SCH CD-SCHOOL COUNSELORS

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HB4926 - 104th General Assembly

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB4926

Introduced , by Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr.

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/10-22.24b
105 ILCS 5/34-18

from Ch. 122, par. 34-18
105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school district, other than
the Chicago school district, shall employ a sufficient number of school
counselors to maintain a student-counselor ratio of 150 to 1 (rather than
allowing the school district to employ a sufficient number of school
counselors to maintain the national and State recommended
student-counselor ratio of 250 to 1). Requires the Chicago Board of
Education to employ a sufficient number of licensed school counselors to
maintain a student-counselor ratio of 100 to 1 (rather than encouraging
the board to employ a sufficient number of licensed school counselors to
maintain a student/counselor ratio of 250 to 1).
LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT
MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

HB4926
LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1

AN ACT concerning education.

2

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3
represented in the General Assembly:

4

Section 5.
The School Code is amended by changing Sections
5
10-22.24b and 34-18 and by adding Section 34-18.88 as follows:

6

(105 ILCS 5/10-22.24b)
7

Sec. 10-22.24b.
School counseling services.
School
8
counseling services in public schools may be provided by
9
school counselors as defined in Section 10-22.24a of this Code
10
or by individuals who hold a Professional Educator License
11
with a school support personnel endorsement in the area of
12
school counseling under Section 21B-25 of this Code. School
13
counseling services provided under this Section shall address
14
the needs of all students, regardless of citizenship status.
15

School counseling services may include, but are not
16
limited to:
17

(1) designing and delivering a comprehensive school
18

counseling program through a standards-based,
19

data-informed program that promotes student achievement
20

and wellness;
21

(2) (blank);
22

(3) school counselors working as culturally skilled
23

professionals who act sensitively to promote social

HB4926
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1

justice and equity in a pluralistic society;
2

(4) providing individual and group counseling;
3

(5) providing a core counseling curriculum that serves
4

all students and addresses the knowledge and skills
5

appropriate to their developmental level through a
6

collaborative model of delivery involving the school
7

counselor, classroom teachers, and other appropriate
8

education professionals, and including prevention and
9

pre-referral activities;
10

(6) making referrals when necessary to appropriate
11

offices or outside agencies;
12

(7) providing college and career development
13

activities and counseling;
14

(8) developing individual career plans with students,
15

which includes planning for post-secondary education, as
16

appropriate, and engaging in related and relevant career
17

and technical education coursework in high school;
18

(9) assisting all students with a college or
19

post-secondary education plan, which must include a
20

discussion on all post-secondary education options,
21

including 4-year colleges or universities, community
22

colleges, and vocational schools, and includes planning
23

for post-secondary education, as appropriate, and engaging
24

in related and relevant career and technical education
25

coursework in high school;
26

(10) (blank);

HB4926
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1

(11) educating all students on scholarships, financial
2

aid, and preparation of the Federal Application for
3

Federal Student Aid;
4

(12) collaborating with institutions of higher
5

education and local community colleges so that students
6

understand post-secondary education options and are ready
7

to transition successfully;
8

(13) providing crisis intervention and contributing to
9

the development of a specific crisis plan within the
10

school setting in collaboration with multiple
11

stakeholders;
12

(14) providing educational opportunities for students,
13

teachers, and parents on mental health issues;
14

(15) providing counseling and other resources to
15

students who are in crisis;
16

(16) working to address barriers that prohibit or
17

limit access to mental health services;
18

(17) addressing bullying and conflict resolution with
19

all students;
20

(18) teaching communication skills and helping
21

students develop positive relationships;
22

(19) using culturally sensitive skills in working with
23

all students to promote wellness;
24

(20) working to address the needs of all students with
25

regard to citizenship status;
26

(21) (blank);

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1

(22) providing academic, social-emotional, and college
2

and career supports to all students irrespective of
3

special education or Section 504 status;
4

(23) assisting students in goal setting and success
5

skills for classroom behavior, study skills, test
6

preparation, internal motivation, and intrinsic rewards;
7

(24) (blank);
8

(25) providing information for all students in the
9

selection of courses that will lead to post-secondary
10

education opportunities toward a successful career;
11

(26) interpreting achievement test results and guiding
12

students in appropriate directions;
13

(27) (blank);
14

(28) providing families with opportunities for
15

education and counseling as appropriate in relation to the
16

student's educational assessment;
17

(29) consulting and collaborating with teachers and
18

other school personnel regarding behavior management and
19

intervention plans and inclusion in support of students;
20

(30) teaming and partnering with staff, parents,
21

businesses, and community organizations to support student
22

achievement and social-emotional learning standards for
23

all students;
24

(31) developing and implementing school-based
25

prevention programs, including, but not limited to,
26

mediation and violence prevention, implementing social and

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1

emotional education programs and services, and
2

establishing and implementing bullying prevention and
3

intervention programs;
4

(32) developing culturally sensitive assessment
5

instruments for measuring school counseling prevention and
6

intervention effectiveness and collecting, analyzing, and
7

interpreting data;
8

(33) participating on school and district committees
9

to advocate for student programs and resources, as well as
10

establishing a school counseling advisory council that
11

includes representatives of key stakeholders selected to
12

review and advise on the implementation of the school
13

counseling program;
14

(34) acting as a liaison between the public schools
15

and community resources and building relationships with
16

important stakeholders, such as families, administrators,
17

teachers, and board members;
18

(35) maintaining organized, clear, and useful records
19

in a confidential manner consistent with Section 5 of the
20

Illinois School Student Records Act, the Family
21

Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and the Health
22

Insurance Portability and Accountability Act;
23

(36) presenting an annual agreement to the
24

administration, including a formal discussion of the
25

alignment of school and school counseling program missions
26

and goals and detailing specific school counselor

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1

responsibilities;
2

(37) identifying and implementing culturally sensitive
3

measures of success for student competencies in each of
4

the 3 domains of academic, social and emotional, and
5

college and career learning based on planned and periodic
6

assessment of the comprehensive developmental school
7

counseling program;
8

(38) collaborating as a team member in Multi-Tiered
9

Systems of Support and other school initiatives;
10

(39) conducting observations and participating in
11

recommendations or interventions regarding the placement
12

of children in educational programs or special education
13

classes;
14

(40) analyzing data and results of school counseling
15

program assessments, including curriculum, small-group,
16

and closing-the-gap results reports, and designing
17

strategies to continue to improve program effectiveness;
18

(41) analyzing data and results of school counselor
19

competency assessments;
20

(42) following American School Counselor Association
21

Ethical Standards for School Counselors to demonstrate
22

high standards of integrity, leadership, and
23

professionalism;
24

(43) using student competencies to assess student
25

growth and development to inform decisions regarding
26

strategies, activities, and services that help students

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1

achieve the highest academic level possible;
2

(44) practicing as a culturally skilled school
3

counselor by infusing the multicultural competencies
4

within the role of the school counselor, including the
5

practice of culturally sensitive attitudes and beliefs,
6

knowledge, and skills;
7

(45) infusing the Social-Emotional Standards, as
8

presented in the State Board of Education standards,
9

across the curriculum and in the counselor's role in ways
10

that empower and enable students to achieve academic
11

success across all grade levels;
12

(46) providing services only in areas in which the
13

school counselor has appropriate training or expertise, as
14

well as only providing counseling or consulting services
15

within his or her employment to any student in the
16

district or districts which employ such school counselor,
17

in accordance with professional ethics;
18

(47) having adequate training in supervision knowledge
19

and skills in order to supervise school counseling interns
20

enrolled in graduate school counselor preparation programs
21

that meet the standards established by the State Board of
22

Education;
23

(48) being involved with State and national
24

professional associations;
25

(49) complete the required training as outlined in
26

Section 10-22.39;

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1

(50) (blank);
2

(51) (blank);
3

(52) (blank);
4

(53) (blank);
5

(54) (blank); and
6

(55) promoting career and technical education by
7

assisting each student to determine an appropriate
8

postsecondary plan based upon the student's skills,
9

strengths, and goals and assisting the student to
10

implement the best practices that improve career or
11

workforce readiness after high school.
12

School districts
shall

may
employ a sufficient number of
13
school counselors to maintain
a

the national and State
14
recommended
student-counselor ratio of
150

250
to 1. School
15
districts may have school counselors spend at least 80% of
16
their

his or her
work time in direct contact with students.
17

Nothing in this Section prohibits other qualified
18
professionals, including other endorsed school support
19
personnel, from providing the services listed in this Section.
20
(Source: P.A. 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-542, eff. 7-1-24 (see
21
Section 905 of P.A. 103-563 for effective date of P.A.
22
103-542; 103-780, eff. 8-2-24; 104-353, eff. 8-15-25; 104-417,
23
eff. 8-15-25.)

24

(105 ILCS 5/34-18)

(from Ch. 122, par. 34-18)
25

Sec. 34-18.
Powers of the board.
The board shall exercise

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LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1
general supervision and jurisdiction over the public education
2
and the public school system of the city, and, except as
3
otherwise provided by this Article, shall have power:
4

1. To make suitable provision for the establishment
5

and maintenance throughout the year or for such portion
6

thereof as it may direct, not less than 9 months and in
7

compliance with Section 10-19.05, of schools of all grades
8

and kinds, including normal schools, high schools, night
9

schools, schools for defectives and delinquents, parental
10

and truant schools, schools for the blind, the deaf, and
11

persons with physical disabilities, schools or classes in
12

manual training, constructural and vocational teaching,
13

domestic arts, and physical culture, vocation and
14

extension schools and lecture courses, and all other
15

educational courses and facilities, including
16

establishing, equipping, maintaining and operating
17

playgrounds and recreational programs, when such programs
18

are conducted in, adjacent to, or connected with any
19

public school under the general supervision and
20

jurisdiction of the board; provided that the calendar for
21

the school term and any changes must be submitted to and
22

approved by the State Board of Education before the
23

calendar or changes may take effect, and provided that in
24

allocating funds from year to year for the operation of
25

all attendance centers within the district, the board
26

shall ensure that supplemental general State aid or

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LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1

supplemental grant funds are allocated and applied in
2

accordance with Section 18-8, 18-8.05, or 18-8.15. To
3

admit to such schools without charge foreign exchange
4

students who are participants in an organized exchange
5

student program which is authorized by the board. The
6

board shall permit all students to enroll in
7

apprenticeship programs in trade schools operated by the
8

board, whether those programs are union-sponsored or not.
9

No student shall be refused admission into or be excluded
10

from any course of instruction offered in the common
11

schools by reason of that student's sex. No student shall
12

be denied equal access to physical education and
13

interscholastic athletic programs supported from school
14

district funds or denied participation in comparable
15

physical education and athletic programs solely by reason
16

of the student's sex. Equal access to programs supported
17

from school district funds and comparable programs will be
18

defined in rules promulgated by the State Board of
19

Education in consultation with the Illinois High School
20

Association. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
21

Article, neither the board of education nor any local
22

school council or other school official shall recommend
23

that children with disabilities be placed into regular
24

education classrooms unless those children with
25

disabilities are provided with supplementary services to
26

assist them so that they benefit from the regular

HB4926
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LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1

classroom instruction and are included on the teacher's
2

regular education class register;
3

2. To furnish lunches to pupils, to make a reasonable
4

charge therefor, and to use school funds for the payment
5

of such expenses as the board may determine are necessary
6

in conducting the school lunch program;
7

3. To co-operate with the circuit court;
8

4. To make arrangements with the public or
9

quasi-public libraries and museums for the use of their
10

facilities by teachers and pupils of the public schools;
11

5. To employ dentists and prescribe their duties for
12

the purpose of treating the pupils in the schools, but
13

accepting such treatment shall be optional with parents or
14

guardians;
15

6. To grant the use of assembly halls and classrooms
16

when not otherwise needed, including light, heat, and
17

attendants, for free public lectures, concerts, and other
18

educational and social interests, free of charge, under
19

such provisions and control as the principal of the
20

affected attendance center may prescribe;
21

7. To apportion the pupils to the several schools;
22

provided that no pupil shall be excluded from or
23

segregated in any such school on account of his color,
24

race, sex, or nationality. The board shall take into
25

consideration the prevention of segregation and the
26

elimination of separation of children in public schools

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1

because of color, race, sex, or nationality. Except that
2

children may be committed to or attend parental and social
3

adjustment schools established and maintained either for
4

boys or girls only. All records pertaining to the
5

creation, alteration or revision of attendance areas shall
6

be open to the public. Nothing herein shall limit the
7

board's authority to establish multi-area attendance
8

centers or other student assignment systems for
9

desegregation purposes or otherwise, and to apportion the
10

pupils to the several schools. Furthermore, beginning in
11

school year 1994-95, pursuant to a board plan adopted by
12

October 1, 1993, the board shall offer, commencing on a
13

phased-in basis, the opportunity for families within the
14

school district to apply for enrollment of their children
15

in any attendance center within the school district which
16

does not have selective admission requirements approved by
17

the board. The appropriate geographical area in which such
18

open enrollment may be exercised shall be determined by
19

the board of education. Such children may be admitted to
20

any such attendance center on a space available basis
21

after all children residing within such attendance
22

center's area have been accommodated. If the number of
23

applicants from outside the attendance area exceed the
24

space available, then successful applicants shall be
25

selected by lottery. The board of education's open
26

enrollment plan must include provisions that allow

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1

low-income students to have access to transportation
2

needed to exercise school choice. Open enrollment shall be
3

in compliance with the provisions of the Consent Decree
4

and Desegregation Plan cited in Section 34-1.01;
5

8. To approve programs and policies for providing
6

transportation services to students. Nothing herein shall
7

be construed to permit or empower the State Board of
8

Education to order, mandate, or require busing or other
9

transportation of pupils for the purpose of achieving
10

racial balance in any school;
11

9. Subject to the limitations in this Article, to
12

establish and approve system-wide curriculum objectives
13

and standards, including graduation standards, which
14

reflect the multi-cultural diversity in the city and are
15

consistent with State law, provided that for all purposes
16

of this Article courses or proficiency in American Sign
17

Language shall be deemed to constitute courses or
18

proficiency in a foreign language; and to employ
19

principals and teachers, appointed as provided in this
20

Article, and fix their compensation. The board shall
21

prepare such reports related to minimal competency testing
22

as may be requested by the State Board of Education and, in
23

addition, shall monitor and approve special education and
24

bilingual education programs and policies within the
25

district to ensure that appropriate services are provided
26

in accordance with applicable State and federal laws to

HB4926
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1

children requiring services and education in those areas;
2

10. To employ non-teaching personnel or utilize
3

volunteer personnel for: (i) non-teaching duties not
4

requiring instructional judgment or evaluation of pupils,
5

including library duties; and (ii) supervising study
6

halls, long distance teaching reception areas used
7

incident to instructional programs transmitted by
8

electronic media such as computers, video, and audio,
9

detention and discipline areas, and school-sponsored
10

extracurricular activities. The board may further utilize
11

volunteer nonlicensed personnel or employ nonlicensed
12

personnel to assist in the instruction of pupils under the
13

immediate supervision of a teacher holding a valid
14

educator license, directly engaged in teaching subject
15

matter or conducting activities; provided that the teacher
16

shall be continuously aware of the nonlicensed persons'
17

activities and shall be able to control or modify them.
18

The general superintendent shall determine qualifications
19

of such personnel and shall prescribe rules for
20

determining the duties and activities to be assigned to
21

such personnel;
22

10.5. To utilize volunteer personnel from a regional
23

School Crisis Assistance Team (S.C.A.T.), created as part
24

of the Safe to Learn Program established pursuant to
25

Section 25 of the Illinois Violence Prevention Act of
26

1995, to provide assistance to schools in times of

HB4926
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LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1

violence or other traumatic incidents within a school
2

community by providing crisis intervention services to
3

lessen the effects of emotional trauma on individuals and
4

the community; the School Crisis Assistance Team Steering
5

Committee shall determine the qualifications for
6

volunteers;
7

11. To provide television studio facilities in not to
8

exceed one school building and to provide programs for
9

educational purposes, provided, however, that the board
10

shall not construct, acquire, operate, or maintain a
11

television transmitter; to grant the use of its studio
12

facilities to a licensed television station located in the
13

school district; and to maintain and operate not to exceed
14

one school radio transmitting station and provide programs
15

for educational purposes;
16

12. To offer, if deemed appropriate, outdoor education
17

courses, including field trips within the State of
18

Illinois, or adjacent states, and to use school
19

educational funds for the expense of the said outdoor
20

educational programs, whether within the school district
21

or not;
22

13. During that period of the calendar year not
23

embraced within the regular school term, to provide and
24

conduct courses in subject matters normally embraced in
25

the program of the schools during the regular school term
26

and to give regular school credit for satisfactory

HB4926
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LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1

completion by the student of such courses as may be
2

approved for credit by the State Board of Education;
3

14. To insure against any loss or liability of the
4

board, the former School Board Nominating Commission,
5

Local School Councils, the Chicago Schools Academic
6

Accountability Council, or the former Subdistrict Councils
7

or of any member, officer, agent, or employee thereof,
8

resulting from alleged violations of civil rights arising
9

from incidents occurring on or after September 5, 1967 or
10

from the wrongful or negligent act or omission of any such
11

person whether occurring within or without the school
12

premises, provided the officer, agent, or employee was, at
13

the time of the alleged violation of civil rights or
14

wrongful act or omission, acting within the scope of his
15

or her employment or under direction of the board, the
16

former School Board Nominating Commission, the Chicago
17

Schools Academic Accountability Council, Local School
18

Councils, or the former Subdistrict Councils; and to
19

provide for or participate in insurance plans for its
20

officers and employees, including, but not limited to,
21

retirement annuities, medical, surgical and
22

hospitalization benefits in such types and amounts as may
23

be determined by the board; provided, however, that the
24

board shall contract for such insurance only with an
25

insurance company authorized to do business in this State.
26

Such insurance may include provision for employees who

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1

rely on treatment by prayer or spiritual means alone for
2

healing, in accordance with the tenets and practice of a
3

recognized religious denomination;
4

15. To contract with the corporate authorities of any
5

municipality or the county board of any county, as the
6

case may be, to provide for the regulation of traffic in
7

parking areas of property used for school purposes, in
8

such manner as is provided by Section 11-209 of the
9

Illinois Vehicle Code;
10

16. In this paragraph 16:
11

"Direct admissions information" means a student's
12

name, home address, birth date, telephone number, email
13

address, cumulative grade point average, and high school.
14

"Directory information" means a high school student's
15

name, home address, birth date, and telephone number.
16

"Public institution of higher education" has the
17

meaning given to that term in the Board of Higher
18

Education Act.
19

(a) To provide, on an equal basis and consistent with
20

the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of
21

1974 and the Illinois School Student Records Act, access
22

to a high school campus and student directory information
23

to the official recruiting representatives of the armed
24

forces of Illinois and the United States, to the Illinois
25

Student Assistance Commission, and to public institutions
26

of higher education for the purposes of informing students

HB4926
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LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1

of educational and career opportunities if the board has
2

provided such access to persons or groups whose purpose is
3

to acquaint students with educational or occupational
4

opportunities available to them. The board is not required
5

to give greater notice regarding the right of access to
6

recruiting representatives than is given to other persons
7

and groups.
8

(a-5) To provide, on an equal basis and consistent
9

with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
10

of 1974 and the Illinois School Student Records Act,
11

access to student direct admissions information to the
12

Illinois Student Assistance Commission for the purpose of
13

the direct admission program.
14

(b) If a student or his or her parent or guardian
15

submits a signed, written request to the high school
16

before the end of the student's sophomore year (or if the
17

student is a transfer student, by another time set by the
18

high school) that indicates that the student or his or her
19

parent or guardian does not want the student's directory
20

information to be provided to official recruiting
21

representatives, to the Illinois Student Assistance
22

Commission, and to public institutions of higher education
23

under subparagraph (a) of this paragraph 16, the high
24

school may not provide access to the student's directory
25

information to these recruiting representatives, the
26

Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and public

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1

institutions of higher education. The high school shall
2

notify its students and their parents or guardians of the
3

provisions of this subparagraph (b).
4

(b-5) If a student who is 18 years of age or older or
5

the parent or guardian of a student under 18 years of age
6

submits a signed, written or electronic consent that
7

indicates that the student or his or her parent or
8

guardian does permit the student's direct admissions
9

information to be provided, the high school shall provide
10

the student's direct admissions information to the
11

Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
12

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall
13

provide template opt-in language to those school districts
14

maintaining grades 10 through 12, which shall be made
15

available on the Commission's website no later than June
16

30, 2025. The template opt-in language shall specify that
17

if the student or the student's parent or guardian
18

provides consent, the student's direct admissions
19

information will be sent to the Illinois Student
20

Assistance Commission and the direct admissions
21

information may, as needed for the administration of the
22

direct admission program under the Public University
23

Direct Admission Program Act, be redisclosed to the Board
24

of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board,
25

public universities for which the student qualifies under
26

the direct admission program, the University of Illinois

HB4926
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1

at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois at
2

Chicago if the student qualifies under Section 20 of the
3

Public University Direct Admission Program Act, the
4

community college district where the student resides, and,
5

if applicable, a third party that operates a statewide
6

student application portal. The template opt-in language
7

shall also specify that direct admissions information may
8

not be redisclosed to any other individual or entity
9

unless the opt-in language notifies the student or the
10

student's parent or guardian of such redisclosure and the
11

student or the student's parent or guardian consents to
12

the redisclosure.
13

The high school shall notify its students and their
14

parents or guardians of the provisions of this
15

subparagraph (b-5) and, at the time of school registration
16

or at other appropriate times prior to the end of a
17

student's junior year, give its students and their parents
18

or guardians the option for the student information to be
19

shared for the purpose of the direct admission program.
20

(c) A high school may require official recruiting
21

representatives of the armed forces of Illinois and the
22

United States to pay a fee for copying and mailing a
23

student's directory information in an amount that is not
24

more than the actual costs incurred by the high school.
25

(d) Information received by an official under this
26

Section may be used only to provide information to

HB4926
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LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1

students concerning educational and career opportunities.
2

Information may not be released to a person who is not
3

involved in recruiting students for the armed forces of
4

Illinois or the United States or providing educational
5

opportunity information for the Board of Higher Education,
6

the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois Student
7

Assistance Commission, or public institutions of higher
8

education.
9

(e) By July 1, 2026 and each July 1 thereafter, the
10

school district shall make student directory information
11

electronically accessible for official recruiting
12

representatives of the armed forces of Illinois or the
13

United States, to the Illinois Student Assistance
14

Commission, and to public institutions of higher
15

education;
16

(f) By July 1, 2026 and each July 1 thereafter, the
17

school district shall make student direct admissions
18

information electronically accessible through a secure,
19

centralized data system to the Illinois Student Assistance
20

Commission for the purpose of the direct admission
21

program.
22

(g) The Board of Higher Education, the Illinois
23

Community College Board, the Illinois Student Assistance
24

Commission, and the State Board of Education may adopt any
25

rules necessary to administer this paragraph 16.
26

17. (a) To sell or market any computer program

HB4926
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1

developed by an employee of the school district, provided
2

that such employee developed the computer program as a
3

direct result of his or her duties with the school
4

district or through the utilization of school district
5

resources or facilities. The employee who developed the
6

computer program shall be entitled to share in the
7

proceeds of such sale or marketing of the computer
8

program. The distribution of such proceeds between the
9

employee and the school district shall be as agreed upon
10

by the employee and the school district, except that
11

neither the employee nor the school district may receive
12

more than 90% of such proceeds. The negotiation for an
13

employee who is represented by an exclusive bargaining
14

representative may be conducted by such bargaining
15

representative at the employee's request.
16

(b) For the purpose of this paragraph 17:
17

(1) "Computer" means an internally programmed, general
18

purpose digital device capable of automatically accepting
19

data, processing data and supplying the results of the
20

operation.
21

(2) "Computer program" means a series of coded
22

instructions or statements in a form acceptable to a
23

computer, which causes the computer to process data in
24

order to achieve a certain result.
25

(3) "Proceeds" means profits derived from the
26

marketing or sale of a product after deducting the

HB4926
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LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1

expenses of developing and marketing such product;
2

18. To delegate to the general superintendent of
3

schools, by resolution, the authority to approve contracts
4

and expenditures in amounts of $35,000 or less;
5

19. Upon the written request of an employee, to
6

withhold from the compensation of that employee any dues,
7

payments, or contributions payable by such employee to any
8

labor organization as defined in the Illinois Educational
9

Labor Relations Act. Under such arrangement, an amount
10

shall be withheld from each regular payroll period which
11

is equal to the pro rata share of the annual dues plus any
12

payments or contributions, and the board shall transmit
13

such withholdings to the specified labor organization
14

within 10 working days from the time of the withholding;
15

19a. Upon receipt of notice from the comptroller of a
16

municipality with a population of 500,000 or more, a
17

county with a population of 3,000,000 or more, the Cook
18

County Forest Preserve District, the Chicago Park
19

District, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, the
20

Chicago Transit Authority, or a housing authority of a
21

municipality with a population of 500,000 or more that a
22

debt is due and owing the municipality, the county, the
23

Cook County Forest Preserve District, the Chicago Park
24

District, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, the
25

Chicago Transit Authority, or the housing authority by an
26

employee of the Chicago Board of Education, to withhold,

HB4926
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LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1

from the compensation of that employee, the amount of the
2

debt that is due and owing and pay the amount withheld to
3

the municipality, the county, the Cook County Forest
4

Preserve District, the Chicago Park District, the
5

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, the Chicago
6

Transit Authority, or the housing authority; provided,
7

however, that the amount deducted from any one salary or
8

wage payment shall not exceed 25% of the net amount of the
9

payment. Before the Board deducts any amount from any
10

salary or wage of an employee under this paragraph, the
11

municipality, the county, the Cook County Forest Preserve
12

District, the Chicago Park District, the Metropolitan
13

Water Reclamation District, the Chicago Transit Authority,
14

or the housing authority shall certify that (i) the
15

employee has been afforded an opportunity for a hearing to
16

dispute the debt that is due and owing the municipality,
17

the county, the Cook County Forest Preserve District, the
18

Chicago Park District, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation
19

District, the Chicago Transit Authority, or the housing
20

authority and (ii) the employee has received notice of a
21

wage deduction order and has been afforded an opportunity
22

for a hearing to object to the order. For purposes of this
23

paragraph, "net amount" means that part of the salary or
24

wage payment remaining after the deduction of any amounts
25

required by law to be deducted and "debt due and owing"
26

means (i) a specified sum of money owed to the

HB4926
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LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1

municipality, the county, the Cook County Forest Preserve
2

District, the Chicago Park District, the Metropolitan
3

Water Reclamation District, the Chicago Transit Authority,
4

or the housing authority for services, work, or goods,
5

after the period granted for payment has expired, or (ii)
6

a specified sum of money owed to the municipality, the
7

county, the Cook County Forest Preserve District, the
8

Chicago Park District, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation
9

District, the Chicago Transit Authority, or the housing
10

authority pursuant to a court order or order of an
11

administrative hearing officer after the exhaustion of, or
12

the failure to exhaust, judicial review;
13

20.
(Blank);

The board is encouraged to employ a
14

sufficient number of licensed school counselors to
15

maintain a student/counselor ratio of 250 to 1. Each
16

counselor shall spend at least 75% of his work time in
17

direct contact with students and shall maintain a record
18

of such time;
19

21. To make available to students vocational and
20

career counseling and to establish 5 special career
21

counseling days for students and parents. On these days
22

representatives of local businesses and industries shall
23

be invited to the school campus and shall inform students
24

of career opportunities available to them in the various
25

businesses and industries. Special consideration shall be
26

given to counseling minority students as to career

HB4926
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LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1

opportunities available to them in various fields. For the
2

purposes of this paragraph, minority student means a
3

person who is any of the following:
4

(a) American Indian or Alaska Native (a person having
5

origins in any of the original peoples of North and South
6

America, including Central America, and who maintains
7

tribal affiliation or community attachment).
8

(b) Asian (a person having origins in any of the
9

original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the
10

Indian subcontinent, including, but not limited to,
11

Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan,
12

the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam).
13

(c) Black or African American (a person having origins
14

in any of the black racial groups of Africa).
15

(d) Hispanic or Latino (a person of Cuban, Mexican,
16

Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish
17

culture or origin, regardless of race).
18

(e) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (a
19

person having origins in any of the original peoples of
20

Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands).
21

Counseling days shall not be in lieu of regular school
22

days;
23

22. To report to the State Board of Education the
24

annual student dropout rate and number of students who
25

graduate from, transfer from, or otherwise leave bilingual
26

programs;

HB4926
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LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1

23. Except as otherwise provided in the Abused and
2

Neglected Child Reporting Act or other applicable State or
3

federal law, to permit school officials to withhold, from
4

any person, information on the whereabouts of any child
5

removed from school premises when the child has been taken
6

into protective custody as a victim of suspected child
7

abuse. School officials shall direct such person to the
8

Department of Children and Family Services or to the local
9

law enforcement agency, if appropriate;
10

24. To develop a policy, based on the current state of
11

existing school facilities, projected enrollment, and
12

efficient utilization of available resources, for capital
13

improvement of schools and school buildings within the
14

district, addressing in that policy both the relative
15

priority for major repairs, renovations, and additions to
16

school facilities and the advisability or necessity of
17

building new school facilities or closing existing schools
18

to meet current or projected demographic patterns within
19

the district;
20

25. To make available to the students in every high
21

school attendance center the ability to take all courses
22

necessary to comply with the Board of Higher Education's
23

college entrance criteria effective in 1993;
24

26. To encourage mid-career changes into the teaching
25

profession, whereby qualified professionals become
26

licensed teachers, by allowing credit for professional

HB4926
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LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1

employment in related fields when determining point of
2

entry on the teacher pay scale;
3

27. To provide or contract out training programs for
4

administrative personnel and principals with revised or
5

expanded duties pursuant to this Code in order to ensure
6

they have the knowledge and skills to perform their
7

duties;
8

28. To establish a fund for the prioritized special
9

needs programs, and to allocate such funds and other lump
10

sum amounts to each attendance center in a manner
11

consistent with the provisions of part 4 of Section
12

34-2.3. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to
13

require any additional appropriations of State funds for
14

this purpose;
15

29. (Blank);
16

30. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act or
17

any other law to the contrary, to contract with third
18

parties for services otherwise performed by employees,
19

including those in a bargaining unit, and to lay off those
20

employees upon 14 days' written notice to the affected
21

employees. Those contracts may be for a period not to
22

exceed 5 years and may be awarded on a system-wide basis.
23

The board may not operate more than 30 contract schools,
24

provided that the board may operate an additional 5
25

contract turnaround schools pursuant to item (5.5) of
26

subsection (d) of Section 34-8.3 of this Code, and the

HB4926
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1

governing bodies of contract schools are subject to the
2

Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act;
3

31. To promulgate rules establishing procedures
4

governing the layoff or reduction in force of employees
5

and the recall of such employees, including, but not
6

limited to, criteria for such layoffs, reductions in force
7

or recall rights of such employees and the weight to be
8

given to any particular criterion. Such criteria shall
9

take into account factors, including, but not limited to,
10

qualifications, certifications, experience, performance
11

ratings or evaluations, and any other factors relating to
12

an employee's job performance;
13

32. To develop a policy to prevent nepotism in the
14

hiring of personnel or the selection of contractors;
15

33. (Blank); and
16

34. To establish a Labor Management Council to the
17

board comprised of representatives of the board, the chief
18

executive officer, and those labor organizations that are
19

the exclusive representatives of employees of the board
20

and to promulgate policies and procedures for the
21

operation of the Council.
22

The specifications of the powers herein granted are not to
23
be construed as exclusive, but the board shall also exercise
24
all other powers that may be requisite or proper for the
25
maintenance and the development of a public school system, not
26
inconsistent with the other provisions of this Article or

HB4926
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LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
1
provisions of this Code which apply to all school districts.
2

In addition to the powers herein granted and authorized to
3
be exercised by the board, it shall be the duty of the board to
4
review or to direct independent reviews of special education
5
expenditures and services. The board shall file a report of
6
such review with the General Assembly on or before May 1, 1990.
7
(Source: P.A. 103-8, eff. 1-1-24; 104-15, eff. 6-30-25;
8
104-417, eff. 8-15-25.)

9

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new)
10

Sec. 34-18.88.
School counselors.
The board shall employ a
11
sufficient number of licensed school counselors to maintain a
12
student-counselor ratio of 100 to 1. Each counselor shall
13
spend at least 75% of his or her work time in direct contact
14
with students and shall maintain a record of such time.

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