105 ILCS 5/ School Code.

(105 ILCS 5/3-11) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-11)

(Text of Section from P.A. 99-616)

Sec. 3-11. Institutes or inservice training workshops. In counties of less than 2,000,000 inhabitants, the regional superintendent may arrange for or conduct district, regional, or county institutes, or equivalent professional educational experiences, not more than 4 days annually. Of those 4 days, 2 days may be used as a teacher's and educational support personnel workshop, when approved by the regional superintendent, up to 2 days may be used for conducting parent-teacher conferences, or up to 2 days may be utilized as parental institute days as provided in Section 10-22.18d. Educational support personnel may be exempt from a workshop if the workshop is not relevant to the work they do. A school district may use one of its 4 institute days on the last day of the school term. "Institute" or "Professional educational experiences" means any educational gathering, demonstration of methods of instruction, visitation of schools or other institutions or facilities, sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness seminar, or training in First Aid (which may include cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillator training) held or approved by the regional superintendent and declared by him to be an institute day, or parent-teacher conferences. With the concurrence of the State Superintendent of Education, he or she may employ such assistance as is necessary to conduct the institute. Two or more adjoining counties may jointly hold an institute. Institute instruction shall be free to holders of licenses good in the county or counties holding the institute and to those who have paid an examination fee and failed to receive a license.

In counties of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, the regional superintendent may arrange for or conduct district, regional, or county inservice training workshops, or equivalent professional educational experiences, not more than 4 days annually. Of those 4 days, 2 days may be used as a teacher's and educational support personnel workshop, when approved by the regional superintendent, up to 2 days may be used for conducting parent-teacher conferences, or up to 2 days may be utilized as parental institute days as provided in Section 10-22.18d. Educational support personnel may be exempt from a workshop if the workshop is not relevant to the work they do. A school district may use one of those 4 days on the last day of the school term. "Inservice Training Workshops" or "Professional educational experiences" means any educational gathering, demonstration of methods of instruction, visitation of schools or other institutions or facilities, sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness seminar, or training in First Aid (which may include cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillator training) held or approved by the regional superintendent and declared by him to be an inservice training workshop, or parent-teacher conferences. With the concurrence of the State Superintendent of Education, he may employ such assistance as is necessary to conduct the inservice training workshop. With the approval of the regional superintendent, 2 or more adjoining districts may jointly hold an inservice training workshop. In addition, with the approval of the regional superintendent, one district may conduct its own inservice training workshop with subject matter consultants requested from the county, State or any State institution of higher learning.

Such teachers institutes as referred to in this Section may be held on consecutive or separate days at the option of the regional superintendent having jurisdiction thereof.

Whenever reference is made in this Act to "teachers institute", it shall be construed to include the inservice training workshops or equivalent professional educational experiences provided for in this Section.

Any institute advisory committee existing on April 1, 1995, is dissolved and the duties and responsibilities of the institute advisory committee are assumed by the regional office of education advisory board.

Districts providing inservice training programs shall constitute inservice committees, 1/2 of which shall be teachers, 1/4 school service personnel and 1/4 administrators to establish program content and schedules.

The teachers institutes shall include teacher training committed to (i) peer counseling programs and other anti-violence and conflict resolution programs, including without limitation programs for preventing at risk students from committing violent acts, and (ii) educator ethics and teacher-student conduct. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, the teachers institutes shall include instruction on prevalent student chronic health conditions. Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, the teachers institutes shall include, at least once every 2 years, instruction on the federal Americans with Disabilities Act as it pertains to the school environment.

(Source: P.A. 99-30, eff. 7-10-15; 99-616, eff. 7-22-16.)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-413)

Sec. 3-11. Institutes or inservice training workshops.

(a) In counties of less than 2,000,000 inhabitants, the regional superintendent may arrange for or conduct district, regional, or county institutes, or equivalent professional educational experiences, not more than 4 days annually. Of those 4 days, 2 days may be used as a teacher's and educational support personnel workshop, when approved by the regional superintendent, up to 2 days may be used for conducting parent-teacher conferences, or up to 2 days may be utilized as parental institute days as provided in Section 10-22.18d. Educational support personnel may be exempt from a workshop if the workshop is not relevant to the work they do. A school district may use one of its 4 institute days on the last day of the school term. "Institute" or "Professional educational experiences" means any educational gathering, demonstration of methods of instruction, visitation of schools or other institutions or facilities, sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness seminar, or training in First Aid (which may include cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillator training) held or approved by the regional superintendent and declared by him to be an institute day, or parent-teacher conferences. With the concurrence of the State Superintendent of Education, he or she may employ such assistance as is necessary to conduct the institute. Two or more adjoining counties may jointly hold an institute. Institute instruction shall be free to holders of licenses good in the county or counties holding the institute and to those who have paid an examination fee and failed to receive a license.

In counties of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, the regional superintendent may arrange for or conduct district, regional, or county inservice training workshops, or equivalent professional educational experiences, not more than 4 days annually. Of those 4 days, 2 days may be used as a teacher's and educational support personnel workshop, when approved by the regional superintendent, up to 2 days may be used for conducting parent-teacher conferences, or up to 2 days may be utilized as parental institute days as provided in Section 10-22.18d. Educational support personnel may be exempt from a workshop if the workshop is not relevant to the work they do. A school district may use one of those 4 days on the last day of the school term. "Inservice Training Workshops" or "Professional educational experiences" means any educational gathering, demonstration of methods of instruction, visitation of schools or other institutions or facilities, sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness seminar, or training in First Aid (which may include cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillator training) held or approved by the regional superintendent and declared by him to be an inservice training workshop, or parent-teacher conferences. With the concurrence of the State Superintendent of Education, he may employ such assistance as is necessary to conduct the inservice training workshop. With the approval of the regional superintendent, 2 or more adjoining districts may jointly hold an inservice training workshop. In addition, with the approval of the regional superintendent, one district may conduct its own inservice training workshop with subject matter consultants requested from the county, State or any State institution of higher learning.

Such teachers institutes as referred to in this Section may be held on consecutive or separate days at the option of the regional superintendent having jurisdiction thereof.

Whenever reference is made in this Act to "teachers institute", it shall be construed to include the inservice training workshops or equivalent professional educational experiences provided for in this Section.

Any institute advisory committee existing on April 1, 1995, is dissolved and the duties and responsibilities of the institute advisory committee are assumed by the regional office of education advisory board.

Districts providing inservice training programs shall constitute inservice committees, 1/2 of which shall be teachers, 1/4 school service personnel and 1/4 administrators to establish program content and schedules.

The teachers institutes shall include teacher training committed to (i) peer counseling programs and other anti-violence and conflict resolution programs, including without limitation programs for preventing at risk students from committing violent acts, and (ii) educator ethics and teacher-student conduct. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, the teachers institutes shall include instruction on prevalent student chronic health conditions. Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, the teachers institutes shall include, at least once every 2 years, instruction on the federal Americans with Disabilities Act as it pertains to the school environment.

(b) In this subsection (b):

"Trauma" is defined according to an event, an experience, and effects. Individual trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual's functioning and mental, physical, social, or emotional well-being. Collective trauma is a psychological reaction to a traumatic event shared by any group of people. This may include, but is not limited to, community violence, experiencing racism and discrimination, and the lack of the essential supports for well-being, such as educational or economic opportunities, food, health care, housing, and community cohesion. Trauma can be experienced by anyone, though it is disproportionately experienced by members of marginalized groups. Systemic and historical oppression, such as racism, is often at the root of this inequity. Symptoms may vary at different developmental stages and across different cultural groups and different communities.

"Trauma-responsive learning environments" means learning environments developed during an ongoing, multiyear-long process that typically progresses across the following 3 stages:

(1) A school or district is "trauma aware" when it:

(A) has personnel that demonstrate a foundational understanding of a broad definition of trauma that is developmentally and culturally based; includes students, personnel, and communities; and recognizes the potential effect on biological, cognitive, academic, and social-emotional functioning; and

(B) recognizes that traumatic exposure can impact behavior and learning and should be acknowledged in policies, strategies, and systems of support for students, families, and personnel.

(2) A school or district is "trauma responsive" when it progresses from awareness to action in the areas of policy, practice, and structural changes within a multi-tiered system of support to promote safety, positive relationships, and self-regulation while underscoring the importance of personal well-being and cultural responsiveness. Such progress may:

(A) be aligned with the Illinois Quality Framework and integrated into a school or district's continuous improvement process as evidence to support allocation of financial resources;

(B) be assessed and monitored by a multidisciplinary leadership team on an ongoing basis; and

(C) involve the engagement and capacity building of personnel at all levels to ensure that adults in the learning environment are prepared to recognize and respond to those impacted by trauma.

(3) A school or district is healing centered when it acknowledges its role and responsibility to the community, fully responds to trauma, and promotes resilience and healing through genuine, trusting, and creative relationships. Such schools or districts may:

(A) promote holistic and collaborative approaches that are grounded in culture, spirituality, civic engagement, and equity; and

(B) support agency within individuals, families, and communities while engaging people in collective action that moves from transactional to transformational.

"Whole child" means using a child-centered, holistic, equitable lens across all systems that prioritizes physical, mental, and social-emotional health to ensure that every child is healthy, safe, supported, challenged, engaged, and protected.

Starting with the 2024-2025 school year, the teachers institutes shall provide instruction on trauma-informed practices and include the definitions of trauma, trauma-responsive learning environments, and whole child set forth in this subsection (b) before the first student attendance day of each school year.

(Source: P.A. 103-413, eff. 1-1-24.)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-542)

Sec. 3-11. Institutes or inservice training workshops. In counties of less than 2,000,000 inhabitants, the regional superintendent may arrange for or conduct district, regional, or county institutes, or equivalent professional educational experiences, not more than 4 days annually. Of those 4 days, 2 days may be used as a teachers, administrators, and school support personnel workshop, when approved by the regional superintendent, up to 2 days may be used for conducting parent-teacher conferences, or up to 2 days may be utilized as parental institute days as provided in Section 10-22.18d. School support personnel may be exempt from a workshop if the workshop is not relevant to the work they do. A school district may use one of its 4 institute days on the last day of the school term. "Institute" or "Professional educational experiences" means any educational gathering, demonstration of methods of instruction, visitation of schools or other institutions or facilities, sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness seminar, or training in First Aid (which may include cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillator training) held or approved by the regional superintendent and declared by him to be an institute day, or parent-teacher conferences. With the concurrence of the State Superintendent of Education, the regional superintendent may employ such assistance as is necessary to conduct the institute. Two or more adjoining counties may jointly hold an institute. Institute instruction shall be free to holders of licenses good in the county or counties holding the institute and to those who have paid an examination fee and failed to receive a license.

In counties of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, the regional superintendent may arrange for or conduct district, regional, or county inservice training workshops, or equivalent professional educational experiences, not more than 4 days annually. Of those 4 days, 2 days may be used as a teachers, administrators, and school support personnel workshop, when approved by the regional superintendent, up to 2 days may be used for conducting parent-teacher conferences, or up to 2 days may be utilized as parental institute days as provided in Section 10-22.18d. School support personnel may be exempt from a workshop if the workshop is not relevant to the work they do. A school district may use one of those 4 days on the last day of the school term. "Inservice Training Workshops" or "Professional educational experiences" means any educational gathering, demonstration of methods of instruction, visitation of schools or other institutions or facilities, sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness seminar, or training in First Aid (which may include cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillator training) held or approved by the regional superintendent and declared by the regional superintendent to be an inservice training workshop, or parent-teacher conferences. With the concurrence of the State Superintendent of Education, the regional superintendent may employ such assistance as is necessary to conduct the inservice training workshop. With the approval of the regional superintendent, 2 or more adjoining districts may jointly hold an inservice training workshop. In addition, with the approval of the regional superintendent, one district may conduct its own inservice training workshop with subject matter consultants requested from the county, State or any State institution of higher learning.

Such institutes as referred to in this Section may be held on consecutive or separate days at the option of the regional superintendent having jurisdiction thereof.

Whenever reference is made in this Act to "institute", it shall be construed to include the inservice training workshops or equivalent professional educational experiences provided for in this Section.

Any institute advisory committee existing on April 1, 1995, is dissolved and the duties and responsibilities of the institute advisory committee are assumed by the regional office of education advisory board.

Districts providing inservice training programs shall constitute inservice committees, 1/2 of which shall be teachers, 1/4 school service personnel and 1/4 administrators to establish program content and schedules.

In addition to other topics not listed in this Section, the teachers institutes may include training committed to health conditions of students; social-emotional learning; developing cultural competency; identifying warning signs of mental illness and suicidal behavior in youth; domestic and sexual violence and the needs of expectant and parenting youth; protections and accommodations for students; educator ethics; responding to child sexual abuse and grooming behavior; and effective instruction in violence prevention and conflict resolution. Institute programs in these topics shall be credited toward hours of professional development required for license renewal as outlined in subsection (e) of Section 21B-45.

(Source: P.A. 103-542, eff. 7-1-24 (see Section 905 of P.A. 103-563 for effective date of P.A. 103-542).)

(105 ILCS 5/3-11.5)

Sec. 3-11.5. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11. Repealed by P.A. 99-30, eff. 7-10-15.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-12) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-12)

Sec. 3-12. Institute fund.

(a) All license registration fees and a portion of renewal and duplicate fees shall be kept by the regional superintendent as described in Section 21-16 or 21B-40 of this Code, together with a record of the names of the persons paying them. Such fees shall be deposited into the institute fund and shall be used by the regional superintendent to defray expenses associated with the work of the regional professional development review committees established pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (g) of Section 21-14 of this Code to advise the regional superintendent, upon his or her request, and to hear appeals relating to the renewal of teaching licenses, in accordance with Section 21-14 of this Code; to defray expenses connected with improving the technology necessary for the efficient processing of licenses; to defray all costs associated with the administration of teaching licenses; to defray expenses incidental to teachers' institutes, workshops or meetings of a professional nature that are designed to promote the professional growth of teachers or for the purpose of defraying the expense of any general or special meeting of teachers or school personnel of the region, which has been approved by the regional superintendent.

(b) In addition to the use of moneys in the institute fund to defray expenses under subsection (a) of this Section, the State Superintendent of Education, as authorized under Section 2-3.105 of this Code, shall use moneys in the institute fund to defray all costs associated with the administration of teaching licenses within a city having a population exceeding 500,000. Moneys in the institute fund may also be used by the State Superintendent of Education to support educator recruitment and retention programs within a city having a population exceeding 500,000, to support educator preparation programs within a city having a population exceeding 500,000 as those programs seek national accreditation, and to provide professional development aligned with the requirements set forth in Section 21B-45 of this Code within a city having a population exceeding 500,000. A majority of the moneys in the institute fund must be dedicated to the timely and efficient processing of applications and for the renewal of licenses.

(c) The regional superintendent shall on or before January 1 of each year post on the regional office of education's website (1) the balance on hand in the institute fund at the beginning of the previous year; (2) all receipts within the previous year deposited in the fund, with the sources from which they were derived; (3) the amount distributed from the fund and the purposes for which such distributions were made; and (4) the balance on hand in the fund.

(Source: P.A. 103-110, eff. 6-29-23.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-13) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-13)

Sec. 3-13. Truant officer - Duties. Each county superintendent of schools shall appoint a county truant officer. Such appointee shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by the county board, together with his necessary traveling expenses, to be paid out of the county treasury. He shall file his acceptance with the county clerk and shall take and subscribe an oath of office. He shall perform the duties of truant officer in all the school districts of the county; provided, that the school board in any school district may appoint one or more truant officers and fix his or their compensation, which shall be paid by the district.

The county superintendent of schools shall furnish the county truant officer, at the opening of the schools, with a list of the teachers and superintendents employed in his county other than in school districts that employ truant officers.

(Source: P.A. 88-50.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-13.5)

Sec. 3-13.5. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 96-798, eff. 10-28-09. Repealed internally, eff. 8-2-10.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-14)

Sec. 3-14. Duties of regional superintendent. The regional superintendent of schools shall perform the duties enumerated in the following Sections preceding Section 3-15.

(Source: P.A. 93-404, eff. 8-1-03.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-14.1)

Sec. 3-14.1. New bond. To execute, upon notice by the county board, a new bond, conditioned and approved as the first bond.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.2) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-14.2)

Sec. 3-14.2. Supervision and control of school districts. Except in regions established within that portion of a Class II county school unit outside of a city of 500,000 or more inhabitants, the county superintendent of schools shall exercise supervision and control over all school districts within the county. If a district is divided by a county line or lines the county superintendent in the county where the majority of the children attend school at the time the district is organized shall exercise supervision and control over all aspects of supervision, reports, and financial accounting of the district until it has been determined by the State Superintendent of Education that 60 per cent of the children attend school in another county or that a majority of the children have attended a school in another county for three consecutive years and the school board has adopted a resolution requesting the supervision and control be transferred to the county superintendent in the county in which the majority of children attend school. The county superintendent under whose direction a school district has been established shall retain supervision and control until July 1 following the date of the election establishing the district. Whenever a change in supervision and control shall result from a change in school district boundaries, population shifts, or other cause, such change in supervision and control shall not be effective until July 1 following the date of its determination. All references to the county superintendent of schools, in relation to school districts, in this Act shall be interpreted to mean the county superintendent of schools having supervision and control of the district or districts as defined in this Section.

(Source: P.A. 96-893, eff. 7-1-10.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.3) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-14.3)

Sec. 3-14.3. Township fund lands. To sell township fund lands, issue certificates of purchase, report to the county board and the Secretary of State in the manner provided in Article 15 of this Code, and perform all other duties pertaining thereto.

(Source: P.A. 95-496, eff. 8-28-07.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.4)

Sec. 3-14.4. (Repealed).

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31. Repealed by P.A. 95-496, eff. 8-28-07.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.5)

Sec. 3-14.5. (Repealed).

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31. Repealed by P.A. 95-496, eff. 8-28-07.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.6) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-14.6)

Sec. 3-14.6. Directions to teacher and school officers. To give teachers and school officers such directions in the science, art and methods of teaching, and in regard to courses of study, as he deems expedient.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.7) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-14.7)

Sec. 3-14.7. Official adviser and assistant of school officers and teachers. To act as the official adviser and assistant of the school officers and teachers in his region. In the performance of this duty he shall carry out the advice of the State Board of Education.

(Source: P.A. 81-1508.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.8) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-14.8)

Sec. 3-14.8. Teachers' institute and other meetings. To conduct a teachers' institute, to insure that instruction in the warning signs of suicidal behavior in adolescents and teens and intervention techniques are offered at such an institute, to aid and encourage the formation of other teachers' meetings, and to assist in their management.

(Source: P.A. 85-297.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.9) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-14.9)

Sec. 3-14.9. Elevation of standard of teaching - Improvement of schools. To labor in every practicable way to elevate the standard of teaching and improve the condition of the common schools of his county.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.11)

Sec. 3-14.11. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 87-473. Repealed by P.A. 95-496, eff. 8-28-07.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.12) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-14.12)

Sec. 3-14.12. Examine evidences of indebtedness. In Class II county school units with respect to townships wherein trustees of schools maintain jurisdiction and in which township funds have not heretofore been liquidated and distributed, to examine all notes, bonds, mortgages, and other evidences of indebtedness which the township or school treasurer holds officially with respect to such fund or funds, and if he or she finds that the papers are not in proper form or that the securities are insufficient, he or she shall so state, in writing, to the trustees of schools or school board.

(Source: P.A. 95-496, eff. 8-28-07.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.15) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-14.15)

Sec. 3-14.15. Returns, reports, statements. To file and keep all the returns of elections required to be returned to him and the reports and statements returned by school treasurers and trustees of schools.

(Source: P.A. 81-1490.)