HB4145 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 15651 LNS 28822 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4145

Introduced 10/15/2025, by Rep. Rick Ryan

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Graduate Readiness and Development Act. Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules and guidelines for an exit orientation program for grade 11 and 12 students to prepare the students to enter the workforce, obtain marketable skills, or enroll in higher education or military service. Requires the school board of each school district operating a high school to annually host an exit orientation program that complies with the rules and guidelines adopted by the State Board of Education under the Act. Provides that the school board shall permit representatives of labor organizations, military branches, workforce training providers, vocational training providers, local chambers of commerce, banks, and private businesses to present information on jobs, training, apprenticeships, internships, jobs requiring certification, and related topics to students during a high school's exit orientation program. Requires each Illinois workNet Center to ensure that the exit orientation program of each high school in its local area is aligned with the needs and opportunities of the local labor market and to provide the school board of the school district that operates the high school with information on local labor market needs and assist with coordinating participation in the program by local chambers of commerce, private businesses, and others.

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. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Graduate Readiness and Development Act.

Section 5. Exit orientation program.

(a) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules and guidelines for an exit orientation program for grade 11 and 12 students to prepare the students to enter the workforce, obtain marketable skills, or enroll in higher education or military service. The rules and guidelines shall include:

(1) instruction on federal student loans, including the application process and the financial burden created upon graduation;

(2) instruction on federal and State grant programs for higher education;

(3) instruction on the availability of local internships and apprenticeships offered by labor union organizations and associations;

(4) information on any individual microcredential assistance programs, training programs created under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and any other federal or State programs that allow participants to obtain marketable skills free of charge;

(5) information on local technical and vocational training providers;

(6) information on voter registration and the voting process, including the process of voting in a primary election while 17 years of age in limited circumstances;

(7) information on enlistment in military service;

(8) information on local employment opportunities;

(9) information on local programs provided to obtain gainful employment;

(10) information on local health care clinics and health care facilities, including county departments of public health;

(11) information on local sexually transmitted disease testing facilities;

(12) a list of local libraries and information on what free and low-cost services each library offers;

(13) information on how to open a checking account and a savings account and how to apply for a mortgage; and

(14) information on how to open various retirement accounts, the basics of how the retirement accounts work, and how the money in the retirement accounts compounds over time.

(b) The school board of each school district operating a high school shall annually host an exit orientation program that complies with the rules and guidelines adopted by the State Board of Education under this Act for all students in grade 11 and 12 at each high school operated by the school district. The school board shall schedule a high school's exit orientation program on one school day during the month of September or October. The school board of a school district that operates multiple high schools shall endeavor to schedule each high school's program on a different school day.

(c) The school board of each school district operating a high school shall permit representatives of labor organizations, military branches, workforce training providers, vocational training providers, local chambers of commerce, banks, and private businesses to present information on jobs, training, apprenticeships, internships, jobs requiring certification, and related topics to students during a high school's exit orientation program.

(d) The school board of each school district operating a high school shall actively participate in planning and conducting the exit orientation program of the high school. At the exit orientation program, the school board shall present information on workforce development programs offered or funded by the school board, including training programs created under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

(e) Each Illinois workNet Center shall ensure that the exit orientation program of each high school in its local area is aligned with the needs and opportunities of the local labor market. The Illinois workNet Center shall provide the school board of the school district that operates the high school with information on local labor market needs and assist with coordinating participation in the program by local chambers of commerce, private businesses, and others. The Illinois workNet Center shall encourage local chambers of commerce to participate.