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Illinois Compiled Statutes

Information maintained by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Updating the database of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) is an ongoing process. Recent laws may not yet be included in the ILCS database, but they are found on this site as Public Acts soon after they become law. For information concerning the relationship between statutes and Public Acts, refer to the Guide.

Because the statute database is maintained primarily for legislative drafting purposes, statutory changes are sometimes included in the statute database before they take effect. If the source note at the end of a Section of the statutes includes a Public Act that has not yet taken effect, the version of the law that is currently in effect may have already been removed from the database and you should refer to that Public Act to see the changes made to the current law.

SCHOOLS
(105 ILCS 5/) School Code.

105 ILCS 5/10-23.4a

    (105 ILCS 5/10-23.4a) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-23.4a)
    Sec. 10-23.4a. To enter into a lease for a period of not to exceed 5 years for such equipment and machinery as may be required for corporate purposes when authorized by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the board of education.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 2890.)

105 ILCS 5/10-23.5

    (105 ILCS 5/10-23.5) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-23.5)
    Sec. 10-23.5. Educational support personnel employees.
    (a) To employ such educational support personnel employees as it deems advisable and to define their employment duties; provided that residency within any school district shall not be considered in determining the employment or the compensation of any such employee, or whether to retain, promote, assign or transfer such employee. If an educational support personnel employee is removed or dismissed or the hours he or she works are reduced as a result of a decision of the school board (i) to decrease the number of educational support personnel employees employed by the board or (ii) to discontinue some particular type of educational support service, written notice shall be mailed to the employee and also given to the employee either by certified mail, return receipt requested, or personal delivery with receipt, at least 30 days before the employee is removed or dismissed or the hours he or she works are reduced, together with a statement of honorable dismissal and the reason therefor if applicable. However, if a reduction in hours is due to an unforeseen reduction in the student population, then the written notice must be mailed and given to the employee at least 5 days before the hours are reduced. The employee with the shorter length of continuing service with the district, within the respective category of position, shall be dismissed first unless an alternative method of determining the sequence of dismissal is established in a collective bargaining agreement or contract between the board and any exclusive bargaining agent and except that this provision shall not impair the operation of any affirmative action program in the district, regardless of whether it exists by operation of law or is conducted on a voluntary basis by the board. If the board has any vacancies for the following school term or within one calendar year from the beginning of the following school term, the positions thereby becoming available within a specific category of position shall be tendered to the employees so removed or dismissed from that category or any other category of position, so far as they are qualified to hold such positions. Each board shall, in consultation with any exclusive employee representative or bargaining agent, each year establish a list, categorized by positions, showing the length of continuing service of each full time educational support personnel employee who is qualified to hold any such positions, unless an alternative method of determining a sequence of dismissal is established as provided for in this Section, in which case a list shall be made in accordance with the alternative method. Copies of the list shall be distributed to the exclusive employee representative or bargaining agent on or before February 1 of each year.
    If an educational support personnel employee is removed or dismissed as a result of a decision of the board to decrease the number of educational support personnel employed by the board or to discontinue some particular type of educational support service and he or she accepts the tender of a vacancy within one calendar year from the beginning of the following school term, then that employee shall maintain any rights accrued during his or her previous service with the school district.
    Where an educational support personnel employee is dismissed by the board as a result of a decrease in the number of employees or the discontinuance of the employee's job, the employee shall be paid all earned compensation on or before the next regular pay date following his or her last day of employment.
    The provisions of this amendatory Act of 1986 relating to residency within any school district shall not apply to cities having a population exceeding 500,000 inhabitants.
    (b) In the case of a new school district or districts formed in accordance with Article 11E of this Code, a school district or districts that annex all of the territory of one or more entire other school districts in accordance with Article 7 of this Code, a school district receiving students from a deactivated school facility in accordance with Section 10-22.22b of this Code, or a special education cooperative that dissolves or reorganizes in accordance with Section 10-22.31 of this Code, the employment of educational support personnel in the new, annexing, or receiving school district immediately following the reorganization shall be governed by this subsection (b). Lists of the educational support personnel employed in the individual districts or special education cooperative for the school year immediately prior to the effective date of the new district or districts, annexation, deactivation, dissolution, or reorganization shall be combined for the districts forming the new district or districts, for the annexed and annexing districts, for the deactivating and receiving districts, or for the dissolving or reorganizing special education cooperative, as the case may be. The combined list shall be categorized by positions, showing the length of continuing service of each full-time educational support personnel employee who is qualified to hold any such position. If there are more full-time educational support personnel employees on the combined list than there are available positions in the new, annexing, or receiving school district, then the employing school board shall first remove or dismiss those educational support personnel employees with the shorter length of continuing service within the respective category of position, following the procedures outlined in subsection (a) of this Section. In the case of a special education cooperative that dissolves or reorganizes, the districts that are parties to the joint agreement shall follow the procedures outlined in subsection (a) of this Section. The employment and position of each educational support personnel employee on the combined list not so removed or dismissed shall be transferred to the new, annexing, or receiving school board, and the new, annexing, or receiving school board is subject to this Code with respect to any educational support personnel employee so transferred as if the educational support personnel employee had been the new, annexing, or receiving board's employee during the time the educational support personnel employee was actually employed by the school board of the district from which the employment and position were transferred.
    The changes made by Public Act 95-148 shall not apply to the formation of a new district or districts in accordance with Article 11E of this Code, the annexation of one or more entire districts in accordance with Article 7 of this Code, or the deactivation of a school facility in accordance with Section 10-22.22b of this Code effective on or before July 1, 2007.
(Source: P.A. 101-46, eff. 7-12-19; 102-854, eff. 5-13-22.)

105 ILCS 5/10-23.6

    (105 ILCS 5/10-23.6) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-23.6)
    Sec. 10-23.6. Sites out of district.
    A school district, including any special charter school district, having 100,000 or more inhabitants and maintaining grades 1 through 12 may acquire a school site in any other school district which does not maintain a recognized public high school, provided that such site lies within two miles of the boundaries of such school district, and may build, operate and maintain a school maintaining grades 9 through 12 upon any site so acquired, and for these purposes may borrow money and issue bonds as otherwise provided by law and charge and receive tuition for students attending said school from any other school district, to the same effect as if said school had been constructed within the boundaries of said school district.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

105 ILCS 5/10-23.7

    (105 ILCS 5/10-23.7) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-23.7)
    Sec. 10-23.7. Special Charter district - Adoption of Article 10. This Article may be adopted by the electors of any special charter school district, in the following manner:
    The board of such district may, and upon petition of 10% of the voters residing in such district, shall order submitted to the voters of such district the question whether Article 10 of the School Code shall be adopted at a regular scheduled election to be held in accordance with the general election law. The board shall certify the proposition to the proper election authorities for submission to the electors.
    If the vote is favorable to the adoption of this Article, the transitional provisions of Section 10 of this Article shall apply as though the effective date of this Act were the day of such referendum.
    If the adoption of this Article is rejected, the proposition shall not be resubmitted within 22 months.
(Source: P.A. 81-1489.)

105 ILCS 5/10-23.8

    (105 ILCS 5/10-23.8) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-23.8)
    Sec. 10-23.8. Superintendent contracts. After the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 and the expiration of contracts in effect on the effective date of this amendatory Act, school districts may only employ a superintendent or, if authorized by law, a chief executive officer under either a contract for a period not exceeding one year or a performance-based contract for a period not exceeding 5 years.
    Performance-based contracts shall be linked to student performance and academic improvement within the schools of the districts. No performance-based contract shall be extended or rolled-over prior to its scheduled expiration unless all the performance and improvement goals contained in the contract have been met. Each performance-based contract shall include the goals and indicators of student performance and academic improvement determined and used by the local school board to measure the performance and effectiveness of the superintendent and such other information as the local school board may determine.
    By accepting the terms of a multi-year contract, the superintendent or chief executive officer waives all rights granted him or her under Sections 24-11 through 24-16 of this Act only for the term of the multi-year contract. Upon acceptance of a multi-year contract, the superintendent or chief executive officer shall not lose any previously acquired tenure credit with the district.
(Source: P.A. 99-846, eff. 6-1-17.)

105 ILCS 5/10-23.8a

    (105 ILCS 5/10-23.8a) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-23.8a)
    Sec. 10-23.8a. Principal, assistant principal, and other administrator contracts. After the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 and the expiration of contracts in effect on the effective date of this amendatory Act, school districts may only employ principals, assistant principals, and other school administrators under either a contract for a period not to exceed one year or a performance-based contract for a period not to exceed 5 years, unless the provisions of Section 10-23.8b of this Code or subsection (e) of Section 24A-15 of this Code otherwise apply.
    Performance-based contracts shall be linked to student performance and academic improvement attributable to the responsibilities and duties of the principal, assistant principal, or administrator. No performance-based contract shall be extended or rolled-over prior to its scheduled expiration unless all the performance and improvement goals contained in the contract have been met. Each performance-based contract shall include the goals and indicators of student performance and academic improvement determined and used by the local school board to measure the performance and effectiveness of the principal, assistant principal, or other administrator and such other information as the local school board may determine.
    By accepting the terms of a multi-year contract, the principal, assistant principal, or administrator waives all rights granted him or her under Sections 24-11 through 24-16 of this Act only for the term of the multi-year contract. Upon acceptance of a multi-year contract, the principal, assistant principal, or administrator shall not lose any previously acquired tenure credit with the district.
(Source: P.A. 97-217, eff. 7-28-11.)

105 ILCS 5/10-23.8b

    (105 ILCS 5/10-23.8b) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-23.8b)
    Sec. 10-23.8b. Reclassification of principals and assistant principals. Upon non-renewal of a principal's or assistant principal's administrative contract, the principal or assistant principal shall be reclassified pursuant to this Section. No principal or assistant principal may be reclassified by demotion or reduction in rank from one position within a school district to another for which a lower salary is paid without written notice from the board of the proposed reclassification by April 1 of the year in which the contract expires.
    Within 10 days of the principal's or assistant principal's receipt of this notice, the school board shall provide the principal or assistant principal with a written statement of the facts regarding reclassification, and the principal or assistant principal may request and receive a private hearing with the board to discuss the reasons for the reclassification. If the principal or assistant principal is not satisfied with the results of the private hearing, he or she may, within 5 days thereafter, request and receive a public hearing on the reclassification. Any principal or assistant principal may be represented by counsel at a private or public hearing conducted under this Section.
    If the board decides to proceed with the reclassification, it shall give the principal or assistant principal written notice of its decision within 15 days of the private hearing or within 15 days of the public hearing held under this Section whichever is later. The decision of the board thereupon becomes final.
    Nothing in this Section prohibits a board from ordering lateral transfers of principals or assistant principals to positions of similar rank and equal salary.
    The changes made by Public Act 94-201 are declaratory of existing law.
(Source: P.A. 97-217, eff. 7-28-11.)

105 ILCS 5/10-23.9

    (105 ILCS 5/10-23.9)
    Sec. 10-23.9. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 81-1508. Repealed by P.A. 94-1105, eff. 6-1-07.)

105 ILCS 5/10-23.10

    (105 ILCS 5/10-23.10) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-23.10)
    Sec. 10-23.10. (a) To sell or market any computer program developed by an employee of the school district, provided that such employee developed the computer program as a direct result of his or her duties with the school district or through the utilization of the school district resources or facilities. The employee who developed the computer program shall be entitled to share in the proceeds of such sale or marketing of the computer program. The distribution of such proceeds between the employee and the school district shall be as agreed upon by the employee and the school district, except that neither the employee nor the school district may receive more than 90% of such proceeds. The negotiation for an employee who is represented by an exclusive bargaining representative under Section 3-14.24 may be conducted by such bargaining representative at the employee's request.
    (b) For the purposes of this Section:
    (1) "Computer" means an internally programmed, general purpose digital device capable of automatically accepting data, processing data and supplying the results of the operation.
    (2) "Computer program" means a series of coded instructions or statements in a form acceptable to a computer, which causes the computer to process data in order to achieve a certain result.
    (3) "Proceeds" means profits derived from marketing or sale of a product after deducting the expenses of developing and marketing such product.
(Source: P.A. 83-797.)

105 ILCS 5/10-23.11

    (105 ILCS 5/10-23.11) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-23.11)
    Sec. 10-23.11. To accept payment for student fees and expenses through the use of credit cards and to negotiate and execute such contracts as may be necessary to accept such credit card payments.
    In this context, "credit card" means any instrument or device, whether known as a credit card, credit plate, charge plate or any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, goods, services or anything else of value on credit or in consideration of an undertaking or guaranty by the issuer of the payment of a check drawn by the cardholder.
(Source: P.A. 84-388.)

105 ILCS 5/10-23.12

    (105 ILCS 5/10-23.12) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-23.12)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 103-542)
    Sec. 10-23.12. Child abuse and neglect; detection, reporting, and prevention; willful or negligent failure to report.
    (a) To provide staff development for local school site personnel who work with pupils in grades kindergarten through 8 in the detection, reporting, and prevention of child abuse and neglect.
    (b) The Department of Children and Family Services may, in cooperation with school officials, distribute appropriate materials in school buildings listing the toll-free telephone number established in Section 7.6 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, including methods of making a report under Section 7 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, to be displayed in a clearly visible location in each school building.
    (c) Except for an employee licensed under Article 21B of this Code, if a school board determines that any school district employee has willfully or negligently failed to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect, as required by the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, then the school board may dismiss that employee immediately upon that determination. For purposes of this subsection (c), negligent failure to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect occurs when a school district employee personally observes an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect and reasonably believes, in his or her professional or official capacity, that the instance constitutes an act of child abuse or neglect under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, and he or she, without willful intent, fails to immediately report or cause a report to be made of the suspected abuse or neglect to the Department of Children and Family Services, as required by the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
(Source: P.A. 100-413, eff. 1-1-18; 100-468, eff. 6-1-18; 101-531, eff. 8-23-19.)
 
    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 103-542)
    Sec. 10-23.12. Child abuse and neglect; willful or negligent failure to report.
    (a) (Blank).
    (b) (Blank).
    (c) Except for an employee licensed under Article 21B of this Code, if a school board determines that any school district employee has willfully or negligently failed to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect, as required by the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, then the school board may dismiss that employee immediately upon that determination. For purposes of this subsection (c), negligent failure to report an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect occurs when a school district employee personally observes an instance of suspected child abuse or neglect and reasonably believes, in his or her professional or official capacity, that the instance constitutes an act of child abuse or neglect under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, and he or she, without willful intent, fails to immediately report or cause a report to be made of the suspected abuse or neglect to the Department of Children and Family Services, as required by the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
(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 5/10-23.13

    (105 ILCS 5/10-23.13)
    Sec. 10-23.13. Policies addressing sexual abuse.
    (a) In this Section:
    "Evidence-informed" refers to modalities that were created utilizing components of evidence-based treatments or curriculums.
    "Grooming" means conduct prohibited under Section 11-25 of the Criminal Code of 2012.
    (b) To adopt and implement, by no later than July 1, 2022, a policy addressing sexual abuse of children that shall include an age-appropriate and evidence-informed curriculum for students in pre-K through 12th grade; evidence-informed training for school personnel on child sexual abuse; evidence-informed educational information to parents or guardians provided in the school handbook on the warning signs of a child being abused, along with any needed assistance, referral, or resource information; available counseling and resources for students affected by sexual abuse; and emotional and educational support for a child to continue to be successful in school. A school district shall include in its policy and all training materials and instruction a definition of prohibited grooming behaviors and boundary violations for school personnel and how to report these behaviors.
    Any policy adopted under this Section shall address without limitation:
        (1) methods for increasing school personnel,
    
student, and parent awareness of issues regarding sexual abuse of children, including awareness and knowledge of likely warning signs indicating that a child may be a victim of sexual abuse, awareness and knowledge of grooming behaviors and how to report those behaviors, awareness of appropriate relationships between school personnel and students based on State law, and how to prevent child abuse from happening, including, but not limited to, methods outlined in State law regarding personal health and safety education for students;
        (1.5) evidence-informed training for school personnel
    
on preventing, recognizing, reporting, and responding to child sexual abuse and grooming behavior, including when the grooming or abuse is committed by a member of the school community, with a discussion of the criminal statutes addressing sexual conduct between school personnel and students, professional conduct, and reporting requirements, including, but not limited to, training as outlined in Section 10-22.39 and Section 3-11;
        (2) options that a student who is a victim of sexual
    
abuse has to obtain assistance and intervention;
        (3) available counseling options for students
    
affected by sexual abuse;
        (4) methods for educating school personnel, students,
    
and staff on how to report child abuse to law enforcement authorities and to the Department of Children and Family Services and how to report grooming behaviors, including when the grooming or abuse is committed by a member of the school community; and
        (5) education and information about children's
    
advocacy centers and sexual assault crisis centers and information about how to access a children's advocacy center or sexual assault crisis center serving the district.
    (c) A school district must provide training for school personnel on child sexual abuse as described in paragraph (1.5) of subsection (b) no later than January 31 of each year.
    (d) This Section may be referred to as Erin's Law.
(Source: P.A. 102-610, eff. 8-27-21.)

105 ILCS 5/10-27.1A

    (105 ILCS 5/10-27.1A)
    Sec. 10-27.1A. Firearms in schools.
    (a) All school officials, including teachers, school counselors, and support staff, shall immediately notify the office of the principal in the event that they observe any person in possession of a firearm on school grounds; provided that taking such immediate action to notify the office of the principal would not immediately endanger the health, safety, or welfare of students who are under the direct supervision of the school official or the school official. If the health, safety, or welfare of students under the direct supervision of the school official or of the school official is immediately endangered, the school official shall notify the office of the principal as soon as the students under his or her supervision and he or she are no longer under immediate danger. A report is not required by this Section when the school official knows that the person in possession of the firearm is a law enforcement official engaged in the conduct of his or her official duties. Any school official acting in good faith who makes such a report under this Section shall have immunity from any civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred as a result of making the report. The identity of the school official making such report shall not be disclosed except as expressly and specifically authorized by law. Knowingly and willfully failing to comply with this Section is a petty offense. A second or subsequent offense is a Class C misdemeanor.
    (b) Upon receiving a report from any school official pursuant to this Section, or from any other person, the principal or his or her designee shall immediately notify a local law enforcement agency. If the person found to be in possession of a firearm on school grounds is a student, the principal or his or her designee shall also immediately notify that student's parent or guardian. Any principal or his or her designee acting in good faith who makes such reports under this Section shall have immunity from any civil or criminal liability that might otherwise be incurred or imposed as a result of making the reports. Knowingly and willfully failing to comply with this Section is a petty offense. A second or subsequent offense is a Class C misdemeanor. If the person found to be in possession of the firearm on school grounds is a minor, the law enforcement agency shall detain that minor until such time as the agency makes a determination pursuant to clause (a) of subsection (1) of Section 5-401 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987, as to whether the agency reasonably believes that the minor is delinquent. If the law enforcement agency determines that probable cause exists to believe that the minor committed a violation of item (4) of subsection (a) of Section 24-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012 while on school grounds, the agency shall detain the minor for processing pursuant to Section 5-407 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
    (c) Upon receipt of any written, electronic, or verbal report from any school personnel regarding a verified incident involving a firearm in a school or on school owned or leased property, including any conveyance owned, leased, or used by the school for the transport of students or school personnel, the superintendent or his or her designee shall report all such firearm-related incidents occurring in a school or on school property to the local law enforcement authorities immediately, who shall report to the Illinois State Police in a form, manner, and frequency as prescribed by the Illinois State Police.
    The State Board of Education shall receive an annual statistical compilation and related data associated with incidents involving firearms in schools from the Illinois State Police. The State Board of Education shall compile this information by school district and make it available to the public.
    (d) As used in this Section, the term "firearm" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1.1 of the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act.
    As used in this Section, the term "school" means any public or private elementary or secondary school.
    As used in this Section, the term "school grounds" includes the real property comprising any school, any conveyance owned, leased, or contracted by a school to transport students to or from school or a school-related activity, or any public way within 1,000 feet of the real property comprising any school.
(Source: P.A. 102-197, eff. 7-30-21; 102-538, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22; 103-34, eff. 6-9-23.)

105 ILCS 5/10-27.1B

    (105 ILCS 5/10-27.1B)
    Sec. 10-27.1B. Reporting drug-related incidents in schools.
    (a) In this Section:
    "Drug" means "cannabis" as defined under subsection (a) of Section 3 of the Cannabis Control Act, "narcotic drug" as defined under subsection (aa) of Section 102 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, or "methamphetamine" as defined under Section 10 of the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act.
    "School" means any public or private elementary or secondary school.
    (b) Upon receipt of any written, electronic, or verbal report from any school personnel regarding a verified incident involving drugs in a school or on school owned or leased property, including any conveyance owned, leased, or used by the school for the transport of students or school personnel, the superintendent or his or her designee, or other appropriate administrative officer for a private school, shall report all such drug-related incidents occurring in a school or on school property to the local law enforcement authorities immediately and to the Illinois State Police in a form, manner, and frequency as prescribed by the Illinois State Police.
    (c) The State Board of Education shall receive an annual statistical compilation and related data associated with drug-related incidents in schools from the Illinois State Police. The State Board of Education shall compile this information by school district and make it available to the public.
(Source: P.A. 102-538, eff. 8-20-21.)