105 ILCS 5/ School Code.

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.189)

Sec. 2-3.189. School unused food sharing plan. School districts shall incorporate a food sharing plan for unused food into their local wellness policy under Section 2-3.139. The food sharing plan shall focus on needy students, with the plan being developed and supported jointly by the district's local health department. Participants in the child nutrition programs, the National School Lunch Program and National School Breakfast Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) shall adhere to the provisions of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, as well as accompanying guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the Food Donation Program, to ensure that any leftover food items are properly donated in order to combat potential food insecurity in their communities. For the purpose of this Section, "properly" means in accordance with all federal regulations and State and local health and sanitation codes.

(Source: P.A. 102-359, eff. 8-13-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.190)

Sec. 2-3.190. Anaphylactic policy for school districts.

(a) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, shall establish an anaphylactic policy for school districts setting forth guidelines and procedures to be followed both for the prevention of anaphylaxis and during a medical emergency resulting from anaphylaxis. The policy shall be developed after consultation with the advisory committee established pursuant to Section 5 of the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act. In establishing the policy required under this Section, the State Board shall consider existing requirements and current and best practices for schools regarding allergies and anaphylaxis. The State Board must also consider the voluntary guidelines for managing food allergies in schools issued by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(b) The anaphylactic policy established under subsection (a) shall include the following:

(1) A procedure and treatment plan, including emergency protocols and responsibilities for school nurses and other appropriate school personnel, for responding to anaphylaxis.

(2) Requirements for a training course for appropriate school personnel on preventing and responding to anaphylaxis.

(3) A procedure and appropriate guidelines for the development of an individualized emergency health care plan for children with a food or other allergy that could result in anaphylaxis.

(4) A communication plan for intake and dissemination of information provided by this State regarding children with a food or other allergy that could result in anaphylaxis, including a discussion of methods, treatments, and therapies to reduce the risk of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.

(5) Strategies for reducing the risk of exposure to anaphylactic causative agents, including food and other allergens.

(6) A communication plan for discussion with children who have developed adequate verbal communication and comprehension skills and with the parents or guardians of all children about foods that are safe and unsafe and about strategies to avoid exposure to unsafe food.

(c) At least once each calendar year, each school district shall send a notification to the parents or guardians of all children under the care of a school to make them aware of the anaphylactic policy. The notification shall include contact information for parents and guardians to engage further with the school to learn more about individualized aspects of the policy.

(d) At least 6 months after August 20, 2021 (the effective date of Public Act 102-413), the anaphylactic policy established under subsection (a) shall be forwarded by the State Board to the school board of each school district in this State. Each school district shall implement or update, as appropriate, its anaphylactic policy in accordance with those developed by the State Board within 6 months after receiving the anaphylactic policy from the State Board.

(e) The anaphylactic policy established under subsection (a) shall be reviewed and updated, if necessary, at least once every 3 years.

(f) The State Board shall post the anaphylactic policy established under subsection (a) and resources regarding allergies and anaphylaxis on its website.

(g) The State Board may adopt any rules necessary to implement this Section.

(Source: P.A. 102-413, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.191)

Sec. 2-3.191. State Education Equity Committee.

(a) The General Assembly finds that this State has an urgent and collective responsibility to achieve educational equity by ensuring that all policies, programs, and practices affirm the strengths that each and every child brings with diverse backgrounds and life experiences and by delivering the comprehensive support, programs, and educational opportunities children need to succeed.

(b) The State Education Equity Committee is created within the State Board of Education to strive toward ensuring equity in education for all children from birth through grade 12.

(c) The Committee shall consist of the State Superintendent of Education or the State Superintendent's designee, who shall serve as chairperson, and one member from each of the following organizations appointed by the State Superintendent:

(1) At least 2 educators who each represent a different statewide professional teachers' organization.

(2) A professional teachers' organization located in a city having a population exceeding 500,000.

(3) A statewide association representing school administrators.

(4) A statewide association representing regional superintendents of schools.

(5) A statewide association representing school board members.

(6) A statewide association representing school principals.

(7) A school district serving a community with a population of 500,000 or more.

(8) A parent-led organization.

(9) A student-led organization.

(10) One community organization that works to foster safe and healthy environments through advocacy for immigrant families and ensuring equitable opportunities for educational advancement and economic development.

(11) An organization that works for economic, educational, and social progress for African Americans and promotes strong sustainable communities through advocacy, collaboration, and innovation.

(12) One statewide organization whose focus is to narrow or close the achievement gap between students of color and their peers.

(13) An organization that advocates for healthier school environments in this State.

(14) One statewide organization that advocates for partnerships among schools, families, and the community, provides access to support, and removes barriers to learning and development, using schools as hubs.

(15) One organization that advocates for the health and safety of Illinois youth and families by providing capacity building services.

(16) An organization dedicated to advocating for public policies to prevent homelessness.

(17) Other appropriate State agencies as determined by the State Superintendent.

(18) An organization that works for economic, educational, and social progress for Native Americans and promotes strong sustainable communities through advocacy, collaboration, and innovation.

(19) A individual with a disability or a statewide organization representing or advocating on behalf of individuals with disabilities. As used in this paragraph, "disability" has the meaning given to that term in Section 10 of the Disabilities Services Act of 2003.

Members appointed to the Committee must reflect, as much as possible, the racial, ethnic, and geographic diversity of this State.

(d) Members appointed by the State Superintendent shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses, including travel, from funds appropriated to the State Board of Education for that purpose, subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board.

(e) The Committee shall meet at the call of the chairperson, but shall meet no less than 3 times a year.

(f) The Committee shall recognize that, while progress has been made, much remains to be done to address systemic inequities and ensure each and every child is equipped to reach the child's fullest potential and shall:

(1) guide its work through the principles of equity, equality, collaboration, and community;

(2) focus its work around the overarching goals of student learning, learning conditions, and elevating educators, all underpinned by equity;

(3) identify evidence-based practices or policies around these goals to build on this State's progress of ensuring educational equity for all its students in all aspects of birth through grade 12 education; and

(4) seek input and feedback on identified evidence-based practices or policies from stakeholders, including, but not limited to, parents, students, and educators that reflect the rich diversity of Illinois students.

(g) The Committee shall submit its recommendations to the General Assembly and the State Board of Education no later than January 31, 2022. By no later than December 15, 2023 and each year thereafter, the Committee shall report to the General Assembly and the State Board of Education about the additional progress that has been made to achieve educational equity.

(h) As part of the report required under subsection (g), by no later than December 15, 2024, the Committee shall provide recommendations that may assist the State Board of Education in identifying diverse subject matter experts to help inform policy through task forces, committees, and commissions the State Board oversees.

(i) On and after January 31, 2025, subsection (h) is inoperative.

(Source: P.A. 102-458, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22; 103-422, eff. 8-4-23.)

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.192)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2024)

Sec. 2-3.192. Significant loss grant program. Subject to specific State appropriation, the State Board shall make Significant Loss Grants available to school districts that meet all of the following requirements:

(1) The district has been affected by a recent substantial loss of contributions from a single taxpayer that resulted in either a significant loss of the overall district Equalized Assessed Value or a significant loss in property tax revenue from January 1, 2018 through the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly.

(2) The district's total equalized assessed value is significantly derived from a single taxpayer.

(3) The district's administrative office is located in a county with less than 30,000 inhabitants.

(4) The district has a total student enrollment of less than 500 students as published on the most recent Illinois School Report Card.

(5) The district has a low income concentration of at least 45% as published on the most recent Illinois School Report Card.

The Professional Review Panel shall make recommendations to the State Board regarding grant eligibility and allocations. The State Board shall determine grant eligibility and allocations. This Section is repealed on July 1, 2024.

(Source: P.A. 102-699, eff. 4-19-22; 103-8, eff. 6-7-23.)

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.195)

Sec. 2-3.195. Direct support professional training program. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and continuing for not less than 2 years, the State Board of Education shall make available a model program of study that incorporates the training and experience necessary to serve as a direct support professional. By July 1, 2023, the Department of Human Services shall submit recommendations developed in consultation with stakeholders, including, but not limited to, organizations representing community-based providers serving children and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and education practitioners, including, but not limited to, teachers, administrators, special education directors, and regional superintendents of schools, to the State Board for the training that would be required in order to complete the model program of study.

(Source: P.A. 102-874, eff. 1-1-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-175, eff. 6-30-23.)

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.196)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-8)

Sec. 2-3.196. Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot Program.

(a) Subject to appropriation, beginning in Fiscal Year 2024, the State Board of Education shall administer a 3-year Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot Program for the allocation of formula grant funds to school districts to support the reduction of unfilled teaching positions throughout the State. The State Board shall identify which districts are eligible to apply for a 3-year grant under this Section by reviewing the State Board's Fiscal Year 2023 annual unfilled teaching positions report to determine which districts designated as Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 under Section 18-8.15 have the greatest need for funds. Based on the National Center for Education Statistics locale classifications, 60% of eligible districts shall be rural districts and 40% of eligible districts shall be urban districts. Continued funding for the grant in Fiscal Year 2025 and Fiscal Year 2026 is subject to appropriation. The State Board shall post, on its website, information about the grant program and the list of identified districts that are eligible to apply for a grant under this subsection.

(b) A school district that is determined to be eligible for a grant under subsection (a) and that chooses to participate in the program must submit an application to the State Board that describes the relevant context for the need for teacher vacancy support, suspected causes of teacher vacancies in the district, and the district's plan in utilizing grant funds to reduce unfilled teaching positions throughout the district. If an eligible school district chooses not to participate in the program, the State Board shall identify a potential replacement district by using the same methodology described in subsection (a).

(c) Grant funds awarded under this Section may be used for financial incentives to support the recruitment and hiring of teachers, programs and incentives to strengthen teacher pipelines, or investments to sustain teachers and reduce attrition among teachers. Grant funds shall be used only for the purposes outlined in the district's application to the State Board to reduce unfilled teaching positions. Grant funds shall not be used for any purposes not approved by the State Board.

(d) A school district that receives grant funds under this Section shall submit an annual report to the State Board that includes, but is not limited to, a summary of all grant-funded activities implemented to reduce unfilled teaching positions, progress towards reducing unfilled teaching positions, the number of unfilled teaching positions in the district in the preceding fiscal year, the number of new teachers hired during the program, the teacher attrition rate, the number of individuals participating in any programs designed to reduce attrition, the number of teachers retained using support of the grant funds, participation in any strategic pathway programs created under the program, and the number of and participation in any new pathways into teaching positions created under the program.

(e) No later than March 1, 2027, the State Board shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the efficacy of the pilot program that includes a summary of the information received under subsection (d) and an overview of its activities to support grantees.

(Source: P.A. 103-8, eff. 6-7-23.)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-264)

Sec. 2-3.196. Computer Science Equity Grant Program.

(a) Subject to appropriation, the State Board shall establish a competitive grant program to support the development or enhancement of computer science programs in the K-12 schools. Eligible entities are regional offices of education, intermediate service centers, State higher education institutions, schools designated as laboratory schools, and school districts. Approved entities shall be responsible for ensuring that appropriate facilities are available and educators are appropriately trained on the use of any technologies or devices acquired for the purposes of the grant.

(b) Computer Science Equity Grant Program funds shall be used in the following manner consistent with application requirements established by the State Board of Education as provided in this Article:

(1) to expand learning opportunities in grades K-12 to ensure that all students have access to computer science coursework that is aligned to rigorous State standards and emerging labor market needs;

(2) to train and retrain teachers of grades K-12 to be more proficient in the teaching of computer science by providing professional development opportunities;

(3) to supply classrooms with materials and equipment related to the teaching and learning of computer science; and

(4) to more effectively recruit and better serve K-12 learners who are underrepresented in the computer science labor market for enrollment in computer science coursework.

(c) Computer Science Equity Grant Program funds shall be made available to each eligible entity upon completion of an application process that is consistent with rules established by the State Board of Education. The application shall include the planned use of the funds; identification of need for the funds that is supported by local, regional, and state data; a plan for long-term sustainability; and a long-term plan for continuous improvement.

(d) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules as may be necessary to implement the provision of this Article, including, but not limited to, the identification of additional prioritization areas for each competitive grant application cycle that are within the scope of the authorized uses. Priority consideration for all applications will be given for proposals that intend to serve a majority of learners or teachers with gender or racial/ethnic identities that are underrepresented in the computer science labor market.

(e) Up to 2 renewals of the grant will be allowed, providing the entity awarded satisfactorily completes programmatic reporting and meets program objectives commensurate with application requirements set forth by the State Board of Education.

(f) Grants under the Computer Science Equity Grant Program and funding levels for satisfactory applications may be prorated according to the amount appropriated.

(Source: P.A. 103-264, eff. 1-1-24.)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-402)

Sec. 2-3.196. State Board of Education literacy assistance.

(a) The State Board of Education shall adopt and make available all of the following to each publicly funded school district by July 1, 2024:

(1) A rubric by which districts may evaluate curricula and select and implement evidence-based, culturally inclusive core reading instruction programs aligned with the comprehensive literacy plan for the State described in subsection (c).

(2) A template to support districts when developing comprehensive, district-wide literacy plans that include support for special student populations, including, at a minimum, students with disabilities, multilingual students, and bidialectal students.

(3) Guidance on evidence-based practices for effective structures for training and deploying literacy coaches to support teachers and close opportunity gaps among student demographic groups.

(b) On or before January 1, 2025, the State Board of Education shall develop and make available training opportunities for educators in teaching reading that are aligned with the comprehensive literacy plan described in subsection (c) and consistent with State learning standards. This support may include:

(1) the development of a microcredential or a series of microcredentials in literacy instruction aligned with the comprehensive literacy plan described in subsection (c) to be affixed to educator licenses upon successful demonstration of the skill or completion of the required coursework or assessment, or both, or online training modules on literacy instruction, aligned with the comprehensive literacy plan described in subsection (c) and consistent with State learning standards, accepted for continuing professional development units; and

(2) the creation and dissemination of a tool that school districts, educators, and the public may use to evaluate professional development and training programs related to literacy instruction.

(c) In consultation with education stakeholders, the State Board of Education shall develop and adopt a comprehensive literacy plan for the State on or before January 31, 2024. The comprehensive literacy plan shall consider, without limitation, evidence-based research and culturally and linguistically sustaining pedagogical approaches to meet the needs of all students and shall, at a minimum, do all of the following:

(1) Consider core instructional literacy practices and practices related to the unique needs of and support for specific student populations, including, at a minimum, students with disabilities, multilingual students, and bidialectal students, and the resources and support, including professional learning for teachers, needed to effectively implement the literacy instruction.

(2) Provide guidance related to screening tools, the administration of such screening tools, and the interpretation of the resulting data to identify students at risk of reading difficulties in grades kindergarten through 2. This guidance shall outline instances in which dyslexia screenings and other universal screeners are appropriate for use with English learners.

(3) Provide guidance related to early literacy intervention for students in grades kindergarten through 2 for schools to implement with students at risk of reading difficulties, as well as literacy intervention for students in grades 3 through 12 demonstrating reading difficulties.

(4) Consider the impact of second language acquisition and bilingual education on reading instruction in the student's native language and English.

(5) Define key terminology, such as "evidence-based".

(6) Contextualize the interaction between elements of the plan and existing laws and regulations that have overlapping components, such as a multi-tiered system of support.

(7) Focus on a comprehensive range of elements of literacy, including phonological awareness; decoding (phonics); encoding (spelling); vocabulary development, including morphology, oracy, and reading fluency; and reading comprehension, including syntax and background and content knowledge.

(Source: P.A. 103-402, eff. 7-28-23.)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-413)

Sec. 2-3.196. Children's Adversity Index. The Illinois State Board of Education shall develop a community or district-level Children's Adversity Index ("index") to measure community childhood trauma exposure across the population of children 3 through 18 years of age by May 31, 2025. This cross-agency effort shall be led by the State Board of Education and must include agencies that both collect the data and will have an ultimate use for the index information, including, but not limited to, the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Public Health, the Department of Innovation and Technology, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, the Department of Children and Family Services, and the Department of Juvenile Justice. The State Board of Education may also involve non-agency personnel with relevant expertise. The index shall be informed by research and include both adverse incident data, such as the number or rates of students and families experiencing homelessness and the number or percentages of children who have had contact with the child welfare system, and indicators of aspects of a child's environment that can undermine the child's sense of safety, stability, and bonding, including growing up in a household with caregivers struggling with substance disorders or instability due to parent or guardian separation or incarceration of a parent or guardian, sibling, or other member of the household, or exposure to community violence. The index shall provide information that allows for measuring progress, comparing school districts to the State average, and that enables the index to be updated at least every 2 years. The data shall be made publicly available. The initial development of the index should leverage available data. Personally identifiable information of any individual shall not be revealed within this index.

(Source: P.A. 103-413, eff. 1-1-24.)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-463)

Sec. 2-3.196. Clothing resource materials. By no later than July 1, 2024, the State Board of Education shall make available to schools resource materials developed in consultation with stakeholders regarding a student wearing or accessorizing the student's graduation attire with general items that may be used by the student to associate with, identify, or declare the student's cultural, ethnic, or religious identity or any other protected characteristic or category identified in subsection (Q) of Section 1-103 of the Illinois Human Rights Act. The State Board of Education shall make the resource materials available on its Internet website.

(Source: P.A. 103-463, eff. 8-4-23.)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-472)

(This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2029)

Sec. 2-3.196. Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation reporting.

(a) The requirements of this Section are subject to appropriation.

(b) The State Board of Education shall build data collection systems to allow the collection of data on reported allegations of the conduct described in paragraph (1). Beginning on August 1 of the year after the systems are implemented and for each reporting school year beginning on August 1 and ending on July 31 thereafter, each school district, charter school, and nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school shall disclose to the State Board of Education all of the following information:

(1) The total number of reported allegations of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation against students received by each school district, charter school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school during the reporting school year, defined as August 1 to July 31, in each of the following categories:

(A) sexual harassment;

(B) discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, or national origin;

(C) discrimination or harassment on the basis of sex;

(D) discrimination or harassment on the basis of religion;

(E) discrimination or harassment on the basis of disability; and

(F) retaliation.

(2) The status of allegations, as of the last day of the reporting period, in each category under paragraph (1).

Allegations shall be reported as unfounded, founded, or investigation pending by the school district, charter school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school.

(c) A school district, charter school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school may not include in any disclosures required under this Section any information by which an individual may be personally identified, including the name of the victim or victims or those accused of an act of alleged discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.

(d) If a school district, charter school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school fails to disclose the information required in subsection (b) of this Section by July 31 of the reporting school year, the State Board of Education shall provide a written request for disclosure to the school district, charter school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school, thereby providing the period of time in which the required information must be disclosed. If a school district, charter school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school fails to disclose the information within 14 days after receipt of that written request, the State Board of Education may petition the Department of Human Rights to initiate a charge of a civil rights violation pursuant to Section 5A-102 of the Illinois Human Rights Act.

(e) The State Board of Education shall publish an annual report aggregating the information reported by school districts, charter schools, and nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary schools under subsection (b) of this Section. Data included in the report shall not be publicly attributed to any individual school district, charter school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school. The report shall include the number of incidents reported between August 1 and July 31 of the preceding reporting school year, based on each of the categories identified under paragraph (1) of this subsection (b).

The annual report shall be filed with the Department of Human Rights and the General Assembly and made available to the public by July 1 of the year following the reporting school year. Data submitted by a school district, charter school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian elementary or secondary school to comply with this Section is confidential and exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.

(f) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules deemed necessary for implementation of this Section.

(g) This Section is repealed on July 1, 2029.

(Source: P.A. 103-472, eff. 8-1-24.)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-546)

Sec. 2-3.196. Mental health screenings. On or before December 15, 2023, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Officer, Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Team, and the Office of the Governor, shall file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly that includes recommendations for implementation of mental health screenings in schools for students enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12. This report must include a landscape scan of current district-wide screenings, recommendations for screening tools, training for staff, and linkage and referral for identified students.

(Source: P.A. 103-546, eff. 8-11-23.)

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.197)

Sec. 2-3.197. Imagination Library of Illinois; grant program. To promote the development of a comprehensive statewide initiative for encouraging preschool age children to develop a love of reading and learning, the State Board of Education is authorized to develop, fund, support, promote, and operate the Imagination Library of Illinois Program, which is hereby established. For purposes of this Section, "State program" means the Imagination Library of Illinois Program.

(a) State program funds shall be used to provide, through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, one age-appropriate book, per month, to each registered child from birth to age 5 in participating counties. Books shall be sent monthly to each registered child's home at no cost to families. Subject to an annual appropriation, the State Board of Education shall contribute the State's matching funds per the cost-sharing framework established by Dolly Parton's Imagination Library for the State program. The State program shall contribute the 50% match of funds required of local programs participating in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Local program partners shall match the State program funds to provide the remaining 50% match of funds required by Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

(1) The Imagination Library of Illinois Fund is hereby created as a special fund in the State Treasury. The State Board of Education may accept gifts, grants, awards, donations, matching contributions, appropriations, interest income, public or private bequests, and cost sharings from any individuals, businesses, governments, or other third-party sources, and any federal funds. All moneys received under this Section shall be deposited into the Imagination Library of Illinois Fund. Any moneys that are unobligated or unexpended at the end of a fiscal year shall remain in the Imagination Library of Illinois Fund, shall not lapse into the General Revenue Fund, and shall be available to the Board for expenditure in the next fiscal year, subject to appropriation. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, this Fund is not subject to sweeps, administrative chargebacks, or any other fiscal or budgetary maneuver that in any way would transfer any amount from this Fund into any other fund of the State.

(2) Moneys received under this Section are subject to appropriation by the General Assembly and may only be expended for purposes consistent with the conditions under which the moneys were received, including, but not limited to, the following:

(i) Moneys in the Fund shall be used to provide age-appropriate books on a monthly basis, at home, to each child registered in the Imagination Library of Illinois Program, from birth through their fifth birthday, at no cost to families, through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

(ii) Subject to availability, moneys in the Fund shall be allocated to qualified local entities that provide a dollar-for-dollar match for the program. As used in this Section, "qualified local entity" means any existing or new local Dolly Parton's Imagination Library affiliate.

(iii) Moneys in the Fund may be used by the State Board of Education to pay for administrative expenses of the State program, including associated operating expenses of the State Board of Education or any nonprofit entity that coordinates the State program pursuant to subsection (b).

(b) The State Board of Education shall coordinate with a nonprofit entity qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code to operate the State program. That organization must be organized solely to promote and encourage reading by the children of the State, for the purpose of implementing this Section.

(c) The State Board of Education shall provide oversight of the nonprofit entity that operates the State program pursuant to subsection (b) to ensure the nonprofit entity does all of the following:

(1) Promotes the statewide development of local Dolly Parton's Imagination Library programs.

(2) Advances and strengthens local Dolly Parton's Imagination Library programs with the goal of increasing enrollment.

(3) Develops community engagement.

(4) Develops, promotes, and coordinates a public awareness campaign to make donors aware of the opportunity to donate to the affiliate programs and make the public aware of the opportunity to register eligible children to receive books through the program.

(5) Administers the local match requirement and coordinates the collection and remittance of local program costs for books and mailing.

(6) Develops statewide marketing and communication plans.

(7) Solicits donations, gifts, and other funding from statewide partners to financially support local Dolly Parton's Imagination Library programs.

(8) Identifies and applies for available grant awards.

(d) The State Board of Education shall make publicly available on an annual basis information regarding the number of local programs that exist, where the local programs are located, the number of children that are enrolled in the program, the number of books that have been provided, and those entities or organizations that serve as local partners.

(e) The State Board of Education may adopt rules as may be needed for the administration of the Imagination Library of Illinois Program.

(Source: P.A. 103-8, eff. 6-7-23.)

(105 ILCS 5/Art. 3 heading) ARTICLE 3. REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

(105 ILCS 5/3-0.01) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-0.01)

Sec. 3-0.01. "County superintendent of schools" and "regional superintendent of schools" defined - Application of Article.

(a) Except as otherwise provided by subsection (b), after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1975, the chief administrative officer of an educational service region shall be designated and referred to as the "regional superintendent of schools" or the "regional superintendent" and after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1993 the office held by the chief administrative officer shall be designated and referred to as the "regional office of education". For purposes of the School Code and except as otherwise provided by subsection (b), any reference to "county superintendent of schools" or "county superintendent" means the regional superintendent of schools.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article, but subject to subsection (b-1), in educational service regions containing 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, the office of regional superintendent of schools is abolished. Subject to Section 2-3.105 of this Code, all rights, powers, duties and responsibilities theretofore vested by law in, and exercised and performed by the regional superintendent of schools and by any assistant regional superintendents or other assistants or employees in the office of the regional superintendent of schools being abolished shall be vested in, exercised and performed by the chief administrative officer of the educational service centers established pursuant to Section 2-3.62 of this Code for any educational service region containing 2,000,000 or more inhabitants. Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, in an educational service region containing 2,000,000 or more inhabitants: (i) all books, records, maps, papers and other documents belonging to or subject to the control or disposition of the former regional superintendent of schools by virtue of his office shall be transferred and delivered to the State Board of Education; (ii) possession or control over all moneys, deposits and accounts in the possession or subject to the control or disposition of the former regional superintendent of schools by virtue of his office, including but not limited to undistributed or unexpended moneys drawn from, and all amounts on deposit in, the county, institute and supervisory expense funds, shall be transferred to and placed under the control and disposition of the State Board of Education, excepting only those moneys or accounts, if any, the source of which is the county treasury, for proper redistribution to the educational service centers; and (iii) all other equipment, furnishings, supplies and other personal property belonging to or subject to the control or disposition of the former regional superintendent of schools by virtue of his office, excepting only those items which were provided by the county board, shall be transferred and delivered to the State Board of Education. Any reference in this Code to "regional superintendent of schools" or "regional superintendent", or "county superintendent of schools" or "county superintendent" shall mean, with respect to any educational service region containing 2,000,000 or more inhabitants in which the office of regional superintendent of schools is abolished, the chief administrative officer of the educational service centers established pursuant to Section 2-3.62 of this Code for the educational service region. Upon and after the first Monday of August 1995, references in this Code and elsewhere to educational service regions of 2,000,000 or fewer inhabitants shall exclude any educational service region containing a city of 500,000 or more inhabitants and references in this Code and elsewhere to educational service regions of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants shall mean an educational service region containing a city of 500,000 or more inhabitants regardless of the actual population of the region.

(b-1) References to "regional superintendent" shall also include the chief administrative officer of the educational service centers established under Section 2-3.62 of this Code and serving that portion of a Class II county outside a city of 500,000 or more population.

(c) This Article applies to the regional superintendent of a multicounty educational service region formed under Article 3A as well as to a single county or partial county region, except that in case of conflict between the provisions of this Article and of Article 3A in the case of a multicounty region, the provisions of Article 3A shall apply. Any reference to "county" or to "educational service region" in this Article means a regional office of education.

(Source: P.A. 98-647, eff. 6-13-14.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-1)

Sec. 3-1. Election; eligibility. Quadrennially there shall be elected in every county, except those which have been consolidated into a multicounty educational service region under Article 3A and except those having a population of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, a regional superintendent of schools, who shall enter upon the discharge of his duties on the first Monday of August next after his election; provided, however, that the term of office of each regional superintendent of schools in office on June 30, 2003 is terminated on July 1, 2003, except that an incumbent regional superintendent of schools shall continue to serve until his successor is elected and qualified, and each regional superintendent of schools elected at the general election in 2002 and every four years thereafter shall assume office on the first day of July next after his election. No one is eligible to file his petition at any primary election for the nomination as candidate for the office of regional superintendent of schools nor to enter upon the duties of such office either by election or appointment unless he possesses the following qualifications: (1) he is of good character, (2) he has a master's degree, (3) he has earned at least 20 semester hours of credit in professional education at the graduate level, (4) he holds a valid all grade supervisory license, a valid State limited supervisory license, a valid state life supervisory license, or a valid administrative license, (5) he has had at least 4 years experience in teaching, and (6) he was engaged for at least 2 years of the 4 previous years in full time teaching or supervising in the common public schools or serving as a county superintendent of schools or regional superintendent of schools for an educational service region in the State of Illinois.

No petition of any candidate for nomination for the office of regional superintendent of schools may be filed and no such candidate's name may be placed on a primary or general election ballot, unless such candidate files as part of his petition a certificate from the State Board of Education certifying that from the records of its office such candidate has the qualifications required by this Section; however, any incumbent filing his petition for nomination for a succeeding term of office shall not be required to attach such certificate to his petition of candidacy.

Nomination papers filed under this Section are not valid unless the candidate named therein files with the county clerk or State Board of Elections a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act. Such receipt shall be so filed either previously during the calendar year in which his nomination papers were filed or within the period for the filing of nomination papers in accordance with the general election law.

The changes in qualifications made by Public Act 76-1563 do not affect the right of an incumbent to seek reelection.

On and after July 1, 1994, the provisions of this Section shall have no application in any educational service region having a population of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants; provided further that no election shall be held in November of 1994 or at any other time after July 1, 1992 for the office of regional superintendent of schools in any county or educational service region having a population of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants.

(Source: P.A. 99-30, eff. 7-10-15.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-1.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-1.1)

Sec. 3-1.1. Eligible voters. Whenever a unit school district is located in more than one educational service region, a qualified elector residing in that unit school district but outside of the educational service region administered by the regional superintendent of schools having supervision and control over that unit school district shall be eligible to vote in any election held to elect the regional superintendent of schools of the educational service region that is administered by the regional superintendent of schools who has supervision and control over that unit school district, but the elector shall not also be eligible to vote in the election held to elect the regional superintendent of schools of the educational service region in which the elector resides.

Not less than 100 days before each general primary election, the regional superintendent of schools shall certify to the State Board of Elections a list of each unit school district under his or her supervision and control and each county in which all or any part of each of those districts is located. The State Board of Elections shall certify each of those unit school districts and counties to the appropriate election authorities within 20 days after receiving the list certified by the regional superintendent of schools.

The election authority in a single county educational service region whose regional superintendent of schools exercises supervision and control over a unit school district that is located in that single county educational service region and in one or more other educational service regions shall certify to the election authority of each of those other educational service regions in which the unit school district is located the candidates for the office of the regional superintendent of schools exercising supervision and control over that unit school district.

(Source: P.A. 87-328; 88-535.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-2)

Sec. 3-2. Oath of office - Bond - Salary. Before entering upon his or her duties a regional superintendent of schools shall take and subscribe the oath prescribed by the Constitution and execute a bond payable to the People of the State of Illinois with 2 or more responsible persons having an interest in real estate as sureties (or, if the county is self-insured, the county through its self-insurance program may provide bonding), to be approved by the county board in a penalty of not less than $100,000, conditioned upon the faithful discharge of his or her duties and upon the delivery to his or her successor in office of all monies, books, papers and property in his or her custody as such regional superintendent of schools.

This bond shall be filed in the office of the county clerk, and action upon it may be maintained by any corporate body interested, for the benefit of any township or fund injured by any breach of its condition.

If any vacancy in the office of regional superintendent of schools occurs, such vacancy shall be filled in the manner provided by Section 3A-6.

Regional Superintendents of Schools shall receive the salary provided by Section 3-2.5.

On and after July 1, 1994, the provisions of this Section shall have no application in any educational service region having a population of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants.

(Source: P.A. 88-387; 89-233, eff. 1-1-96.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-2.5)

Sec. 3-2.5. Salaries.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the regional superintendents of schools shall receive for their services an annual salary according to the population, as determined by the last preceding federal census, of the region they serve, as set out in the following schedule:

Beginning July 1, 2023, all regional superintendents of schools shall receive the same salary regardless of the population of the region they serve. The salary shall be equal to the middle annual salary tier.

The changes made by Public Act 86-98 in the annual salary that the regional superintendents of schools shall receive for their services shall apply to the annual salary received by the regional superintendents of schools during each of their elected terms of office that commence after July 26, 1989 and before the first Monday of August, 1995.

The changes made by Public Act 89-225 in the annual salary that regional superintendents of schools shall receive for their services shall apply to the annual salary received by the regional superintendents of schools during their elected terms of office that commence after August 4, 1995 and end on August 1, 1999.

The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly in the annual salary that the regional superintendents of schools shall receive for their services shall apply to the annual salary received by the regional superintendents of schools during each of their elected terms of office that commence on or after August 2, 1999.

Beginning July 1, 2000, the salary that the regional superintendent of schools receives for his or her services shall be adjusted annually to reflect the percentage increase, if any, in the most recent Consumer Price Index, as defined and officially reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, except that no annual increment may exceed 2.9%. If the percentage of change in the Consumer Price Index is a percentage decrease, the salary that the regional superintendent of schools receives shall not be adjusted for that year.

When regional superintendents are authorized by the School Code to appoint assistant regional superintendents, the assistant regional superintendent shall receive an annual salary based on his or her qualifications and computed as a percentage of the salary of the regional superintendent to whom he or she is assistant, as set out in the following schedule:

However, in any region in which the appointment of more than one assistant regional superintendent is authorized, whether by Section 3-15.10 of this Code or otherwise, not more than one assistant may be compensated at the 90% rate and any other assistant shall be paid at not exceeding the 75% rate, in each case depending on the qualifications of the assistant.

The salaries provided in this Section plus an amount for other employment-related compensation or benefits for regional superintendents and assistant regional superintendents are payable monthly by the State Board of Education out of the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund through a specific appropriation to that effect in the State Board of Education budget. The State Comptroller in making his or her warrant to any county for the amount due it from the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund shall deduct from it the several amounts for which warrants have been issued to the regional superintendent, and any assistant regional superintendent, of the educational service region encompassing the county since the preceding apportionment from the Personal Property Tax Replacement Fund.

County boards may provide for additional compensation for the regional superintendent or the assistant regional superintendents, or for each of them, to be paid quarterly from the county treasury.

(b) (Blank).

(c) If the State pays all or any portion of the employee contributions required under Section 16-152 of the Illinois Pension Code for employees of the State Board of Education, it shall also, subject to appropriation in the State Board of Education budget for such payments to Regional Superintendents and Assistant Regional Superintendents, pay the employee contributions required of regional superintendents of schools and assistant regional superintendents of schools on the same basis, but excluding any contributions based on compensation that is paid by the county rather than the State.

This subsection (c) applies to contributions based on payments of salary earned after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly, except that in the case of an elected regional superintendent of schools, this subsection does not apply to contributions based on payments of salary earned during a term of office that commenced before the effective date of this amendatory Act.

(d) References to "regional superintendent" in this Section shall also include the chief administrative officer of the educational service centers established under Section 2-3.62 of this Code and serving that portion of a Class II county school unit outside of a city with a population of 500,000 or more inhabitants. References to "assistant regional superintendent" in this Section shall include one assistant appointed by the chief administrative officer of the educational service centers established under Section 2-3.62 of this Code and serving that portion of a Class II county school unit outside of a city with a population of 500,000 or more inhabitants. For the purposes of calculating regional superintendent and assistant regional superintendent salaries for educational service centers established under Section 2-3.62 of this Code, populations shall be established by subtracting from the total county population the population of a city with 500,000 or more inhabitants, divided by the number of educational service centers in the county.

(Source: P.A. 103-110, eff. 6-29-23.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-3)

Sec. 3-3. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 87-1251. Repealed by P.A. 103-110, eff. 6-29-23.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-5) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-5)

Sec. 3-5. Report of official acts. The county superintendent shall present under oath or affirmation to the county board at its meeting in September and as nearly quarterly thereafter as it may have regular or special meetings, a report of all his acts as county superintendent, including a list of all the schools visited with the dates of visitation.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-6) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-6)

Sec. 3-6. Financial report - Presentation of books and vouchers for inspection. The regional superintendent shall report, in writing, to the county board, on or before January 1 of each year, stating, (1) the balance on hand at the time of the last report, and all receipts since that date, with the sources from which they were derived; (2) the amount distributed to each of the school treasurers in his county; (3) any balance on hand. At the same time he shall present for inspection his books and vouchers for all expenditures, and submit in writing a statement of the condition of the institute fund and of any other funds in his care, custody or control.

(Source: P.A. 81-624.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-6.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-6.1)

Sec. 3-6.1. Presentation of records for financial audit. Each regional superintendent of schools, whether for a multicounty or for a single county educational service region, shall present for inspection or otherwise make available to the Auditor General, or to the agents designated by the Auditor General, all financial statements, books, vouchers and other records required to be so presented or made available pursuant to Section 2-3.17a and the rules and regulations of the Auditor General pursuant to that Section.

(Source: P.A. 92-544, eff. 6-12-02.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-7) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-7)

Sec. 3-7. Failure to prepare and forward information. If the trustees of schools of any township in Class II county school units, or any school district which forms a part of a Class II county school unit but which is not subject to the jurisdiction of the trustees of schools of any township in which such district is located, or any school district in any Class I county school units fail to prepare and forward or cause to be prepared and forwarded to the regional superintendent of schools, reports required by this Act, the regional superintendent of schools shall furnish such information or he shall employ a person or persons to furnish such information, as far as practicable. Such person shall have access to the books, records and papers of the school district to enable him or them to prepare such reports, and the school district shall permit such person or persons to examine such books, records and papers at such time and such place as such person or persons may desire for the purpose aforesaid. For such services the regional superintendent of schools shall bill the district an amount to cover the cost of preparation of such reports if he employs a person to prepare such reports.

Each school district shall, as of June 30 of each year, cause an audit of its accounts to be made by a person lawfully qualified to practice public accounting as regulated by the Illinois Public Accounting Act. Such audit shall include financial statements of the district applicable to the type of records required by other sections of this Act and in addition shall set forth the scope of audit and shall include the professional opinion signed by the auditor, or if such an opinion is denied by the auditor, shall set forth the reasons for such denial. Each school district shall on or before October 15 of each year, submit an original and one copy of such audit to the regional superintendent of schools in the educational service region having jurisdiction in which case the regional superintendent of schools shall be relieved of responsibility in regard to the accounts of the school district. If any school district fails to supply the regional superintendent of schools with a copy of such audit report on or before October 15, or within such time extended by the regional superintendent of schools from that date, not to exceed 60 days, then it shall be the responsibility of the regional superintendent of schools having jurisdiction to cause such audit to be made by employing an accountant licensed to practice in the State of Illinois to conduct such audit and shall bill the district for such services, or shall with the personnel of his office make such audit to his satisfaction and bill the district for such service. In the latter case, if the audit is made by personnel employed in the office of the regional superintendent of schools having jurisdiction, then the regional superintendent of schools shall not be relieved of the responsibility as to the accountability of the school district. The copy of the audit shall be forwarded by the regional superintendent to the State Board of Education on or before November 15 of each year and shall be filed by the State Board of Education.

Each school district that is the administrative district for several school districts operating under a joint agreement as authorized by this Act shall, as of June 30 each year, cause an audit of the accounts of the joint agreement to be made by a person lawfully qualified to practice public accounting as regulated by the Illinois Public Accounting Act. Such audit shall include financial statements of the operation of the joint agreement applicable to the type of records required by this Act and, in addition, shall set forth the scope of the audit and shall include the professional opinion signed by the auditor, or if such an opinion is denied, the auditor shall set forth the reason for such denial. Each administrative district of a joint agreement shall on or before October 15 each year, submit an original and one copy of such audit to the regional superintendent of schools in the educational service region having jurisdiction in which case the regional superintendent of schools shall be relieved of responsibility in regard to the accounts of the joint agreement. The copy of the audit shall be forwarded by the regional superintendent to the State Board of Education on or before November 15 of each year and shall be filed by the State Board of Education. The cost of such an audit shall be apportioned among and paid by the several districts who are parties to the joint agreement, in the same manner as other costs and expenses accruing to the districts jointly.

The State Board of Education shall determine the adequacy of the audits. All audits shall be kept on file in the office of the State Board of Education.

(Source: P.A. 86-1441; 87-473.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-8) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-8)

Sec. 3-8. School treasurer's bond - Duties of regional superintendent. Whenever the bond of any school treasurer, approved by the trustees of schools or school board as required by law, is filed with the regional superintendent of schools, he shall carefully examine it, and if it is found to be in all respects according to law, and the sureties sufficient, he shall endorse his approval thereon, and file it with the papers of his office; but if the bond is in any respect defective, or if the penalty is or sureties are insufficient, he shall return it for correction. When the bond has been received and filed, the superintendent shall, on demand, deliver to the school treasurer a written statement certifying that his bond has been approved and filed and that the school treasurer is entitled to the care and custody, on demand, of all moneys and securities belonging to the township or district for which he is treasurer and all books and papers pertaining to his office. The regional superintendent of schools shall file with the State Board of Education before September 1 in each year an affidavit showing which treasurers of school districts under his supervision and control are properly bonded.

(Source: P.A. 81-1508.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-9) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-9)

Sec. 3-9. School funds; apportionment and payment. Whenever the regional superintendent receives amounts due to local school districts, the regional superintendent shall apportion and distribute the moneys to the appropriate local school districts as directed. No part of the State or other school funding, however, shall be paid to any school treasurer or other persons authorized to receive it unless such treasurer has filed the required bond, or if reelected, has renewed the bond and filed it as required by law.

(Source: P.A. 95-496, eff. 8-28-07.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-9.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-9.1)

Sec. 3-9.1. Investment of funds. Funds of the educational service region are public funds within the meaning of the Public Funds Investment Act and may be invested by the educational service region as provided in that Act, except as otherwise provided in this Code.

Any educational service region, with the approval of its regional superintendent of schools, is authorized to enter into agreements of any definite or indefinite term regarding the deposit, redeposit, investment, reinvestment or withdrawal of educational service region funds, including, without limitation, agreements with other educational service regions, agreements with community college districts authorized by Section 3-47 of the Public Community College Act and agreements with township and school treasurers authorized by Section 8-7 of this Code.

Each educational service region is permitted to (i) combine moneys of the educational service region for the purpose of investing the moneys and (ii) join with other educational service regions, community college districts, and township and school treasurers in investing educational service region funds, community college funds and school funds. Those joint investments shall be made only in investments authorized by law for the investment of educational service region funds or, in the case of investments made jointly with community colleges and school and township treasurers, in investments authorized by law for the investment of educational service region funds, community college funds and school funds. When moneys of more than one fund of a single educational service region are combined for investment purposes or when moneys of an educational service region are combined with moneys of other educational service regions or moneys of community college districts and school districts, the moneys combined for that purpose shall be accounted for separately in all respects, and the earnings from that investment shall be separately and individually computed and recorded, and credited to the fund or educational service region, community college district or school district, as the case may be, for which the investment was acquired.

(Source: P.A. 87-968; 88-641, eff. 9-9-94.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-9.5)

Sec. 3-9.5. Interfund loans allowed. A regional office of education is allowed to make interfund loans. If a regional office of education makes an interfund loan, then it must repay the loan by the end of the fiscal year.

(Source: P.A. 92-169, eff. 1-1-02.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-10) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-10)

Sec. 3-10. Controversies - opinion and advice - Appeal. In all controversies arising under the school law, the opinion and advice of the regional superintendent shall first be sought, whence appeal may be taken upon a written statement of facts certified by the regional superintendent to the State Board of Education.

(Source: P.A. 81-1508.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-11) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-11)

(Text of Section from P.A. 99-616)

Sec. 3-11. Institutes or inservice training workshops. In counties of less than 2,000,000 inhabitants, the regional superintendent may arrange for or conduct district, regional, or county institutes, or equivalent professional educational experiences, not more than 4 days annually. Of those 4 days, 2 days may be used as a teacher's and educational support personnel workshop, when approved by the regional superintendent, up to 2 days may be used for conducting parent-teacher conferences, or up to 2 days may be utilized as parental institute days as provided in Section 10-22.18d. Educational support personnel may be exempt from a workshop if the workshop is not relevant to the work they do. A school district may use one of its 4 institute days on the last day of the school term. "Institute" or "Professional educational experiences" means any educational gathering, demonstration of methods of instruction, visitation of schools or other institutions or facilities, sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness seminar, or training in First Aid (which may include cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillator training) held or approved by the regional superintendent and declared by him to be an institute day, or parent-teacher conferences. With the concurrence of the State Superintendent of Education, he or she may employ such assistance as is necessary to conduct the institute. Two or more adjoining counties may jointly hold an institute. Institute instruction shall be free to holders of licenses good in the county or counties holding the institute and to those who have paid an examination fee and failed to receive a license.

In counties of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, the regional superintendent may arrange for or conduct district, regional, or county inservice training workshops, or equivalent professional educational experiences, not more than 4 days annually. Of those 4 days, 2 days may be used as a teacher's and educational support personnel workshop, when approved by the regional superintendent, up to 2 days may be used for conducting parent-teacher conferences, or up to 2 days may be utilized as parental institute days as provided in Section 10-22.18d. Educational support personnel may be exempt from a workshop if the workshop is not relevant to the work they do. A school district may use one of those 4 days on the last day of the school term. "Inservice Training Workshops" or "Professional educational experiences" means any educational gathering, demonstration of methods of instruction, visitation of schools or other institutions or facilities, sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness seminar, or training in First Aid (which may include cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillator training) held or approved by the regional superintendent and declared by him to be an inservice training workshop, or parent-teacher conferences. With the concurrence of the State Superintendent of Education, he may employ such assistance as is necessary to conduct the inservice training workshop. With the approval of the regional superintendent, 2 or more adjoining districts may jointly hold an inservice training workshop. In addition, with the approval of the regional superintendent, one district may conduct its own inservice training workshop with subject matter consultants requested from the county, State or any State institution of higher learning.

Such teachers institutes as referred to in this Section may be held on consecutive or separate days at the option of the regional superintendent having jurisdiction thereof.

Whenever reference is made in this Act to "teachers institute", it shall be construed to include the inservice training workshops or equivalent professional educational experiences provided for in this Section.

Any institute advisory committee existing on April 1, 1995, is dissolved and the duties and responsibilities of the institute advisory committee are assumed by the regional office of education advisory board.

Districts providing inservice training programs shall constitute inservice committees, 1/2 of which shall be teachers, 1/4 school service personnel and 1/4 administrators to establish program content and schedules.

The teachers institutes shall include teacher training committed to (i) peer counseling programs and other anti-violence and conflict resolution programs, including without limitation programs for preventing at risk students from committing violent acts, and (ii) educator ethics and teacher-student conduct. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, the teachers institutes shall include instruction on prevalent student chronic health conditions. Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, the teachers institutes shall include, at least once every 2 years, instruction on the federal Americans with Disabilities Act as it pertains to the school environment.

(Source: P.A. 99-30, eff. 7-10-15; 99-616, eff. 7-22-16.)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-413)

Sec. 3-11. Institutes or inservice training workshops.

(a) In counties of less than 2,000,000 inhabitants, the regional superintendent may arrange for or conduct district, regional, or county institutes, or equivalent professional educational experiences, not more than 4 days annually. Of those 4 days, 2 days may be used as a teacher's and educational support personnel workshop, when approved by the regional superintendent, up to 2 days may be used for conducting parent-teacher conferences, or up to 2 days may be utilized as parental institute days as provided in Section 10-22.18d. Educational support personnel may be exempt from a workshop if the workshop is not relevant to the work they do. A school district may use one of its 4 institute days on the last day of the school term. "Institute" or "Professional educational experiences" means any educational gathering, demonstration of methods of instruction, visitation of schools or other institutions or facilities, sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness seminar, or training in First Aid (which may include cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillator training) held or approved by the regional superintendent and declared by him to be an institute day, or parent-teacher conferences. With the concurrence of the State Superintendent of Education, he or she may employ such assistance as is necessary to conduct the institute. Two or more adjoining counties may jointly hold an institute. Institute instruction shall be free to holders of licenses good in the county or counties holding the institute and to those who have paid an examination fee and failed to receive a license.

In counties of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, the regional superintendent may arrange for or conduct district, regional, or county inservice training workshops, or equivalent professional educational experiences, not more than 4 days annually. Of those 4 days, 2 days may be used as a teacher's and educational support personnel workshop, when approved by the regional superintendent, up to 2 days may be used for conducting parent-teacher conferences, or up to 2 days may be utilized as parental institute days as provided in Section 10-22.18d. Educational support personnel may be exempt from a workshop if the workshop is not relevant to the work they do. A school district may use one of those 4 days on the last day of the school term. "Inservice Training Workshops" or "Professional educational experiences" means any educational gathering, demonstration of methods of instruction, visitation of schools or other institutions or facilities, sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness seminar, or training in First Aid (which may include cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillator training) held or approved by the regional superintendent and declared by him to be an inservice training workshop, or parent-teacher conferences. With the concurrence of the State Superintendent of Education, he may employ such assistance as is necessary to conduct the inservice training workshop. With the approval of the regional superintendent, 2 or more adjoining districts may jointly hold an inservice training workshop. In addition, with the approval of the regional superintendent, one district may conduct its own inservice training workshop with subject matter consultants requested from the county, State or any State institution of higher learning.

Such teachers institutes as referred to in this Section may be held on consecutive or separate days at the option of the regional superintendent having jurisdiction thereof.

Whenever reference is made in this Act to "teachers institute", it shall be construed to include the inservice training workshops or equivalent professional educational experiences provided for in this Section.

Any institute advisory committee existing on April 1, 1995, is dissolved and the duties and responsibilities of the institute advisory committee are assumed by the regional office of education advisory board.

Districts providing inservice training programs shall constitute inservice committees, 1/2 of which shall be teachers, 1/4 school service personnel and 1/4 administrators to establish program content and schedules.

The teachers institutes shall include teacher training committed to (i) peer counseling programs and other anti-violence and conflict resolution programs, including without limitation programs for preventing at risk students from committing violent acts, and (ii) educator ethics and teacher-student conduct. Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, the teachers institutes shall include instruction on prevalent student chronic health conditions. Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, the teachers institutes shall include, at least once every 2 years, instruction on the federal Americans with Disabilities Act as it pertains to the school environment.

(b) In this subsection (b):

"Trauma" is defined according to an event, an experience, and effects. Individual trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual's functioning and mental, physical, social, or emotional well-being. Collective trauma is a psychological reaction to a traumatic event shared by any group of people. This may include, but is not limited to, community violence, experiencing racism and discrimination, and the lack of the essential supports for well-being, such as educational or economic opportunities, food, health care, housing, and community cohesion. Trauma can be experienced by anyone, though it is disproportionately experienced by members of marginalized groups. Systemic and historical oppression, such as racism, is often at the root of this inequity. Symptoms may vary at different developmental stages and across different cultural groups and different communities.

"Trauma-responsive learning environments" means learning environments developed during an ongoing, multiyear-long process that typically progresses across the following 3 stages:

(1) A school or district is "trauma aware" when it:

(A) has personnel that demonstrate a foundational understanding of a broad definition of trauma that is developmentally and culturally based; includes students, personnel, and communities; and recognizes the potential effect on biological, cognitive, academic, and social-emotional functioning; and

(B) recognizes that traumatic exposure can impact behavior and learning and should be acknowledged in policies, strategies, and systems of support for students, families, and personnel.

(2) A school or district is "trauma responsive" when it progresses from awareness to action in the areas of policy, practice, and structural changes within a multi-tiered system of support to promote safety, positive relationships, and self-regulation while underscoring the importance of personal well-being and cultural responsiveness. Such progress may:

(A) be aligned with the Illinois Quality Framework and integrated into a school or district's continuous improvement process as evidence to support allocation of financial resources;

(B) be assessed and monitored by a multidisciplinary leadership team on an ongoing basis; and

(C) involve the engagement and capacity building of personnel at all levels to ensure that adults in the learning environment are prepared to recognize and respond to those impacted by trauma.

(3) A school or district is healing centered when it acknowledges its role and responsibility to the community, fully responds to trauma, and promotes resilience and healing through genuine, trusting, and creative relationships. Such schools or districts may:

(A) promote holistic and collaborative approaches that are grounded in culture, spirituality, civic engagement, and equity; and

(B) support agency within individuals, families, and communities while engaging people in collective action that moves from transactional to transformational.

"Whole child" means using a child-centered, holistic, equitable lens across all systems that prioritizes physical, mental, and social-emotional health to ensure that every child is healthy, safe, supported, challenged, engaged, and protected.

Starting with the 2024-2025 school year, the teachers institutes shall provide instruction on trauma-informed practices and include the definitions of trauma, trauma-responsive learning environments, and whole child set forth in this subsection (b) before the first student attendance day of each school year.

(Source: P.A. 103-413, eff. 1-1-24.)

(Text of Section from P.A. 103-542)

Sec. 3-11. Institutes or inservice training workshops. In counties of less than 2,000,000 inhabitants, the regional superintendent may arrange for or conduct district, regional, or county institutes, or equivalent professional educational experiences, not more than 4 days annually. Of those 4 days, 2 days may be used as a teachers, administrators, and school support personnel workshop, when approved by the regional superintendent, up to 2 days may be used for conducting parent-teacher conferences, or up to 2 days may be utilized as parental institute days as provided in Section 10-22.18d. School support personnel may be exempt from a workshop if the workshop is not relevant to the work they do. A school district may use one of its 4 institute days on the last day of the school term. "Institute" or "Professional educational experiences" means any educational gathering, demonstration of methods of instruction, visitation of schools or other institutions or facilities, sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness seminar, or training in First Aid (which may include cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillator training) held or approved by the regional superintendent and declared by him to be an institute day, or parent-teacher conferences. With the concurrence of the State Superintendent of Education, the regional superintendent may employ such assistance as is necessary to conduct the institute. Two or more adjoining counties may jointly hold an institute. Institute instruction shall be free to holders of licenses good in the county or counties holding the institute and to those who have paid an examination fee and failed to receive a license.

In counties of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants, the regional superintendent may arrange for or conduct district, regional, or county inservice training workshops, or equivalent professional educational experiences, not more than 4 days annually. Of those 4 days, 2 days may be used as a teachers, administrators, and school support personnel workshop, when approved by the regional superintendent, up to 2 days may be used for conducting parent-teacher conferences, or up to 2 days may be utilized as parental institute days as provided in Section 10-22.18d. School support personnel may be exempt from a workshop if the workshop is not relevant to the work they do. A school district may use one of those 4 days on the last day of the school term. "Inservice Training Workshops" or "Professional educational experiences" means any educational gathering, demonstration of methods of instruction, visitation of schools or other institutions or facilities, sexual abuse and sexual assault awareness seminar, or training in First Aid (which may include cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillator training) held or approved by the regional superintendent and declared by the regional superintendent to be an inservice training workshop, or parent-teacher conferences. With the concurrence of the State Superintendent of Education, the regional superintendent may employ such assistance as is necessary to conduct the inservice training workshop. With the approval of the regional superintendent, 2 or more adjoining districts may jointly hold an inservice training workshop. In addition, with the approval of the regional superintendent, one district may conduct its own inservice training workshop with subject matter consultants requested from the county, State or any State institution of higher learning.

Such institutes as referred to in this Section may be held on consecutive or separate days at the option of the regional superintendent having jurisdiction thereof.

Whenever reference is made in this Act to "institute", it shall be construed to include the inservice training workshops or equivalent professional educational experiences provided for in this Section.

Any institute advisory committee existing on April 1, 1995, is dissolved and the duties and responsibilities of the institute advisory committee are assumed by the regional office of education advisory board.

Districts providing inservice training programs shall constitute inservice committees, 1/2 of which shall be teachers, 1/4 school service personnel and 1/4 administrators to establish program content and schedules.

In addition to other topics not listed in this Section, the teachers institutes may include training committed to health conditions of students; social-emotional learning; developing cultural competency; identifying warning signs of mental illness and suicidal behavior in youth; domestic and sexual violence and the needs of expectant and parenting youth; protections and accommodations for students; educator ethics; responding to child sexual abuse and grooming behavior; and effective instruction in violence prevention and conflict resolution. Institute programs in these topics shall be credited toward hours of professional development required for license renewal as outlined in subsection (e) of Section 21B-45.

(Source: P.A. 103-542, eff. 7-1-24 (see Section 905 of P.A. 103-563 for effective date of P.A. 103-542).)

(105 ILCS 5/3-11.5)

Sec. 3-11.5. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 97-607, eff. 8-26-11. Repealed by P.A. 99-30, eff. 7-10-15.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-12) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-12)

Sec. 3-12. Institute fund.

(a) All license registration fees and a portion of renewal and duplicate fees shall be kept by the regional superintendent as described in Section 21-16 or 21B-40 of this Code, together with a record of the names of the persons paying them. Such fees shall be deposited into the institute fund and shall be used by the regional superintendent to defray expenses associated with the work of the regional professional development review committees established pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection (g) of Section 21-14 of this Code to advise the regional superintendent, upon his or her request, and to hear appeals relating to the renewal of teaching licenses, in accordance with Section 21-14 of this Code; to defray expenses connected with improving the technology necessary for the efficient processing of licenses; to defray all costs associated with the administration of teaching licenses; to defray expenses incidental to teachers' institutes, workshops or meetings of a professional nature that are designed to promote the professional growth of teachers or for the purpose of defraying the expense of any general or special meeting of teachers or school personnel of the region, which has been approved by the regional superintendent.

(b) In addition to the use of moneys in the institute fund to defray expenses under subsection (a) of this Section, the State Superintendent of Education, as authorized under Section 2-3.105 of this Code, shall use moneys in the institute fund to defray all costs associated with the administration of teaching licenses within a city having a population exceeding 500,000. Moneys in the institute fund may also be used by the State Superintendent of Education to support educator recruitment and retention programs within a city having a population exceeding 500,000, to support educator preparation programs within a city having a population exceeding 500,000 as those programs seek national accreditation, and to provide professional development aligned with the requirements set forth in Section 21B-45 of this Code within a city having a population exceeding 500,000. A majority of the moneys in the institute fund must be dedicated to the timely and efficient processing of applications and for the renewal of licenses.

(c) The regional superintendent shall on or before January 1 of each year post on the regional office of education's website (1) the balance on hand in the institute fund at the beginning of the previous year; (2) all receipts within the previous year deposited in the fund, with the sources from which they were derived; (3) the amount distributed from the fund and the purposes for which such distributions were made; and (4) the balance on hand in the fund.

(Source: P.A. 103-110, eff. 6-29-23.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-13) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-13)

Sec. 3-13. Truant officer - Duties. Each county superintendent of schools shall appoint a county truant officer. Such appointee shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by the county board, together with his necessary traveling expenses, to be paid out of the county treasury. He shall file his acceptance with the county clerk and shall take and subscribe an oath of office. He shall perform the duties of truant officer in all the school districts of the county; provided, that the school board in any school district may appoint one or more truant officers and fix his or their compensation, which shall be paid by the district.

The county superintendent of schools shall furnish the county truant officer, at the opening of the schools, with a list of the teachers and superintendents employed in his county other than in school districts that employ truant officers.

(Source: P.A. 88-50.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-13.5)

Sec. 3-13.5. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 96-798, eff. 10-28-09. Repealed internally, eff. 8-2-10.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-14)

Sec. 3-14. Duties of regional superintendent. The regional superintendent of schools shall perform the duties enumerated in the following Sections preceding Section 3-15.

(Source: P.A. 93-404, eff. 8-1-03.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-14.1)

Sec. 3-14.1. New bond. To execute, upon notice by the county board, a new bond, conditioned and approved as the first bond.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.2) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-14.2)

Sec. 3-14.2. Supervision and control of school districts. Except in regions established within that portion of a Class II county school unit outside of a city of 500,000 or more inhabitants, the county superintendent of schools shall exercise supervision and control over all school districts within the county. If a district is divided by a county line or lines the county superintendent in the county where the majority of the children attend school at the time the district is organized shall exercise supervision and control over all aspects of supervision, reports, and financial accounting of the district until it has been determined by the State Superintendent of Education that 60 per cent of the children attend school in another county or that a majority of the children have attended a school in another county for three consecutive years and the school board has adopted a resolution requesting the supervision and control be transferred to the county superintendent in the county in which the majority of children attend school. The county superintendent under whose direction a school district has been established shall retain supervision and control until July 1 following the date of the election establishing the district. Whenever a change in supervision and control shall result from a change in school district boundaries, population shifts, or other cause, such change in supervision and control shall not be effective until July 1 following the date of its determination. All references to the county superintendent of schools, in relation to school districts, in this Act shall be interpreted to mean the county superintendent of schools having supervision and control of the district or districts as defined in this Section.

(Source: P.A. 96-893, eff. 7-1-10.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.3) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-14.3)

Sec. 3-14.3. Township fund lands. To sell township fund lands, issue certificates of purchase, report to the county board and the Secretary of State in the manner provided in Article 15 of this Code, and perform all other duties pertaining thereto.

(Source: P.A. 95-496, eff. 8-28-07.)

(105 ILCS 5/3-14.4)

Sec. 3-14.4. (Repealed).

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31. Repealed by P.A. 95-496, eff. 8-28-07.)