Legislation |
| Topic |
Description | Link | Effective Date |
| PEL Endorsement |
Professional Educator License Endorsed for School Support Personnel |
PEL Endorsement |
|
| School Counselor Endorsement |
Endorsement for School Counselors |
SC Endorsement |
|
| MFT Endorsement | Endorsement for School Marriage and Family Therapists | MFT Endorsement |
Evidence Based School Funding-Illinois
| Topic | Description | Link | Effective Date |
| |
Public Act 100-0465 p.411 (f) | ||
| FY 2018 EBF Distribution |
New Funds being distributed to designated school districts |
||
| Includes school counselor funding. |
F) Core guidance counselor investments. Each 16 Organizational Unit shall receive the funding needed to 17 cover one FTE guidance counselor for each 450 combined ASE 18 of pre-kindergarten children with disabilities and all 19 kindergarten through grade 5 students, plus one FTE 20 guidance counselor for each 250 grades 6 through 8 ASE 21 middle school students, plus one FTE guidance counselor for 22 each 250 grades 9 through 12 ASE high school students. PDF |
Confidentiality
| Topic | Description | Link | Effective Date |
| School Counselor Confidentiality | Protects privileged or confidential communication with a school counselor and prohibits adverse employment action for keeping confidentiality. | Public Act 96-28 | 1/01/2010 |
| LCPC/LPC Licensure Law |
Covers anyone licensed regardless of work setting. Requires confidentiality. Also requires compliance with Mental Health and Development Disabilities Confidentiality Act. | Licensure Law - Privileged information | 07/01/2012 |
| Increases sessions from 5-8 | Increases from 5-8 the number of outpatient therapy sessions which may be offered to a minor without parental consent | 8/18/2017 | |
| Student Record |
Amends the Illinois School Student Records Act. Provides that a parent's or student's request to inspect and copy records under the Act must be granted no later than 5 business days | SB1483 | 2018 |
Licensure
| Topic | Description | Link | Effective Date |
| School Counselor Licensure | How to get licensed as a School Counselor in Illinois | How To | |
| Licensure after convictions |
sealed records of conviction or arrest and prohibits entities authorized to grant professional licenses |
SB 2053 |
8/4/2017 |
| School Counselor Title Protection |
Requires a job titled "School Counselor" can only be filled by a person with the PEL license "School Counselor" | Public Act 100-1136 |
11/30/2018 |
Clear and Present Danger
| Topic | Description | Link | Effective Date |
| Clear and Present Danger | Mandated reporting for students who are a clear and present danger to themselves or others | IL State Police FAQ | |
| School Administrator Reporting of Mental Health: Clear and Present Danger Determinations Law | Duty of school administrator to report to the Department of State Police when a student is posed as dangerous to himself, herself, or others. | Illinois State Police Reporting Instructions | |
| Clear and Present Danger Definition | Definition in law | Definition |
Trainings and Endorsements
| Topic | Description |
Link |
Effective Date |
| Sexual Abuse Prevention Training |
Amended the Health Education Act to include age-appropriate sexual abuse and assault awareness. |
Public Act 97-1147 | 1/24/2013 |
| Erin's Law |
Created a Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Assault. Adopts and implements a policy addressing sexual abuse of children that may include age-appropriate curriculum for students in Pre-K through fifth grade. |
Public Act 96-1524 | 2/14/2011 |
| Suicide Warning Signs Training |
Training mandated on warning signs of suicidal behavior. |
Suicide Training Mandate | |
| Identify Suicide and Mental Illness |
Required school personnel who work with pupils in grades 7-12 shall be trained to identify the warning signs of mental illness and suicidal behavior. |
Publlic Act 98-0471 | 1/01/2014 |
| Authorization for LCPCs |
Adds LCPC as authorized to order restraints. The law already includes LCSW. |
Public Act 098-0137 | 08/02/2013 |
| Principal Endorsement for School Counselors |
Allows school counselor experience to qualify for a principal endorsement | Principal Endorsement | 8/22/2017 |
| Mental Health Staff Training |
Requires licensed school personnel and administrators who work with grades K-12 to be trained, once every two years, to identify the warning signs of mental illness and suicidal behavior in youth and be taught appropriate intervention and referral techniques |
Public Act 100-0903 |
1/1/2019 |
Health and Safety
| Topic | Description |
Link |
Effective Date |
| Sex Education |
School districts that do not provide sex education are not required to do so, but that if a course is offered in any of the grades 6-12, the district may choose to adapt the complete sex education curriculum that meets specific needs of its community. Sex education courses shall emphasize that abstinence is a responsible and positive decision that is the only protection that is 100% effective. |
Public Act 098-0441 | 01/01/2014 |
| Communicable Disease Disclosure |
Amends the Communicable Disease Prevention Act reporting requirements regarding children diagnosed with or testing positive for HIV or AIDS. The act previously required the Department of Public Health or local health departments to notify the principal of the child's school. HB 61 repealed the requirement. |
Public Act 098-0353 | 01/01/2014 |
| Social-Emotional screening | Requires an age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate social and emotional screening to be included as part of the examinations | Public Act 99-0927 | 1/20/2017 |
| Student Optional Disclosure of Mental Health |
Provides that all institutions of higher learning shall supply the student with the opportunity to per-authorize in writing the disclosure of certain private medical health information to a designated person. |
Public Act 099-0278 | 1/02/2016 |
| Pregnant Teens |
Just because a student happens to be a minor who attends school in a particular district and then becomes pregnant doesn't establish a duty for the school to notify the parents of her pregnancy. |
A duty to notify? | |
| GLSEN - Transgender School Policy |
Gay, Lesbian, & Straight Education Network - Model District Policy on Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students, which outlines best practices for schools to ensure that all students are safe, included, and respected in school. |
GLSEN - Transgender School Policy | |
| ILHSA - Transgender School Policy |
Illinois High School Association - Recommended Gender Equity Waiver & Transgender Policy |
Links to Waiver & Trans Policy | |
| Child Bereavement Leave Act |
Creates the Child Bereavement Leave Act and amends the State Finance Act. Provides that an employee may use specified amounts of bereavement leave to grieve the death of the employee's child, attend services, or make arrangements. |
Public Act 099-0703 | 07/29/2016 |
| Gang Activity |
In a school district other than the Chicago School District, a principal will have the responsibility to utilize the resources of law enforcement when the safety and welfare of students and teachers are threatened by illegal use of possession of weapons, or by illegal gang activity. Illegal gang activity is an offense under which the courts or police must report to the principal when a student is detained. |
Public Act 098-0059 | 1/01/2014 |
| Concealed Carry |
Prevents those licensed to concealed carry from knowingly carrying a firearm on or into school property. |
Public Act 98-0063 | 07/09/2013 |
| Student Discipline |
Eliminates zero tolerance policies and many other changes. |
Public Act 099-0456 | 09/15/2016 |
| Mental Health Youth Protection |
Provides that no mental health provider shall engage in sexual orientation change efforts with a person under the age of 18. Defines "mental health provider". |
Public Act 099-0411 | 01/01/2016 |
| Epinephrine Auto-Injectors (epi-pen) |
Any designated personnel may administer an Epinephrine auto-injector. |
Public Act 98-0795 | 08/01/2014 |
| Telemedicine |
Amends the Medicaid law so that a healthcare professional need not be in the same room as the patient | 8/18/2017 | |
| Parental Notification |
Provides that counseling services or psychotherapy on an outpatient basis provided to a minor 12 years of age or older must be provided by, or under the supervision of, a licensed service provider. |
Public Act 100-0196 |
1/1/2018 |
| School Suspension | School suspension program promoting non-violent conflict resolution | Public Act 100-1035 | 8/22/2018 |
Student Resources
| Topic |
Description |
Link |
Effective date |
| Social Network Password |
Makes it a petty offense for a post-secondary school to request or require a student of parent/guardian to provide a password or other account information in order to gain access to a student's account or profile on a social networking website. Schools must provide notification of this protection by publishing it in the schools handbook and/or disciplinary policy. |
Public Act 98-0129 | 01/01/2014 |
| Class of 2020 Grad Requirements | Suspends the requirement for state assessments 105 ILCS 5/1-1, Constitution exam, PE, Foreign Language requirement, certain courses needed to receive a high school diploma Illinois School Code, 105 ILCS 5/27-22(e) | Governor Executive Order 2020 31 | 4/24/2020 |
| FAFSA/RISE Act | Beginning with the Class of 2021, students must either complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, an Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid, or an approved waiver to receive a high school diploma. | Public Act 101-0180 | 2020/2021 school year |
| FERPA | Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act - federal law that affords parents the right to have access to their children's education records, the right to seek to have the records amended, and the right to consent to the disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records, except as provided by law. When a student turns 18, the rights under FERPA transfer from the parents to the student. |
Power Point explaining FERPA | |
| AP Exams |
Lowers passing AP score to 3, 4, or 5. Beginning 2016-2017 academic year. |
Public Act 099-0358 | 8/13/2015 |
| Threatening a Public Official |
Adds "human service provider" to the list of individuals included in the offense of "threatening a public official" |
Public Act 98-0529 | 01/01/2014 |
| Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act |
Creates the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act |
Public Act 99-0674 | 07/29/2016 |
| AP Computer Science Courses |
An AP Computer Course can fulfill mathematics graduation requirements. |
Public Act 098-0885 | 08/15/2014 |
| Bring Parent to School Day |
Sets the first Monday in October as "Bring Your Parents to School Day". |
Public Act 098-0304 | 01/01/2014 |
| School Counselor Definition |
A qualified specialist who holds a School Service Personnel certificate endorsed in school counseling issued pursuant to Section 21-25 of the Illinois School Code. 10-22.24a. 10-22.24b. |
105 ILCS School Code | 07/10/2003 |
| Student Records Act | Provides request to inspect and copy records must be granted no later than 5 business days (rather than 15 school days) | SB 1483 | 7/28/2017 |
| Parenting Education | Requires high schools to provide parenting education which include mental and emotional aspects of life. | Public Act 100 1043 | 8/23/2018 |
| SEL | Curriculum guidelines and best practices on emotional intelligence and social and emotional learning | Public Act 100-1139 |
Other Resources
| Topic |
Description |
Link |
| State School Counseling Mandates | ASCA Resource - Lists by state if school counseling is mandated and by which grades including funding sources. | ASCA |
| School Counselor Interns |
Proposed Amendments to Part 25 (Educator Licensure) |
Illinois Content Area Standards |
| Student Loan Forgiveness |
Public Service Workers |
Student Loan Forgiveness |
| School Service Personnel |
Illinois Certification Process |
ISBE Certification |
| ESSCP | Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program: Funding for the development of school counseling programs |
U.S. Department of Education |
| Amended to Title protection for school social workers |
Amended to Title protection for school social workers | Social Workers |
| Funds School Counselors | Amends the School Code. Provides that beginning July 1, 2018, every school district, charter school, or alternative school or any school receiving public funds shall collect and review its chronic absence data and determine what systems of support and resources are needed to engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage the habit of daily attendance and promote success. |
SB1947 |