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New laws take effect for Illinois schools

Jan 2, 2024 | 11:25 AM

Kenny Eliason / Unsplash

January 2, 2024 -A series of new laws have taken effect which deal with Illinois public schools.

One law provides that a school building’s emergency and crisis response plan must include a way for law enforcement to rapidly enter a school building in the event of an emergency.

Another law allows a substitute teacher who has filled a vacancy left by a licensed teacher to teach in an emergency situation for 90 days or until the end of the semester. Currently, a substitute teacher may only fill a vacancy left by a licensed teacher under contract in an emergency situation for up to 30 days. Another law addressing the teacher shortages in some districts will provide retention bonuses of $4,000 per year to National Board-certified teachers employed in hard-to-staff schools on a first-come, first-served basis.

In situations of alleged sexual abuse, a new law says witnesses who are under the age of 18 shall only be questioned by a hearing officer, rather than by the teacher accused of misconduct.

Schools will also now be required to provide instruction on the dangers of fentanyl to high school students, and also maintain a supply of opioid-reversal agents on the premises. Students in grades 9-12 will also be educated on allergen safety, including ways of recognizing symptoms and signs of an allergic reaction, steps to take to prevent exposure to allergens, and how to safely administer epinephrine.

Finally, Missing school for FFA and 4-H programs will count work-based learning events as excused absences under a new law spearheaded by Senator Doris Turner.

The laws went into effect January 1st.