HJ0029 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0029 LRB104 13197 MST 25344 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Professional Review Panel is responsible for evaluating and recommending modifications to the Evidence-Based Funding Formula to ensure all students have access to a quality education, including students who are identified as advanced learners; and

WHEREAS, Currently each Organizational Unit must receive $40 per kindergarten through grade 12 Average Student Enrollment ("ASE") for Gifted investments; and

WHEREAS, Since the Evidence-Based Funding Formula was established, legislative changes have expanded the ways in which Illinois students are identified as advanced learners, so that "gifted" is only one of the categories of advanced learners recognized in the Illinois School Code, which now includes children eligible for accelerated placement and other advanced academic programs under Section 14A-17 of the School Code, such as advanced placement coursework, International Baccalaureate coursework, dual credit courses, or any course designated as enriched or honors; and

WHEREAS, Using only "gifted" as an adequacy factor to describe advanced learners may be outdated and insufficient to provide the educational supports necessary to meet the needs of advanced learners in Illinois schools; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we direct the Professional Review Panel and the Illinois State Board of Education to conduct the analysis and financial modeling required to evaluate the implications of including other categories of advanced learners in addition to gifted as adequacy factors beginning in the 2026-2027 school year; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Professional Review Panel and the Illinois State Board of Education should include their findings in a written report to the General Assembly and the Governor by December 31, 2025.