Delivered via email: April 25, 2025
The House Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing and Charter Schools Committee held a subject matter hearing on the rising cost of health insurance for school districts. IASB school board member Darold Spillman, Secretary of the Tuscola CUSD 301 Board of Education, testified about the challenges his district has faced in securing affordable coverage. Tuscola CUSD 301 brought statewide attention to the issue last year by introducing a resolution to the IASB Delegate Assembly, which passed and created IASB Position Statement 5.19 on Health Care Coverage.
The Illinois Education Association (IEA) and Illinois Federation of Teacher (IFT) also participated in the discussion, along with the Department of Central Management Services (CMS). CMS officials indicated a willingness to explore including teachers in a state insurance program.
The House Appropriations: Elementary & Secondary Committee met twice this week. On Tuesday, although the agenda included a bill to ban the use of polystyrene plastics in schools, that measure was not called for discussion. Instead, the hearing focused on school funding priorities. Representatives from Advance Illinois, Stand for Children, the IEA, and IFT testified in support of increasing Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) for schools. While current law requires a minimum $350 million increase each year, advocates called for $550 million for the upcoming fiscal year. Each organization also highlighted specific priorities. The IEA emphasized the need for strong teacher mentorship programs to improve educator retention and support early-career teachers. IFT focused on the need for paid student teacher programs to attract people into the profession.
The committee met again on Wednesday to discuss Alyssa’s Law, a proposal that would require mobile panic buttons in schools to improve emergency response. Testimony included a powerful address from Alyssa Alhadeff’s mother. Alyssa was one of the students killed in the 2018 Parkland, Florida, school shooting. A safety expert who helped implement a similar law in Florida also spoke. The discussion addressed both the potential safety improvements and the financial implications for school districts.
Although the Senate was not in session this week, the Senate Appropriations Committee and Senate Education Appropriation Committee met to hold subject matter hearings on some state agencies and public universities FY26 proposed budgets.
Both chambers are scheduled to return to Springfield next week. More action is expected on education-related legislation and state budget negotiations. Committee action will pick up over the next two weeks in an effort to meet the May 9 committee deadline for bills to pass out of the second chamber.
SB1519 (Sen. Karina Villa/Rep. La Shawn Ford) prohibits the use of municipal ticketing to students in schools.
SB1555 (Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel/Rep. Maura Hirschauer) adds the Department of Early Education as a member of the SPED Advisory Group.
SB1616 (Sen. Ram Villivalam/Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl) requires the State Board of Education to publish on its website and distribute to districts, a list of all days affected by cultural, religious, or other observances, by February 1 of each year.
SB1937 (Sen. Robert Martwick/Rep. Stephanie Kifowit) amends the Illinois Pension Code to enhance alternative retirement annuity provisions and implement new, fiscally conditioned benefit increases for public employees.
SB1983 (Sen. Mary Edly-Allen/Rep. Daniel Didech) removes the requirement for state approval and funding mandates, and increases state board oversight and support.
In an effort to ensure that IASB members can monitor all bills the Governmental Relations team is tracking, legislation has been broken down into ten different topics.
This Week at the Capitol
While only the House was in session this week, it was still an active few days at the Capitol. Multiple committees met to hold subject matter hearings and discuss legislation affecting Illinois schools.The House Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing and Charter Schools Committee held a subject matter hearing on the rising cost of health insurance for school districts. IASB school board member Darold Spillman, Secretary of the Tuscola CUSD 301 Board of Education, testified about the challenges his district has faced in securing affordable coverage. Tuscola CUSD 301 brought statewide attention to the issue last year by introducing a resolution to the IASB Delegate Assembly, which passed and created IASB Position Statement 5.19 on Health Care Coverage.The Illinois Education Association (IEA) and Illinois Federation of Teacher (IFT) also participated in the discussion, along with the Department of Central Management Services (CMS). CMS officials indicated a willingness to explore including teachers in a state insurance program.
The House Appropriations: Elementary & Secondary Committee met twice this week. On Tuesday, although the agenda included a bill to ban the use of polystyrene plastics in schools, that measure was not called for discussion. Instead, the hearing focused on school funding priorities. Representatives from Advance Illinois, Stand for Children, the IEA, and IFT testified in support of increasing Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) for schools. While current law requires a minimum $350 million increase each year, advocates called for $550 million for the upcoming fiscal year. Each organization also highlighted specific priorities. The IEA emphasized the need for strong teacher mentorship programs to improve educator retention and support early-career teachers. IFT focused on the need for paid student teacher programs to attract people into the profession.
The committee met again on Wednesday to discuss Alyssa’s Law, a proposal that would require mobile panic buttons in schools to improve emergency response. Testimony included a powerful address from Alyssa Alhadeff’s mother. Alyssa was one of the students killed in the 2018 Parkland, Florida, school shooting. A safety expert who helped implement a similar law in Florida also spoke. The discussion addressed both the potential safety improvements and the financial implications for school districts.
Although the Senate was not in session this week, the Senate Appropriations Committee and Senate Education Appropriation Committee met to hold subject matter hearings on some state agencies and public universities FY26 proposed budgets.
Both chambers are scheduled to return to Springfield next week. More action is expected on education-related legislation and state budget negotiations. Committee action will pick up over the next two weeks in an effort to meet the May 9 committee deadline for bills to pass out of the second chamber.
Senate Bills that have passed out of House Committee
SB28 (Sen. Kimberly Lightford/Rep. Laura Faver Dias) removes the requirement that student growth be used as a significant factor in educator and principal evaluations.SB1519 (Sen. Karina Villa/Rep. La Shawn Ford) prohibits the use of municipal ticketing to students in schools.
SB1555 (Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel/Rep. Maura Hirschauer) adds the Department of Early Education as a member of the SPED Advisory Group.
SB1616 (Sen. Ram Villivalam/Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl) requires the State Board of Education to publish on its website and distribute to districts, a list of all days affected by cultural, religious, or other observances, by February 1 of each year.
SB1937 (Sen. Robert Martwick/Rep. Stephanie Kifowit) amends the Illinois Pension Code to enhance alternative retirement annuity provisions and implement new, fiscally conditioned benefit increases for public employees.
SB1983 (Sen. Mary Edly-Allen/Rep. Daniel Didech) removes the requirement for state approval and funding mandates, and increases state board oversight and support.
COSSBA Federal Advocacy Conference
Mark your calendar for registration for the Consortium of State School Boards Association (COSSBA) Federal Advocacy Conference which is set to open on May 5. The Conference is scheduled to be held September 7-9 in Washington, D.C. The IASB team will be attending and helping to facilitate the event. For those that register before July 18, early bird pricing applies. We hope to see you there!
Legislative Tracking Lists
The IASB Governmental Relations team tracks all legislation that may impact K-12 public education and makes regular updates to those lists. As a reminder, although a bill may be filed, many factors influence whether it makes its way through the legislative process. Some of those factors include whether the bill gets assigned by leadership to a committee, the extent of any opposition, and the priorities of the sponsor.In an effort to ensure that IASB members can monitor all bills the Governmental Relations team is tracking, legislation has been broken down into ten different topics.
- Boards of Education(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)
- Insurance(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)
- Open Meetings Act(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)
- Personnel(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)
- Regional Office of Education(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)
- School Finance(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)
- School Safety and Health(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)
- Students(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)(Opens in a new window)
- Taxation