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HB 3034

Establishing the West Virginia TEACH Scholarship Program

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Lori Dittman and 4 co-sponsors

HB3034 would require the SBOE to create formal guidelines for student aides in peer-support courses, covering training, ethics, management, and ADA-related practices.

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Bill Summary · HB 3034

HB3034 Summary: SCH CD – Student Aide Guidelines

Overview

HB3034 would add a new provision to the Illinois School Code requiring the State Board of Education (SBOE) to create formal guidelines for student aides participating in peer-support courses. The aim is to standardize training, ethics, and practices for students who support their peers, including students with disabilities, in designated courses.

What the bill would do

  • Create a new section 14-19 in the Children with Disabilities Article (105 ILCS 5) titled “Student aides to children with disabilities.”
  • Define key terms:
    • Student aide: a student enrolled in a course specifically to provide support, help, or assistance to other students (e.g., teaching assistant, peer, helper, tutor, etc.).
    • Peer-support course: a course that requires one or more students to serve as a student aide for a fellow student or child not yet eligible for school enrollment.
  • Require the SBOE to adopt guidelines for student aides enrolled in peer-support courses, covering at least the following areas:
    1. Education on common cognitive and physical disabilities and relevant accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
    2. Skills and knowledge needed to support fellow students, including course- or discipline-specific knowledge.
    3. Methods teachers can use to assess the proficiency of student aides.
    4. Relevant learning standards and expectations for student aides.
    5. Basic classroom management strategies and protocols.
    6. Best practices and ethics related to peer support.
    7. Appropriate etiquette for student aides when interacting with and supporting students with disabilities.
    8. Learning standards applicable to all students enrolled as student aides in peer-support courses.

Who would be affected

  • School districts and charter schools implementing peer-support courses.
  • Students serving as student aides (e.g., teaching assistants, peer tutors, helpers) and the students they assist.
  • Educators and administrators responsible for supervising peer-support activities.
  • The Illinois State Board of Education (through adoption of guidelines).

Implementation and timeline

  • The bill would require SBOE guideline development and implementation, but it does not specify funding or a mandatory implementation timeline.
  • Legislative actions to date (illustrative):
    • Filed: February 6, 2025 (Rep. Janet Yang Rohr)
    • First Reading: February 6, 2025
    • Referred to Rules Committee: February 6, 2025
    • Assigned to Education Policy Committee: March 4, 2025
    • Read First Time: March 20, 2025
    • Testimony/Committee actions: March 27, 2025 (public hearing; left pending in committee)
    • Status: Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
  • Related companion bills: SB 744 and HB 1282.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Positive outcomes: establishment of standardized guidelines could improve consistency in training, ethics, and interaction with students with disabilities; provide clarity for districts on expectations for peer-support roles.
  • Compliance considerations: districts may need to align local programs with SBOE guidelines once adopted; potential administrative or professional development needs for staff and student aides.
  • Scope: the bill focuses on guidance and standards rather than creating new funding or mandatory program mandates at this stage.

Related information

  • Related companion bills: SB 744 (companion) and HB 1282 (companion).
  • Bill classification: education-related, amending the School Code.

This summary captures the bill’s core purpose, key provisions, affected parties, and current procedural status to help readers understand its potential effects on peer-support programs in Illinois schools.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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