SB1227 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 03516 LNS 13539 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB1227

Introduced 1/24/2025, by Sen. Andrew S. Chesney

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new
105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new

Amends the School Code. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires school boards to publicly report, on their school district's website, a list of the curriculum to be used for student instruction during the school year. Requires that the report also include any procedures that are in effect at each school for the documentation, review, or approval of the curriculum used for student instruction. Allows a school district to update the report on an ongoing basis, but requires the report to be updated at least one month prior to the start of each school semester. Requires the State Board of Education to impose a civil penalty of $1,000 per day for each day a school board fails to post the required update after one week of notice. Requires each school district to notify the parents or guardians of students when the report is posted and when any subsequent updates are made to the report. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

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. This Act may be referred to as the School Curriculum Report for Transparency Law.

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections 10-20.88 and 34-18.88 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-20.88 new)

Sec. 10-20.88. Curriculum report.

(a) In this Section, "curriculum" includes the subjects used to teach the course and the books, media, and other learning materials used to teach the course.

(b) Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, the school board of each school district shall publicly report for each of the district's schools the following information in a prominent location on the district's website:

(1) A list of the curriculum used in every course provided by the school that is to be used for student instruction during the school year. The list shall be organized, at a minimum, by grade level and subject area.

(2) Any procedures that are in effect at the school for the documentation, review, or approval by the school's administrators, principal, or teachers of the curriculum used for student instruction.

(c) Under this Section, a school board shall provide updated information on the district's website at least one month prior to the start of each school semester and more frequently as the school board deems appropriate. A school board is required to report only the information that is necessary to identify the specific curriculum used for student instruction at each school.

If a school board fails to post the information required under this subsection on its website, the State Board of Education shall issue a notice to the school board stating that the school board has one week after the notice has been issued to post the information before the State Board of Education begins imposing a civil penalty of $1,000 per day for each day the school board continues to fail to post the information. If the school board fails to post the information required under this subsection within one week after the notice has been issued, the State Board of Education shall impose on the school board a civil penalty of $1,000 per day for each day the school board continues to fail to post the information, pursuant to an administrative proceeding, and the Attorney General may bring an action in the circuit court to enforce collection.

(d) Under this Section, a school district may, but is not required to, update the report and post the updated report on the district's website on an ongoing basis during the school year, as long as an updated report is completed at least one month prior to the start of each school semester.

(e) Each school district's report under this Section shall remain publicly available on the school district's website at least until the next report for the school year is completed and made publicly available on the district's website.

(f) Each school district is required to notify, either by mail or email, the parents or guardians of students when the report under this Section is posted and when any subsequent updates are made to the report.

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new)

Sec. 34-18.88. Curriculum report.

(a) In this Section, "curriculum" includes the subjects used to teach the course and the books, media, and other learning materials used to teach the course.

(b) Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, the board shall publicly report for each of the school district's schools the following information in a prominent location on the district's website:

(1) A list of the curriculum used in every course provided by the school that is to be used for student instruction during the school year. The list shall be organized, at a minimum, by grade level and subject area.

(2) Any procedures that are in effect at the school for the documentation, review, or approval by the school's administrators, principal, or teachers of the curriculum used for student instruction.

(c) Under this Section, the board shall provide updated information on the district's website at least one month prior to the start of each school semester and more frequently as the board deems appropriate. The board is required to report only the information that is necessary to identify the specific curriculum used for student instruction at each school.

If the board fails to post the information required under this subsection on its website, the State Board of Education shall issue a notice to the board stating that the board has one week after the notice has been issued to post the information before the State Board of Education begins imposing a civil penalty of $1,000 per day for each day the board continues to fail to post the information. If the board fails to post the information required under this subsection within one week after the notice has been issued, the State Board of Education shall impose on the board a civil penalty of $1,000 per day for each day the board continues to fail to post the information, pursuant to an administrative proceeding, and the Attorney General may bring an action in the circuit court to enforce collection.

(d) Under this Section, the school district may, but is not required to, update the report and post the updated report on the district's website on an ongoing basis during the school year, as long as an updated report is completed at least one month prior to the start of each school semester.

(e) The report under this Section shall remain publicly available on the school district's website at least until the next report for the school year is completed and made publicly available on the district's website.

(f) The school district is required to notify, either by mail or email, the parents or guardians of students when the report under this Section is posted and when any subsequent updates are made to the report.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.