Illinois Code § 10-16a

§ 10-16a.

School board member's training. (a) This Section applies to all school board members serving pursuant to Section 10-10 of this Code. (a-5) In this Section, "trauma" has the meaning ascribed to that term in subsection (b) of Section 3-11 of this Code. (b) Every voting member of a school board of a school district, within the first year of his or her first term, shall complete a minimum of 4 hours of professional development and leadership training covering topics in education and labor law, financial oversight and accountability, fiduciary responsibilities of a school board member, trauma-informed practices for students and staff, and improving student outcomes. The school district shall maintain on its Internet website, if any, the names of all voting members of the school board who have successfully completed the training. (b-5) The training regarding trauma-informed practices for students and staff required by this Section must include information that is relevant to and within the scope of the duties of a school board member. Such information may include, but is not limited to: (1) the recognition of and care for trauma in students and staff; (2) the relationship between staff wellness and student learning; (3) the effect of trauma on student behavior and learning; (4) the prevalence of trauma among students, including the prevalence of trauma among student populations at higher risk of experiencing trauma; (5) the effects of implicit or explicit bias on recognizing trauma among various student groups in connection with race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and other relevant factors; and (6) effective district and school practices that are shown to: (A) prevent and mitigate the negative effect of trauma on student behavior and learning; and (B) support the emotional wellness of staff. (b-10) The training regarding improving student outcomes required by this Section must include information that is relevant to and within the scope of the duties of a school board member. (c) The training on financial oversight, accountability, fiduciary responsibilities, trauma-informed practices for students and staff, and improving student outcomes shall be provided by a statewide association established under this Code for the purpose of training school board members or by other qualified providers approved by the State Board of Education, in consultation with an association so established. (d) The State Board of Education may adopt rules that are necessary for the administration of the provisions of this Section. (Source: P.A. 103-413, eff. 1-1-24; 103-771, eff. 6-1-25; 104-417, eff. 8-15-25.)