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School board authority in Illinois

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Illinois state law makes school boards responsible for governing and managing public school districts in the state. This article details the powers and duties Illinois law grants to school boards for governing school districts and the constraints on that authority with regard to certain topics.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Illinois state law requires 22 specific curricular topics to be included in each school board's curriculum.
  • Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) signed a law on June 12, 2023, prohibiting the removal of books from schools for certain reasons.
  • State law requires school boards to develop policies to implement school choice within their district.
  • Illinois is one of 36 states that grant school boards at least some authority over whether charter schools are issued in their district.
  • Illinois is one of 24 states that does not have a statewide Parents' Bill of Rights.

    • Types of legal and contractual constraints on school board authority

    See also: Local school board authority across the 50 states

    This page presents the results from Ballotpedia research on school board authority and constraints on that authority in all 50 states as of 2024. School board authority comes from state constitutions and state statutes and can be interpreted or specified by state regulations or court decisions. In addition to authority over district budgets, the selection of a superintendent, and administrative responsibilities, school boards have varying levels of authority over district policy on other topics depending on the state and district.

    There are several sources of legal and contractual constraints on school board policy-making authority which also vary by state or by district.

    • State laws commonly restrict or mandate school board policies on certain topics.
      • Parents' Bills of Rights, which at least 26 states have in statute to some degree, limit the policies school boards are allowed to pass.
    • State rules, guidance, and funding incentives can constrain, mandate, or influence school board policies. These include regulation from state education commissions and superintendents, executive orders from governors, or grant conditions.
    • Federal and state court rulings can dictate whether or not school district policies are compatible with state law or federal law.
    • The federal government, largely through its Department of Education, can promulgate regulations or guidance that influence district policy or make funding contingent on certain policies.
    • Collective bargaining agreements between school districts and teacher unions can create contractual constraints on the policies school boards can pass.
    • State school board associations can influence school board policy or, in some cases. enter into contracts with school boards that can limit school board policy.

    This page features the following sections:

    School board authority over district policy in Illinois

    Enabling or authorizing statute for the boards of school districts in Illinois

    See also: Enabling statute

    Illinois Statute 105 ILCS 5/10-1, creates school district boards and gives them authority to operate according to state law:[1]

    “

    (a) School districts having a population of fewer than 1000 inhabitants and not governed by any special act shall be governed by a board of school directors to consist of 3 members who shall be elected in the manner provided in Article 9 of this Act. In consolidated districts and in districts in which the membership of the board of school directors is increased as provided in subsection (b), 7 members shall be so elected.

    (b) Upon presentment to the board of school directors of a school district having a population of fewer than 1,000 inhabitants of a petition signed by the lesser of 5% or 25 of the registered voters of the district to increase the membership of the district's board of school directors to 7 directors and to elect a new 7-member board of school directors to replace the district's existing board of 3 school directors, the clerk or secretary of the board of school directors shall certify the proposition to the proper election authorities for submission to the electors of the district at a regular scheduled election in accordance with the general election law. If the proposition is approved by a majority of those voting on the proposition, the members of the board of school directors of that district thereafter shall be elected in the manner provided by subsection (c) of Section 10-4.

    (c) A board of school directors may appoint a student to the board to serve in an advisory capacity. The student member shall serve for a term as determined by the board. The board may not grant the student member any voting privileges, but shall consider the student member as an advisor. The student member may not participate in or attend any executive session of the board.[2]

    		”

    Illinois school boards' powers and duties

    Illinois public school boards of directors are given broad authority to administer the public schools in the state. Illinois Statute 105 ILCS 5/10-20 lists some specific powers enumerated to the school board, but the list is not exhaustive. In addition to budget-related and fiscal duties, school property and facilities management, and administrative responsibilities, some of the specific powers and duties include

    • adopting and enforcing rules to manage schools
    • directing the branches of study to be taught.[1]
    “

    The school board has the powers enumerated in the Sections of this Article following this Section. This enumeration of powers is not exclusive, but the board may exercise all other powers not inconsistent with this Act that may be requisite or proper for the maintenance, operation, and development of any school or schools under the jurisdiction of the board. This grant of powers does not release a school board from any duty imposed upon it by this Act or any other law. [2]

    		”

    Constraints on Illinois school boards' authority

    This section tracks constraints on school boards specific to Illinois as of September 2024. It features constraints on school boards' authority from state law, collective bargaining agreements, and Parents' Bills of Rights.

    Constraint on Illinois school boards' authority by topic

    This section features constraints on school boards authority on policies related to the following topics:

    Curriculum requirements

    Illinois requires the following specific topics to be included in each districts curriculum:[3]

    • American patriotism and the principles of government
    • A Congressional Medal of Honor film for grade 7 and high school United States' history courses
    • Civics education for grades 6-8
    • Physical education
    • Personal health and sexual health education
    • Consent education
    • Character education including teaching students about "respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, trustworthiness, and citizenship"
    • Consumer education including financial literacy for grades 9-12
    • Instruction on "current problems and needs in the conservation of natural resources, including but not limited to air pollution, water pollution, waste reduction and recycling, the effects of excessive use of pesticides, preservation of wilderness areas, forest management, protection of wildlife and humane care of domestic animals."
    • Instruction on climate change[4]
    • Instruction on the dangers and avoidance of abduction and drugs for kindergarten through grade 8
    • Instruction on the dangers of fentanyl for grades 9-12
    • Internet safety
    • Safety education including, but not limited to automobile safety and CPR
    • Native American history
    • Media literacy
    • Instruction on the Holocaust and genocide
    • Black history
    • Women's history
    • Cursive writing
    • Asian American history
    • United States history

    Curriculum restrictions

    Ballotpedia could not identify any curricular content prohibited by state statutes, regulations, case law, or collective bargaining agreements.

    Federal law and guidance

    Book bans, removals, and restrictions

    Illinois school boards have the authority to remove books from school libraries. However, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) signed a law on June 12, 2023, holding that books should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. The law went into effect on January 1, 2024, and, in part, "prohibit[s] the practice of banning specific books or resources" from libraries.[6][7]

    Two school districts in Illinois reportedly banned books between 2023-2024, according to PEN America. Yorkville Community Unit School District 115 banned Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson in August 2023 and Orion CUSD 223 banned Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel in May 2024. In both instances, the book was banned from being used in the English curriculum for a high school course. The Yorkville Community Unit School District said in a statement that Just Mercy "may no longer be used as an anchor text to teach the English II unit, but the text will remain available to interested students in the library."[8][9][10]

    Case law:
    The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed local school boards' authority to remove school books in Island Trees Sch. Dist. v. Pico by Pico in 1982 but held that school library books are distinct from curricular books, which school boards have more authority to regulate. The ruling held that school boards are charged with inculcating community values and may make curricular decisions accordingly. In Zykan v. Warsaw Community School Corp. in 1980, the Supreme Court held that school boards had discretionary power over curriculum, textbooks, and other educational matters but could not impose religious creeds or "permanently the student’s ability to investigate matters that arise in the natural course of intellectual inquiry,” according to the opinion.[11][12][13]

    Federal guidance


    Parental notification

    Ballotpedia could not identify any parental notification requirements in Illinois statutes, regulations, case law, or collective bargaining agreements.

    Case law: The United States Supreme Court ruled in Mahmoud v. Taylor on June 27, 2025, that Montgomery County Board of Education's introduction of LGBTQ+ related storybooks, along with its decision to withhold opt outs, placed an unconstitutional burden on the parents’ rights to the free exercise of their religion.[15]

    Discipline

    See also: How does Illinois compare to other states on school board authority over disciplinary policy?

    Illinois is one of 47 states that gives school boards authority over district disciplinary policy.

    The text of Illinois Statute 105 ILCS 5/10-20.14 is as follows:[16]

    “

    (a) To establish and maintain a parent-teacher advisory committee to develop with the school board or governing body of a charter school policy guidelines on pupil discipline, including school searches and bullying prevention as set forth in Section 27-23.7 of this Code. School authorities shall furnish a copy of the policy to the parents or guardian of each pupil within 15 days after the beginning of the school year, or within 15 days after starting classes for a pupil who transfers into the district during the school year, and the school board or governing body of a charter school shall require that a school inform its pupils of the contents of the policy. School boards and the governing bodies of charter schools, along with the parent-teacher advisory committee, must annually review their pupil discipline policies, the implementation of those policies, and any other factors related to the safety of their schools, pupils, and staff.

    (a-5) On or before September 15, 2016, each elementary and secondary school and charter school shall, at a minimum, adopt pupil discipline policies that fulfill the requirements set forth in this Section, subsections (a) and (b) of Section 10-22.6 of this Code, Section 34-19 of this Code if applicable, and federal and State laws that provide special requirements for the discipline of students with disabilities. [2]

    		”
    Federal guidance

    School board elections

    See also: Rules governing school board election dates and timing in Illinois, How does Illinois compare to other states on school board authority over election timing?

    Illinois is one of 42 states in which school boards do not have authority over the timing of school board elections because state or municipal laws determine school board election dates.

    Click here to read about the laws governing school board elections in Illinois.

    Public school choice and open enrollment

    See also: School choice in Illinois

    Illinois state law requires school boards to develop policies to implement school choice within their district. State law does not permit open enrollment between districts:[1]

    “

    (a) Each school board shall establish and implement a policy governing the transfer of a student from one attendance center to another within the school district upon the request of the student's parent or guardian. A student may not transfer to any of the following attendance centers, except by change in residence if the policy authorizes enrollment based on residence in an attendance area or unless approved by the board on an individual basis:

    (1) An attendance center that exceeds or as a result of the transfer would exceed its attendance capacity.
    (2) An attendance center for which the board has established academic criteria for enrollment if the student does not meet the criteria.
    (3) Any attendance center if the transfer would prevent the school district from meeting its obligations under a State or federal law, court order, or consent decree applicable to the school district.

    (b) Each school board shall establish and implement a policy governing the transfer of students within a school district from a persistently dangerous school to another public school in that district that is not deemed to be persistently dangerous. In order to be considered a persistently dangerous school, the school must meet all of the following criteria for 2 consecutive years:

    (1) Have greater than 3% of the students enrolled in the school expelled for violence-related conduct.
    (2) Have one or more students expelled for bringing a firearm to school as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921.
    (3) Have at least 3% of the students enrolled in the school exercise the individual option to transfer schools pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section.

    (c) A student may transfer from one public school to another public school in that district if the student is a victim of a violent crime as defined in Section 3 of the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act. The violent crime must have occurred on school grounds during regular school hours or during a school-sponsored event. [2]

    		”

    Charter schools

    See also: Charter schools in Illinois, How does Illinois compare to other states on school board authority over charter schools?

    Illinois is one of 36 states that grant school boards at least some authority over whether charter schools are issued in their district.

    Proposals to establish new charter schools must be submitted to the local school board and the state board of education for approval:[18]

    “

    (a) A proposal to establish a charter school shall be submitted to the local school board and the State Board for certification under Section 27A-6 of this Code in the form of a proposed contract entered into between the local school board and the governing body of a proposed charter school. The charter school proposal shall include:

    (1) The name of the proposed charter school, which must include the words "Charter School".
    (2) The age or grade range, areas of focus, minimum and maximum numbers of pupils to be enrolled in the charter school, and any other admission criteria that would be legal if used by a school district.
    (3) A description of and address for the physical plant in which the charter school will be located; provided that nothing in the Article shall be deemed to justify delaying or withholding favorable action on or approval of a charter school proposal because the building or buildings in which the charter school is to be located have not been acquired or rented at the time a charter school proposal is submitted or approved or a charter school contract is entered into or submitted for certification or certified, so long as the proposal or submission identifies and names at least 2 sites that are potentially available as a charter school facility by the time the charter school is to open.
    (4) The mission statement of the charter school, which must be consistent with the General Assembly's declared purposes; provided that nothing in this Article shall be construed to require that, in order to receive favorable consideration and approval, a charter school proposal demonstrate unequivocally that the charter school will be able to meet each of those declared purposes, it being the intention of the Charter Schools Law that those purposes be recognized as goals that charter schools must aspire to attain.
    (5) The goals, objectives, and pupil performance standards to be achieved by the charter school.
    (6) In the case of a proposal to establish a charter school by converting an existing public school or attendance center to charter school status, evidence that the proposed formation of the charter school has received the approval of certified teachers, parents and guardians, and, if applicable, a local school council as provided in subsection (b) of Section 27A-8.
    (7) A description of the charter school's educational program, pupil performance standards, curriculum, school year, school days, and hours of operation.
    (8) A description of the charter school's plan for evaluating pupil performance, the types of assessments that will be used to measure pupil progress towards achievement of the school's pupil performance standards, the timeline for achievement of those standards, and the procedures for taking corrective action in the event that pupil performance at the charter school falls below those standards.
    (9) Evidence that the terms of the charter as proposed are economically sound for both the charter school and the school district, a proposed budget for the term of the charter, a description of the manner in which an annual audit of the financial and administrative operations of the charter school, including any services provided by the school district, are to be conducted, and a plan for the displacement of pupils, teachers, and other employees who will not attend or be employed in the charter school.
    (10) A description of the governance and operation of the charter school, including the nature and extent of parental, professional educator, and community involvement in the governance and operation of the charter school.
    (11) An explanation of the relationship that will exist between the charter school and its employees, including evidence that the terms and conditions of employment have been addressed with affected employees and their recognized representative, if any. However, a bargaining unit of charter school employees shall be separate and distinct from any bargaining units formed from employees of a school district in which the charter school is located.
    (12) An agreement between the parties regarding their respective legal liability and applicable insurance coverage.
    (13) A description of how the charter school plans to meet the transportation needs of its pupils, and a plan for addressing the transportation needs of low-income and at-risk pupils.
    (14) The proposed effective date and term of the charter; provided that the first day of the first academic year shall be no earlier than August 15 and no later than September 15 of a calendar year, and the first day of the fiscal year shall be July 1.
    (14.5) Disclosure of any known active civil or criminal investigation by a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency into an organization submitting the charter school proposal or a criminal investigation by a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency into any member of the governing body of that organization. For the purposes of this subdivision (14.5), a known investigation means a request for an interview by a law enforcement agency, a subpoena, an arrest, or an indictment. Such disclosure is required for a period from the initial application submission through 10 business days prior to the authorizer's scheduled decision date.
    (15) Any other information reasonably required by the State Board.

    (b) A proposal to establish a charter school may be initiated by individuals or organizations that will have majority representation on the board of directors or other governing body of the corporation or other discrete legal entity that is to be established to operate the proposed charter school, by a board of education or an intergovernmental agreement between or among boards of education, or by the board of directors or other governing body of a discrete legal entity already existing or established to operate the proposed charter school. The individuals or organizations referred to in this subsection may be school teachers, school administrators, local school councils, colleges or universities or their faculty members, public community colleges or their instructors or other representatives, corporations, or other entities or their representatives. The proposal shall be submitted to the local school board for consideration and, if appropriate, for development of a proposed contract to be submitted to the State Board for certification under Section 27A-6.

    (c) The local school board may not without the consent of the governing body of the charter school condition its approval of a charter school proposal on acceptance of an agreement to operate under State laws and regulations and local school board policies from which the charter school is otherwise exempted under this Article. [2]

    		”

    Cellphone bans

    See also: How does Illinois compare to other states on cellphone laws?

    Illinois is one of 15 states that do not have statewide laws or policies regarding cellphone use in K-12 classrooms. Despite there not being a statewide policy, some local school boards in the state, such as Hinckley-Big Rock School District, have voted to ban cellphones.[19]

    Collective bargaining agreements

    Teacher union collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) can constrain school board authority. Teacher CBAs are agreements between a school district and a teachers’ union to establish rights and other contract details for public school employees. CBAs do not have the force of law, but are contractually binding for a set period of time. Within the time set out in the agreement, the school board must comply with the stipulations that were agreed to in the contract. In this way, CBAs can constrain school board authority by giving teachers authority over curriculum, prohibiting school boards from banning books, and establishing certain student or parental rights. They can also determine rights and protections for educators, and conditions for students (such as required recess periods or the amount of standardized testing), among other provisions.

    CBAs vary greatly within and across states in size, topics covered, and constraints they put on school boards. Not all states allow teachers to bargain collectively. As of January 2022, 35 states and the District of Columbia guaranteed K-12 teachers some right to bargain collectively, and six states prohibited public-sector employee collective bargaining by law, which includes public school teachers. The other nine states have no statewide bargaining framework, but local jurisdictions within these states can grant bargaining rights if they choose.[20][21]

    Illinois school boards are not required to engage in collective bargaining agreements with school employees over matters of managerial policy, however, they are required to engage in collective bargaining over matters of wages and conditions of employment:[22]

    “

    Employers shall not be required to bargain over matters of inherent managerial policy, which shall include such areas of discretion or policy as the functions of the employer, standards of services, its overall budget, the organizational structure and selection of new employees and direction of employees. Employers, however, shall be required to bargain collectively with regard to policy matters directly affecting wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment as well as the impact thereon upon request by employee representatives. To preserve the rights of employers and exclusive representatives which have established collective bargaining relationships or negotiated collective bargaining agreements prior to the effective date of this Act, employers shall be required to bargain collectively with regard to any matter concerning wages, hours or conditions of employment about which they have bargained for and agreed to in a collective bargaining agreement prior to the effective date of this Act. [2]

    		”

    Illinois school boards, though not required, can engage in collective bargaining agreements with school employees, which can constrain their authority over certain district policies. For example, though school boards in Illinois have statutory authority to establish disciplinary policies, the collective bargaining agreement between the Board of Education of the city of Chicago and the Chicago Teachers Union Local 1 grants some disciplinary discretion to teachers and principals:[23]

    “

    30-1.1. Request for Exclusion from Class. A teacher, upon written notice to the principal or the principal’s designee, and upon receipt of written instruction of where the student is to be sent, which the principal or the principal’s designee shall send immediately, may exclude from class a student who seriously disrupts the orderly educational process as defined by the Student Code of Conduct.

    30-1.2. Completion of Uniform Student Discipline Referral Form or Alternative Platform for Referring Students. Whenever a student is excluded from class, the teacher will confer with the principal, or the principal’s designee, to provide the necessary information concerning the student and shall provide a complete written statement of the problem within twenty-four hours, which shall be via the uniform student discipline referral form or alternative platform for referring students. Said written statement via the discipline referral form or alternative platform for referring students shall include a summary of any informational background or prior action taken by the teacher relative to the student’s behavioral problems.

    30-1.3. Reinstatement of Student. The principal or the principal’s designee will only reinstate the student after a conference on classroom conduct and school rules which will be held on non-instructional time and must include the teacher. [2]

    		”

    Parents' Bill of Rights

    See also: How does Illinois compare to other states on Parents' Bills of Rights?

    Illinois is one of 24 states that does not have a statewide Parents' Bill of Rights.


    How does Illinois compare to other states?

    This section compares Illinois school board authority and constraints with those of other states on select topics. These topics include authority over discipline policy, school board election timing, charter schools, cellphone use policy, as well as constraints on school boards' authority from Parents' Bills of Rights.

    Book bans, removals, and restrictions

    Twenty-two (22) states have no laws regulating the curation of school library books. Twenty-eight (28) states, however, have passed laws restricting school board authority over school library book curation. These laws typically fall into one of the following categories:

    • Twelve states require school boards to develop a policy for the removal of books, including creating a way for the public to challenge school library books.
    • Ten states prohibit school boards from removing books on the grounds that they represent specific ideologies or perspectives.
    • Six states prohibit books if they contain specific material, including sexual content or anything deemed harmful to minors.
    • Five states require school boards to establish local boards to review challenges to library books.
    • Two states require school boards to allow parents to view a catalogue of books.

    Some states have adopted multiple types of these policies.

    Discipline

    • School boards in 47 states have authority over disciplinary policy in their district.
    • School boards in two states have authority over disciplinary policy for specific circumstances, such as suspension, expulsion, or bullying.
    • Individual schools in one state create their own disciplinary policy.

    School board elections

    School boards' authority over the timing of school board elections varies by state.

    • School boards in 42 states do not have authority over election timing;
    • School boards in five states can choose from limited options when to hold school board elections;
    • School boards in two states can choose from a date range when to hold school board elections;
    • The school board in Hawaii is not elected.

    The map below shows the types of authority school boards in the states have to determine the timing of school board elections.

    Charter schools

    See also: Charter schools in the United States

    Some school boards in the U.S. are authorized to approve or deny applications for charter schools in their district, while state boards of education hold the authority in other states. In some states, school boards can authorize charter schools, but there are other entities besides school boards that can also authorize charter schools or to which a school board decision can be appealed.

    • 10 states do not authorize school boards to make decisions on whether to approve new charter schools in their districts.
    • 36 states do authorize school boards to approve new charter schools in their districts, deny approval to new charter schools, or both.
    • 3 states do not have laws governing charter school authorization.
    • 1 state allows school districts to apply to the state board of education to be a charter school district.

    State cellphone laws

    See also: State policies on cellphone use in K-12 public schools

    In most states, school boards or superintendents often set policies on cellphones in public schools. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), around 76% of schools said they banned the non-academic use of cellphones or smartphones during school hours during the 2021-22 school year, down from 91% in 2010.[24]

    Beginning with Florida in 2023, some states enacted laws or policies to regulate student cellphone usage in public schools. Twenty-six (26) states had statewide laws or policies restricting cellphone use in K-12 classrooms or schools as of June 2025. Four states had requirements for all school district boards to adopt a policy on cellphones but without specific requirements for those policies. Five other states had policies encouraging school districts to establish restrictions on cellphone use in the classroom.


    Parents' Bill of Rights

    See also: Parents' Bill of Rights in education

    If state law explicitly provides certain rights to parents, it can constrain the policy-making authority of school boards. These sections of statute are often referred to within statute and are categorized here as Parents' Bills of Rights. In some states, they are education-specific, regarding the rights a parent has to be involved in their child's public education. Common examples include notification requirements, opt-out rights, and records access. Other Parents' Bills of Rights are more general, commonly affording parents a right to direct the upbringing of their child.

    • 26 states have enacted a statewide Parents' Bill of Rights
    • 24 states have not enacted a Parents' Bill of Rights.

    Noteworthy events

    See also: Overview of trends in K-12 curricula development
    • Illinois bill mandating climate change curriculum passes both chambers (2024): Illinois HB 4895, which proposed requiring climate change education, passed the Illinois Senate on May 23, 2024, after it passed the Illinois House of Representatives in April 2024. The bill proposed requiring Illinois schools to provide instruction “identifying the environmental and ecological impacts of climate change on individuals and communities, and evaluating solutions for addressing and mitigating the impact of climate change” starting in the 2026-2027 school year, according to the text of the bill.[25]
    • Coalition of attorneys general files amicus brief in support of incorporating LGBTQ+ books in curriculum (2023): A coalition of 19 attorneys general filed an amicus brief on October 31, 2023, in support of Maryland's Montgomery County Board of Education’s policy to allow LGBTQ+ books to be incorporated into the curriculum. Montgomery County Public Schools faced legal challenges from a group of parents after implementing a policy in the 2022-2023 school year to incorporate LGBTQ+ books into their curriculum. The coalition included attorneys general from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.[26]

    See also

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Justia, "2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes Chapter 105 - SCHOOLS 105 ILCS 5/ - School Code. Article 10 - School Boards," accessed November 7, 2024
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    3. ↑ Justia, "2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes Chapter 105 - SCHOOLS 105 ILCS 5/ - School Code. Article 27 - Courses of Study--Special Instruction," accessed November 7, 2024
    4. ↑ LegiScan, "Illinois House Bill 4895," accessed November 8, 2024
    5. ↑ The White House, "Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling," accessed March 14, 2025
    6. ↑ Justia, "2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes Chapter 75 - LIBRARIES 75 ILCS 10/ - Illinois Library System Act," accessed November 7, 2024
    7. ↑ Illinois.gov, "Gov. Pritzker Signs Bill Making Illinois First State in the Nation to Outlaw Book Bans," June 12, 2023
    8. ↑ PEN America, "PEN America Index Of School Book Bans - 2023-2024," accessed November 22, 2024
    9. ↑ Patch, "Yorkville D115 Board Being Investigated Over Book Ban, Alleged Open Meetings Act Violation," October 10, 2023
    10. ↑ QC Times, "Orion School Board hears complaints of book being removed from curriculum," May 20, 2024
    11. ↑ Education Law Center, Pennsylvania, "Challenging book bans: What can you do," September 18, 2024
    12. ↑ Law.Justia.com, "Island Trees Sch. Dist. v. Pico by Pico, 457 U.S. 853 (1982)," September 18, 2024
    13. ↑ Law.Justia.com, "Zykan v. Warsaw Community School Corp., 631 F.2d 1300 (7th Cir. 1980)," October 11, 2024
    14. ↑ U.S. Department of Education, "U.S. Department of Education Ends Biden’s Book Ban Hoax," accessed January 28, 2025
    15. ↑ The United States Supreme Court, "Mahmoud et al. v. Taylor et al." Accessed July 7, 2025
    16. ↑ Justia, "2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes Chapter 105 - SCHOOLS 105 ILCS 5/ - School Code. Article 10 - School Boards," accessed November 7, 2024
    17. ↑ The White House, "Reinstating Common Sense School Discipline Policies," April 30, 2025
    18. ↑ Justia, "2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes Chapter 105 - SCHOOLS 105 ILCS 5/ - School Code. Article 27A - Charter Schools," accessed November 8, 2024
    19. ↑ Northern Public Radio, "Hinckley-Big Rock among Illinois school districts banning smartphones in classrooms," July 29, 2024
    20. ↑ National Education Association, "Collective Bargaining: What it is and How it Works", accessed October 3, 2024.
    21. ↑ National Education Association, "The Benefits of Collective Bargaining in Education", accessed October 3, 2024
    22. ↑ Justia, "2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes Chapter 115 - EDUCATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS 115 ILCS 5/ - Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act." accessed November 8, 2024
    23. ↑ Chicago Public Schools, "Agreement between The Board of Education of the City of Chicago and Chicago Teachers Union Local 1, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO," accessed November 22, 2024
    24. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Percentage of public schools with various safety and security measures: Selected school years, 1999-2000 through 2021-22," accessed August 8, 2024
    25. ↑ Legiscan, “Illinois House Bill 4895,” June 13, 2024
    26. ↑ Rob Bonta Attorney General, "Attorney General Bonta Joins Multistate Coalition in Effort to Support Curriculum Inclusivity for Transgender Students," October 31, 2023
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