SB2987 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 36145 RJT 66237 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2987

Introduced 1/31/2024, by Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/10-16a

Amends the School Boards Article of the School Code. Provides that, in addition to required professional development leadership training, every voting member of a school board of a school district elected or appointed for a term beginning after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall complete a minimum of 3 hours of training every 2 years on continuous improvement planning and leveraging instruction, funding, and support to improve student outcomes. Provides that this training must be completed within one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act or the first year of a school board member's term and must be completed at least every 2 years thereafter. Provides that, subject to the requirements of the Open Meetings Act, school board members may take this training together. Provides that the training may be provided by an association established under the 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.

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

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 Section 10-16a 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.

(a-5) In this Section, "trauma" has the meaning ascribed to that term in subsection (b) of Section 3-11 of this Code.

(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, 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, fiduciary responsibilities, and, beginning with the 2023-2024 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.

(c-5) In addition to the training required under subsection (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 103rd General Assembly shall complete a minimum of 3 hours of training every 2 years on continuous improvement planning and leveraging instruction, funding, and support to improve student outcomes. This training must be completed within one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly or the first year of a school board member's term and must be completed at least every 2 years thereafter. Subject to the requirements of the Open Meetings Act, school board members may take this training together. The training set forth in this subsection 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. 102-638, eff. 1-1-23; 103-413, eff. 1-1-24.)