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SB 2423

Real estate licenses; revise regulations, including written notification before suspension.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jeremy England

SB 2423 limits suspensions for preschool–2nd grade, requires faster, district-led behavior plans, shifts preschool grants to the Department of Early Childhood, and adds a waiver pr

Approved by Governor
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Bill Summary · SB 2423

SB 2423 — Summary (School Code amendments)

Status: Approved by Governor (per legislative record)
Introduced: March 13, 2025 (filed by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford)
Subject: Education; School Code (105 ILCS 5/) — amendments to Sections 2-3.71, 2-3.162, 10-22.6, 13B-20.25, 13B-20.30, 13B-25.5

Main purpose / intent

SB 2423 revises multiple provisions of the Illinois School Code to limit exclusionary discipline in early childhood and early elementary grades, clarify decision authority and maximum suspension lengths, change administration of certain preschool grants, strengthen collaboration with Head Start, and create/clarify a waiver process for statutory and regulatory mandates affecting districts and regional programs.

Key provisions and changes

  • Restrictions on suspensions for preschool (ages 3–5) and early grades:

    • Early childhood programs receiving State funds shall restrict use of suspensions.
    • A suspension of a preschool student for 3 or more days may be imposed only by the district superintendent, the director of the early childhood program, or equivalents.
    • Length of any suspension for a preschool student may not exceed the number of days required by the district/program to develop and implement a behavior intervention plan or safety plan.
    • Students in kindergarten through grade 2 cannot be expelled except where federal or State law requires expulsion.
    • Suspensions of K–2 students for 3 or more days may be imposed only by the district superintendent.
    • Suspension length for K–2 students is likewise capped at the number of days needed to develop/implement a behavior intervention or safety plan.
    • Any student suspended in excess of 20 school days may be immediately transferred to an alternative program; transfer cannot be denied solely because of the suspension unless transfer would pose a safety threat to students or staff.

  • Preschool grant administration and teacher qualifications:

    • Through June 30, 2026 the State Board of Education administers preschool grants; on and after July 1, 2026 the Department of Early Childhood will assume primary administration and appropriations responsibility.
    • Grants must supplement (not supplant) other funds; priorities for new funding are specified (first to at-risk children, second to families below 4x federal poverty guideline).
    • Temporary teaching flexibility provisions remain (e.g., ECE Credential Level 5 or transitional licenses) with time-limited allowances through 2028–29.

  • Waiver/modification process (Section 2-3.25g — Senate Amendment 001):

    • Eligible applicants (school districts, joint agreements, regional superintendents) may petition the State Board to waive/modify School Code mandates or administrative rules (subject to enumerated exclusions: certain statutory protections, teacher licensure/tenure/seniority, Section 5-2.1 or 13B-20.30, and compliance with the Every Student Succeeds Act).
    • Applications must demonstrate that intent of the mandate can be met more effectively, efficiently, or economically or be tied to school improvement plans; fiscal analysis required for cost-saving claims.
    • Public hearing requirements: districts must post hearing info online at least 14 days prior; joint agreements/regional superintendents must publish notice at least 7 days prior in local newspapers; legislators representing the affected territory must be notified.
    • State Board must review requests within 45 days; if it does not disapprove within that period, the waiver/modification is deemed granted.

Who is affected

  • Students (especially preschool through grade 2), families, district and program administrators, superintendents, early childhood program directors, teachers and staff.
  • School districts, joint agreements, regional offices of education, Head Start agencies.
  • State agencies: State Board of Education (short-term) and Department of Early Childhood (long-term administration of grants).

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Bill advanced through committee with Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 (filed 3/14/2025) and passed/enrolled; legislative record indicates Governor approval (March 2025).
  • Administrative shift for preschool grants becomes effective July 1, 2026; temporary licensing flexibilities run through the 2028–29 school year as specified.

Potential impacts

  • Reduces exclusionary discipline in early childhood and early elementary grades; emphasizes rapid development/implementation of behavioral/safety plans and use of alternative placements rather than long suspensions or expulsion.
  • Increases superintendent-level oversight for longer suspensions.
  • Moves preschool grant administration to a new agency (Department of Early Childhood) and formalizes collaboration/priority rules, which may change grant procedures and funding priorities.
  • Provides districts a structured path to request waivers from certain mandates, with clear public notice and review timelines — potentially enabling local innovation but constrained by non-waivable areas (e.g., licensure, ESSA compliance).

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

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