Bill
HB 3523
HB3523 creates a statewide minimum hourly wage for educational support staff in Illinois schools and public universities, starting at $20/hr in 2026-27 and rising with CPI.
HB3523 – School Employee Minimum Salary (Illinois, 2025)
Overview
HB3523 would establish a new minimum hourly wage floor for a broad set of education-support employees in both K-12 school districts and public institutions of higher education. The bill applies to personnel who provide educational support services, and sets stepped minimums for 2026-2027 through 2028-2029, with automatic CPI-based updates thereafter. The act takes effect immediately upon becoming law.
What the bill does (Key provisions)
- New law additions:
- 105 ILCS 5/24-8.2 (School Code): Creates a minimum hourly wage for “employees” who provide educational support services in a school district.
- 110 ILCS 167/20 (Public Higher Education Act): Creates a minimum hourly wage for “employees” who provide educational support services at public institutions of higher education.
- Minimum hourly rates (by year):
- 2026-2027: $20 per hour
- 2027-2028: $21 per hour
- 2028-2029: $22 per hour
- For subsequent school years, the minimum hourly rate increases annually by the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for all items, as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, for the previous year.
- Definitions:
- School Code: “Employee” includes custodial staff, transportation staff, food service providers, classroom aides/paraprofessionals, administrative staff, and other educational support personnel as described (broadly defined to include classroom assistants and related roles).
- Public Higher Education Act: “Employee” includes custodial staff, transportation staff, food service providers, teaching assistants, administrative staff, and similar roles that provide educational support.
- Effective date: The act takes effect upon becoming law.
Who is affected
- K-12 school districts in Illinois (through the School Code).
- Public institutions of higher education in Illinois (universities and related public higher-ed entities).
- The wage floor applies to hourly paid employees in educational support roles, including custodial, transportation, food service, classroom/teaching support staff, paraprofessionals, administrative staff, and similar positions.
Procedural and timeline notes
- Introduced: February 18, 2025 (HB3523) by Rep. Will Guzzardi.
- Official status: Referred to Rules Committee (as of the provided information).
- Additional legislative actions shown include filing dates and initial actions in March 2025, with the bill moving through committee and session procedures as the legislature advances.
- The bill is a substantive change affecting wage standards; if enacted, it would become law upon the usual legislative process completion and signing into law.
Impact considerations
- Fiscal implications: Establishing minimum hourly wages and CPI-based growth will obligate school districts and public higher education institutions to budget higher labor costs for eligible positions.
- Administrative considerations: Employers would need to track hourly rates and CPI updates, ensuring compliance for all covered employees.
Note: This summary reflects the introduced text and stated provisions; actual enactment, amendments, or revisions in the legislative process could modify these elements.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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