With just a little over a month left in Illinois' spring legislative session, lawmakers are racing against the clock to push through critical education reforms. A wide range of bills are moving swiftly — including those targeting cellphone use in classrooms, reshaping how teachers are evaluated, and protecting students with disabilities. However, other proposals, such as regulations for homeschooling and the creation of an artificial intelligence task force, seem to be losing steam.

Meanwhile, lawmakers must also grapple with a looming deadline: passing the state’s 2026 fiscal year budget before the session wraps up on May 31. As of now, a formal budget bill has not yet appeared in the legislature, according to a spokesperson from Governor J.B. Pritzker’s office.

Here’s a closer look at the major education developments in Springfield:

Cellphones Face Lockdown: A New Era for Classroom Discipline

Governor Pritzker made it clear earlier this year — cellphones are a classroom distraction and a cyberbullying tool that needs addressing. In response, Senate Bill 2427 is moving forward. This legislation would require Illinois school boards to craft detailed cellphone policies by the 2026-27 school year. These plans must outline rules to curb usage during instructional time, ensure accessible phone storage options, and offer exemptions for students with medical needs or those covered under Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Section 504 accommodations. The bill is currently being reviewed in the House’s education policy committee.

Stronger Safeguards for Students with Disabilities

Another bill, House Bill 2337, seeks to strengthen protections for students with disabilities during mediation with school districts. Often, districts pressure families into signing sweeping waivers that limit their rights for up to a decade. The new proposal would restrict waivers to the specific issues raised in the initial complaint, apply only to the child involved, and ensure waivers are time-limited. After passing the House, the bill is now under consideration in the Senate.

Rethinking Teacher Evaluations: Goodbye to Mandatory Test Scores

Student test scores have long been tied to teacher evaluations, a practice encouraged during the Obama administration. However, Illinois lawmakers are ready to part ways with that model. Senate Bill 28 — which passed an education committee this week — would allow districts to decide for themselves whether to include standardized test scores in teacher performance reviews.

Aligning Literacy Training with New Standards

As Illinois rolls out its new comprehensive literacy plan, House Bill 1368 aims to ensure that any professional development companies offering literacy training must align with state guidelines. The bill is progressing through the Senate’s education committee and reflects a broader effort to improve reading outcomes across the state.

Extending Early Intervention to NICU Families

House Bill 3772 could expand access to Illinois’ Early Intervention program by informing parents of NICU babies about support services before discharge. Funding shortfalls have long plagued the program, but lawmakers hope early outreach will help struggling families access therapies sooner. The bill awaits further action in the Senate’s child welfare committee.

Big Ideas Stuck in Neutral

Not every education proposal is moving forward. Efforts to require parental notification for homeschooling families (House Bill 2827) faced heavy resistance and have stalled, despite support from the Illinois State Board of Education.

Similarly, proposals to create a statewide task force on artificial intelligence (House Bill 2503 and Senate Bill 1556) have also failed to gain momentum. Teachers are calling for clear AI guidelines, but the legislature has yet to act.

Another stalled effort: House Bill 2951, which would have pushed high school start times to no earlier than 8:45 a.m., has been stuck in committee since students testified in its favor in March.

Budget Battles Ahead: Federal Funding on the Line

Beyond legislation, the fiscal picture for Illinois schools remains murky.
 Federal threats under the Trump administration could jeopardize critical education funding — particularly around diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. Although recent court injunctions have temporarily blocked such efforts, the risks are real.

Early childhood education faces particular danger. Reports suggest Trump’s upcoming budget could eliminate Head Start, a vital program for low-income families. The recent closure of a key Midwest child care support office in Chicago has only heightened concerns.

Governor Pritzker’s proposed budget aims to inject $350 million into K-12 schools, $10 million into Early Intervention programs, and $85 million into the Child Care Assistance Program. However, it’s unclear how much of that plan will survive if federal funds are slashed or frozen.

Illinois’s education system stands at a crossroads. As some reforms speed ahead and others falter, and with budget uncertainty clouding the road ahead, what happens in the next month could shape classrooms — and students’ futures — for years to come.

 

Meanwhile, lawmakers must also grapple with a looming deadline: passing the state’s 2026 fiscal year budget before the session wraps up on May 31. As of now, a formal budget bill has not yet appeared in the legislature, according to a spokesperson from Governor J.B. Pritzker’s office.

Here’s a closer look at the major education developments in Springfield:

Cellphones Face Lockdown: A New Era for Classroom Discipline

Governor Pritzker made it clear earlier this year — cellphones are a classroom distraction and a cyberbullying tool that needs addressing. In response, Senate Bill 2427 is moving forward. This legislation would require Illinois school boards to craft detailed cellphone policies by the 2026-27 school year. These plans must outline rules to curb usage during instructional time, ensure accessible phone storage options, and offer exemptions for students with medical needs or those covered under Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Section 504 accommodations. The bill is currently being reviewed in the House’s education policy committee.

Stronger Safeguards for Students with Disabilities

Another bill, House Bill 2337, seeks to strengthen protections for students with disabilities during mediation with school districts. Often, districts pressure families into signing sweeping waivers that limit their rights for up to a decade. The new proposal would restrict waivers to the specific issues raised in the initial complaint, apply only to the child involved, and ensure waivers are time-limited. After passing the House, the bill is now under consideration in the Senate.

Rethinking Teacher Evaluations: Goodbye to Mandatory Test Scores

Student test scores have long been tied to teacher evaluations, a practice encouraged during the Obama administration. However, Illinois lawmakers are ready to part ways with that model. Senate Bill 28 — which passed an education committee this week — would allow districts to decide for themselves whether to include standardized test scores in teacher performance reviews.

Aligning Literacy Training with New Standards

As Illinois rolls out its new comprehensive literacy plan, House Bill 1368 aims to ensure that any professional development companies offering literacy training must align with state guidelines. The bill is progressing through the Senate’s education committee and reflects a broader effort to improve reading outcomes across the state.

Extending Early Intervention to NICU Families

House Bill 3772 could expand access to Illinois’ Early Intervention program by informing parents of NICU babies about support services before discharge. Funding shortfalls have long plagued the program, but lawmakers hope early outreach will help struggling families access therapies sooner. The bill awaits further action in the Senate’s child welfare committee.

Big Ideas Stuck in Neutral

Not every education proposal is moving forward. Efforts to require parental notification for homeschooling families (House Bill 2827) faced heavy resistance and have stalled, despite support from the Illinois State Board of Education.

Similarly, proposals to create a statewide task force on artificial intelligence (House Bill 2503 and Senate Bill 1556) have also failed to gain momentum. Teachers are calling for clear AI guidelines, but the legislature has yet to act.

Another stalled effort: House Bill 2951, which would have pushed high school start times to no earlier than 8:45 a.m., has been stuck in committee since students testified in its favor in March.

Budget Battles Ahead: Federal Funding on the Line

Beyond legislation, the fiscal picture for Illinois schools remains murky.
 Federal threats under the Trump administration could jeopardize critical education funding — particularly around diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. Although recent court injunctions have temporarily blocked such efforts, the risks are real.

Early childhood education faces particular danger. Reports suggest Trump’s upcoming budget could eliminate Head Start, a vital program for low-income families. The recent closure of a key Midwest child care support office in Chicago has only heightened concerns.

Governor Pritzker’s proposed budget aims to inject $350 million into K-12 schools, $10 million into Early Intervention programs, and $85 million into the Child Care Assistance Program. However, it’s unclear how much of that plan will survive if federal funds are slashed or frozen.

Illinois’s education system stands at a crossroads. As some reforms speed ahead and others falter, and with budget uncertainty clouding the road ahead, what happens in the next month could shape classrooms — and students’ futures — for years to come.