IASB is committed to continuous advocacy on a number of issues of importance to Illinois school districts, school governance, and public education.
The Association and IASB member districts serve as a collective voice for excellence in local school board governance supporting quality public education. Board members themselves act as an essential local resource on educational issues for state and federal lawmakers.
With the help of board members from across the state advocating for priorities that will benefit all public school districts, we can collectively work towards education policy that will best serve our students, school staff, and local communities.2025 IASB Legislative Priorities
School Safety for Students and Staff
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Statewide School Safety Guidance – School violence is a serious concern nationally and necessitates an increased focus on threat assessment, violence prevention, and emergency response. While factors such as geographic location and size of the district may require different approaches to school safety, statewide guidance is needed to provide clarity and best practices for districts.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) – While AI can create efficiencies and provide real benefits to students and staff, it must be used thoughtfully. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) should issue comprehensive guidance to school districts on AI use, including best practices for integrating AI tools into education and administrative tasks, while ensuring ethical and equitable implementation.
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Student Discipline – Schools across Illinois report serious concerns with student discipline, noting instances of physical harm to students and teachers and impacts to the educational environment. ISBE is working on guidance related to school discipline, and school management must actively be involved in the preparation of that guidance.
Local Control and Flexibility
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Mandate Reform – During the summer of 2024, stakeholders regularly met with legislators and their staffs on a bill that would 1) eliminate and reduce outdated sections of the School Code and 2) put a framework in place to address additional mandates that have a significant and negative fiscal or administrative impact on districts.
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Comprehensive Review of High School State Graduation Requirements – 2004 was the last time Illinois engaged in a holistic review of state-required high school graduation requirements. Stakeholders should evaluate the current needs of high schoolers to ensure that students are able to effectively balance state-required curricular mandates with elective choices and/or courses that allow for college and career preparedness.
Advocate and Prioritize State and Federal Funding for Existing and Growing Needs
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The state has consistently funded $350 million to the Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) formula. That continued annual commitment is critical.
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While the state has shown a commitment to EBF, it also needs to support Mandated Categoricals (MCATS) that fall outside the EBF formula. MCATs support critical services such as transportation and special education. The last time these line items were fully funded was in 2010. See our fact sheet.
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Along with EBF, a Professional Review Panel (PRP) was established and charged with reviewing any changes that would impact the EBF model. Since its inception, the PRP has ensured the integrity of the EBF. The work of the PRP should be codified to ensure EBF’s continued success.
