SB2238 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB103 27942 RJT 54320 b

103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
SB2238

Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/10-22.23	from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.23
105 ILCS 5/14-1.09	from Ch. 122, par. 14-1.09

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school district must employ a sufficient number of school psychologists and school nurses to address the needs of the school district's students and schools, but no less than a student-to-social worker and student-to-nurse ratio of 750 to 1. For school nurses, provides that consideration for school nurse staffing should include the complex health needs of students, needs for continuous professional nursing services, the number of free and reduced lunch students in a school building, and the average number of medical emergencies at a school per year. Effective June 30, 2023.

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 Sections 10-22.23 and 14-1.09 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-22.23) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.23)

Sec. 10-22.23. School Nurse. To employ a registered professional nurse and define the duties of the school nurse within the guidelines of rules and regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education. Any school nurse first employed on or after July 1, 1976, whose duties require teaching or the exercise of instructional judgment or educational evaluation of pupils, must be licensed under Section 21B-25 of this Code. School districts may employ nonlicensed registered professional nurses to perform professional nursing services.

A school district must employ a sufficient number of school nurses to address the needs of their students, but no less than a student-to-nurse ratio of 750 to 1. Consideration for school nurse staffing should include the complex health needs of students, needs for continuous professional nursing services, the number of free and reduced lunch students in a school building, and the average number of medical emergencies at a school per year.

(Source: P.A. 102-894, eff. 5-20-22.)

(105 ILCS 5/14-1.09) (from Ch. 122, par. 14-1.09)

Sec. 14-1.09. School psychologist. "School psychologist" means a psychologist who meets the following qualifications:

(1) The psychologist:

(A) has graduated with a master's or higher degree in psychology or educational psychology from an institution of higher learning that maintains equipment, courses of study, and standards of scholarship approved by the State Board of Education, has had at least one school year of full-time supervised experience in the delivery of school psychological services of a character approved by the State Superintendent of Education, and has such additional qualifications as may be required by the State Board of Education; or

(B) holds a valid Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential.

(2) The psychologist holds a Professional Educator License with a school psychologist endorsement issued pursuant to Section 21B-25 of this Code. Persons so licensed may use the title "school psychologist" and may offer school psychological services which are limited to those services set forth in 23 Ill. Adm. Code 226, Special Education, pertaining to children between the ages of 3 to 21, promulgated by the State Board of Education.

School psychologists may make evaluations, recommendations or interventions regarding the placement of children in educational programs or special education classes. However, a school psychologist shall not provide such services outside his or her employment to any student in the district or districts which employ such school psychologist.

A school district must employ a sufficient number of school psychologists to address the needs of the school district's students and schools, but no less than a student-to-social worker ratio of 500 to 1.

(Source: P.A. 100-750, eff. 8-10-18.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect June 30, 2023.