Bill Text: IL SB2987 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Amends the School Boards Article of the School Code. Provides that a school board member's required professional development and leadership training (rather than professional development leadership training), shall cover the topic of improving student outcomes. Provides that the training regarding improving student outcomes must include information that is relevant to and within the scope of the duties of a school board member. Provides that the required training shall (instead of may) be provided by a statewide association (instead of an association) established under the Code for the purpose of training school board members or by other qualified providers approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with an association so established. Effective June 1, 2025.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Enrolled) 2024-05-16 - Passed Both Houses [SB2987 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB2987-Enrolled.html

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AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
10-16a as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/10-16a)
Sec. 10-16a. School board member's leadership training.
(a) This Section applies to all school board members
serving pursuant to Section 10-10 of this Code who have been
elected after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
97th General Assembly or appointed to fill a vacancy of at
least one year's duration after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly.
(a-5) In this Section, "trauma" has the meaning ascribed
to that term in subsection (b) of Section 3-11 of this Code.
(b) Every voting member of a school board of a school
district elected or appointed for a term beginning after the
effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General
Assembly, within a year after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly or the first year
of his or her first term, shall complete a minimum of 4 hours
of professional development and leadership training covering
topics in education and labor law, financial oversight and

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accountability, fiduciary responsibilities of a school board
member, and, beginning with the 2023-2024 school year,
trauma-informed practices for students and staff, and,
improving student outcomes. The school district shall maintain
on its Internet website, if any, the names of all voting
members of the school board who have successfully completed
the training.
(b-5) The training regarding trauma-informed practices for
students and staff required by this Section must include
information that is relevant to and within the scope of the
duties of a school board member. Such information may include,
but is not limited to:
(1) the recognition of and care for trauma in students
and staff;
(2) the relationship between staff wellness and
student learning;
(3) the effect of trauma on student behavior and
learning;
(4) the prevalence of trauma among students, including
the prevalence of trauma among student populations at
higher risk of experiencing trauma;
(5) the effects of implicit or explicit bias on
recognizing trauma among various student groups in
connection with race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual
orientation, socio-economic status, and other relevant
factors; and

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(6) effective district and school practices that are
shown to:
(A) prevent and mitigate the negative effect of
trauma on student behavior and learning; and
(B) support the emotional wellness of staff.
(b-10) The training regarding improving student outcomes
required by this Section must include information that is
relevant to and within the scope of the duties of a school
board member.
(c) The training on financial oversight, accountability,
fiduciary responsibilities, and, beginning with the 2023-24
school year, trauma-informed practices for students and staff,
and improving student outcomes shall may be provided by a
statewide an association established under this Code for the
purpose of training school board members or by other qualified
providers approved by the State Board of Education, in
consultation with an association so established.
(d) The State Board of Education may adopt rules that are
necessary for the administration of the provisions of this
Section.
(Source: P.A. 102-638, eff. 1-1-23; 103-413, eff. 1-1-24.)