Schools face additional regulation under new Illinois laws

[December 23, 2024]  By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Starting Jan. 1, Illinois schools will be face new mandates and bans.

State Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, sponsored a bill requiring school districts to provide students with at least 20 minutes a week of relaxation activities in addition to recess.

“So this would also allow them to utilize public and private community-based organizations or nonprofits to come in, so we’re not relying solely on our teachers to teach these,” Ventura said.

State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said the legislation was unnecessary and limits what schools can do.

“I think we need to give schools the tools to do this at the local level. Let them decide,” McClure said.

Of the 293 new Illinois laws taking effect in the new year, one prohibits corporal punishment in nonpublic elementary and secondary schools.

State Rep. Margaret Croke, D-Chicago, said the American Association of Pediatrics renewed its call to ban corporal punishment.

“So the reason we added it was because I personally don’t believe that anyone should be hitting children in schools regardless if they are private or public,” Croke explained.

State Rep. Daniel Swanson, R-Alpha, expressed concern that the ban would apply to athletics.

“That was a concern that if a coach had a student doing extra pushups or running that extra lap because of making a mistake in a ballgame or making a mistake at practice, that could be viewed as inflicting punishment on that athlete,” Swanson said.

Croke said corporal punishment was already banned in public schools. She said the Illinois State Board of Education would have oversight to investigate any complaints.

There are also new laws to address school emergencies. Starting Jan. 1, all public schools will be required to have an automated external defibrillator present during the school day and during school-sponsored extracurricular activities. Schools will also be mandated to provide information regarding emergency procedures and lifesaving techniques, including AED use, hands-only CPR and the Heimlich maneuver.

Another new law allows school districts to use grant funds received through the Education of Homeless Children and Youth State Grant Program for student rental assistance, transportation, emergency shelter assistance, case management services and other housing strategies.

In addition, the Illinois State Board of Education will be required to create an Evidence-Based Funding spending plan tool on its website, and the Illinois High School Association and Illinois Elementary School Association to adopt the Spirit Rules Book published by the National Federation of State High School Associations.