Illinois has 852 school districts and 4,266 schools. During the 2019-2020 school year, there were 1,957,018 students enrolled in K-12 schools. About 54% of students in Illinois are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. There are two policies addressing school climate explicitly (5 essentials survey and survey of learning conditions). Other policies that address aspects of school climate include bullying prevention, school safety plans, social-emotional development programs, character education, suicide prevention and awareness, anti-bias, counseling services, parental involvement, and disability history and awareness. Illinois has a Black history study policy and an Asian American history study policy which mandate the incorporation of those subjects into the curriculum. Their social media policies include a curriculum for internet safety instruction and media literacy training.
Safety
| 5 Essentials Survey.
This survey identifies five indicators that lead to improved outcomes for all students, including improved attendance and larger test score gains. The survey is taken by all prekindergarten through 12th-grade teachers and all fourth- through 12th-grade students. There is a separate parent for surveys, which was developed by the people who developed the 5Essentials survey. https://www.isbe.net/Pages/5Essentials-Survey.aspx Illinois. Administrative Code 23 § 1.97- Survey of Learning Conditions. Each school district shall annually administer a climate survey on the instructional environment within a school. |
Who does this protect? Staff, Administrators, Students
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
105 ILCS 5-27-23.7 – Bullying prevention.
Defines the terms bullying and cyberbullying as well as the behavior associated with these actions.
Illinois asks schools to develop and implement procedures to prevent bullying and harassment behavior and the consequences of such behavior. Policies also explain that procedures are needed for reporting an incidence of bullying and investigating it as well as how this policy will be communicated.
- 105 ILCS 5-27-23.7 – Bullying prevention.
Illinois Compiled Statutes 105-5-10-20.14. Student discipline policies; parent-teacher advisory committee.
To establish and maintain a parent-teacher advisory committee to develop with the school board or governing body of a charter school policy guidelines on pupil discipline, including school searches and bullying prevention.
105 ILCS 5-27-23.7 – Bullying prevention.
Illinois anti-bullying policy covers conduct that occurs on and off- school property, school buses, school-sponsored events, and technology that the school is responsible for.
Who does this protect? Students, Teachers
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
105 ILCS 128-10 – School Safety Drill Act.
The purpose of this Act is to establish minimum requirements and standards for schools to follow when conducting school safety drills and reviewing school emergency and crisis response plans and to encourage schools and first responders to work together for the safety of children.
https://law.justia.com/codes/illinois/2021/chapter-105/act-105-ilcs-128/
105 ILCS-128-25 – Annual review.
The purpose of this annual review shall be to review and update the emergency and crisis response plans, protocols, and procedures and the school safety drill programs of the district and each of its school buildings
https://law.justia.com/codes/illinois/2021/chapter-105/act-105-ilcs-128/
105 ILCS 128-40 – Common rules.
The State Board of Education and the Office of the State Fire Marshal shall cooperate to develop clear and definitive guidelines for school districts, private schools, and first responders as to how to develop school emergency and crisis response plans, how to develop school emergency and crisis response plans, how to exercise and drill based on such plans, and how to incorporate lessons learned from these exercises and drills into school emergency and crisis response plan.
https://law.justia.com/codes/illinois/2021/chapter-105/act-105-ilcs-128/
105 ILCS 128-20 – Number of drills; incidents covered; local authority participation.
During each academic year, schools must conduct a minimum of one severe weather and shelter-in-place drill to address and prepare students and school personnel for possible tornado incidents and may conduct additional severe weather and shelter-in-place drills to account for other incidents, including without limitation earthquakes or hazardous materials. Schools must also conduct a law enforcement drill for school shooting incidents.
https://law.justia.com/codes/illinois/2021/chapter-105/act-105-ilcs-128/
105 ILCS 5-10-20.68 – School resource officer.
Any law enforcement agency that provides a school resource officer shall provide to the school district a certificate of completion, or approved waiver, issued by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board indicating that the subject officer has completed the required course of instruction in the applicable subject areas within one year of assignment, or has prior experience and training which satisfies this requirement.
50 ILCS 705-10.22 School resource officers.
The course that school resource officers must complete addresses topics like youth and adolescent developmental issues, educational administrative issues, prevention of child abuse and exploitation, youth mental health treatment, and juvenile advocacy.
https://law.justia.com/codes/illinois/2020/chapter-50/act-50-ilcs-705/
105 ILCS 5-10-27.1A. Firearms in schools.
All school officials, including teachers, school counselors, and support staff, shall immediately notify the office of the principal if they observe any person in possession of a firearm on school grounds.
Who does this protect? Students, Staff
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Teaching/Learning
Illinois provides students with disabilities the accommodations and resources they need to have an appropriate education.
- 105 ILCS 5-2-3.79 – Pilot programs and special education services for preschool children with disabilities from birth to age 3
- 105 ILCS 5-10-22.31 – Special education.
- 23 Illinois Administrative Code 226.110- Evaluation procedures.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/illinois/title-23/part-226/subpart-b/section-226-110/
105 ILCS 5-34-18.2 – Bilingual programs.
The Board of Education may provide programs in a language other than English for those children whose first language is other than English.
Who does this protect? Students, Students with disabilities
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Interpersonal Relationships
105 ILCS 5-27-23.7 – Bullying prevention.
Bullying based on actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status, sexual orientation, gender-related identity or expression, unfavorable discharge from military service, association with a person or group with one or more of the aforementioned actual or perceived characteristics, or any other distinguishing characteristic is prohibited in all school districts.
105 ILCS 5-27-20.4 – Black History study.
Every public elementary school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of Black History, including the history of the pre-enslavement of Black people from 3,000 BCE to AD 1619, the African slave trade, slavery in America, the study of the reasons why Black people came to be enslaved, the vestiges of slavery in this country, and the study of the American civil rights renaissance.
105 ILCS 5-27-20.8 – Asian American history study.
Every public elementary school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of Asian American history, including the history of Asian Americans in Illinois and the Midwest, as well as the contributions of Asian Americans toward advancing civil rights from the 19th century onward. These events shall include the contributions made by individual Asian Americans in government and the arts, humanities, and sciences, as well as the contributions of Asian American communities to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of the United States.
105 ILCS 5-27-23.6 – Anti-bias education.
Public elementary and secondary schools may incorporate activities to address intergroup conflict, with the objectives of improving intergroup relations on and beyond the school campus, defusing intergroup tensions, and promoting peaceful resolution of conflict. Examples of such activities are teacher training programs.
Who does this protect? Students, Staff, Teachers
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Institutional Environments
105 ILCS 5-10-20.55 – Bring Your Parents to School Day.
A school board may designate the first Monday in October of each year “Bring Your Parents to School Day” where parents attend class with their children and get to meet their teachers.
105 ILCS 5-10-22.18d – Parental institutes.
A school district may utilize up to two days allowed by law for teachers’ institutes to conduct parental institutes for the parents and guardians of children attending the district. Parental institutes shall provide information on topics that will help achieve improved parental skill development, enhance parental knowledge of child development and increase parental involvement in the student’s education.
105 ILCS 5-2-3.133 – Homework assistance information for parents.
The State Board of Education shall provide information on its Internet website regarding strategies that parents can use to assist their children in completing homework assignments.
Who does this protect? Students, Parents
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
105 ILCS 128-10 – School Safety Drill Act.
The purpose of this Act is to establish minimum requirements and standards for schools to follow when conducting school safety drills and reviewing school emergency and crisis response plans and to encourage schools and first responders to work together for the safety of children.
https://law.justia.com/codes/illinois/2021/chapter-105/act-105-ilcs-128/
105 ILCS-128-25 – Annual review.
The purpose of this annual review shall be to review and update the emergency and crisis response plans, protocols, and procedures and the school safety drill programs of the district and each of its school buildings.
https://law.justia.com/codes/illinois/2021/chapter-105/act-105-ilcs-128/
105 ILCS 128-40 – Common rules.
The State Board of Education and the Office of the State Fire Marshal shall cooperate to develop clear and definitive guidelines for school districts, private schools, and first responders as to how to develop school emergency and crisis response plans, how to develop school emergency and crisis response plans, how to exercise and drill based on such plans, and how to incorporate lessons learned from these exercises and drills into school emergency and crisis response plan.
https://law.justia.com/codes/illinois/2021/chapter-105/act-105-ilcs-128/
105 ILCS 128-20 – Number of drills; incidents covered; local authority participation.
During each academic year, schools must conduct a minimum of one severe weather and shelter-in-place drill to address and prepare students and school personnel for possible tornado incidents and may conduct additional severe weather and shelter-in-place drills to account for other incidents, including without limitation earthquakes or hazardous materials. Schools must also conduct a law enforcement drill for school shooting incidents.
https://law.justia.com/codes/illinois/2021/chapter-105/act-105-ilcs-128/
105 ILCS 5-10-20.68 – School resource officer.
Any law enforcement agency that provides a school resource officer shall provide to the school district a certificate of completion, or approved waiver, issued by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board indicating that the subject officer has completed the required course of instruction in the applicable subject areas within one year of assignment, or has prior experience and training which satisfies this requirement.
50 ILCS 705-10.22 School resource officers.
The course that school resource officers must complete addresses topics like youth and adolescent developmental issues, educational administrative issues, prevention of child abuse and exploitation, youth mental health treatment, and juvenile advocacy.
https://law.justia.com/codes/illinois/2021/chapter-50/act-50-ilcs-705/
105 ILCS 5-10-27.1A. Firearms in schools.
All school officials, including teachers, school counselors, and support staff, shall immediately notify the office of the principal if they observe any person in possession of a firearm on school grounds.
Who does this protect? Students, Staff
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Social Media
There is currently no policy surrounding Leadership in Illinois. For more information on school climate please visit us at Services – National School
There is currently no policy surrounding Professional Relationships in Illinois. For more information on school climate please visit us at Services – National School