HB2381 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 06875 LNS 16911 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB2381

Introduced 2/4/2025, by Rep. Laura Faver Dias

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/10-16a

Amends the School Boards Article of the School Code. Includes LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the topics covered in the required 4-hour training for every voting member of a school board of a school district. Lists information that must be included in the LGBTQ+ inclusivity training. Requires the State Board of Education to develop a training program in collaboration with individuals or organizations that affirm LGBTQ+ people and have recognized expertise in supporting LGBTQ+ young people or adopt a training program previously developed by such individuals or organizations.

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Findings and purpose.

(a) The General Assembly finds that:

(1) research confirms that there are negative effects associated with a lack of a healthy and inclusive learning environment;

(2) the Trevor Project's National Survey on LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health in 2019 showed that LGBTQ+ youth who reported having at least one accepting adult in their lives were 40% less likely to report a suicide attempt in the past year;

(3) by giving school board members the necessary tools and insight on understanding their LGBTQ+ students better, policies can be implemented by the school board that protect those students and make them more comfortable in school; and

(4) it is of the utmost importance that students feel comfortable and safe and are protected in their learning environment, which sets students up for success.

(b) It is the purpose of this Act to create an understanding of the challenges LGBTQ+ individuals face and to clarify language and terminology. This recognition of the issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community in schools would aid school board members with addressing those issues and bettering students as the school board members would be more aware of the challenges faced by different groups in their community.

Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section 10-16a as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-16a)

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 103-771)

Sec. 10-16a. School board member's leadership training.

(a) This Section applies to all school board members serving pursuant to Section 10-10 of this Code who have been elected after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly or appointed to fill a vacancy of at least one year's duration after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly.

(a-5) In this Section, "trauma" has the meaning ascribed to that term in subsection (b) of Section 3-11 of this Code.

(b) Every voting member of a school board of a school district elected or appointed for a term beginning after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, within a year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly or the first year of his or her first term, shall complete a minimum of 4 hours of professional development leadership training covering topics in education and labor law, financial oversight and accountability, fiduciary responsibilities of a school board member, and, beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, trauma-informed practices for students and staff. The school district shall maintain on its Internet website, if any, the names of all voting members of the school board who have successfully completed the training.

(b-5) The training regarding trauma-informed practices for students and staff required by this Section must include information that is relevant to and within the scope of the duties of a school board member. Such information may include, but is not limited to:

(1) the recognition of and care for trauma in students and staff;

(2) the relationship between staff wellness and student learning;

(3) the effect of trauma on student behavior and learning;

(4) the prevalence of trauma among students, including the prevalence of trauma among student populations at higher risk of experiencing trauma;

(5) the effects of implicit or explicit bias on recognizing trauma among various student groups in connection with race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and other relevant factors; and

(6) effective district and school practices that are shown to:

(A) prevent and mitigate the negative effect of trauma on student behavior and learning; and

(B) support the emotional wellness of staff.

(c) The training on financial oversight, accountability, fiduciary responsibilities, and, beginning with the 2023-24 school year, trauma-informed practices for students and staff may be provided by an association established under this Code for the purpose of training school board members or by other qualified providers approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with an association so established.

(d) The State Board of Education may adopt rules that are necessary for the administration of the provisions of this Section.

(Source: P.A. 102-638, eff. 1-1-23; 103-413, eff. 1-1-24.)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 103-771)

Sec. 10-16a. School board member's training.

(a) This Section applies to all school board members serving pursuant to Section 10-10 of this Code.

(a-5) In this Section, "trauma" has the meaning ascribed to that term in subsection (b) of Section 3-11 of this Code.

(b) Every voting member of a school board of a school district, within the first year of his or her first term, shall complete a minimum of 4 hours of professional development and leadership training covering topics in education and labor law, financial oversight and accountability, fiduciary responsibilities of a school board member, trauma-informed practices for students and staff, and, improving student outcomes, and LGBTQ+ inclusivity. The school district shall maintain on its Internet website, if any, the names of all voting members of the school board who have successfully completed the training.

(b-5) The training regarding trauma-informed practices for students and staff required by this Section must include information that is relevant to and within the scope of the duties of a school board member. Such information may include, but is not limited to:

(1) the recognition of and care for trauma in students and staff;

(2) the relationship between staff wellness and student learning;

(3) the effect of trauma on student behavior and learning;

(4) the prevalence of trauma among students, including the prevalence of trauma among student populations at higher risk of experiencing trauma;

(5) the effects of implicit or explicit bias on recognizing trauma among various student groups in connection with race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and other relevant factors; and

(6) effective district and school practices that are shown to:

(A) prevent and mitigate the negative effect of trauma on student behavior and learning; and

(B) support the emotional wellness of staff.

(b-10) The training regarding improving student outcomes required by this Section must include information that is relevant to and within the scope of the duties of a school board member.

(b-15) The training regarding LGBTQ+ inclusivity required by this Section must include information that is relevant to and within the scope of the duties of a school board member. Such information shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) understanding the difference between sex, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation;

(2) understanding sexual orientation and gender identity development in children and adolescents;

(3) understanding the rights of LGBTQ+ students and of Illinois policies related to creating an affirming school environment, including, but not limited to, State laws such as the Illinois Human Rights Act, administrative rules, and any relevant guidance approved by the State Board of Education;

(4) knowledge of diverse family structures;

(5) nondiscriminatory education on the basis of gender, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation;

(6) understanding the struggles and lived experiences of LGBTQ+ youth in schools;

(7) the contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, history, social sciences, arts, and humanities; and

(8) the effects and risks of outing a student's gender identity or sexual orientation.

(c) The training on financial oversight, accountability, fiduciary responsibilities, trauma-informed practices for students and staff, and improving student outcomes, and LGBTQ+ inclusivity shall be provided by a statewide association established under this Code for the purpose of training school board members or by other qualified providers approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with an association so established.

For the training regarding LGBTQ+ inclusivity, the State Board of Education shall either develop a training program in collaboration with individuals or organizations that affirm LGBTQ+ people and have recognized expertise in supporting LGBTQ+ young people or adopt a training program previously developed by such individuals or organizations. Thereafter, the State Board of Education shall periodically review and update, as necessary, the training regarding LGBTQ+ inclusivity, in collaboration with individuals or organizations that affirm LGBTQ+ people and have recognized expertise in supporting LGBTQ+ young people.

(d) The State Board of Education may adopt rules that are necessary for the administration of the provisions of this Section.

(Source: P.A. 102-638, eff. 1-1-23; 103-413, eff. 1-1-24; 103-771, eff. 6-1-25; revised 10-21-24.)

Section 95. No acceleration or delay. Where this Act makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by text that is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a Section represented by multiple versions), the use of that text does not accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i) the changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from any other Public Act.