Public Act 103-0743
 
HB5250 EnrolledLRB103 36148 RJT 66240 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections 
14A-32 and 27-22 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/14A-32)
    Sec. 14A-32. Accelerated placement; school district 
responsibilities.
    (a) Each school district shall have a policy that allows 
for accelerated placement that includes or incorporates by 
reference the following components:
        (1) a provision that provides that participation in 
    accelerated placement is not limited to those children who 
    have been identified as gifted and talented, but rather is 
    open to all children who demonstrate high ability and who 
    may benefit from accelerated placement;
        (2) a fair and equitable decision-making process that 
    involves multiple persons and includes a student's parents 
    or guardians;
        (3) procedures for notifying parents or guardians of a 
    child of a decision affecting that child's participation 
    in an accelerated placement program; and
        (4) an assessment process that includes multiple 
    valid, reliable indicators.
    (a-5) By no later than the beginning of the 2023-2024 
school year, a school district's accelerated placement policy 
shall allow for the automatic enrollment, in the following 
school term, of a student into the next most rigorous level of 
advanced coursework offered by the high school if the student 
meets or exceeds State standards in English language arts, 
mathematics, or science on a State assessment administered 
under Section 2-3.64a-5 as follows: 
        (1) A student who meets or exceeds State standards in 
    English language arts shall be automatically enrolled into 
    the next most rigorous level of advanced coursework in 
    English, social studies, humanities, or related subjects.
        (2) A student who meets or exceeds State standards in 
    mathematics shall be automatically enrolled into the next 
    most rigorous level of advanced coursework in mathematics.
        (3) A student who meets or exceeds State standards in 
    science shall be automatically enrolled into the next most 
    rigorous level of advanced coursework in science. 
    (a-10) By no later than the beginning of the 2027-2028 
school year, a school district's accelerated placement policy 
shall allow for automatic eligibility, in the following school 
term, for a student to enroll in the next most rigorous level 
of advanced coursework offered by the high school if the 
student meets State standards in English language arts, 
mathematics, or science on a State assessment administered 
under Section 2-3.64a-5 as follows:
        (1) A student who meets State standards in English 
    language arts shall be automatically eligible to enroll in 
    the next most rigorous level of advanced coursework in 
    English, social studies, humanities, or related subjects.
        (2) A student who meets State standards in mathematics 
    shall be automatically eligible to enroll in the next most 
    rigorous level of advanced coursework in mathematics.
        (3) A student who meets State standards in science 
    shall be automatically eligible to enroll in the next most 
    rigorous level of advanced coursework in science. 
    (a-15) For a student entering grade 12, the next most 
rigorous level of advanced coursework in English language arts 
or mathematics shall be a dual credit course, as defined in the 
Dual Credit Quality Act, an Advanced Placement course, as 
defined in Section 10 of the College and Career Success for All 
Students Act, or an International Baccalaureate course; 
otherwise, the next most rigorous level of advanced coursework 
under this subsection (a-15) (a-5) may include a dual credit 
course, as defined in the Dual Credit Quality Act, an Advanced 
Placement course, as defined in Section 10 of the College and 
Career Success for All Students Act, an International 
Baccalaureate course, an honors class, an enrichment 
opportunity, a gifted program, or another program offered by 
the district.
    A school district may use the student's most recent State 
assessment results to determine whether a student meets or 
exceeds State standards. For a student entering grade 9, 
results from the State assessment taken in grades 6 through 8 
may be used. For other high school grades, the results from a 
locally selected, nationally normed assessment may be used 
instead of the State assessment if those results are the most 
recent.
    (a-20) A school district's accelerated placement policy 
may allow for the waiver of a course or unit of instruction 
completion requirement if (i) completion of the course or unit 
of instruction is required by this Code or rules adopted by the 
State Board of Education as a prerequisite to receiving a high 
school diploma and (ii) the school district has determined 
that the student has demonstrated mastery of or competency in 
the content of the course or unit of instruction. The school 
district shall maintain documentation of this determination of 
mastery or competency for each student, that shall include 
identification of the learning standards or competencies 
reviewed, the methods of measurement used, student 
performance, the date of the determination, and identification 
of the district personnel involved in the determination 
process. 
    (a-25) A school district's accelerated placement policy 
must include a process through which the parent or guardian of 
each student who meets State standards is provided 
notification in writing of the student's eligibility for 
enrollment in accelerated courses. This notification must 
provide details on the procedures for the parent or guardian 
to enroll or not enroll the student in accelerated courses, in 
writing, on forms the school district makes available. If no 
course selection is made by the parent or guardian in 
accordance with procedures set forth by the school district, 
the student shall be automatically enrolled in the next most 
rigorous level of coursework. A school district must provide 
the parent or guardian of a student eligible for automatic 
enrollment under this subsection (a-5) or (a-10) with the 
option to instead have the student enroll in alternative 
coursework that better aligns with the student's postsecondary 
education or career goals. If applicable, a school district 
must provide notification to a student's parent or guardian 
that the student will receive a waiver of a course or unit of 
instruction completion requirement under subsections (a-5) or 
(a-10). 
    Nothing in subsection this subsection (a-5) or (a-10) may 
be interpreted to preclude other students from enrolling in 
advanced coursework per the policy of a school district.
    (a-30) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit the 
implementation of policies that allow for automatic enrollment 
of students who meet standards on State assessments into the 
next most rigorous level of advanced coursework offered by a 
high school. 
    (b) Further, a school district's accelerated placement 
policy may include or incorporate by reference, but need not 
be limited to, the following components:
        (1) procedures for annually informing the community 
    at-large, including parents or guardians, community-based 
    organizations, and providers of out-of-school programs, 
    about the accelerated placement program and the methods 
    used for the identification of children eligible for 
    accelerated placement, including strategies to reach 
    groups of students and families who have been historically 
    underrepresented in accelerated placement programs and 
    advanced coursework;
        (2) a process for referral that allows for multiple 
    referrers, including a child's parents or guardians; other 
    referrers may include licensed education professionals, 
    the child, with the written consent of a parent or 
    guardian, a peer, through a licensed education 
    professional who has knowledge of the referred child's 
    abilities, or, in case of possible early entrance, a 
    preschool educator, pediatrician, or psychologist who 
    knows the child;
        (3) a provision that provides that children 
    participating in an accelerated placement program and 
    their parents or guardians will be provided a written plan 
    detailing the type of acceleration the child will receive 
    and strategies to support the child;
        (4) procedures to provide support and promote success 
    for students who are newly enrolled in an accelerated 
    placement program; 
        (5) a process for the school district to review and 
    utilize disaggregated data on participation in an 
    accelerated placement program to address gaps among 
    demographic groups in accelerated placement opportunities; 
    and 
        (6) procedures to promote equity, which may 
    incorporate one or more of the following evidence-based 
    practices:
            (A) the use of multiple tools to assess 
        exceptional potential and provide several pathways 
        into advanced academic programs when assessing student 
        need for advanced academic or accelerated programming;
            (B) providing enrichment opportunities starting in 
        the early grades to address achievement gaps that 
        occur at school entry and provide students with 
        opportunities to demonstrate their advanced potential; 
            (C) the use of universal screening combined with 
        local school-based norms for placement in accelerated 
        and advanced learning programs;
            (D) developing a continuum of services to identify 
        and develop talent in all learners ranging from 
        enriched learning experiences, such as problem-based 
        learning, performance tasks, critical thinking, and 
        career exploration, to accelerated placement and 
        advanced academic programming; and
            (E) providing professional learning in gifted 
        education for teachers and other appropriate school 
        personnel to appropriately identify and challenge 
        students from diverse cultures and backgrounds who may 
        benefit from accelerated placement or advanced 
        academic programming. 
    (c) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to 
determine data to be collected and disaggregated by 
demographic group regarding accelerated placement, including 
the rates of students who participate in and successfully 
complete advanced coursework, and a method of making the 
information available to the public.
    (d) On or before November 1, 2022, following a review of 
disaggregated data on the participation and successful 
completion rates of students enrolled in an accelerated 
placement program, each school district shall develop a plan 
to expand access to its accelerated placement program and to 
ensure the teaching capacity necessary to meet the increased 
demand.
(Source: P.A. 102-209, eff. 11-30-21 (See Section 5 of P.A. 
102-671 for effective date of P.A. 102-209); 103-263, eff. 
6-30-23.)
 
    (105 ILCS 5/27-22)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-22)
    Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses. 
    (a) (Blank). 
    (b) (Blank).
    (c) (Blank).
    (d) (Blank).
    (e) Through the 2023-2024 school year, as a prerequisite 
to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 
9th grade must, in addition to other course requirements, 
successfully complete all of the following courses:
        (1) Four years of language arts.
        (2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of 
    which must be English and the other of which may be English 
    or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive 
    courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other 
    graduation requirements. 
        (3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be 
    Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and 
    one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science 
    course. A mathematics course that includes geometry 
    content may be offered as an integrated, applied, 
    interdisciplinary, or career and technical education 
    course that prepares a student for a career readiness 
    path.
        (3.5) For pupils entering the 9th grade in the 
    2022-2023 school year and 2023-2024 school year, one year 
    of a course that includes intensive instruction in 
    computer literacy, which may be English, social studies, 
    or any other subject and which may be counted toward the 
    fulfillment of other graduation requirements. 
        (4) Two years of science.
        (5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one 
    year must be history of the United States or a combination 
    of history of the United States and American government 
    and, beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the 
    2016-2017 school year and each school year thereafter, at 
    least one semester must be civics, which shall help young 
    people acquire and learn to use the skills, knowledge, and 
    attitudes that will prepare them to be competent and 
    responsible citizens throughout their lives. Civics course 
    content shall focus on government institutions, the 
    discussion of current and controversial issues, service 
    learning, and simulations of the democratic process. 
    School districts may utilize private funding available for 
    the purposes of offering civics education. Beginning with 
    pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 school 
    year, one semester, or part of one semester, may include a 
    financial literacy course.
        (6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C) 
    foreign language, which shall be deemed to include 
    American Sign Language, (D) vocational education, or (E) 
    forensic speech (speech and debate). A forensic speech 
    course used to satisfy the course requirement under 
    subdivision (1) may not be used to satisfy the course 
    requirement under this subdivision (6). 
    (e-5) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, as a 
prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil 
entering the 9th grade must, in addition to other course 
requirements, successfully complete all of the following 
courses: 
        (1) Four years of language arts.
        (2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of 
    which must be English and the other of which may be English 
    or any other subject. If applicable, writing-intensive 
    courses may be counted toward the fulfillment of other 
    graduation requirements.
        (3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be 
    Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and 
    one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science 
    course. A mathematics course that includes geometry 
    content may be offered as an integrated, applied, 
    interdisciplinary, or career and technical education 
    course that prepares a student for a career readiness 
    path.
        (3.5) One year of a course that includes intensive 
    instruction in computer literacy, which may be English, 
    social studies, or any other subject and which may be 
    counted toward the fulfillment of other graduation 
    requirements. 
        (4) Two years of laboratory science.
        (5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one 
    year must be history of the United States or a combination 
    of history of the United States and American government 
    and at least one semester must be civics, which shall help 
    young people acquire and learn to use the skills, 
    knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare them to be 
    competent and responsible citizens throughout their lives. 
    Civics course content shall focus on government 
    institutions, the discussion of current and controversial 
    issues, service learning, and simulations of the 
    democratic process. School districts may utilize private 
    funding available for the purposes of offering civics 
    education. One semester, or part of one semester, may 
    include a financial literacy course.
        (6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C) 
    foreign language, which shall be deemed to include 
    American Sign Language, (D) vocational education, or (E) 
    forensic speech (speech and debate). A forensic speech 
    course used to satisfy the course requirement under 
    subdivision (1) may not be used to satisfy the course 
    requirement under this subdivision (6). 
    (e-10) Beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, as a 
prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil 
entering the 9th grade must, in addition to other course 
requirements, successfully complete 2 years of foreign 
language courses, which may include American Sign Language. A 
pupil may choose a third year of foreign language to satisfy 
the requirement under subdivision (6) of subsection (e-5). 
    (f) The State Board of Education shall develop and inform 
school districts of standards for writing-intensive 
coursework. 
    (f-5) If a school district offers an Advanced Placement 
computer science course to high school students, then the 
school board must designate that course as equivalent to a 
high school mathematics course and must denote on the 
student's transcript that the Advanced Placement computer 
science course qualifies as a mathematics-based, quantitative 
course for students in accordance with subdivision (3) of 
subsection (e) of this Section. 
    (g) Public Act 83-1082 does not apply to pupils entering 
the 9th grade in 1983-1984 school year and prior school years 
or to students with disabilities whose course of study is 
determined by an individualized education program. 
    Public Act 94-676 does not apply to pupils entering the 
9th grade in the 2004-2005 school year or a prior school year 
or to students with disabilities whose course of study is 
determined by an individualized education program. 
    Subdivision (3.5) of subsection (e) does not apply to 
pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 school year or a 
prior school year or to students with disabilities whose 
course of study is determined by an individualized education 
program. 
    Subsection (e-5) does not apply to pupils entering the 9th 
grade in the 2023-2024 school year or a prior school year or to 
students with disabilities whose course of study is determined 
by an individualized education program. Subsection (e-10) does 
not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2027-2028 
school year or a prior school year or to students with 
disabilities whose course of study is determined by an 
individualized education program. 
    (h) The provisions of this Section are subject to the 
provisions of Sections 14A-32 and Section 27-22.05 of this 
Code and the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act. 
    (i) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to modify 
the requirements of this Section for any students enrolled in 
grades 9 through 12 if the Governor has declared a disaster due 
to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the 
Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. 
(Source: P.A. 102-366, eff. 8-13-21; 102-551, eff. 1-1-22; 
102-864, eff. 5-13-22; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.