105 ILCS 435/2.1

(105 ILCS 435/2.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 697.1)

Sec. 2.1. Gender Equity Advisory Committee.

(a) The Superintendent of the State Board of Education shall appoint a Gender Equity Advisory Committee consisting of at least 9 members to advise and consult with the State Board of Education and the State Board of Education's gender equity liaison in all aspects relating to ensuring that all students have equal educational opportunities to pursue high wage, high skill, and in-demand occupations leading to economic self-sufficiency.

(b) Membership shall include, without limitation, one regional career and technical education system director with experience in gender equity, 2 State Board of Education employees, an appointee of the Director of Labor, and 5 citizen appointees who have expertise in one or more of the following areas: nontraditional training and placement; service delivery to single parents; service delivery to displaced homemakers; service delivery to female, male, and nonbinary teens; service delivery to students of color; service delivery to members of special populations, including, but not limited to, individuals from economically disadvantaged families, English learners, individuals with disabilities, individuals who are out of the workforce, individuals experiencing homelessness, migrants, individuals in foster care, and military students; business and industry experience; and career and technical education experience. Membership also may include employees from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Department of Human Services, and the Illinois Community College Board who have expertise in one or more of the areas listed in this subsection (b) for the citizen appointees. Appointments shall be made taking into consideration expertise of services provided in secondary, postsecondary, and community-based programs.

(c) Members shall initially be appointed to one-year terms commencing in January 1, 1990 and thereafter, until January 1, 2025, to 2-year terms commencing on January 1 of each odd numbered year. Beginning on January 1, 2025, members shall be appointed as follows. The career and technical education system director appointee, one State Board of Education appointee, the appointee of the Director of Labor, and 2 citizen appointees, as determined by the State Superintendent of Education, shall initially be appointed to 3-year terms and thereafter to 2-year terms; the remaining members of the committee shall initially and thereafter be appointed to 2-year terms; and all terms shall commence on January 1.

Vacancies shall be filled as prescribed in subsection (b) for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(d) At the first meeting following the start of each calendar year, the committee shall elect a Chair and Secretary from its members to serve until the first meeting of the subsequent calendar year. Members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. The Committee shall meet at least bi-annually and at other times at the call of the Chair or at the request of the State Board of Education's gender equity liaison.

(e) On or before December 15, 2023, the Committee shall submit recommendations to the Governor, General Assembly, and State Board of Education regarding how school districts and the State Board of Education can better support historically disadvantaged males, including African American students and other students of color, to ensure educational equity.

(f) On and after December 31, 2023, subsection (e) is inoperative.

(Source: P.A. 102-863, eff. 1-1-23; 103-780, eff. 8-2-24.)