Bill Text: IL SB1605 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Amends the School Code. With respect to prerequisites to receiving a high school diploma, provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, agricultural education, agricultural business, or any other course that relates to agriculture satisfies the vocational education requirement. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-11 - Assigned to Education [SB1605 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-SB1605-Introduced.html

---

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 SB1605 Introduced 2/4/2025, by Sen. Doris Turner SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/27-22 from Ch. 122, par. 27-22
Amends the School Code. With respect to prerequisites to receiving a high school diploma, provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, agricultural education, agricultural business, or any other course that relates to agriculture satisfies the vocational education requirement. Effective immediately.
LRB104 10023 LNS 20094 b
A BILL FOR
SB1605 LRB104 10023 LNS 20094 b
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
27-22 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/27-22) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-22)
Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses.
(a) (Blank).
(b) (Blank).
(c) (Blank).
(d) (Blank).
(e) Through the 2023-2024 school year, as a prerequisite
to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the
9th grade must, in addition to other course requirements,
successfully complete all of the following courses:
(1) Four years of language arts.
(2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of
which must be English and the other of which may be English
or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive
courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other
graduation requirements.
(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and

SB1605 - 2 - LRB104 10023 LNS 20094 b
one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science
course. A mathematics course that includes geometry
content may be offered as an integrated, applied,
interdisciplinary, or career and technical education
course that prepares a student for a career readiness
path.
(3.5) For pupils entering the 9th grade in the
2022-2023 school year and 2023-2024 school year, one year
of a course that includes intensive instruction in
computer literacy, which may be English, social studies,
or any other subject and which may be counted toward the
fulfillment of other graduation requirements.
(4) Two years of science.
(5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government
and, beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the
2016-2017 school year and each school year thereafter, at
least one semester must be civics, which shall help young
people acquire and learn to use the skills, knowledge, and
attitudes that will prepare them to be competent and
responsible citizens throughout their lives. Civics course
content shall focus on government institutions, the
discussion of current and controversial issues, service
learning, and simulations of the democratic process.
School districts may utilize private funding available for

SB1605 - 3 - LRB104 10023 LNS 20094 b
the purposes of offering civics education. Beginning with
pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 school
year, one semester, or part of one semester, may include a
financial literacy course.
(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include
American Sign Language, (D) vocational education, or (E)
forensic speech (speech and debate). A forensic speech
course used to satisfy the course requirement under
subdivision (1) may not be used to satisfy the course
requirement under this subdivision (6).
(e-5) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, as a
prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil
entering the 9th grade must, in addition to other course
requirements, successfully complete all of the following
courses:
(1) Four years of language arts.
(2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of
which must be English and the other of which may be English
or any other subject. If applicable, writing-intensive
courses may be counted toward the fulfillment of other
graduation requirements.
(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and
one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science
course. A mathematics course that includes geometry

SB1605 - 4 - LRB104 10023 LNS 20094 b
content may be offered as an integrated, applied,
interdisciplinary, or career and technical education
course that prepares a student for a career readiness
path.
(3.5) One year of a course that includes intensive
instruction in computer literacy, which may be English,
social studies, or any other subject and which may be
counted toward the fulfillment of other graduation
requirements.
(4) Two years of laboratory science.
(5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government
and at least one semester must be civics, which shall help
young people acquire and learn to use the skills,
knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare them to be
competent and responsible citizens throughout their lives.
Civics course content shall focus on government
institutions, the discussion of current and controversial
issues, service learning, and simulations of the
democratic process. School districts may utilize private
funding available for the purposes of offering civics
education. One semester, or part of one semester, may
include a financial literacy course.
(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include

SB1605 - 5 - LRB104 10023 LNS 20094 b
American Sign Language, (D) vocational education, or (E)
forensic speech (speech and debate). A forensic speech
course used to satisfy the course requirement under
subdivision (1) may not be used to satisfy the course
requirement under this subdivision (6). Beginning with the
2025-2026 school year, agricultural education,
agricultural business, or any other course that relates to
agriculture satisfies the vocational education requirement
under item (D) of this subdivision (6).
(e-10) Beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, as a
prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil
entering the 9th grade must, in addition to other course
requirements, successfully complete 2 years of foreign
language courses, which may include American Sign Language. A
pupil may choose a third year of foreign language to satisfy
the requirement under subdivision (6) of subsection (e-5).
(f) The State Board of Education shall develop and inform
school districts of standards for writing-intensive
coursework.
(f-5) If a school district offers an Advanced Placement
computer science course to high school students, then the
school board must designate that course as equivalent to a
high school mathematics course and must denote on the
student's transcript that the Advanced Placement computer
science course qualifies as a mathematics-based, quantitative
course for students in accordance with subdivision (3) of

SB1605 - 6 - LRB104 10023 LNS 20094 b
subsection (e) of this Section.
(g) Public Act 83-1082 does not apply to pupils entering
the 9th grade in 1983-1984 school year and prior school years
or to students with disabilities whose course of study is
determined by an individualized education program.
Public Act 94-676 does not apply to pupils entering the
9th grade in the 2004-2005 school year or a prior school year
or to students with disabilities whose course of study is
determined by an individualized education program.
Subdivision (3.5) of subsection (e) does not apply to
pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 school year or a
prior school year or to students with disabilities whose
course of study is determined by an individualized education
program.
Subsection (e-5) does not apply to pupils entering the 9th
grade in the 2023-2024 school year or a prior school year or to
students with disabilities whose course of study is determined
by an individualized education program. Subsection (e-10) does
not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2027-2028
school year or a prior school year or to students with
disabilities whose course of study is determined by an
individualized education program.
(h) The provisions of this Section are subject to the
provisions of Sections 14A-32 and 27-22.05 of this Code and
the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act.
(i) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to modify

SB1605 - 7 - LRB104 10023 LNS 20094 b
the requirements of this Section for any students enrolled in
grades 9 through 12 if the Governor has declared a disaster due
to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.
(Source: P.A. 102-366, eff. 8-13-21; 102-551, eff. 1-1-22;
102-864, eff. 5-13-22; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-743, eff.
8-2-24.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.