SB4173 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 21110 LNS 35297 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB4173

Introduced 3/10/2026, by Sen. Celina Villanueva

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

Sets forth findings and certain requirements. Appropriates $50,000,000 to the State Board of Education for the purpose of providing grants for community learning centers to support afterschool programs and community schools. Effective July 1, 2026.

AN ACT concerning appropriations.

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

Section 5. Findings; grants. (a) The General Assembly finds all the following:

(1) A strong research base supports the fact that afterschool programs and community schools improve academic achievement, support social and emotional growth, help keep communities safe, and support the needs of working families.

(2) Data supports the fact that there is always a greater need for these programs than there is funding for programming.

(3) Students and families in all communities should have access to these services regardless of income status.

(4) Illinois as a nationwide leader in child development recognizes that we must move toward an education system that provides afterschool for all. (b) The State Board of Education shall make grants available for community learning centers separate and apart from any federal appropriations.

(1) The purpose of community learning center programs is to provide opportunities to establish or expand activities that:

(A) provide opportunities for academic enrichment, including providing tutorial services to help students (particularly students who attend low-performing schools), to meet the challenging State academic standards;

(B) offer students a broad array of additional services, programs, and activities, such as youth development activities, service learning, nutrition and health education, drug and violence prevention programs, counseling programs, art, music, physical fitness, and wellness programs, technology education programs, financial literacy programs, environmental literacy programs, mathematics, science, and career and technical education programs, internship or apprenticeship programs, and other ties to an in-demand industry sector or occupation for high school students that are designed to reinforce and complement the regular academic program of participating students;

(C) offer families of students served by community learning centers opportunities for active and meaningful engagement in their children's education, including opportunities for literacy and related educational development; and

(D) support the whole needs of students, including providing extended learning time, integrated student support, family engagement, and collaborative leadership structures in schools as part of the community schools model, as a research-validated strategy to promote equity in education.

(2) Public and private entities, including local education agencies, such as public school districts, public university laboratory schools approved by the State Board of Education, State-authorized charter schools, area vocational centers, regional offices of education, intermediate service centers, community-based organizations, including faith-based organizations, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, as defined in the federal Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, and other public and private entities or a consortium of 2 or more such agencies, organizations, or entities are eligible to apply.

(3) Each grantee must propose to serve high-poverty schools or schools eligible for schoolwide programs under Section 1114 of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, such as schools in which not less than 40% of the children are from low-income families.

(4) Individual awards should not exceed $225,000 per site, such as the physical location where grant-funded services and activities are provided to participating students and adults.

(5) Successful applicants may reapply via continuing application for up to 4 additional years. Funding in subsequent years is contingent upon compliance with federal and State law, State grant-making rules, passage of sufficient appropriations for the program, and satisfactory performance in the preceding grant period.

(6) The State Board of Education shall issue a grant application to select a technical assistance provider to support grantees. Grantees must participate in compliance and technical assistance activities. This technical assistance provider must also develop an advisory board of grantees to provide feedback to the State Board of Education on the feasibility of grant management practices and the needs of students.

(7) The program objectives of this grant are as follows:

(A) Schools will improve student achievement in core academic areas.

(B) Schools will show an increase in student attendance and graduation from high school.

(C) Schools will see an increase in the social-emotional skills of their students.

(D) Programs will collaborate with the community.

(E) Programs will coordinate with schools to determine the students and families with the greatest need.

(F) Programs will provide ongoing professional development to program personnel.

(G) Programs will collaborate with schools and community-based organizations to provide sustainable programs. Elements of the community school's model can be offered by community learning centers. The State Board of Education must provide public reports annually on the spending of this programming and plans for future competitions. The State Board of Education must issue continuing application materials annually within 30 days of the start of the fiscal year. The State Board of Education must name a technical assistance provider to support these grantees.

Section 10. The amount of $50,000,000, or so much of that amount as may be necessary, is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the State Board of Education for the purpose of providing grants for community learning centers to support afterschool programs and community schools.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2026.