Public Act 0638 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2109 Enrolled LRB102 16385 CMG 21774 b

Public Act 102-0638

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 10-16a and 10-22.39 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-16a)

Sec. 10-16a. School board member's leadership training.

(a) This Section applies to all school board members serving pursuant to Section 10-10 of this Code who have been elected after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly or appointed to fill a vacancy of at least one year's duration after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly.

(b) Every voting member of a school board of a school district elected or appointed for a term beginning after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, within a year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly or the first year of his or her first term, shall complete a minimum of 4 hours of professional development leadership training covering topics in education and labor law, financial oversight and accountability, and fiduciary responsibilities of a school board member, and, beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, trauma-informed practices for students and staff. The school district shall maintain on its Internet website, if any, the names of all voting members of the school board who have successfully completed the training.

(b-5) The training regarding trauma-informed practices for students and staff required by this Section must include information that is relevant to and within the scope of the duties of a school board member. Such information may include, but is not limited to:

(1) the recognition of and care for trauma in students and staff;

(2) the relationship between staff wellness and student learning;

(3) the effect of trauma on student behavior and learning;

(4) the prevalence of trauma among students, including the prevalence of trauma among student populations at higher risk of experiencing trauma;

(5) the effects of implicit or explicit bias on recognizing trauma among various student groups in connection with race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and other relevant factors; and

(6) effective district and school practices that are shown to:

(A) prevent and mitigate the negative effect of trauma on student behavior and learning; and

(B) support the emotional wellness of staff.

(c) The training on financial oversight, accountability, and fiduciary responsibilities, and, beginning with the 2023-24 school year, trauma-informed practices for students and staff may be provided by an association established under this Code for the purpose of training school board members or by other qualified providers approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with an association so established.

(d) The State Board of Education may adopt rules that are necessary for the administration of the provisions of this Section.

(Source: P.A. 97-8, eff. 6-13-11.)

(105 ILCS 5/10-22.39)

Sec. 10-22.39. In-service training programs.

(a) To conduct in-service training programs for teachers.

(b) In addition to other topics at in-service training programs, at least once every 2 years, licensed school personnel and administrators who work with pupils in kindergarten through grade 12 shall be trained to identify the warning signs of mental illness, trauma, and suicidal behavior in youth and shall be taught appropriate intervention and referral techniques. A school district may utilize the Illinois Mental Health First Aid training program, established under the Illinois Mental Health First Aid Training Act and administered by certified instructors trained by a national association recognized as an authority in behavioral health, to provide the training and meet the requirements under this subsection. If licensed school personnel or an administrator obtains mental health first aid training outside of an in-service training program, he or she may present a certificate of successful completion of the training to the school district to satisfy the requirements of this subsection.

Training regarding the implementation of trauma-informed practices satisfies the requirements of this subsection (b).

A course of instruction as described in this subsection (b) may provide information that is relevant to and within the scope of the duties of licensed school personnel or school administrators. Such information may include, but is not limited to:

(1) the recognition of and care for trauma in students and staff;

(2) the relationship between educator wellness and student learning;

(3) the effect of trauma on student behavior and learning;

(4) the prevalence of trauma among students, including the prevalence of trauma among student populations at higher risk of experiencing trauma;

(5) the effects of implicit or explicit bias on recognizing trauma among various student groups in connection with race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and other relevant factors; and

(6) effective district practices that are shown to:

(A) prevent and mitigate the negative effect of trauma on student behavior and learning; and

(B) support the emotional wellness of staff.

(c) School guidance counselors, nurses, teachers and other school personnel who work with pupils may be trained to have a basic knowledge of matters relating to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), including the nature of the disease, its causes and effects, the means of detecting it and preventing its transmission, and the availability of appropriate sources of counseling and referral, and any other information that may be appropriate considering the age and grade level of such pupils. The School Board shall supervise such training. The State Board of Education and the Department of Public Health shall jointly develop standards for such training.

(d) In this subsection (d):

"Domestic violence" means abuse by a family or household member, as "abuse" and "family or household members" are defined in Section 103 of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986.

"Sexual violence" means sexual assault, abuse, or stalking of an adult or minor child proscribed in the Criminal Code of 1961 or the Criminal Code of 2012 in Sections 11-1.20, 11-1.30, 11-1.40, 11-1.50, 11-1.60, 12-7.3, 12-7.4, 12-7.5, 12-12, 12-13, 12-14, 12-14.1, 12-15, and 12-16, including sexual violence committed by perpetrators who are strangers to the victim and sexual violence committed by perpetrators who are known or related by blood or marriage to the victim.

At least once every 2 years, an in-service training program for school personnel who work with pupils, including, but not limited to, school and school district administrators, teachers, school guidance counselors, school social workers, school counselors, school psychologists, and school nurses, must be conducted by persons with expertise in domestic and sexual violence and the needs of expectant and parenting youth and shall include training concerning (i) communicating with and listening to youth victims of domestic or sexual violence and expectant and parenting youth, (ii) connecting youth victims of domestic or sexual violence and expectant and parenting youth to appropriate in-school services and other agencies, programs, and services as needed, and (iii) implementing the school district's policies, procedures, and protocols with regard to such youth, including confidentiality. At a minimum, school personnel must be trained to understand, provide information and referrals, and address issues pertaining to youth who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence.

(e) At least every 2 years, an in-service training program for school personnel who work with pupils must be conducted by persons with expertise in anaphylactic reactions and management.

(f) At least once every 2 years, a school board shall conduct in-service training on educator ethics, teacher-student conduct, and school employee-student conduct for all personnel.

(Source: P.A. 100-903, eff. 1-1-19; 101-350, eff. 1-1-20.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2023.

Effective Date: 1/1/2023