Bill Text: IL HB3081 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Creates the Out-of-School Time (OST) Advisory Council for the purpose of providing information and advice to the Governor and State agencies regarding State and federal policy and funding issues affecting out of school time programs. Sets forth membership, co-chairperson's and meetings. Provides that the OST Advisory Council shall: (1) provide information on the status of funding provided for OST programs in each fiscal year; (2) provide recommendations on legislative and administrative action needed to ensure that funding for before and after school programs is allocated promptly to qualified providers of OST programs; (3) provide information on the quality of services and accountability measures that are appropriate for school-age children and youth; (4) provide information regarding challenges faced by OST programs that impede the provision of the best possible services; (5) provide recommendations on the equitable reach of OST programs to ensure that the State has policies in place that promote access to the children and youth most in need of services; (6) make recommendations to the Governor and State agencies on reporting requirements, priority points, statewide evaluation, and licensure for OST programs; and (7) create and deliver to the Governor and General Assembly an annual report on statewide successes in OST and areas of growth for the future. Effective July 1, 2025.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-06 - Referred to Rules Committee [HB3081 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB3081-Introduced.html

---

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3081 Introduced , by Rep. Aarón M. Ortíz SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/22-101 new
Amends the School Code. Creates the Out-of-School Time (OST) Advisory Council for the purpose of providing information and advice to the Governor and State agencies regarding State and federal policy and funding issues affecting out of school time programs. Sets forth membership, co-chairperson,s and meetings. Provides that the OST Advisory Council shall: (1) provide information on the status of funding provided for OST programs in each fiscal year; (2) provide recommendations on legislative and administrative action needed to ensure that funding for before and after school programs is allocated promptly to qualified providers of OST programs; (3) provide information on the quality of services and accountability measures that are appropriate for school-age children and youth; (4) provide information regarding challenges faced by OST programs that impede the provision of the best possible services; (5) provide recommendations on the equitable reach of OST programs to ensure that the State has policies in place that promote access to the children and youth most in need of services; (6) make recommendations to the Governor and State agencies on reporting requirements, priority points, statewide evaluation, and licensure for OST programs; and (7) create and deliver to the Governor and General Assembly an annual report on statewide successes in OST and areas of growth for the future. Effective July 1, 2025.
LRB104 10878 LNS 20960 b
A BILL FOR
HB3081 LRB104 10878 LNS 20960 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 adding Section
22-101 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/22-101 new)
Sec. 22-101. Out-of-school time.
(a) The General Assembly declares that it is the policy of
this State to provide all young people between the ages of 6
and 19 with access to quality out-of-school time (OST)
programs through a State commitment to sufficient and
sustainable funding for programs that promote positive youth
development. Further, this State is a national leader in the
community schools model which helps strengthen OST programs
through school and community partnerships in order to meet the
whole needs of all children and youth. The need for this policy
is based on a series of facts.
The General Assembly finds that youth who are engaged in
quality OST activities and community schools are more likely
to succeed in academics, employment, and civic affairs than
youth who do not participate in OST activities. Youth with
high levels of participation in quality OST programs miss
fewer days of school, have lower drop-out rates, and higher

HB3081 - 2 - LRB104 10878 LNS 20960 b
rates of graduation. Further, juvenile crime peaks in the
after school hours and OST programs help prevent crime
victimization and help youth to make healthy choices.
The General Assembly also finds that youth in this State
face greater barriers to accessing OST programs than ever
before:
(1) Demand for programs far outpaces the supply of
programs.
(2) Funding is fragmented among State agencies.
(3) The path to accessing public funding is often
difficult.
(4) Funding inconsistencies make it difficult to
maintain a qualified OST workforce.
The General Assembly also finds that the State, having
demonstrated national leadership in advancing youth
development must also expand OST programming in order to
realize the full, continued benefits of public investment in
the State's young people.
(b) As used in this Section:
"Community school" means public schools that work with the
community to improve student outcomes and address the needs of
the whole child. All community schools are unique and
responsive to their community; however, they all include
integrated student supports, expanded learning, family
engagement, and collaborative leadership.
"Out-of-school time" or "OST" means positive youth

HB3081 - 3 - LRB104 10878 LNS 20960 b
development activities provided to youth between the ages of 6
and 19 during the hours before or after school, during school
year and summer recess from school, or during the weekends,
including, but not limited to: academic support; arts, music,
sports, cultural enrichment, and other recreation; health
promotion and diseases prevention; life skills and work and
career development; and youth leadership development.
(c) There is hereby established the Out-of-School Time
(OST) Advisory Council for the purpose of providing
information and advice to the Governor and State agencies
regarding State and federal policy and funding issues
affecting out of school time programs based on regular and
systematic input from providers.
(1) The OST Advisory Council shall include
representation from both public and private organizations
comprised of the following:
(A) Four members of the General Assembly: one
appointed by the President of the Senate; one
appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; one
appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives; and one appointed by the Minority
Leader of the House of Representatives.
(B) Representatives from the State Board of
Education, the Department of Human Services, the
Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, and
the Department of Early Childhood.

HB3081 - 4 - LRB104 10878 LNS 20960 b
(C) Three OST providers from various settings.
(D) A community school lead partner agency.
(E) A private philanthropic funder.
(F) A principal of a school that has OST or the
community schools model.
(G) A superintendent of a school district that has
OST or the community schools model.
(H) An OST researcher or evaluator.
(I) Additional public members that have an
interest in OST, including law enforcement, business,
and youth advocacy.
The OST Advisory Council membership shall be
representative of the diversity of out-of-school programs,
regarding geography, size, and public or nonpublic
operation.
(2) The Governor shall designate one of the OST
Advisory Council members who is a nongovernment
stakeholder to serve as co-chairperson and a State agency
representative as a chair.
(3) The OST Advisory Council shall meet no less than 4
times a year.
(d) The OST Advisory Council shall do all of the
following:
(1) Provide information on the status of funding
provided for OST programs in each fiscal year, including
the number of applications received, the number of

HB3081 - 5 - LRB104 10878 LNS 20960 b
applications funded, and the amount and timing of
committed funding.
(2) Provide recommendations on legislative and
administrative action needed to ensure that funding for
before and after school programs is allocated promptly to
qualified providers of OST programs.
(3) Provide information on the quality of services and
accountability measures that are appropriate for
school-age children and youth.
(4) Provide information regarding challenges faced by
OST programs that impede the provision of the best
possible services.
(5) Provide recommendations on the equitable reach of
OST programs to ensure that the State has policies in
place that promote access to the children and youth most
in need of services, including, but not limited to,
students of color, low-income communities, rural
communities and other marginalized communities.
(6) Make recommendations to the Governor and State
agencies on reporting requirements, priority points,
statewide evaluation, and licensure for OST programs.
(7) Create and deliver to the Governor and General
Assembly an annual report on statewide successes in OST
and areas of growth for the future.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
2025.