Bill
SB 1605
Creates an Agriculture Education Teacher Grant Program to fund extra-service hours and lets agricultural courses count toward the high school vocational graduation requirement.
Status / Timeline
- Introduced: Feb 24, 2025.
- Passed both chambers with amendments (House concurrence May 31, 2025).
- Sent to Governor: June 27, 2025.
- Governor approved / Effective date: August 15, 2025. (Public Act 104‑0387)
Purpose / Intent
- To (1) clarify and expand support for agriculture education teachers through a targeted grant program and (2) permit agricultural coursework to satisfy an existing high‑school vocational education graduation requirement beginning in the 2025–2026 school year. The measures aim to encourage school districts to offer or restore agriculture programs and to broaden diploma pathways for students.
Key provisions — Agriculture Education Teacher Grant Program (105 ILCS 5/2‑3.80b)
- Defines "personal services cost" as the cost of a teacher providing 60 additional days (expressed as 400 additional hours) outside the teacher’s regular duties for agriculture‑education activities. (House amendment clarifies prorating if a contract is less than 12 months.)
- Establishes an agriculture education teacher grant program administered by the State Board of Education (SBE), subject to appropriation, to help districts pay those personal services costs.
- Grant funding limits:
- Standard: up to 50% of a teacher’s personal services cost (teacher still receives full compensation for the extra days under program rules).
- New programs (districts that have not had an ag program for 10+ years): up to 100% coverage in years 1–2; up to 80% coverage in years 3–4.
- Districts may apply for grants for more than one teacher.
- Requires SBE to create a statewide system for teachers to track additional hours and to adopt any necessary implementing rules.
Key provisions — High School Course Requirement (105 ILCS 5/27‑22)
- Adds that, beginning with pupils entering 9th grade in the 2025–2026 school year, “agricultural education, agricultural business, or any other course that relates to agriculture” may be used to satisfy the one‑year vocational education requirement (subdivision (6)(D)) for high‑school graduation.
- Leaves other graduation requirements intact (language arts, math, lab science, civics, etc.) as structured in the School Code sections.
Who is affected
- High school students: gain additional course options (agriculture courses) that count toward the vocational education graduation requirement.
- School districts and boards: may need to update course catalogs, graduation planning, and offer/expand agriculture programs.
- Agriculture teachers: become eligible for grant support for extended duties; must track additional hours under the SBE system.
- State Board of Education: responsibility for rulemaking, grant administration (subject to appropriation), and establishing the tracking system.
- State budget: grants require legislative appropriation; districts’ participation depends on available funds.
Potential impacts / considerations
- Encourages reinstating or establishing agriculture programs—particularly in rural districts—by subsidizing teacher extended‑service costs for up to four years at enhanced rates for new programs.
- Broadens student pathways to meet vocational requirements and may increase enrollment in ag‑related courses.
- Implementation depends on SBE rulemaking, establishment of the hour‑tracking system, and legislative appropriation of grant funds.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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