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Illinois Compiled Statutes

Information maintained by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Updating the database of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) is an ongoing process. Recent laws may not yet be included in the ILCS database, but they are found on this site as Public Acts soon after they become law. For information concerning the relationship between statutes and Public Acts, refer to the Guide.

Because the statute database is maintained primarily for legislative drafting purposes, statutory changes are sometimes included in the statute database before they take effect. If the source note at the end of a Section of the statutes includes a Public Act that has not yet taken effect, the version of the law that is currently in effect may have already been removed from the database and you should refer to that Public Act to see the changes made to the current law.


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105 ILCS 5/14-8.02c

    (105 ILCS 5/14-8.02c)
    Sec. 14-8.02c. Due process hearing officers.
    (a) The State Board of Education shall establish a corps of hearing officers in accordance with this Section and may, with the advice and approval of the Advisory Council on Education of Children with Disabilities, adopt rules consistent with this Section to establish the qualifications of and application process for hearing officers.
    (b) Hearing officers must, at a minimum, (i) possess a master's or doctor's degree in education or another field related to disability issues or a juris doctor degree; (ii) have knowledge of and the ability to understand the requirements of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Article 14 of this Code, the implementation of rules or regulations of these federal and State statutes, and the legal interpretation of the statutes, rules, and regulations by federal and State courts; (iii) have the knowledge and ability to conduct hearings in accordance with appropriate, standard, legal practice; and (iv) have the knowledge and ability to render and write decisions in accordance with appropriate, standard, legal practice. Current employees of the State Board of Education, school districts, special education cooperatives, regional service areas or centers, regional educational cooperatives, State-operated elementary and secondary schools, or private providers of special education facilities or programs may not serve as hearing officers.
    (c) If, at any time, the State Board of Education determines that additional hearing officers are needed, the State Board of Education shall recruit hearing officer candidates who meet the criteria set forth in subsection (b) of this Section.
    (d) Candidates shall be screened by a 7-member Screening Committee consisting of the following: the Attorney General or his or her designee; the State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee; 3 members appointed by the State Superintendent of Education, one of whom shall be a parent of an individual who is or at one time was eligible to receive special education and related services in an Illinois school district, another of whom shall be a director of special education for an Illinois school district or special education joint agreement, and the other of whom shall be an adult with a disability; and 2 members appointed by the Attorney General, one of whom shall be a parent of an individual who is or at one time was eligible to receive special education and related services in an Illinois school district and the other of whom shall be an experienced special education hearing officer who is not a candidate for appointment under this Section. The chairperson of the Advisory Council on Education of Children with Disabilities or his or her designee shall serve on the Screening Committee as an ex-officio, non-voting member. Appointments and reappointments to the Screening Committee shall be for terms of 3 years. In the event that a member vacates a seat on the Screening Committee prior to the expiration of his or her term, a new member shall be appointed, shall serve the balance of the vacating member's term, and shall be eligible for subsequent reappointment. The Screening Committee shall elect a chairperson from among its voting members. Members of the Screening Committee shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed by the State Board of Education for their reasonable expenses. The Screening Committee shall review hearing officer applications and supporting information, interview candidates, and recommend candidates to the Advisory Council on Education of Children with Disabilities based upon objective criteria the Screening Committee develops and makes available to the public. All discussions and deliberations of the Screening Committee and Advisory Council referenced anywhere in this Section pertaining to the review of applications of hearing officer candidates, the interviewing of hearing officer candidates, the recommendation of hearing officer candidates for appointment, and the recommendation of hearing officers for reappointment are excepted from the requirements of the Open Meetings Act, pursuant to item (15) of subsection (c) of Section 2 of the Open Meetings Act.
    (e) All hearing officer candidates recommended to the Advisory Council on Education of Children with Disabilities shall successfully complete initial training, as established by the contract between the State Board of Education and the training entity, as described in subsection (f), in order to be eligible to serve as an impartial due process hearing officer. The training shall include, at a minimum, instruction in federal and State law, rules, and regulations, federal regulatory interpretations and State and federal court decisions regarding special education and relevant general educational issues, diagnostic procedures, information about disabilities, instruction on conducting effective and impartial hearings in accordance with appropriate, standard, legal practice (including without limitation the handling of amended requests), and instruction in rendering and writing hearing decisions in accordance with appropriate, standard, legal practice. The training must be conducted in an unbiased manner by educational and legal experts, including qualified individuals from outside the public educational system. Upon the completion of the initial training, the Advisory Council on Education of Children with Disabilities, applying objective selection criteria it has developed and made available to the public, shall go into executive session and select the number of hearing officers deemed necessary by the State Board of Education from those candidates who have successfully completed the initial training. Upon selecting the candidates, the Advisory Council shall forward its recommendations to the State Superintendent of Education for final selection. The hearing officers appointed by the State Superintendent of Education shall serve an initial term of one year, subject to any earlier permissible termination by the State Board of Education.
    (f) The State Board of Education shall, through a competitive application process, enter into a contract with an outside entity to establish and conduct mandatory training programs for hearing officers. The State Board of Education shall also, through a competitive application process, enter into a contract with an outside entity, other than the entity providing mandatory training, to conduct an annual evaluation of each hearing officer and to investigate complaints against hearing officers, in accordance with procedures established by the State Board of Education in consultation with the Screening Committee. The invitation for applications shall set forth minimum qualifications for eligible applicants. Each contract under this subsection (f) may be renewed on an annual basis, subject to appropriation. The State Board of Education shall conduct a new competitive application process at least once every 3 years after the initial contract is granted. The Screening Committee shall review the training proposals and evaluation and investigation proposals and forward them, with recommendations in rank order, to the State Board of Education.
    (g) The evaluation and investigation entity described in subsection (f) of this Section shall conduct an annual written evaluation of each hearing officer and provide the evaluation to the Screening Committee for its consideration in the reappointment process. The evaluation shall include a review of written decisions and any communications regarding a hearing officer's conduct and performance by participants in impartial due process hearings and their representatives. Each hearing officer shall be provided with a copy of his or her written evaluation report and shall have an opportunity, within 30 days after receipt, to review the evaluation with the evaluation and investigation entity and submit written comments. The annual evaluation of each hearing officer, along with the hearing officer's written comments, if any, shall be submitted to the Screening Committee for consideration no later than April 1 of each calendar year. The Screening Committee, based on objective criteria and any evaluation reports prepared by the training entity, shall, on an annual basis, recommend whether the hearing officer should be reappointed for a one-year term and shall forward its recommendations to the Advisory Council on Education of Children with Disabilities. The Advisory Council shall go into executive session and shall review the recommendations of the Screening Committee for the purpose of either ratifying or rejecting the recommendations of the Screening Committee. The Advisory Council shall then forward its list of ratified and rejected appointees to the State Superintendent of Education, who shall determine the final selection of hearing officers for reappointment. Each reappointed hearing officer shall serve a term of one year, subject to any earlier permissible termination by the State Board of Education.
    (h) Hearing officers shall receive a base annual stipend and per diem allowance for each hearing at a rate established by the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education shall provide hearing officers with access to relevant court decisions, impartial hearing officer decisions with child-specific identifying information deleted, statutory and regulatory changes, and federal regulatory interpretations. The State Board of Education shall index and maintain a reporting system of impartial due process hearing decisions and shall make these decisions available for review by the public after deleting child-specific identifying information.
    (i) A hearing officer may be terminated by the State Board of Education for just cause if, after written notice is provided to the hearing officer, appropriate timely corrective action is not taken. For purposes of this subsection (i), just cause shall be (1) the failure or refusal to accept assigned cases without good cause; (2) the failure or refusal to fulfill his or her duties as a hearing officer in a timely manner; (3) consistent disregard for applicable laws and rules in the conduct of hearings; (4) consistent failure to conduct himself or herself in a patient, dignified, and courteous manner to parties, witnesses, counsel, and other participants in hearings; (5) the failure to accord parties or their representatives a full and fair opportunity to be heard in matters coming before him or her; (6) violating applicable laws regarding privacy and confidentiality of records or information; (7) manifesting, by words or conduct, bias or prejudice based upon race, sex, religion, disability, or national origin; (8) failure to recuse himself or herself from a hearing in which he or she has a personal, professional, or financial conflict of interest that he or she knew or should have known existed at any time prior to or during the hearing; (9) conviction in any jurisdiction of any felony or of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; or (10) falsification of a material fact on his or her application to serve as a hearing officer. In addition, a hearing officer who, as a result of events occurring after appointment, no longer meets the minimum requirements set forth in this Section, shall be disqualified to complete the balance of his or her term.
(Source: P.A. 94-1100, eff. 2-2-07.)

105 ILCS 5/14-8.02d

    (105 ILCS 5/14-8.02d)
    Sec. 14-8.02d. Evaluation of due process hearing system. The State Board of Education shall monitor, review, and evaluate the impartial due process hearing system on a regular basis by a process that includes a review of written decisions and evaluations by participants in impartial due process hearings and their representatives. The State Board of Education shall annually post to its website by August 1 data on the performance of the due process hearing system, including data on timeliness of hearings and an analysis of the issues and disability categories underlying hearing requests.
(Source: P.A. 102-894, eff. 5-20-22.)

105 ILCS 5/14-8.02e

    (105 ILCS 5/14-8.02e)
    Sec. 14-8.02e. State complaint procedures.
    (a) The State Board of Education shall adopt State complaint procedures, consistent with Sections 300.151, 300.152, and 300.153 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The State Board of Education, by rule, shall establish State complaint procedures consistent with this Section. A school district or other public entity shall be required to submit a written response to a complaint within the time prescribed by the State Board of Education following receipt of the complaint. A copy of the response and all documentation submitted by the respondent to the State Board of Education, including corrective action compliance documentation, must be simultaneously provided by the respondent to the complainant or to the attorney for the complainant. If the complaint was filed by an individual other than a parent of a child who is the subject of the complaint (or the child if the child has reached majority or is emancipated and has assumed responsibility for his or her own educational decisions) and the complaint is about a specific identifiable child or children, then appropriate written signed releases must be obtained prior to the release of any documentation or information to the complainant or the attorney representing the complainant.
    (b) For a complaint made under procedures authorized under this Section alleging a delay or denial of special education or related services in the 2016-2017 or 2017-2018 school year by a school district organized under Article 34 as a result of the adoption of policies and procedures identified by the State Board of Education as unlawful, the complaint must be filed on or before September 30, 2022. This filing deadline must be included in the written notification sent by the school district under subsection (b) of Section 14-8.02g.
(Source: P.A. 101-507, eff. 8-23-19; 102-429, eff. 8-20-21.)

105 ILCS 5/14-8.02f

    (105 ILCS 5/14-8.02f)
    Sec. 14-8.02f. Individualized education program meeting protections.
    (a) (Blank).
    (b) This subsection (b) applies only to a school district organized under Article 34. No later than 10 calendar days prior to a child's individualized education program meeting or as soon as possible if a meeting is scheduled within 10 calendar days with written parental consent, the school board or school personnel must provide the child's parent or guardian with a written notification of the services that require a specific data collection procedure from the school district for services related to the child's individualized education program. The notification must indicate, with a checkbox, whether specific data has been collected for the child's individualized education program services. For purposes of this subsection (b), individualized education program services must include, but are not limited to, paraprofessional support, an extended school year, transportation, therapeutic day school, and services for specific learning disabilities.
    (c) Beginning on July 1, 2020, no later than 3 school days prior to a meeting to determine a child's eligibility for special education and related services or to review a child's individualized education program, or as soon as possible if an individualized education program meeting is scheduled within 3 school days with the written consent of the child's parent or guardian, the local education agency must provide the child's parent or guardian copies of all written material that will be considered by the individualized education program team at the meeting so that the parent or guardian may participate in the meeting as a fully-informed team member. The parent or guardian shall have the option of choosing from the available methods of delivery, which must include regular mail and picking up the materials at school. For a meeting to determine the child's eligibility for special education, the written material must include all evaluations and collected data that will be considered at the meeting. For a child who is already eligible for special education and related services, the written material must include a copy of all individualized education program components that will be discussed by the individualized education program team, other than the components related to the educational and related service minutes proposed for the child and the child's placement. Parents shall also be informed of their right to review and copy their child's school student records prior to any special education eligibility or individualized education program review meeting, subject to the requirements of applicable federal and State law.
    (d) Local education agencies must make logs that record the delivery of related services administered under the child's individualized education program and the minutes of each type of related service that has been administered available to the child's parent or guardian at any time upon request of the child's parent or guardian. For purposes of this subsection (d), related services for which a log must be made are: speech and language services, occupational therapy services, physical therapy services, school social work services, school counseling services, school psychology services, and school nursing services. The local education agency must inform the child's parent or guardian within 20 school days from the beginning of the school year or upon establishment of an individualized education program of his or her ability to request those related service logs.
    (d-5) If, at a meeting to develop or revise a child's individualized education program, the individualized education program team determines that a certain service is required in order for the child to receive a free, appropriate public education and that service is not implemented within 10 school days after the service was to be initiated as set forth by the child's individualized education program, then the local education agency shall provide the child's parent or guardian with written notification that the service has not yet been implemented. The notification must be provided to the child's parent or guardian within 3 school days of the local education agency's non-compliance with the child's individualized education program and must inform the parent or guardian about the school district's procedures for requesting compensatory services. In this subsection (d-5), "school days" does not include days where a child is absent from school for reasons unrelated to a lack of individualized education program services or when the service is available, but the child is unavailable.
    (e) The State Board of Education may create a telephone hotline to address complaints regarding the special education services or lack of special education services of a school district subject to this Section. If a hotline is created, it must be available to all students enrolled in the school district, parents or guardians of those students, and school personnel. If a hotline is created, any complaints received through the hotline must be registered and recorded with the State Board's monitor of special education policies. No student, parent or guardian, or member of school personnel may be retaliated against for submitting a complaint through a telephone hotline created by the State Board under this subsection (e).
    (f) A school district subject to this Section may not use any measure that would prevent or delay an individualized education program team from adding a service to the program or create a time restriction in which a service is prohibited from being added to the program. The school district may not build functions into its computer software that would remove any services from a student's individualized education program without the approval of the program team and may not prohibit the program team from adding a service to the program.
(Source: P.A. 100-993, eff. 8-20-18; 101-515, eff. 8-23-19; 101-598, eff. 12-6-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)

105 ILCS 5/14-8.02g

    (105 ILCS 5/14-8.02g)
    Sec. 14-8.02g. Written notification required for delays and denials of special education services.
    (a) This Section applies only to a school district organized under Article 34.
    (b) With respect to a student enrolled in the school district for or to whom appropriate special education or related services may have been delayed or denied in the 2016-2017 or 2017-2018 school year as a result of the adoption of policies and procedures identified by the State Board of Education as unlawful, the school district must provide a separate written notification no later than 30 days after the first school day of the 2019-2020 school year to (i) the parent or guardian of the student, (ii) a designated representative of the student, (iii) the student if he or she is an emancipated minor, or (iv) the student if he or she has reached the age of majority and does not have a designated representative that states that appropriate relief may be available through a State complaint procedure authorized under Section 14-8.02e, State-sponsored mediation, or an impartial due process hearing under Section 14-8.02a. The written notification must include contact information for the State Board of Education, a list of organizations that provide free or low-cost legal services, advocacy, and advice on special education matters, and the filing deadline under subsection (b) of Section 14-8.02e. The written notification must be posted on the home page of the school district's public website and must, at least once, be included with any written informational materials for parents sent home with the student.
(Source: P.A. 101-507, eff. 8-23-19.)

105 ILCS 5/14-8.02h

    (105 ILCS 5/14-8.02h)
    Sec. 14-8.02h. Response to scientific, research-based intervention.
    (a) In this Section, "response to scientific, research-based intervention" or "multi-tiered system of support" means a tiered process of appropriate instruction and support that utilizes differentiated instructional strategies for students, provides students with an evidence-based curriculum and interventions aligned with State standards, continuously monitors student performance using scientific, research-based progress monitoring instruments, and makes data-driven educational decisions based on a student's response to the interventions. Response to scientific, research-based intervention or a multi-tiered system of support uses a problem-solving method to define the problem, analyzes the problem using data to determine why there is a discrepancy between what is expected and what is occurring, establishes one or more student performance goals, develops an intervention plan to address the performance goals, and delineates how the student's progress will be monitored and how implementation integrity will be ensured.
    (b) (Blank).
    (c) The response to scientific, research-based intervention or a multi-tiered system of support process should use a collaborative team approach and include the engagement of and regular communication with the child's parent or guardian. The parent or guardian of a child shall be provided with written notice of the school district's use of scientific, research-based intervention or a multi-tiered system of support for the child and may be part of the collaborative team approach at the discretion of the school district. The parent or guardian shall be provided all data collected and reviewed by the school district with regard to the child in the scientific, research-based intervention or multi-tiered system of support process. The State Board of Education may provide guidance to school districts and identify available resources related to facilitating parent or guardian engagement in the response to scientific, research-based intervention or a multi-tiered system of support process.
    (d) Nothing in this Section affects the responsibility of a school district to identify, locate, and evaluate children with disabilities who are in need of special education services in accordance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, this Code, or any applicable federal or State rules.
(Source: P.A. 101-515, eff. 8-23-19; 101-598, eff. 12-6-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)

105 ILCS 5/14-8.02i

    (105 ILCS 5/14-8.02i)
    Sec. 14-8.02i. ABLE account program information. Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, a school district shall provide informational material about the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account program established under Section 16.6 of the State Treasurer Act to the parent or guardian of a student at the student's annual individualized education program (IEP) review meeting, whether the annual review meeting is held in person, convened remotely, or convened in any other manner. The Office of the State Treasurer shall prepare and deliver the informational material to the State Board of Education, and the State Board of Education shall distribute the informational material to school districts.
    A school may transmit the informational material to a parent or guardian in the same manner as other documents and information related to an IEP meeting are provided to the parent or guardian.
(Source: P.A. 102-841, eff. 5-13-22.)

105 ILCS 5/14-8.03

    (105 ILCS 5/14-8.03) (from Ch. 122, par. 14-8.03)
    Sec. 14-8.03. Transition services.
    (a) For purposes of this Section:
    "Independent living skills" may include, without limitation, personal hygiene, health care, fitness, food preparation and nutrition, home management and safety, dressing and clothing care, financial management and wellness, self-esteem, self-advocacy, self-determination, community living, housing options, public safety, leisure and recreation, and transportation.
    "Transition services" means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that (i) is designed to be within a results-oriented process that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child's movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, which may include for-credit courses, career and technical education, and non-credit courses and instruction, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation; (ii) is based on the individual child's needs, taking into account the child's strengths, preferences, and interests; and (iii) includes instruction, related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, if appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills, benefits counseling and planning, work incentives education, and the provision of a functional vocational evaluation. Transition services for a child with a disability may be special education, if provided as specially designed instruction, or a related service if required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.
    (a-5) Beginning no later than the first individualized education plan (IEP) in effect when the student turns age 14 1/2 (or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team) and updated annually thereafter, the IEP must include (i) measurable post-secondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments and other information available regarding the student that are related to training, education, employment, and independent living skills and (ii) the transition services needed to assist the student in reaching those goals, including courses of study.
    As a component of transition planning, the school district shall provide the student and the parent or guardian of the student with information about the school district's career and technical education (CTE) opportunities and postsecondary CTE opportunities. The CTE information shall include a list of programming options, the scope and sequence of study for pursuing those options, and the locations of those options. A student in high school with an IEP may enroll in the school district's CTE program at any time if participation in a CTE program is consistent with the student's transition goals.
    The student and the parent or guardian of the student shall be provided with information about dual credit courses offered by the school district. The information shall include courses offered by the school district for dual credit under Section 16 of the Dual Credit Quality Act and courses in which the student may enroll for high school credit only under Section 16.5 of the Dual Credit Quality Act. The information shall include the criteria for entry into any dual credit course in which the student or the parent or guardian of the student indicates interest. If the student is enrolled in a dual credit course for dual credit or for high school credit only, the student's participation in the course shall be included as part of the student's transition IEP activities.
    (b) Transition planning must be conducted as part of the IEP process and must be governed by the procedures applicable to the development, review, and revision of the IEP, including notices to the parents and student, parent and student participation, and annual review. To appropriately assess and develop IEP transition goals and transition services for a child with a disability, additional participants may be necessary and may be invited by the school district, parent, or student to participate in the transition planning process. Additional participants may include without limitation a representative from the Department of Human Services or another State agency, a case coordinator, or persons representing other public or community agencies or services, such as adult service providers, disability services coordinators of public community colleges, and a CTE coordinator. The IEP shall identify each person responsible for coordinating and delivering transition services. If the IEP team determines that the student requires transition services from a public or private entity outside of the school district, the IEP team shall identify potential outside resources, assign one or more IEP team members to contact the appropriate outside entities, make the necessary referrals, provide any information and documents necessary to complete the referral, follow up with the entity to ensure that the student has been successfully linked to the entity, and monitor the student's progress to determine if the student's IEP transition goals and benchmarks are being met. The student's IEP shall indicate one or more specific time periods during the school year when the IEP team shall review the services provided by the outside entity and the student's progress in such activities. The public school's responsibility for delivering educational services does not extend beyond the time the student leaves school or when the student's eligibility ends due to age under this Article.
    (c) A school district shall submit annually a summary of each eligible student's IEP transition goals and transition services resulting from the IEP Team meeting to the appropriate local Transition Planning Committee. If students with disabilities who are ineligible for special education services request transition services, local public school districts shall assist those students by identifying post-secondary school goals, delivering appropriate education services, and coordinating with other agencies and services for assistance.
(Source: P.A. 102-516, eff. 8-20-21; 103-181, eff. 6-30-23.)

105 ILCS 5/14-8.04

    (105 ILCS 5/14-8.04) (from Ch. 122, par. 14-8.04)
    Sec. 14-8.04. Supported employment. The school board that is the governing body of any secondary school in this State that provides special education services and facilities for children with disabilities shall include, as part of preparing the transition planning for children with disabilities who are 16 years of age or more, consideration of a supported employment component with experiences in integrated community settings for those eligible children with disabilities who have been determined at an IEP meeting to be in need of participation in the supported employment services offered pursuant to this Section.
    Supported employment services made available as part of transition planning under this Section shall be designed and developed for school boards by the State Board of Education, in consultation with programs such as Project CHOICES (Children Have Opportunities In Integrated Community Environments), parents and advocates of children with disabilities, and the Departments of Central Management Services and Human Services.
(Source: P.A. 98-44, eff. 6-28-13; 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)

105 ILCS 5/14-8.05

    (105 ILCS 5/14-8.05) (from Ch. 122, par. 14-8.05)
    Sec. 14-8.05. Behavioral intervention.
    (a) The General Assembly finds and declares that principals and teachers of students with disabilities require training and guidance that provide ways for working successfully with children who have difficulties conforming to acceptable behavioral patterns in order to provide an environment in which learning can occur. It is the intent of the General Assembly:
        (1) That when behavioral interventions are used, they
    
be used in consideration of the pupil's physical freedom and social interaction, and be administered in a manner that respects human dignity and personal privacy and that ensures a pupil's right to placement in the least restrictive educational environment.
        (2) That behavioral management plans be developed and
    
used, to the extent possible, in a consistent manner when a local educational agency has placed the pupil in a day or residential setting for education purposes.
        (3) That a statewide study be conducted of the use of
    
behavioral interventions with students with disabilities receiving special education and related services.
        (4) That training programs be developed and
    
implemented in institutions of higher education that train teachers, and that in-service training programs be made available as necessary in school districts, in educational service centers, and by regional superintendents of schools to assure that adequately trained staff are available to work effectively with the behavioral intervention needs of students with disabilities.
    (b) On or before September 30, 1993, the State Superintendent of Education shall conduct a statewide study of the use of behavioral interventions with students with disabilities receiving special education and related services. The study shall include, but not necessarily be limited to identification of the frequency in the use of behavioral interventions; the number of districts with policies in place for working with children exhibiting continuous serious behavioral problems; how policies, rules, or regulations within districts differ between emergency and routine behavioral interventions commonly practiced; the nature and extent of costs for training provided to personnel for implementing a program of nonaversive behavioral interventions; and the nature and extent of costs for training provided to parents of students with disabilities who would be receiving behavioral interventions. The scope of the study shall be developed by the State Board of Education, in consultation with individuals and groups representing parents, teachers, administrators, and advocates. On or before June 30, 1994, the State Board of Education shall issue guidelines based on the study's findings. The guidelines shall address, but not be limited to, the following: (i) appropriate behavioral interventions, and (ii) how to properly document the need for and use of behavioral interventions in the process of developing individualized education plans for students with disabilities. The guidelines shall be used as a reference to assist school boards in developing local policies and procedures in accordance with this Section. The State Board of Education, with the advice of parents of students with disabilities and other parents, teachers, administrators, advocates for persons with disabilities, and individuals with knowledge or expertise in the development and implementation of behavioral interventions for persons with disabilities, shall review its behavioral intervention guidelines at least once every 3 years to determine their continuing appropriateness and effectiveness and shall make such modifications in the guidelines as it deems necessary.
    (c) Each school board must establish and maintain a committee to develop policies and procedures on the use of behavioral interventions for students with disabilities who require behavioral intervention. The policies and procedures shall be adopted and implemented by school boards by January 1, 1996, shall be amended as necessary to comply with the rules established by the State Board of Education under Section 2-3.130 of this Code not later than one month after commencement of the school year after the State Board of Education's rules are adopted, and shall: (i) be developed with the advice of parents with students with disabilities and other parents, teachers, administrators, advocates for persons with disabilities, and individuals with knowledge or expertise in the development and implementation of behavioral interventions for persons with disabilities; (ii) emphasize positive interventions that are designed to develop and strengthen desirable behaviors; (iii) incorporate procedures and methods consistent with generally accepted practice in the field of behavioral intervention; (iv) include criteria for determining when a student with disabilities may require a behavioral intervention plan; (v) reflect that the guidelines of the State Board of Education have been reviewed and considered and provide the address of the State Board of Education so that copies of the State Board of Education behavioral guidelines may be requested; and (vi) include procedures for monitoring the use of restrictive behavioral interventions. Each school board shall (i) furnish a copy of its local policies and procedures to parents and guardians of all students with individualized education plans within 15 days after the policies and procedures have been adopted by the school board, or within 15 days after the school board has amended its policies and procedures, or at the time an individualized education plan is first implemented for the student, and (ii) require that each school inform its students of the existence of the policies and procedures annually. Provided, at the annual individualized education plan review, the school board shall (1) explain the local policies and procedures, (2) furnish a copy of the local policies to parents and guardians, and (3) make available, upon request of any parents and guardians, a copy of local procedures.
    (d) The State Superintendent of Education shall consult with representatives of institutions of higher education and the State Teacher Certification Board in regard to the current training requirements for teachers to ensure that sufficient training is available in appropriate behavioral interventions consistent with professionally accepted practices and standards for people entering the field of education.
(Source: P.A. 91-600, eff. 8-14-99; 92-16, eff. 6-28-01.)

105 ILCS 5/14-9.01

    (105 ILCS 5/14-9.01) (from Ch. 122, par. 14-9.01)
    Sec. 14-9.01. Qualifications of teachers, other professional personnel and necessary workers. No person shall be employed to teach any class or program authorized by this Article who does not hold a valid teacher's license as provided by law and unless he has had such special training as the State Board of Education may require. No special license or endorsement to a special license issued under Section 21B-30 of this Code shall be valid for teaching students with visual disabilities unless the person to whom the license or endorsement is issued has attained satisfactory performance on an examination that is designed to assess competency in Braille reading and writing skills according to standards that the State Board of Education may adopt. Evidence of successfully completing the examination of Braille reading and writing skills must be submitted to the State Board of Education prior to an applicant's taking of the content area test required under Section 21B-30 of this Code. In addition to other requirements, a candidate for a teaching license in the area of the deaf and hard of hearing granted by the Illinois State Board of Education for teaching deaf and hard of hearing students in grades pre-school through grade 12 must demonstrate a minimum proficiency in sign language as determined by the Illinois State Board of Education. All other professional personnel employed in any class, service, or program authorized by this Article shall hold such licenses and shall have had such special training as the State Board of Education may require; provided that in a school district organized under Article 34, the school district may employ speech and language pathologists who are licensed under the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act but who do not hold a license issued under this Code if the district certifies that a chronic shortage of licensed personnel exists. Nothing contained in this Act prohibits the school board from employing necessary workers to assist the teacher with the special educational facilities, except that all such necessary workers must have had such training as the State Board of Education may require.
    The State Board of Education shall develop, in consultation with the Advisory Council on the Education of Children with Disabilities and the Advisory Council on Bilingual Education, rules governing the qualifications for licensure of teachers and school service personnel providing services to English learners receiving special education and related services.
    The employment of any teacher in a special education program provided for in Sections 14-1.01 to 14-14.01, inclusive, shall be subject to the provisions of Sections 24-11 to 24-16, inclusive. Any teacher employed in a special education program, prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1987, in which 2 or more districts participate shall enter upon contractual continued service in each of the participating districts subject to the provisions of Sections 24-11 to 24-16, inclusive.
(Source: P.A. 102-894, eff. 5-20-22.)

105 ILCS 5/14-10.01

    (105 ILCS 5/14-10.01) (from Ch. 122, par. 14-10.01)
    Sec. 14-10.01. (Repealed).
(Source: Repealed by P.A. 88-228, eff. 7-1-94.)

105 ILCS 5/14-11.01

    (105 ILCS 5/14-11.01) (from Ch. 122, par. 14-11.01)
    Sec. 14-11.01. Educational materials coordinating unit. The State Board of Education shall maintain or contract for an educational materials coordinating unit for children with disabilities to provide:
        (1) Staff and resources for the coordination,
    
cataloging, standardizing, production, procurement, storage, and distribution of educational materials needed by children with visual disabilities and adults with disabilities.
        (2) Staff and resources of an instructional materials
    
center to include library, audio-visual, programmed, and other types of instructional materials peculiarly adapted to the instruction of pupils with disabilities.
    The educational materials coordinating unit shall have as its major purpose the improvement of instructional programs for children with disabilities and the in-service training of all professional personnel associated with programs of special education and to these ends is authorized to operate under rules and regulations of the State Board of Education with the advice of the Advisory Council.
(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)

105 ILCS 5/14-11.02

    (105 ILCS 5/14-11.02) (from Ch. 122, par. 14-11.02)
    Sec. 14-11.02. Notwithstanding any other Sections of this Article, the State Board of Education shall develop and operate or contract for the operation of a service center for persons who are deaf-blind. For the purpose of this Section, persons with deaf-blindness are persons who have both auditory and visual impairments, the combination of which causes such severe communication and other developmental, educational, vocational and rehabilitation problems that such persons cannot be properly accommodated in special education or vocational rehabilitation programs solely for persons with both hearing and visual disabilities.
    To be eligible for deaf-blind services, a person must have (i) a visual impairment and an auditory impairment, or (ii) a condition in which there is a progressive loss of hearing or vision or both that results in concomitant vision and hearing impairments and that adversely affects educational performance as determined by the multidisciplinary conference. For purposes of this paragraph and Section:
        (A) A visual impairment is defined to mean one or
    
more of the following: (i) corrected visual acuity poorer than 20/70 in the better eye; (ii) restricted visual field of 20 degrees or less in the better eye; (iii) cortical blindness; (iv) does not appear to respond to visual stimulation, which adversely affects educational performance as determined by the multidisciplinary conference.
        (B) An auditory impairment is defined to mean one or
    
more of the following: (i) a sensorineural or ongoing or chronic conductive hearing loss with aided sensitivity of 30dB HL or poorer; (ii) functional auditory behavior that is significantly discrepant from the person's present cognitive and/or developmental levels, which adversely affects educational performance as determined by the multidisciplinary conference.
    The State Board of Education is empowered to establish, maintain and operate or contract for the operation of a permanent state-wide service center known as the Philip J. Rock Center and School. The School serves eligible children between the ages of 3 and 21; the Center serves eligible persons of all ages. Services provided by the Center include, but are not limited to:
        (1) Identifying and case management of persons who
    
are auditorily and visually impaired;
        (2) Providing families with appropriate counseling;
        (3) Referring persons who are deaf-blind to
    
appropriate agencies for medical and diagnostic services;
        (4) Referring persons who are deaf-blind to
    
appropriate agencies for educational, training and care services;
        (5) Developing and expanding services throughout the
    
State to persons who are deaf-blind. This will include ancillary services, such as transportation so that the individuals can take advantage of the expanded services;
        (6) Maintaining a residential-educational training
    
facility in the Chicago metropolitan area located in an area accessible to public transportation;
        (7) Receiving, dispensing, and monitoring State and
    
Federal funds to the School and Center designated for services to persons who are deaf-blind;
        (8) Coordinating services to persons who are
    
deaf-blind through all appropriate agencies, including the Department of Children and Family Services and the Department of Human Services;
        (9) Entering into contracts with other agencies to
    
provide services to persons who are deaf-blind;
        (10) Operating on a no-reject basis. Any individual
    
referred to the Center for service and diagnosed as deaf-blind, as defined in this Act, shall qualify for available services;
        (11) Serving as the referral clearinghouse for all
    
persons who are deaf-blind, age 21 and older; and
        (12) Providing transition services for students of
    
Philip J. Rock School who are deaf-blind and between the ages of 14 1/2 and 21.
    The Advisory Board for Services for Persons who are Deaf-Blind shall provide advice to the State Superintendent of Education, the Governor, and the General Assembly on all matters pertaining to policy concerning persons who are deaf-blind, including the implementation of legislation enacted on their behalf.
    Regarding the maintenance, operation and education functions of the Philip J. Rock Center and School, the Advisory Board shall also make recommendations pertaining to but not limited to the following matters:
        (1) Existing and proposed programs of all State
    
agencies that provide services for persons who are deaf-blind;
        (2) The State program and financial plan for
    
deaf-blind services and the system of priorities to be developed by the State Board of Education;
        (3) Standards for services in facilities serving
    
persons who are deaf-blind;
        (4) Standards and rates for State payments for any
    
services purchased for persons who are deaf-blind;
        (5) Services and research activities in the field of
    
deaf-blindness, including evaluation of services; and
        (6) Planning for personnel/preparation, both
    
preservice and inservice.
    The Advisory Board shall consist of 3 persons appointed by the Governor; 2 persons appointed by the State Superintendent of Education; 4 persons appointed by the Secretary of Human Services; and 2 persons appointed by the Director of Children and Family Services. The 3 appointments of the Governor shall consist of a senior citizen 60 years of age or older, a consumer who is deaf-blind, and a parent of a person who is deaf-blind; provided that if any gubernatorial appointee serving on the Advisory Board on the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1991 is not either a senior citizen 60 years of age or older or a consumer who is deaf-blind or a parent of a person who is deaf-blind, then whenever that appointee's term of office expires or a vacancy in that appointee's office sooner occurs, the Governor shall make the appointment to fill that office or vacancy in a manner that will result, at the earliest possible time, in the Governor's appointments to the Advisory Board being comprised of one senior citizen 60 years of age or older, one consumer who is deaf-blind, and one parent of a person who is deaf-blind. One person designated by each agency other than the Department of Human Services may be an employee of that agency. Two persons appointed by the Secretary of Human Services may be employees of the Department of Human Services. The appointments of each appointing authority other than the Governor shall include at least one parent of an individual who is deaf-blind or a person who is deaf-blind.
    Vacancies in terms shall be filled by the original appointing authority. After the original terms, all terms shall be for 3 years.
    Except for those members of the Advisory Board who are compensated for State service on a full-time basis, members shall be reimbursed for all actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Each member who is not compensated for State service on a full-time basis shall be compensated at a rate of $50 per day which he spends on Advisory Board duties. The Advisory Board shall meet at least 4 times per year and not more than 12 times per year.
    The Advisory Board shall provide for its own organization.
    Six members of the Advisory Board shall constitute a quorum. The affirmative vote of a majority of all members of the Advisory Board shall be necessary for any action taken by the Advisory Board.
(Source: P.A. 88-670, eff. 12-2-94; 89-397, eff. 8-20-95; 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)

105 ILCS 5/14-11.03

    (105 ILCS 5/14-11.03) (from Ch. 122, par. 14-11.03)
    Sec. 14-11.03. Illinois Service Resource Center. The State Board of Education shall maintain, subject to appropriations for such purpose, the Service Resource Center for children and adolescents through the age of 21 who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and have an emotional or behavioral disorder. For the purpose of this Section, "children and adolescents who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and have an emotional or behavioral disorder" have an auditory impairment that is serious enough to warrant an array of special services and special education programs in order to assist both educationally and socially and the behavior is seriously disruptive and unacceptable to peers, educational staff, and persons in the community, or presents a danger to self or others.
    The State Board shall operate or contract for the operation of the Illinois Service Resource Center for children and adolescents through the age of 21 who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and have an emotional or behavioral disorder. The Illinois Service Resource Center shall function as the initial point of contact for students, parents, and professionals. All existing and future services shall be coordinated through the Center.
    The Illinois Service Resource Center shall:
    (a) Develop and maintain a directory of public and private resources, including crisis intervention.
    (b) Establish and maintain a Statewide identification and tracking system.
    (c) Develop, obtain, and assure the consistency of screening instruments.
    (d) Perform case coordination, referral, and consultation services.
    (e) Provide technical assistance and training for existing programs and providers.
    (f) Track the allocation and expenditure of State and federal funds.
    (g) Monitor, evaluate, and assess Statewide resources, identification of services gaps, and the development and delivery of services.
    (h) Identify by geographical areas the need for establishing evaluation and crisis intervention services and establish a pilot in downstate Illinois. The Service Resource Center shall provide for the coordination of services for children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and have an emotional or behavioral disorder throughout the State and shall pilot a service delivery model to identify the capacity and need for comprehensive evaluation, crisis management, stabilization, referral, transition, family intervention, and follow-up services.
    (i) Integrate the recommendations of the Interagency Board for Children who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing and have an Emotional or Behavioral Disorder regarding policies affecting children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and have an emotional or behavioral disorder.
    (j) Provide limited direct services as required.
    The Center, if established, shall operate on a no-reject basis. Any child or adolescent diagnosed as deaf or hard-of-hearing and having an emotional or behavioral disorder under this Act who is referred to the Center for services shall qualify for services of the Center. The requirement of the no-reject basis shall be paramount in negotiating contracts and in supporting other agency services.
(Source: P.A. 88-663, eff. 9-16-94; 89-680, eff. 1-1-97.)