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1 | AN ACT concerning education.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections | ||||||
5 | 2-3.186, 2-3.187, 14A-32, and 22-90 as follows: | ||||||
6 | (105 ILCS 5/2-3.186) | ||||||
7 | Sec. 2-3.186. Freedom Schools; grant program. | ||||||
8 | (a) The General Assembly recognizes and values the | ||||||
9 | contributions that Freedom Schools make to enhance the lives | ||||||
10 | of Black students. The General Assembly makes all of the | ||||||
11 | following findings: | ||||||
12 | (1) The fundamental goal of the Freedom Schools of the | ||||||
13 | 1960s was to provide quality education for all students, | ||||||
14 | to motivate active civic engagement, and to empower | ||||||
15 | disenfranchised communities. The renowned and progressive | ||||||
16 | curriculum of Freedom Schools allowed students of all ages | ||||||
17 | to experience a new and liberating form of education that | ||||||
18 | directly related to the imperatives of their lives, their | ||||||
19 | communities, and the Freedom Movement. | ||||||
20 | (2) Freedom Schools continue to demonstrate the proven | ||||||
21 | benefits of critical civic engagement and | ||||||
22 | intergenerational effects by providing historically | ||||||
23 | disadvantaged students, including African American |
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1 | students and other students of color, with quality | ||||||
2 | instruction that fosters student confidence, critical | ||||||
3 | thinking, and social and emotional development. | ||||||
4 | (3) Freedom Schools offer culturally relevant learning | ||||||
5 | opportunities with the academic and social supports that | ||||||
6 | Black children need by utilizing quality teaching, | ||||||
7 | challenging and engaging curricula, wrap-around supports, | ||||||
8 | a positive school climate, and strong ties to family and | ||||||
9 | community. Freedom Schools have a clear focus on results. | ||||||
10 | (4) Public schools serve a foundational role in the | ||||||
11 | education of over 2,000,000 students in this State. | ||||||
12 | (b) The State Board of Education shall establish a Freedom | ||||||
13 | School network to supplement the learning taking place in | ||||||
14 | public schools by creating a 6-week summer program with an | ||||||
15 | organization with a mission to improve the odds for children | ||||||
16 | in poverty that operates Freedom Schools in multiple states | ||||||
17 | using a research-based and multicultural curriculum for | ||||||
18 | disenfranchised communities most affected by the opportunity | ||||||
19 | gap and learning loss caused by the pandemic, and by expanding | ||||||
20 | the teaching of African American history, developing | ||||||
21 | leadership skills, and providing an understanding of the | ||||||
22 | tenets of the civil rights movement. The teachers in Freedom | ||||||
23 | Schools must be from the local community, with an emphasis on | ||||||
24 | historically disadvantaged youth, including African American | ||||||
25 | students and other students of color, so that (i) these | ||||||
26 | individuals have access to summer jobs and teaching |
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1 | experiences that serve as a long-term pipeline to educational | ||||||
2 | careers and the hiring of minority educators in public | ||||||
3 | schools, (ii) these individuals are elevated as content | ||||||
4 | experts and community leaders, and (iii) Freedom School | ||||||
5 | students have access to both mentorship and equitable | ||||||
6 | educational resources. | ||||||
7 | (c) A Freedom School shall intentionally and imaginatively | ||||||
8 | implement strategies that focus on all of the following: | ||||||
9 | (1) Racial justice and equity. | ||||||
10 | (2) Transparency and building trusting relationships. | ||||||
11 | (3) Self-determination and governance. | ||||||
12 | (4) Building on community strengths and community | ||||||
13 | wisdom. | ||||||
14 | (5) Utilizing current data, best practices, and | ||||||
15 | evidence. | ||||||
16 | (6) Shared leadership and collaboration. | ||||||
17 | (7) A reflective learning culture. | ||||||
18 | (8) A whole-child approach to education. | ||||||
19 | (9) Literacy. | ||||||
20 | (d) The State Board of Education, in the establishment of | ||||||
21 | Freedom Schools, shall strive for authentic parent and | ||||||
22 | community engagement during the development of Freedom Schools | ||||||
23 | and their curriculum. Authentic parent and community | ||||||
24 | engagement includes all of the following: | ||||||
25 | (1) A shared responsibility that values equal | ||||||
26 | partnerships between families and professionals. |
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1 | (2) Ensuring that students and families who are | ||||||
2 | directly impacted by Freedom School policies and practices | ||||||
3 | are the decision-makers in the creation, design, | ||||||
4 | implementation, and assessment of those policies and | ||||||
5 | practices. | ||||||
6 | (3) Genuine respect for the culture and diversity of | ||||||
7 | families. | ||||||
8 | (4) Relationships that center around the goal of | ||||||
9 | supporting family well-being and children's development | ||||||
10 | and learning. | ||||||
11 | (e) Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education | ||||||
12 | shall establish and implement a grant program to provide | ||||||
13 | grants to public schools, public community colleges, and | ||||||
14 | not-for-profit, community-based organizations to facilitate | ||||||
15 | improved educational outcomes for historically disadvantaged | ||||||
16 | students, including African American students and other | ||||||
17 | students of color Black students in grades pre-kindergarten | ||||||
18 | through 12 in alignment with the integrity and practices of | ||||||
19 | the Freedom School model established during the civil rights | ||||||
20 | movement. Grant recipients under the program may include, but | ||||||
21 | are not limited to, entities that work with the Children's | ||||||
22 | Defense Fund or offer established programs with proven results | ||||||
23 | and outcomes. The State Board of Education shall award grants | ||||||
24 | to eligible entities that demonstrate a likelihood of | ||||||
25 | reasonable success in achieving the goals identified in the | ||||||
26 | grant application, including, but not limited to, all of the |
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1 | following: | ||||||
2 | (1) Engaging, culturally relevant, and challenging | ||||||
3 | curricula. | ||||||
4 | (2) High-quality teaching. | ||||||
5 | (3) Wrap-around supports and opportunities. | ||||||
6 | (4) Positive discipline practices, such as restorative | ||||||
7 | justice. | ||||||
8 | (5) Inclusive leadership. | ||||||
9 | (f) The Freedom Schools Fund is created as a special fund | ||||||
10 | in the State treasury. the Fund shall consist of | ||||||
11 | appropriations from the General Revenue Fund, grant funds from | ||||||
12 | the
federal government, and donations from educational and | ||||||
13 | private foundations. All money in the Fund shall be used, | ||||||
14 | subject to appropriation, by the State Board of Education for | ||||||
15 | the purposes of this Section and to support related | ||||||
16 | activities. | ||||||
17 | (g) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules | ||||||
18 | necessary to implement this Section.
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19 | (Source: P.A. 101-654, eff. 3-8-21.) | ||||||
20 | (105 ILCS 5/2-3.187) | ||||||
21 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2023) | ||||||
22 | Sec. 2-3.187. Inclusive American History Commission. | ||||||
23 | (a) The Inclusive American History Commission is created | ||||||
24 | to provide assistance to the State Board of Education in | ||||||
25 | revising its social science learning standards under |
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1 | subsection (a-5) of Section 2-3.25. | ||||||
2 | (b) The State Board of Education shall convene the | ||||||
3 | Inclusive American History Commission to do all of the | ||||||
4 | following: | ||||||
5 | (1) Review available resources for use in school | ||||||
6 | districts that reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of | ||||||
7 | this State and country. The resources identified by the | ||||||
8 | Commission may be posted on the State Board of Education's | ||||||
9 | Internet website. | ||||||
10 | (2) Provide guidance for each learning standard | ||||||
11 | developed for educators on how to ensure that instruction | ||||||
12 | and content are not biased to value specific cultures, | ||||||
13 | time periods, and experiences over other cultures, time | ||||||
14 | periods, and experiences. | ||||||
15 | (3) Develop guidance, tools, and support for | ||||||
16 | professional learning on how to locate and utilize | ||||||
17 | resources for non-dominant cultural narratives and sources | ||||||
18 | of historical information. | ||||||
19 | (c) The Commission shall consist of all of the following | ||||||
20 | members: | ||||||
21 | (1) One Representative appointed by the Speaker of the | ||||||
22 | House of Representatives. | ||||||
23 | (2) One Representative appointed by the Minority | ||||||
24 | Leader of the House of Representatives. | ||||||
25 | (3) One Senator appointed by the President of the | ||||||
26 | Senate. |
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1 | (4) One Senator appointed by the Minority Leader of | ||||||
2 | the Senate. | ||||||
3 | (5) Two members who are history scholars appointed by | ||||||
4 | the State Superintendent of Education. | ||||||
5 | (6) Eight members who are teachers at schools in this | ||||||
6 | State recommended by professional teachers' organizations | ||||||
7 | and appointed by the State Superintendent of Education. | ||||||
8 | (7) One representative of the State Board of Education | ||||||
9 | appointed by the State Superintendent of Education who | ||||||
10 | shall serve as chairperson. | ||||||
11 | (8) One member who represents an a statewide | ||||||
12 | organization that represents south suburban school | ||||||
13 | districts appointed by the State Superintendent of | ||||||
14 | Education. | ||||||
15 | (9) One member who represents a west suburban school | ||||||
16 | district appointed by the State Superintendent of | ||||||
17 | Education. | ||||||
18 | (10) One member who represents a school district | ||||||
19 | organized under Article 34 appointed by the State | ||||||
20 | Superintendent of Education. | ||||||
21 | (11) One member who represents a statewide | ||||||
22 | organization that represents school librarians appointed | ||||||
23 | by the State Superintendent of Education. | ||||||
24 | (12) One member who represents a statewide | ||||||
25 | organization that represents principals appointed by the | ||||||
26 | State Superintendent of Education. |
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1 | (13) One member who represents a statewide | ||||||
2 | organization that represents superintendents appointed by | ||||||
3 | the State Superintendent of Education. | ||||||
4 | (14) One member who represents a statewide | ||||||
5 | organization that represents school boards appointed by | ||||||
6 | the State Superintendent of Education. | ||||||
7 | Members appointed to the Commission must reflect the | ||||||
8 | racial, ethnic, and geographic diversity of this State. | ||||||
9 | (d) Members of the Commission shall serve without | ||||||
10 | compensation but may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses | ||||||
11 | from funds appropriated to the State Board of Education for | ||||||
12 | that purpose, including travel, subject to the rules of the | ||||||
13 | appropriate travel control board. | ||||||
14 | (e) The State Board of Education shall provide | ||||||
15 | administrative and other support to the Commission. | ||||||
16 | (f) The Commission must submit a report about its work to | ||||||
17 | the State Board of Education, the Governor, and the General | ||||||
18 | Assembly on or before December 31, 2021. The Commission is | ||||||
19 | dissolved upon the submission of its report. | ||||||
20 | (g) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2023.
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21 | (Source: P.A. 101-654, eff. 3-8-21.) | ||||||
22 | (105 ILCS 5/14A-32) | ||||||
23 | Sec. 14A-32. Accelerated placement; school district | ||||||
24 | responsibilities. | ||||||
25 | (a) Each school district shall have a policy that allows |
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1 | for accelerated placement that includes or incorporates by | ||||||
2 | reference the following components: | ||||||
3 | (1) a provision that provides that participation in | ||||||
4 | accelerated placement is not limited to those children who | ||||||
5 | have been identified as gifted and talented, but rather is | ||||||
6 | open to all children who demonstrate high ability and who | ||||||
7 | may benefit from accelerated placement; | ||||||
8 | (2) a fair and equitable decision-making process that | ||||||
9 | involves multiple persons and includes a student's parents | ||||||
10 | or guardians; | ||||||
11 | (3) procedures for notifying parents or guardians of a | ||||||
12 | child of a decision affecting that child's participation | ||||||
13 | in an accelerated placement program; and | ||||||
14 | (4) an assessment process that includes multiple | ||||||
15 | valid, reliable indicators. | ||||||
16 | (a-5) By no later than the beginning of the 2023-2024 | ||||||
17 | school year, a school district's accelerated placement policy | ||||||
18 | shall allow for the automatic enrollment, in the following | ||||||
19 | school term, of a student into the next most rigorous level of | ||||||
20 | advanced coursework offered by the high school if the student | ||||||
21 | meets or exceeds State standards in English language arts, | ||||||
22 | mathematics, or science on a State assessment administered | ||||||
23 | under Section 2-3.64a-5 as follows: | ||||||
24 | (1) A student who meets or exceeds State standards in | ||||||
25 | English language arts shall be automatically enrolled into | ||||||
26 | the next most rigorous level of advanced coursework in |
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1 | English, social studies, humanities, or related subjects. | ||||||
2 | (2) A student who meets or exceeds State standards in | ||||||
3 | mathematics shall be automatically enrolled into the next | ||||||
4 | most rigorous level of advanced coursework in mathematics. | ||||||
5 | (3) A student who meets or exceeds State standards in | ||||||
6 | science shall be automatically enrolled into the next most | ||||||
7 | rigorous level of advanced coursework in science. | ||||||
8 | For a student entering grade 12, the next most rigorous | ||||||
9 | level of advanced coursework in English language arts or | ||||||
10 | mathematics shall be a dual credit course, as defined in the | ||||||
11 | Dual Credit Quality Act, an Advanced Placement course, as | ||||||
12 | defined in Section 10 of the College and Career Success for All | ||||||
13 | Students Act, or an International Baccalaureate course; | ||||||
14 | otherwise, the The next most rigorous level of advanced | ||||||
15 | coursework under this subsection (a-5) may include a dual | ||||||
16 | credit course, as defined in the Dual Credit Quality Act, an | ||||||
17 | Advanced Placement course , as defined in Section 10 of the | ||||||
18 | College and Career Success for All Students Act, an | ||||||
19 | International Baccalaureate course, an honors class, an | ||||||
20 | enrichment opportunity, a gifted program, or another program | ||||||
21 | offered by the district. | ||||||
22 | A school district may use the student's most recent State | ||||||
23 | assessment results to determine whether a student meets or | ||||||
24 | exceeds State standards. For a student entering grade 9, | ||||||
25 | results from the State assessment taken in grades 6 through 8 | ||||||
26 | may be used. For other high school grades, the results from a |
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1 | locally selected, nationally normed assessment may be used | ||||||
2 | instead of the State assessment if those results are the most | ||||||
3 | recent. | ||||||
4 | A school district must provide the parent or guardian of a | ||||||
5 | student eligible for automatic enrollment under this | ||||||
6 | subsection (a-5) with the option to instead have the student | ||||||
7 | enroll in alternative coursework that better aligns with the | ||||||
8 | student's postsecondary education or career goals. | ||||||
9 | Nothing in this subsection (a-5) may be interpreted to | ||||||
10 | preclude other students from enrolling in advanced coursework | ||||||
11 | per the policy of a school district. | ||||||
12 | (b) Further, a school district's accelerated placement | ||||||
13 | policy may include or incorporate by reference, but need not | ||||||
14 | be limited to, the following components: | ||||||
15 | (1) procedures for annually informing the community | ||||||
16 | at-large, including parents or guardians, community-based | ||||||
17 | organizations, and providers of out-of-school programs, | ||||||
18 | about the accelerated placement program and the methods | ||||||
19 | used for the identification of children eligible for | ||||||
20 | accelerated placement, including strategies to reach | ||||||
21 | groups of students and families who have been historically | ||||||
22 | underrepresented in accelerated placement programs and | ||||||
23 | advanced coursework; | ||||||
24 | (2) a process for referral that allows for multiple | ||||||
25 | referrers, including a child's parents or guardians; other | ||||||
26 | referrers may include licensed education professionals, |
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1 | the child, with the written consent of a parent or | ||||||
2 | guardian, a peer, through a licensed education | ||||||
3 | professional who has knowledge of the referred child's | ||||||
4 | abilities, or, in case of possible early entrance, a | ||||||
5 | preschool educator, pediatrician, or psychologist who | ||||||
6 | knows the child; | ||||||
7 | (3) a provision that provides that children | ||||||
8 | participating in an accelerated placement program and | ||||||
9 | their parents or guardians will be provided a written plan | ||||||
10 | detailing the type of acceleration the child will receive | ||||||
11 | and strategies to support the child; | ||||||
12 | (4) procedures to provide support and promote success | ||||||
13 | for students who are newly enrolled in an accelerated | ||||||
14 | placement program; and | ||||||
15 | (5) a process for the school district to review and | ||||||
16 | utilize disaggregated data on participation in an | ||||||
17 | accelerated placement program to address gaps among | ||||||
18 | demographic groups in accelerated placement opportunities. | ||||||
19 | (c) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to | ||||||
20 | determine data to be collected and disaggregated by | ||||||
21 | demographic group regarding accelerated placement, including | ||||||
22 | the rates of students who participate in and successfully | ||||||
23 | complete advanced coursework, and a method of making the | ||||||
24 | information available to the public.
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25 | (d) On or before November 1, 2022, following a review of | ||||||
26 | disaggregated data on the participation and successful |
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1 | completion rates of students enrolled in an accelerated | ||||||
2 | placement program, each school district shall develop a plan | ||||||
3 | to expand access to its accelerated placement program and to | ||||||
4 | ensure the teaching capacity necessary to meet the increased | ||||||
5 | demand. | ||||||
6 | (Source: P.A. 100-421, eff. 7-1-18; 101-654, eff. 3-8-21.) | ||||||
7 | (105 ILCS 5/22-90) | ||||||
8 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on February 1, 2023) | ||||||
9 | Sec. 22-90. Whole Child Task Force. | ||||||
10 | (a) The General Assembly makes all of the following | ||||||
11 | findings: | ||||||
12 | (1) The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed systemic | ||||||
13 | inequities in American society. Students, educators, and | ||||||
14 | families throughout this State have been deeply affected | ||||||
15 | by the pandemic, and the impact of the pandemic will be | ||||||
16 | felt for years to come. The negative consequences of the | ||||||
17 | pandemic have impacted students and communities | ||||||
18 | differently along the lines of race, income, language, and | ||||||
19 | special needs. However, students in this State faced | ||||||
20 | significant unmet physical health, mental health, and | ||||||
21 | social and emotional needs even prior to the pandemic. | ||||||
22 | (2) The path to recovery requires a commitment from | ||||||
23 | adults in this State to address our students cultural, | ||||||
24 | physical, emotional, and mental health needs and to | ||||||
25 | provide them with stronger and increased systemic support |
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1 | and intervention. | ||||||
2 | (3) It is well documented that trauma and toxic stress | ||||||
3 | diminish a child's ability to thrive. Forms of childhood | ||||||
4 | trauma and toxic stress include adverse childhood | ||||||
5 | experiences, systemic racism, poverty, food and housing | ||||||
6 | insecurity, and gender-based violence. The COVID-19 | ||||||
7 | pandemic has exacerbated these issues and brought them | ||||||
8 | into focus. | ||||||
9 | (4) It is estimated that, overall, approximately 40% | ||||||
10 | of children in this State have experienced at least one | ||||||
11 | adverse childhood experience and approximately 10% have | ||||||
12 | experienced 3 or more adverse childhood experiences. | ||||||
13 | However, the number of adverse childhood experiences is | ||||||
14 | higher for Black and Hispanic children who are growing up | ||||||
15 | in poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the number | ||||||
16 | of students who have experienced childhood trauma. Also, | ||||||
17 | the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted preexisting | ||||||
18 | inequities in school disciplinary practices that | ||||||
19 | disproportionately impact Black and Brown students. | ||||||
20 | Research shows, for example, that girls of color are | ||||||
21 | disproportionately impacted by trauma, adversity, and | ||||||
22 | abuse, and instead of receiving the care and | ||||||
23 | trauma-informed support they may need, many Black girls in | ||||||
24 | particular face disproportionately harsh disciplinary | ||||||
25 | measures. | ||||||
26 | (5) The cumulative effects of trauma and toxic stress |
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1 | adversely impact the physical health of students, as well | ||||||
2 | as their ability to learn, form relationships, and | ||||||
3 | self-regulate. If left unaddressed, these effects increase | ||||||
4 | a student's risk for depression, alcoholism, anxiety, | ||||||
5 | asthma, smoking, and suicide, all of which are risks that | ||||||
6 | disproportionately affect Black youth and may lead to a | ||||||
7 | host of medical diseases as an adult. Access to infant and | ||||||
8 | early childhood mental health services is critical to | ||||||
9 | ensure the social and emotional well-being of this State's | ||||||
10 | youngest children, particularly those children who have | ||||||
11 | experienced trauma. | ||||||
12 | (6) Although this State enacted measures through | ||||||
13 | Public Act 100-105 to address the high rate of early care | ||||||
14 | and preschool expulsions of infants, toddlers, and | ||||||
15 | preschoolers and the disproportionately higher rate of | ||||||
16 | expulsion for Black and Hispanic children, a recent study | ||||||
17 | found a wide variation in the awareness, understanding, | ||||||
18 | and compliance with the law by providers of early | ||||||
19 | childhood care. Further work is needed to implement the | ||||||
20 | law, which includes providing training to early childhood | ||||||
21 | care providers to increase their understanding of the law, | ||||||
22 | increasing the availability and access to infant and early | ||||||
23 | childhood mental health services, and building aligned | ||||||
24 | data collection systems to better understand expulsion | ||||||
25 | rates and to allow for accurate reporting as required by | ||||||
26 | the law. |
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1 | (7) Many educators and schools in this State have | ||||||
2 | embraced and implemented evidenced-based restorative | ||||||
3 | justice and trauma-responsive and culturally relevant | ||||||
4 | practices and interventions. However, the use of these | ||||||
5 | interventions on students is often isolated or is | ||||||
6 | implemented occasionally and only if the school has the | ||||||
7 | appropriate leadership, resources, and partners available | ||||||
8 | to engage seriously in this work. It would be malpractice | ||||||
9 | to deny our students access to these practices and | ||||||
10 | interventions, especially in the aftermath of a | ||||||
11 | once-in-a-century pandemic. | ||||||
12 | (b) The Whole Child Task Force is created for the purpose | ||||||
13 | of establishing an equitable, inclusive, safe, and supportive | ||||||
14 | environment in all schools for every student in this State. | ||||||
15 | The task force shall have all of the following goals, which | ||||||
16 | means key steps have to be taken to ensure that every child in | ||||||
17 | every school in this State has access to teachers, social | ||||||
18 | workers, school leaders, support personnel, and others who | ||||||
19 | have been trained in evidenced-based interventions and | ||||||
20 | restorative practices: | ||||||
21 | (1) To create a common definition of a | ||||||
22 | trauma-responsive school, a trauma-responsive district, | ||||||
23 | and a trauma-responsive community. | ||||||
24 | (2) To outline the training and resources required to | ||||||
25 | create and sustain a system of support for | ||||||
26 | trauma-responsive schools, districts, and communities and |
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1 | to identify this State's role in that work, including | ||||||
2 | recommendations concerning options for redirecting | ||||||
3 | resources from school resource officers to classroom-based | ||||||
4 | support. | ||||||
5 | (3) To identify or develop a process to conduct an | ||||||
6 | analysis of the organizations that provide training in | ||||||
7 | restorative practices, implicit bias, anti-racism, and | ||||||
8 | trauma-responsive systems, mental health services, and | ||||||
9 | social and emotional services to schools. | ||||||
10 | (4) To provide recommendations concerning the key data | ||||||
11 | to be collected and reported to ensure that this State has | ||||||
12 | a full and accurate understanding of the progress toward | ||||||
13 | ensuring that all schools, including programs and | ||||||
14 | providers of care to pre-kindergarten children, employ | ||||||
15 | restorative, anti-racist, and trauma-responsive | ||||||
16 | strategies and practices. The data collected must include | ||||||
17 | information relating to the availability of trauma | ||||||
18 | responsive support structures in schools as well as | ||||||
19 | disciplinary practices employed on students in person or | ||||||
20 | through other means, including during remote or blended | ||||||
21 | learning. It should also include information on the use | ||||||
22 | of, and funding for, school resource officers and other | ||||||
23 | similar police personnel in school programs. | ||||||
24 | (5) To recommend an implementation timeline, including | ||||||
25 | the key roles, responsibilities, and resources to advance | ||||||
26 | this State toward a system in which every school, |
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1 | district, and community is progressing toward becoming | ||||||
2 | trauma-responsive. | ||||||
3 | (6) To seek input and feedback from stakeholders, | ||||||
4 | including parents, students, and educators, who reflect | ||||||
5 | the diversity of this State. | ||||||
6 | (c) Members of the Whole Child Task Force shall be | ||||||
7 | appointed by the State Superintendent of Education. Members of | ||||||
8 | this task force must represent the diversity of this State and | ||||||
9 | possess the expertise needed to perform the work required to | ||||||
10 | meet the goals of the task force set forth under subsection | ||||||
11 | (a). Members of the task force shall include all of the | ||||||
12 | following: | ||||||
13 | (1) One member of a statewide professional teachers' | ||||||
14 | organization. | ||||||
15 | (2) One member of another statewide professional | ||||||
16 | teachers' organization. | ||||||
17 | (3) One member who represents a school district | ||||||
18 | serving a community with a population of 500,000 or more. | ||||||
19 | (4) One member of a statewide organization | ||||||
20 | representing social workers. | ||||||
21 | (5) One member of an organization that has specific | ||||||
22 | expertise in trauma-responsive school practices and | ||||||
23 | experience in supporting schools in developing | ||||||
24 | trauma-responsive and restorative practices. | ||||||
25 | (6) One member of another organization that has | ||||||
26 | specific expertise in trauma-responsive school practices |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | and experience in supporting schools in developing | ||||||
2 | trauma-responsive and restorative practices. | ||||||
3 | (7) One member of a statewide organization that | ||||||
4 | represents school administrators. | ||||||
5 | (8) One member of a statewide policy organization that | ||||||
6 | works to build a healthy public education system that | ||||||
7 | prepares all students for a successful college, career, | ||||||
8 | and civic life. | ||||||
9 | (9) One member of a statewide organization that brings
| ||||||
10 | teachers together to identify and address issues
critical | ||||||
11 | to student success. | ||||||
12 | (10) One member of the General Assembly recommended by | ||||||
13 | the President of the Senate. | ||||||
14 | (11) One member of the General Assembly recommended by | ||||||
15 | the Speaker of the House of
Representatives. | ||||||
16 | (12) One member of the General Assembly recommended by | ||||||
17 | the Minority Leader of the Senate. | ||||||
18 | (13) One member of the General Assembly recommended by | ||||||
19 | the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. | ||||||
20 | (14) One member of a civil rights organization that | ||||||
21 | works actively on issues regarding student support. | ||||||
22 | (15) One administrator from a school district that has | ||||||
23 | actively worked to develop a system of student support | ||||||
24 | that uses a trauma-informed lens. | ||||||
25 | (16) One educator from a school district that has | ||||||
26 | actively worked to develop a system of student support |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | that uses a trauma-informed lens. | ||||||
2 | (17) One member of a youth-led organization. | ||||||
3 | (18) One member of an organization that has | ||||||
4 | demonstrated expertise in restorative practices. | ||||||
5 | (19) One member of a coalition of mental health and | ||||||
6 | school practitioners who assist schools in developing and | ||||||
7 | implementing trauma-informed and restorative strategies | ||||||
8 | and systems. | ||||||
9 | (20) One member of an organization whose mission is to | ||||||
10 | promote the safety, health, and economic success of | ||||||
11 | children, youth, and families in this State. | ||||||
12 | (21) One member who works or has worked as a | ||||||
13 | restorative justice coach or disciplinarian. | ||||||
14 | (22) One member who works or has worked as a social | ||||||
15 | worker. | ||||||
16 | (23) One member of the State Board of Education. | ||||||
17 | (24) One member who represents a statewide principals' | ||||||
18 | organization. | ||||||
19 | (25) One member who represents a statewide | ||||||
20 | organization of school boards. | ||||||
21 | (26) One member who has expertise in pre-kindergarten | ||||||
22 | education. | ||||||
23 | (27) One member who represents a school social worker | ||||||
24 | association. | ||||||
25 | (28) One member who represents an organization that | ||||||
26 | represents school districts in both the south suburbs and |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | collar counties . | ||||||
2 | (29) One member who is a licensed clinical | ||||||
3 | psychologist who (A) has a doctor of philosophy in the | ||||||
4 | field of clinical psychology and has an appointment at an | ||||||
5 | independent free-standing children's hospital located in | ||||||
6 | Chicago, (B) serves as associate professor at a medical | ||||||
7 | school located in Chicago, and (C) serves as the clinical | ||||||
8 | director of a coalition of voluntary collaboration of | ||||||
9 | organizations that are committed to applying a trauma lens | ||||||
10 | to their efforts on behalf of families and children in the | ||||||
11 | State. | ||||||
12 | (30) One member who represents a west suburban school | ||||||
13 | district. | ||||||
14 | (31) One member from a governmental agency who has | ||||||
15 | expertise in child development and who is responsible for | ||||||
16 | coordinating early childhood mental health programs and | ||||||
17 | services. | ||||||
18 | (32) One member who has significant expertise in early | ||||||
19 | childhood mental health and childhood trauma. | ||||||
20 | (33) One member who represents an organization that | ||||||
21 | represents school districts in the collar counties. | ||||||
22 | (d) The Whole Child Task Force shall meet at the call of | ||||||
23 | the State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee, | ||||||
24 | who shall serve as as the chairperson. The State Board of | ||||||
25 | Education shall provide administrative and other support to | ||||||
26 | the task force. Members of the task force shall serve without |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | compensation. | ||||||
2 | (e) The Whole Child Task Force shall submit a report of its | ||||||
3 | findings and recommendations to the General Assembly, the | ||||||
4 | Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, the State Board of | ||||||
5 | Education, and the Governor on or before February 1, 2022. | ||||||
6 | Upon submitting its report, the task force is dissolved. | ||||||
7 | (f) This Section is repealed on February 1, 2023.
| ||||||
8 | (Source: P.A. 101-654, eff. 3-8-21.) | ||||||
9 | Section 10. The Early Intervention Services System Act is | ||||||
10 | amended by changing Section 11 as follows:
| ||||||
11 | (325 ILCS 20/11) (from Ch. 23, par. 4161)
| ||||||
12 | Sec. 11. Individualized Family Service Plans.
| ||||||
13 | (a) Each eligible infant or toddler and that infant's or | ||||||
14 | toddler's family
shall receive:
| ||||||
15 | (1) timely, comprehensive, multidisciplinary | ||||||
16 | assessment of the unique
strengths and needs of each | ||||||
17 | eligible infant and toddler, and assessment of the | ||||||
18 | concerns
and priorities of the families to appropriately | ||||||
19 | assist them in meeting
their needs and identify supports | ||||||
20 | and services to meet those needs; and
| ||||||
21 | (2) a written Individualized Family Service Plan | ||||||
22 | developed by a
multidisciplinary team which includes the | ||||||
23 | parent or guardian. The
individualized family service plan | ||||||
24 | shall be based on the
multidisciplinary team's assessment |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | of the resources, priorities,
and concerns of the family | ||||||
2 | and its identification of the supports
and services | ||||||
3 | necessary to enhance the family's capacity to meet the
| ||||||
4 | developmental needs of the infant or toddler, and shall | ||||||
5 | include the
identification of services appropriate to meet | ||||||
6 | those needs, including the
frequency, intensity, and | ||||||
7 | method of delivering services. During and as part of
the | ||||||
8 | initial development of the individualized family services | ||||||
9 | plan, and any
periodic reviews of the plan, the | ||||||
10 | multidisciplinary team may seek consultation from the lead
| ||||||
11 | agency's designated experts, if any, to help
determine | ||||||
12 | appropriate services and the frequency and intensity of | ||||||
13 | those
services. All services in the individualized family | ||||||
14 | services plan must be
justified by the multidisciplinary | ||||||
15 | assessment of the unique strengths and
needs of the infant | ||||||
16 | or toddler and must be appropriate to meet those needs.
At | ||||||
17 | the periodic reviews, the team shall determine whether | ||||||
18 | modification or
revision of the outcomes or services is | ||||||
19 | necessary.
| ||||||
20 | (b) The Individualized Family Service Plan shall be | ||||||
21 | evaluated once a year
and the family shall be provided a review | ||||||
22 | of the Plan at 6 month intervals or
more often where | ||||||
23 | appropriate based on infant or toddler and family needs.
The | ||||||
24 | lead agency shall create a quality review process regarding | ||||||
25 | Individualized
Family Service Plan development and changes | ||||||
26 | thereto, to monitor
and help assure that resources are being |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | used to provide appropriate early
intervention services.
| ||||||
2 | (c) The initial evaluation and initial assessment and | ||||||
3 | initial
Plan meeting must be held within 45 days after the | ||||||
4 | initial
contact with the early intervention services system. | ||||||
5 | The 45-day timeline does not apply for any period when the | ||||||
6 | child or parent is unavailable to complete the initial | ||||||
7 | evaluation, the initial assessments of the child and family, | ||||||
8 | or the initial Plan meeting, due to exceptional family | ||||||
9 | circumstances that are documented in the child's early | ||||||
10 | intervention records, or when the parent has not provided | ||||||
11 | consent for the initial evaluation or the initial assessment | ||||||
12 | of the child despite documented, repeated attempts to obtain | ||||||
13 | parental consent. As soon as exceptional family circumstances | ||||||
14 | no longer exist or parental consent has been obtained, the | ||||||
15 | initial evaluation, the initial assessment, and the initial | ||||||
16 | Plan meeting must be completed as soon as possible. With | ||||||
17 | parental consent,
early intervention services may commence | ||||||
18 | before the completion of the
comprehensive assessment and | ||||||
19 | development of the Plan.
| ||||||
20 | (d) Parents must be informed that early
intervention
| ||||||
21 | services shall be provided to each eligible infant and | ||||||
22 | toddler, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the natural
| ||||||
23 | environment, which may include the home or other community | ||||||
24 | settings. Parents
shall make
the final decision to accept or | ||||||
25 | decline
early intervention services. A decision to decline | ||||||
26 | such services shall
not be a basis for administrative |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | determination of parental fitness, or
other findings or | ||||||
2 | sanctions against the parents. Parameters of the Plan
shall be | ||||||
3 | set forth in rules.
| ||||||
4 | (e) The regional intake offices shall explain to each | ||||||
5 | family, orally and
in
writing, all of the following:
| ||||||
6 | (1) That the early intervention program will pay for | ||||||
7 | all early
intervention services set forth in the | ||||||
8 | individualized family service plan that
are not
covered or | ||||||
9 | paid under the family's public or private insurance plan | ||||||
10 | or policy
and not
eligible for payment through any other | ||||||
11 | third party payor.
| ||||||
12 | (2) That services will not be delayed due to any rules | ||||||
13 | or restrictions
under the family's insurance plan or | ||||||
14 | policy.
| ||||||
15 | (3) That the family may request, with appropriate | ||||||
16 | documentation
supporting the request, a
determination of | ||||||
17 | an exemption from private insurance use under
Section | ||||||
18 | 13.25.
| ||||||
19 | (4) That responsibility for co-payments or
| ||||||
20 | co-insurance under a family's private insurance
plan or | ||||||
21 | policy will be transferred to the lead
agency's central | ||||||
22 | billing office.
| ||||||
23 | (5) That families will be responsible
for payments of | ||||||
24 | family fees,
which will be based on a sliding scale
| ||||||
25 | according to the State's definition of ability to pay | ||||||
26 | which is comparing household size and income to the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | sliding scale and considering out-of-pocket medical or | ||||||
2 | disaster expenses, and that these fees
are payable to the | ||||||
3 | central billing office. Families who fail to provide | ||||||
4 | income information shall be charged the maximum amount on | ||||||
5 | the sliding scale.
| ||||||
6 | (f) The individualized family service plan must state | ||||||
7 | whether the family
has private insurance coverage and, if the | ||||||
8 | family has such coverage, must
have attached to it a copy of | ||||||
9 | the family's insurance identification card or
otherwise
| ||||||
10 | include all of the following information:
| ||||||
11 | (1) The name, address, and telephone number of the | ||||||
12 | insurance
carrier.
| ||||||
13 | (2) The contract number and policy number of the | ||||||
14 | insurance plan.
| ||||||
15 | (3) The name, address, and social security number of | ||||||
16 | the primary
insured.
| ||||||
17 | (4) The beginning date of the insurance benefit year.
| ||||||
18 | (g) A copy of the individualized family service plan must | ||||||
19 | be provided to
each enrolled provider who is providing early | ||||||
20 | intervention services to the
child
who is the subject of that | ||||||
21 | plan.
| ||||||
22 | (h) Children receiving services under this Act shall | ||||||
23 | receive a smooth and effective transition by their third | ||||||
24 | birthday consistent with federal regulations adopted pursuant | ||||||
25 | to Sections 1431 through 1444 of Title 20 of the United States | ||||||
26 | Code. Beginning January 1, 2022 July 1, 2022 , children who |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | receive early intervention services prior to their third | ||||||
2 | birthday and are found eligible for an individualized | ||||||
3 | education program under the Individuals with Disabilities | ||||||
4 | Education Act, 20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(A), and under Section | ||||||
5 | 14-8.02 of the School Code and whose birthday falls between | ||||||
6 | May 1 and August 31 may continue to receive early intervention | ||||||
7 | services until the beginning of the school year following | ||||||
8 | their third birthday in order to minimize gaps in services, | ||||||
9 | ensure better continuity of care, and align practices for the | ||||||
10 | enrollment of preschool children with special needs to the | ||||||
11 | enrollment practices of typically developing preschool | ||||||
12 | children. | ||||||
13 | (Source: P.A. 101-654, eff. 3-8-21.)
|