Stuart) amends the Illinois Century Network Act, establishing prioritization for connecting various anchor institutions to the Illinois Century Network. Illinois libraries and schools are the first priority. HB1062 passed 9-0-0

Join the Advocacy Ambassador Program

The IASB Governmental Relations team invites you to become part of the Advocacy Ambassador program, offering an in-depth understanding of both state and federal legislative developments. The next virtual meeting for Advocacy Ambassadors is March 14 from noon to 1 p.m. All registered Advocacy Ambassador members are welcome to attend. To learn more and sign up, visit the Advocacy section 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: IASB will continue to monitor all bills and keep you informed as bills start to move through the legislative process.