Bill Text: IL HB4926 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: 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).

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced) 2026-03-27 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB4926 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB4926-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026HB4926 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 REIMBURSEMENTMAY APPLY
A BILL FOR
HB4926 LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 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 changing Sections
10-22.24b and 34-18 and by adding Section 34-18.88 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/10-22.24b)
Sec. 10-22.24b. School counseling services. School
counseling services in public schools may be provided by
school counselors as defined in Section 10-22.24a of this Code
or by individuals who hold a Professional Educator License
with a school support personnel endorsement in the area of
school counseling under Section 21B-25 of this Code. School
counseling services provided under this Section shall address
the needs of all students, regardless of citizenship status.
School counseling services may include, but are not
limited to:
(1) designing and delivering a comprehensive school
counseling program through a standards-based,
data-informed program that promotes student achievement
and wellness;
(2) (blank);
(3) school counselors working as culturally skilled
professionals who act sensitively to promote social

HB4926 - 2 - LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
justice and equity in a pluralistic society;
(4) providing individual and group counseling;
(5) providing a core counseling curriculum that serves
all students and addresses the knowledge and skills
appropriate to their developmental level through a
collaborative model of delivery involving the school
counselor, classroom teachers, and other appropriate
education professionals, and including prevention and
pre-referral activities;
(6) making referrals when necessary to appropriate
offices or outside agencies;
(7) providing college and career development
activities and counseling;
(8) developing individual career plans with students,
which includes planning for post-secondary education, as
appropriate, and engaging in related and relevant career
and technical education coursework in high school;
(9) assisting all students with a college or
post-secondary education plan, which must include a
discussion on all post-secondary education options,
including 4-year colleges or universities, community
colleges, and vocational schools, and includes planning
for post-secondary education, as appropriate, and engaging
in related and relevant career and technical education
coursework in high school;
(10) (blank);

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(11) educating all students on scholarships, financial
aid, and preparation of the Federal Application for
Federal Student Aid;
(12) collaborating with institutions of higher
education and local community colleges so that students
understand post-secondary education options and are ready
to transition successfully;
(13) providing crisis intervention and contributing to
the development of a specific crisis plan within the
school setting in collaboration with multiple
stakeholders;
(14) providing educational opportunities for students,
teachers, and parents on mental health issues;
(15) providing counseling and other resources to
students who are in crisis;
(16) working to address barriers that prohibit or
limit access to mental health services;
(17) addressing bullying and conflict resolution with
all students;
(18) teaching communication skills and helping
students develop positive relationships;
(19) using culturally sensitive skills in working with
all students to promote wellness;
(20) working to address the needs of all students with
regard to citizenship status;
(21) (blank);

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(22) providing academic, social-emotional, and college
and career supports to all students irrespective of
special education or Section 504 status;
(23) assisting students in goal setting and success
skills for classroom behavior, study skills, test
preparation, internal motivation, and intrinsic rewards;
(24) (blank);
(25) providing information for all students in the
selection of courses that will lead to post-secondary
education opportunities toward a successful career;
(26) interpreting achievement test results and guiding
students in appropriate directions;
(27) (blank);
(28) providing families with opportunities for
education and counseling as appropriate in relation to the
student's educational assessment;
(29) consulting and collaborating with teachers and
other school personnel regarding behavior management and
intervention plans and inclusion in support of students;
(30) teaming and partnering with staff, parents,
businesses, and community organizations to support student
achievement and social-emotional learning standards for
all students;
(31) developing and implementing school-based
prevention programs, including, but not limited to,
mediation and violence prevention, implementing social and

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emotional education programs and services, and
establishing and implementing bullying prevention and
intervention programs;
(32) developing culturally sensitive assessment
instruments for measuring school counseling prevention and
intervention effectiveness and collecting, analyzing, and
interpreting data;
(33) participating on school and district committees
to advocate for student programs and resources, as well as
establishing a school counseling advisory council that
includes representatives of key stakeholders selected to
review and advise on the implementation of the school
counseling program;
(34) acting as a liaison between the public schools
and community resources and building relationships with
important stakeholders, such as families, administrators,
teachers, and board members;
(35) maintaining organized, clear, and useful records
in a confidential manner consistent with Section 5 of the
Illinois School Student Records Act, the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and the Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act;
(36) presenting an annual agreement to the
administration, including a formal discussion of the
alignment of school and school counseling program missions
and goals and detailing specific school counselor

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responsibilities;
(37) identifying and implementing culturally sensitive
measures of success for student competencies in each of
the 3 domains of academic, social and emotional, and
college and career learning based on planned and periodic
assessment of the comprehensive developmental school
counseling program;
(38) collaborating as a team member in Multi-Tiered
Systems of Support and other school initiatives;
(39) conducting observations and participating in
recommendations or interventions regarding the placement
of children in educational programs or special education
classes;
(40) analyzing data and results of school counseling
program assessments, including curriculum, small-group,
and closing-the-gap results reports, and designing
strategies to continue to improve program effectiveness;
(41) analyzing data and results of school counselor
competency assessments;
(42) following American School Counselor Association
Ethical Standards for School Counselors to demonstrate
high standards of integrity, leadership, and
professionalism;
(43) using student competencies to assess student
growth and development to inform decisions regarding
strategies, activities, and services that help students

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achieve the highest academic level possible;
(44) practicing as a culturally skilled school
counselor by infusing the multicultural competencies
within the role of the school counselor, including the
practice of culturally sensitive attitudes and beliefs,
knowledge, and skills;
(45) infusing the Social-Emotional Standards, as
presented in the State Board of Education standards,
across the curriculum and in the counselor's role in ways
that empower and enable students to achieve academic
success across all grade levels;
(46) providing services only in areas in which the
school counselor has appropriate training or expertise, as
well as only providing counseling or consulting services
within his or her employment to any student in the
district or districts which employ such school counselor,
in accordance with professional ethics;
(47) having adequate training in supervision knowledge
and skills in order to supervise school counseling interns
enrolled in graduate school counselor preparation programs
that meet the standards established by the State Board of
Education;
(48) being involved with State and national
professional associations;
(49) complete the required training as outlined in
Section 10-22.39;

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(50) (blank);
(51) (blank);
(52) (blank);
(53) (blank);
(54) (blank); and
(55) promoting career and technical education by
assisting each student to determine an appropriate
postsecondary plan based upon the student's skills,
strengths, and goals and assisting the student to
implement the best practices that improve career or
workforce readiness after high school.
School districts shall may employ a sufficient number of
school counselors to maintain a the national and State
recommended student-counselor ratio of 150 250 to 1. School
districts may have school counselors spend at least 80% of
their his or her work time in direct contact with students.
Nothing in this Section prohibits other qualified
professionals, including other endorsed school support
personnel, from providing the services listed in this Section.
(Source: P.A. 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-542, eff. 7-1-24 (see
Section 905 of P.A. 103-563 for effective date of P.A.
103-542; 103-780, eff. 8-2-24; 104-353, eff. 8-15-25; 104-417,
eff. 8-15-25.)
(105 ILCS 5/34-18) (from Ch. 122, par. 34-18)
Sec. 34-18. Powers of the board. The board shall exercise

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general supervision and jurisdiction over the public education
and the public school system of the city, and, except as
otherwise provided by this Article, shall have power:
1. To make suitable provision for the establishment
and maintenance throughout the year or for such portion
thereof as it may direct, not less than 9 months and in
compliance with Section 10-19.05, of schools of all grades
and kinds, including normal schools, high schools, night
schools, schools for defectives and delinquents, parental
and truant schools, schools for the blind, the deaf, and
persons with physical disabilities, schools or classes in
manual training, constructural and vocational teaching,
domestic arts, and physical culture, vocation and
extension schools and lecture courses, and all other
educational courses and facilities, including
establishing, equipping, maintaining and operating
playgrounds and recreational programs, when such programs
are conducted in, adjacent to, or connected with any
public school under the general supervision and
jurisdiction of the board; provided that the calendar for
the school term and any changes must be submitted to and
approved by the State Board of Education before the
calendar or changes may take effect, and provided that in
allocating funds from year to year for the operation of
all attendance centers within the district, the board
shall ensure that supplemental general State aid or

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supplemental grant funds are allocated and applied in
accordance with Section 18-8, 18-8.05, or 18-8.15. To
admit to such schools without charge foreign exchange
students who are participants in an organized exchange
student program which is authorized by the board. The
board shall permit all students to enroll in
apprenticeship programs in trade schools operated by the
board, whether those programs are union-sponsored or not.
No student shall be refused admission into or be excluded
from any course of instruction offered in the common
schools by reason of that student's sex. No student shall
be denied equal access to physical education and
interscholastic athletic programs supported from school
district funds or denied participation in comparable
physical education and athletic programs solely by reason
of the student's sex. Equal access to programs supported
from school district funds and comparable programs will be
defined in rules promulgated by the State Board of
Education in consultation with the Illinois High School
Association. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Article, neither the board of education nor any local
school council or other school official shall recommend
that children with disabilities be placed into regular
education classrooms unless those children with
disabilities are provided with supplementary services to
assist them so that they benefit from the regular

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classroom instruction and are included on the teacher's
regular education class register;
2. To furnish lunches to pupils, to make a reasonable
charge therefor, and to use school funds for the payment
of such expenses as the board may determine are necessary
in conducting the school lunch program;
3. To co-operate with the circuit court;
4. To make arrangements with the public or
quasi-public libraries and museums for the use of their
facilities by teachers and pupils of the public schools;
5. To employ dentists and prescribe their duties for
the purpose of treating the pupils in the schools, but
accepting such treatment shall be optional with parents or
guardians;
6. To grant the use of assembly halls and classrooms
when not otherwise needed, including light, heat, and
attendants, for free public lectures, concerts, and other
educational and social interests, free of charge, under
such provisions and control as the principal of the
affected attendance center may prescribe;
7. To apportion the pupils to the several schools;
provided that no pupil shall be excluded from or
segregated in any such school on account of his color,
race, sex, or nationality. The board shall take into
consideration the prevention of segregation and the
elimination of separation of children in public schools

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because of color, race, sex, or nationality. Except that
children may be committed to or attend parental and social
adjustment schools established and maintained either for
boys or girls only. All records pertaining to the
creation, alteration or revision of attendance areas shall
be open to the public. Nothing herein shall limit the
board's authority to establish multi-area attendance
centers or other student assignment systems for
desegregation purposes or otherwise, and to apportion the
pupils to the several schools. Furthermore, beginning in
school year 1994-95, pursuant to a board plan adopted by
October 1, 1993, the board shall offer, commencing on a
phased-in basis, the opportunity for families within the
school district to apply for enrollment of their children
in any attendance center within the school district which
does not have selective admission requirements approved by
the board. The appropriate geographical area in which such
open enrollment may be exercised shall be determined by
the board of education. Such children may be admitted to
any such attendance center on a space available basis
after all children residing within such attendance
center's area have been accommodated. If the number of
applicants from outside the attendance area exceed the
space available, then successful applicants shall be
selected by lottery. The board of education's open
enrollment plan must include provisions that allow

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low-income students to have access to transportation
needed to exercise school choice. Open enrollment shall be
in compliance with the provisions of the Consent Decree
and Desegregation Plan cited in Section 34-1.01;
8. To approve programs and policies for providing
transportation services to students. Nothing herein shall
be construed to permit or empower the State Board of
Education to order, mandate, or require busing or other
transportation of pupils for the purpose of achieving
racial balance in any school;
9. Subject to the limitations in this Article, to
establish and approve system-wide curriculum objectives
and standards, including graduation standards, which
reflect the multi-cultural diversity in the city and are
consistent with State law, provided that for all purposes
of this Article courses or proficiency in American Sign
Language shall be deemed to constitute courses or
proficiency in a foreign language; and to employ
principals and teachers, appointed as provided in this
Article, and fix their compensation. The board shall
prepare such reports related to minimal competency testing
as may be requested by the State Board of Education and, in
addition, shall monitor and approve special education and
bilingual education programs and policies within the
district to ensure that appropriate services are provided
in accordance with applicable State and federal laws to

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children requiring services and education in those areas;
10. To employ non-teaching personnel or utilize
volunteer personnel for: (i) non-teaching duties not
requiring instructional judgment or evaluation of pupils,
including library duties; and (ii) supervising study
halls, long distance teaching reception areas used
incident to instructional programs transmitted by
electronic media such as computers, video, and audio,
detention and discipline areas, and school-sponsored
extracurricular activities. The board may further utilize
volunteer nonlicensed personnel or employ nonlicensed
personnel to assist in the instruction of pupils under the
immediate supervision of a teacher holding a valid
educator license, directly engaged in teaching subject
matter or conducting activities; provided that the teacher
shall be continuously aware of the nonlicensed persons'
activities and shall be able to control or modify them.
The general superintendent shall determine qualifications
of such personnel and shall prescribe rules for
determining the duties and activities to be assigned to
such personnel;
10.5. To utilize volunteer personnel from a regional
School Crisis Assistance Team (S.C.A.T.), created as part
of the Safe to Learn Program established pursuant to
Section 25 of the Illinois Violence Prevention Act of
1995, to provide assistance to schools in times of

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violence or other traumatic incidents within a school
community by providing crisis intervention services to
lessen the effects of emotional trauma on individuals and
the community; the School Crisis Assistance Team Steering
Committee shall determine the qualifications for
volunteers;
11. To provide television studio facilities in not to
exceed one school building and to provide programs for
educational purposes, provided, however, that the board
shall not construct, acquire, operate, or maintain a
television transmitter; to grant the use of its studio
facilities to a licensed television station located in the
school district; and to maintain and operate not to exceed
one school radio transmitting station and provide programs
for educational purposes;
12. To offer, if deemed appropriate, outdoor education
courses, including field trips within the State of
Illinois, or adjacent states, and to use school
educational funds for the expense of the said outdoor
educational programs, whether within the school district
or not;
13. During that period of the calendar year not
embraced within the regular school term, to provide and
conduct courses in subject matters normally embraced in
the program of the schools during the regular school term
and to give regular school credit for satisfactory

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completion by the student of such courses as may be
approved for credit by the State Board of Education;
14. To insure against any loss or liability of the
board, the former School Board Nominating Commission,
Local School Councils, the Chicago Schools Academic
Accountability Council, or the former Subdistrict Councils
or of any member, officer, agent, or employee thereof,
resulting from alleged violations of civil rights arising
from incidents occurring on or after September 5, 1967 or
from the wrongful or negligent act or omission of any such
person whether occurring within or without the school
premises, provided the officer, agent, or employee was, at
the time of the alleged violation of civil rights or
wrongful act or omission, acting within the scope of his
or her employment or under direction of the board, the
former School Board Nominating Commission, the Chicago
Schools Academic Accountability Council, Local School
Councils, or the former Subdistrict Councils; and to
provide for or participate in insurance plans for its
officers and employees, including, but not limited to,
retirement annuities, medical, surgical and
hospitalization benefits in such types and amounts as may
be determined by the board; provided, however, that the
board shall contract for such insurance only with an
insurance company authorized to do business in this State.
Such insurance may include provision for employees who

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rely on treatment by prayer or spiritual means alone for
healing, in accordance with the tenets and practice of a
recognized religious denomination;
15. To contract with the corporate authorities of any
municipality or the county board of any county, as the
case may be, to provide for the regulation of traffic in
parking areas of property used for school purposes, in
such manner as is provided by Section 11-209 of the
Illinois Vehicle Code;
16. In this paragraph 16:
"Direct admissions information" means a student's
name, home address, birth date, telephone number, email
address, cumulative grade point average, and high school.
"Directory information" means a high school student's
name, home address, birth date, and telephone number.
"Public institution of higher education" has the
meaning given to that term in the Board of Higher
Education Act.
(a) To provide, on an equal basis and consistent with
the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of
1974 and the Illinois School Student Records Act, access
to a high school campus and student directory information
to the official recruiting representatives of the armed
forces of Illinois and the United States, to the Illinois
Student Assistance Commission, and to public institutions
of higher education for the purposes of informing students

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of educational and career opportunities if the board has
provided such access to persons or groups whose purpose is
to acquaint students with educational or occupational
opportunities available to them. The board is not required
to give greater notice regarding the right of access to
recruiting representatives than is given to other persons
and groups.
(a-5) To provide, on an equal basis and consistent
with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
of 1974 and the Illinois School Student Records Act,
access to student direct admissions information to the
Illinois Student Assistance Commission for the purpose of
the direct admission program.
(b) If a student or his or her parent or guardian
submits a signed, written request to the high school
before the end of the student's sophomore year (or if the
student is a transfer student, by another time set by the
high school) that indicates that the student or his or her
parent or guardian does not want the student's directory
information to be provided to official recruiting
representatives, to the Illinois Student Assistance
Commission, and to public institutions of higher education
under subparagraph (a) of this paragraph 16, the high
school may not provide access to the student's directory
information to these recruiting representatives, the
Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and public

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institutions of higher education. The high school shall
notify its students and their parents or guardians of the
provisions of this subparagraph (b).
(b-5) If a student who is 18 years of age or older or
the parent or guardian of a student under 18 years of age
submits a signed, written or electronic consent that
indicates that the student or his or her parent or
guardian does permit the student's direct admissions
information to be provided, the high school shall provide
the student's direct admissions information to the
Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall
provide template opt-in language to those school districts
maintaining grades 10 through 12, which shall be made
available on the Commission's website no later than June
30, 2025. The template opt-in language shall specify that
if the student or the student's parent or guardian
provides consent, the student's direct admissions
information will be sent to the Illinois Student
Assistance Commission and the direct admissions
information may, as needed for the administration of the
direct admission program under the Public University
Direct Admission Program Act, be redisclosed to the Board
of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board,
public universities for which the student qualifies under
the direct admission program, the University of Illinois

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at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois at
Chicago if the student qualifies under Section 20 of the
Public University Direct Admission Program Act, the
community college district where the student resides, and,
if applicable, a third party that operates a statewide
student application portal. The template opt-in language
shall also specify that direct admissions information may
not be redisclosed to any other individual or entity
unless the opt-in language notifies the student or the
student's parent or guardian of such redisclosure and the
student or the student's parent or guardian consents to
the redisclosure.
The high school shall notify its students and their
parents or guardians of the provisions of this
subparagraph (b-5) and, at the time of school registration
or at other appropriate times prior to the end of a
student's junior year, give its students and their parents
or guardians the option for the student information to be
shared for the purpose of the direct admission program.
(c) A high school may require official recruiting
representatives of the armed forces of Illinois and the
United States to pay a fee for copying and mailing a
student's directory information in an amount that is not
more than the actual costs incurred by the high school.
(d) Information received by an official under this
Section may be used only to provide information to

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students concerning educational and career opportunities.
Information may not be released to a person who is not
involved in recruiting students for the armed forces of
Illinois or the United States or providing educational
opportunity information for the Board of Higher Education,
the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois Student
Assistance Commission, or public institutions of higher
education.
(e) By July 1, 2026 and each July 1 thereafter, the
school district shall make student directory information
electronically accessible for official recruiting
representatives of the armed forces of Illinois or the
United States, to the Illinois Student Assistance
Commission, and to public institutions of higher
education;
(f) By July 1, 2026 and each July 1 thereafter, the
school district shall make student direct admissions
information electronically accessible through a secure,
centralized data system to the Illinois Student Assistance
Commission for the purpose of the direct admission
program.
(g) The Board of Higher Education, the Illinois
Community College Board, the Illinois Student Assistance
Commission, and the State Board of Education may adopt any
rules necessary to administer this paragraph 16.
17. (a) To sell or market any computer program

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developed by an employee of the school district, provided
that such employee developed the computer program as a
direct result of his or her duties with the school
district or through the utilization of school district
resources or facilities. The employee who developed the
computer program shall be entitled to share in the
proceeds of such sale or marketing of the computer
program. The distribution of such proceeds between the
employee and the school district shall be as agreed upon
by the employee and the school district, except that
neither the employee nor the school district may receive
more than 90% of such proceeds. The negotiation for an
employee who is represented by an exclusive bargaining
representative may be conducted by such bargaining
representative at the employee's request.
(b) For the purpose of this paragraph 17:
(1) "Computer" means an internally programmed, general
purpose digital device capable of automatically accepting
data, processing data and supplying the results of the
operation.
(2) "Computer program" means a series of coded
instructions or statements in a form acceptable to a
computer, which causes the computer to process data in
order to achieve a certain result.
(3) "Proceeds" means profits derived from the
marketing or sale of a product after deducting the

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expenses of developing and marketing such product;
18. To delegate to the general superintendent of
schools, by resolution, the authority to approve contracts
and expenditures in amounts of $35,000 or less;
19. Upon the written request of an employee, to
withhold from the compensation of that employee any dues,
payments, or contributions payable by such employee to any
labor organization as defined in the Illinois Educational
Labor Relations Act. Under such arrangement, an amount
shall be withheld from each regular payroll period which
is equal to the pro rata share of the annual dues plus any
payments or contributions, and the board shall transmit
such withholdings to the specified labor organization
within 10 working days from the time of the withholding;
19a. Upon receipt of notice from the comptroller of a
municipality with a population of 500,000 or more, a
county with a population of 3,000,000 or more, the Cook
County Forest Preserve District, the Chicago Park
District, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, the
Chicago Transit Authority, or a housing authority of a
municipality with a population of 500,000 or more that a
debt is due and owing the municipality, the county, the
Cook County Forest Preserve District, the Chicago Park
District, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, the
Chicago Transit Authority, or the housing authority by an
employee of the Chicago Board of Education, to withhold,

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from the compensation of that employee, the amount of the
debt that is due and owing and pay the amount withheld to
the municipality, the county, the Cook County Forest
Preserve District, the Chicago Park District, the
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, the Chicago
Transit Authority, or the housing authority; provided,
however, that the amount deducted from any one salary or
wage payment shall not exceed 25% of the net amount of the
payment. Before the Board deducts any amount from any
salary or wage of an employee under this paragraph, the
municipality, the county, the Cook County Forest Preserve
District, the Chicago Park District, the Metropolitan
Water Reclamation District, the Chicago Transit Authority,
or the housing authority shall certify that (i) the
employee has been afforded an opportunity for a hearing to
dispute the debt that is due and owing the municipality,
the county, the Cook County Forest Preserve District, the
Chicago Park District, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation
District, the Chicago Transit Authority, or the housing
authority and (ii) the employee has received notice of a
wage deduction order and has been afforded an opportunity
for a hearing to object to the order. For purposes of this
paragraph, "net amount" means that part of the salary or
wage payment remaining after the deduction of any amounts
required by law to be deducted and "debt due and owing"
means (i) a specified sum of money owed to the

HB4926 - 25 - LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
municipality, the county, the Cook County Forest Preserve
District, the Chicago Park District, the Metropolitan
Water Reclamation District, the Chicago Transit Authority,
or the housing authority for services, work, or goods,
after the period granted for payment has expired, or (ii)
a specified sum of money owed to the municipality, the
county, the Cook County Forest Preserve District, the
Chicago Park District, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation
District, the Chicago Transit Authority, or the housing
authority pursuant to a court order or order of an
administrative hearing officer after the exhaustion of, or
the failure to exhaust, judicial review;
20. (Blank); The board is encouraged to employ a
sufficient number of licensed school counselors to
maintain a student/counselor ratio of 250 to 1. Each
counselor shall spend at least 75% of his work time in
direct contact with students and shall maintain a record
of such time;
21. To make available to students vocational and
career counseling and to establish 5 special career
counseling days for students and parents. On these days
representatives of local businesses and industries shall
be invited to the school campus and shall inform students
of career opportunities available to them in the various
businesses and industries. Special consideration shall be
given to counseling minority students as to career

HB4926 - 26 - LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
opportunities available to them in various fields. For the
purposes of this paragraph, minority student means a
person who is any of the following:
(a) American Indian or Alaska Native (a person having
origins in any of the original peoples of North and South
America, including Central America, and who maintains
tribal affiliation or community attachment).
(b) Asian (a person having origins in any of the
original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the
Indian subcontinent, including, but not limited to,
Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan,
the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam).
(c) Black or African American (a person having origins
in any of the black racial groups of Africa).
(d) Hispanic or Latino (a person of Cuban, Mexican,
Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish
culture or origin, regardless of race).
(e) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (a
person having origins in any of the original peoples of
Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands).
Counseling days shall not be in lieu of regular school
days;
22. To report to the State Board of Education the
annual student dropout rate and number of students who
graduate from, transfer from, or otherwise leave bilingual
programs;

HB4926 - 27 - LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
23. Except as otherwise provided in the Abused and
Neglected Child Reporting Act or other applicable State or
federal law, to permit school officials to withhold, from
any person, information on the whereabouts of any child
removed from school premises when the child has been taken
into protective custody as a victim of suspected child
abuse. School officials shall direct such person to the
Department of Children and Family Services or to the local
law enforcement agency, if appropriate;
24. To develop a policy, based on the current state of
existing school facilities, projected enrollment, and
efficient utilization of available resources, for capital
improvement of schools and school buildings within the
district, addressing in that policy both the relative
priority for major repairs, renovations, and additions to
school facilities and the advisability or necessity of
building new school facilities or closing existing schools
to meet current or projected demographic patterns within
the district;
25. To make available to the students in every high
school attendance center the ability to take all courses
necessary to comply with the Board of Higher Education's
college entrance criteria effective in 1993;
26. To encourage mid-career changes into the teaching
profession, whereby qualified professionals become
licensed teachers, by allowing credit for professional

HB4926 - 28 - LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
employment in related fields when determining point of
entry on the teacher pay scale;
27. To provide or contract out training programs for
administrative personnel and principals with revised or
expanded duties pursuant to this Code in order to ensure
they have the knowledge and skills to perform their
duties;
28. To establish a fund for the prioritized special
needs programs, and to allocate such funds and other lump
sum amounts to each attendance center in a manner
consistent with the provisions of part 4 of Section
34-2.3. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to
require any additional appropriations of State funds for
this purpose;
29. (Blank);
30. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act or
any other law to the contrary, to contract with third
parties for services otherwise performed by employees,
including those in a bargaining unit, and to lay off those
employees upon 14 days' written notice to the affected
employees. Those contracts may be for a period not to
exceed 5 years and may be awarded on a system-wide basis.
The board may not operate more than 30 contract schools,
provided that the board may operate an additional 5
contract turnaround schools pursuant to item (5.5) of
subsection (d) of Section 34-8.3 of this Code, and the

HB4926 - 29 - LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
governing bodies of contract schools are subject to the
Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act;
31. To promulgate rules establishing procedures
governing the layoff or reduction in force of employees
and the recall of such employees, including, but not
limited to, criteria for such layoffs, reductions in force
or recall rights of such employees and the weight to be
given to any particular criterion. Such criteria shall
take into account factors, including, but not limited to,
qualifications, certifications, experience, performance
ratings or evaluations, and any other factors relating to
an employee's job performance;
32. To develop a policy to prevent nepotism in the
hiring of personnel or the selection of contractors;
33. (Blank); and
34. To establish a Labor Management Council to the
board comprised of representatives of the board, the chief
executive officer, and those labor organizations that are
the exclusive representatives of employees of the board
and to promulgate policies and procedures for the
operation of the Council.
The specifications of the powers herein granted are not to
be construed as exclusive, but the board shall also exercise
all other powers that may be requisite or proper for the
maintenance and the development of a public school system, not
inconsistent with the other provisions of this Article or

HB4926 - 30 - LRB104 16706 LNS 30111 b
provisions of this Code which apply to all school districts.
In addition to the powers herein granted and authorized to
be exercised by the board, it shall be the duty of the board to
review or to direct independent reviews of special education
expenditures and services. The board shall file a report of
such review with the General Assembly on or before May 1, 1990.
(Source: P.A. 103-8, eff. 1-1-24; 104-15, eff. 6-30-25;
104-417, eff. 8-15-25.)
(105 ILCS 5/34-18.88 new)
Sec. 34-18.88. School counselors. The board shall employ a
sufficient number of licensed school counselors to maintain a
student-counselor ratio of 100 to 1. Each counselor shall
spend at least 75% of his or her work time in direct contact
with students and shall maintain a record of such time.