103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB5275 Introduced , by Rep. Suzanne M. Ness SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 10/2 from Ch. 122, par. 50-2105 ILCS 10/5 from Ch. 122, par. 50-5 Amends the Illinois School Student Records Act. Provides that the term "Student Permanent Record" may include reports of psychological evaluations, including information on intelligence and personality, academic information obtained through test administration, observation, or interviews, elementary and secondary achievement-level test results, special education records, and records associated with a plan developed under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. With respect to the term "Student Permanent Record", removes intelligence test scores, aptitude test scores, psychological and personality test results, teacher evaluations, and other information of clear relevance to the education of a student from the information allowed to be included. Provides that if consent is provided by a student or the student's parent or guardian, then a copy of the student's school student records shall be provided at no cost to the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, an independent service coordination agency, or Equip for Equality to establish access to adult disability services and related benefits. LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB5275 Introduced , by Rep. Suzanne M. Ness SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 10/2 from Ch. 122, par. 50-2105 ILCS 10/5 from Ch. 122, par. 50-5 105 ILCS 10/2 from Ch. 122, par. 50-2 105 ILCS 10/5 from Ch. 122, par. 50-5 Amends the Illinois School Student Records Act. Provides that the term "Student Permanent Record" may include reports of psychological evaluations, including information on intelligence and personality, academic information obtained through test administration, observation, or interviews, elementary and secondary achievement-level test results, special education records, and records associated with a plan developed under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. With respect to the term "Student Permanent Record", removes intelligence test scores, aptitude test scores, psychological and personality test results, teacher evaluations, and other information of clear relevance to the education of a student from the information allowed to be included. Provides that if consent is provided by a student or the student's parent or guardian, then a copy of the student's school student records shall be provided at no cost to the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, an independent service coordination agency, or Equip for Equality to establish access to adult disability services and related benefits. LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB5275 Introduced , by Rep. Suzanne M. Ness SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 10/2 from Ch. 122, par. 50-2105 ILCS 10/5 from Ch. 122, par. 50-5 105 ILCS 10/2 from Ch. 122, par. 50-2 105 ILCS 10/5 from Ch. 122, par. 50-5 105 ILCS 10/2 from Ch. 122, par. 50-2 105 ILCS 10/5 from Ch. 122, par. 50-5 Amends the Illinois School Student Records Act. Provides that the term "Student Permanent Record" may include reports of psychological evaluations, including information on intelligence and personality, academic information obtained through test administration, observation, or interviews, elementary and secondary achievement-level test results, special education records, and records associated with a plan developed under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. With respect to the term "Student Permanent Record", removes intelligence test scores, aptitude test scores, psychological and personality test results, teacher evaluations, and other information of clear relevance to the education of a student from the information allowed to be included. Provides that if consent is provided by a student or the student's parent or guardian, then a copy of the student's school student records shall be provided at no cost to the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, an independent service coordination agency, or Equip for Equality to establish access to adult disability services and related benefits. LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY A BILL FOR HB5275LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b 1 AN ACT concerning education. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The Illinois School Student Records Act is 5 amended by changing Sections 2 and 5 as follows: 6 (105 ILCS 10/2) (from Ch. 122, par. 50-2) 7 (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 102-466) 8 Sec. 2. As used in this Act: 9 (a) "Student" means any person enrolled or previously 10 enrolled in a school. 11 (b) "School" means any public preschool, day care center, 12 kindergarten, nursery, elementary or secondary educational 13 institution, vocational school, special educational facility 14 or any other elementary or secondary educational agency or 15 institution and any person, agency or institution which 16 maintains school student records from more than one school, 17 but does not include a private or non-public school. 18 (c) "State Board" means the State Board of Education. 19 (d) "School Student Record" means any writing or other 20 recorded information concerning a student and by which a 21 student may be individually identified, maintained by a school 22 or at its direction or by an employee of a school, regardless 23 of how or where the information is stored. The following shall 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB5275 Introduced , by Rep. Suzanne M. Ness SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 10/2 from Ch. 122, par. 50-2105 ILCS 10/5 from Ch. 122, par. 50-5 105 ILCS 10/2 from Ch. 122, par. 50-2 105 ILCS 10/5 from Ch. 122, par. 50-5 105 ILCS 10/2 from Ch. 122, par. 50-2 105 ILCS 10/5 from Ch. 122, par. 50-5 Amends the Illinois School Student Records Act. Provides that the term "Student Permanent Record" may include reports of psychological evaluations, including information on intelligence and personality, academic information obtained through test administration, observation, or interviews, elementary and secondary achievement-level test results, special education records, and records associated with a plan developed under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. With respect to the term "Student Permanent Record", removes intelligence test scores, aptitude test scores, psychological and personality test results, teacher evaluations, and other information of clear relevance to the education of a student from the information allowed to be included. Provides that if consent is provided by a student or the student's parent or guardian, then a copy of the student's school student records shall be provided at no cost to the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, an independent service coordination agency, or Equip for Equality to establish access to adult disability services and related benefits. LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY A BILL FOR 105 ILCS 10/2 from Ch. 122, par. 50-2 105 ILCS 10/5 from Ch. 122, par. 50-5 LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY HB5275 LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275- 2 -LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 2 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 2 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b 1 not be deemed school student records under this Act: writings 2 or other recorded information maintained by an employee of a 3 school or other person at the direction of a school for his or 4 her exclusive use; provided that all such writings and other 5 recorded information are destroyed not later than the 6 student's graduation or permanent withdrawal from the school; 7 and provided further that no such records or recorded 8 information may be released or disclosed to any person except 9 a person designated by the school as a substitute unless they 10 are first incorporated in a school student record and made 11 subject to all of the provisions of this Act. School student 12 records shall not include information maintained by law 13 enforcement professionals working in the school. 14 (e) "Student Permanent Record" means the minimum personal 15 information necessary to a school in the education of the 16 student and contained in a school student record. Such 17 information may include the student's name, birth date, 18 address, grades, and grade level, parents' names and 19 addresses, attendance records, reports of psychological 20 evaluations, including information on intelligence and 21 personality, academic information obtained through test 22 administration, observation, or interviews, elementary and 23 secondary achievement-level test results, special education 24 records, records associated with a plan developed under 25 Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and 26 such other entries as the State Board may require or HB5275 - 2 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275- 3 -LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 3 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 3 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b 1 authorize. 2 (f) "Student Temporary Record" means all information 3 contained in a school student record but not contained in the 4 student permanent record. Such information may include family 5 background information, intelligence test scores, aptitude 6 test scores, psychological and personality test results, 7 teacher evaluations, and other information of clear relevance 8 to the education of the student, all subject to regulations of 9 the State Board. The information shall include information 10 provided under Section 8.6 of the Abused and Neglected Child 11 Reporting Act and information contained in service logs 12 maintained by a local education agency under subsection (d) of 13 Section 14-8.02f of the School Code. In addition, the student 14 temporary record shall include information regarding serious 15 disciplinary infractions that resulted in expulsion, 16 suspension, or the imposition of punishment or sanction. For 17 purposes of this provision, serious disciplinary infractions 18 means: infractions involving drugs, weapons, or bodily harm to 19 another. 20 (g) "Parent" means a person who is the natural parent of 21 the student or other person who has the primary responsibility 22 for the care and upbringing of the student. All rights and 23 privileges accorded to a parent under this Act shall become 24 exclusively those of the student upon his 18th birthday, 25 graduation from secondary school, marriage or entry into 26 military service, whichever occurs first. Such rights and HB5275 - 3 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275- 4 -LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 4 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 4 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b 1 privileges may also be exercised by the student at any time 2 with respect to the student's permanent school record. 3 (h) "Department" means the Department of Children and 4 Family Services. 5 (Source: P.A. 101-515, eff. 8-23-19; 102-199, eff. 7-1-22; 6 102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.) 7 (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 102-466) 8 Sec. 2. As used in this Act: 9 (a) "Student" means any person enrolled or previously 10 enrolled in a school. 11 (b) "School" means any public preschool, day care center, 12 kindergarten, nursery, elementary or secondary educational 13 institution, vocational school, special educational facility 14 or any other elementary or secondary educational agency or 15 institution and any person, agency or institution which 16 maintains school student records from more than one school, 17 but does not include a private or non-public school. 18 (c) "State Board" means the State Board of Education. 19 (d) "School Student Record" means any writing or other 20 recorded information concerning a student and by which a 21 student may be individually identified, maintained by a school 22 or at its direction or by an employee of a school, regardless 23 of how or where the information is stored. The following shall 24 not be deemed school student records under this Act: writings 25 or other recorded information maintained by an employee of a HB5275 - 4 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275- 5 -LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 5 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 5 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b 1 school or other person at the direction of a school for his or 2 her exclusive use; provided that all such writings and other 3 recorded information are destroyed not later than the 4 student's graduation or permanent withdrawal from the school; 5 and provided further that no such records or recorded 6 information may be released or disclosed to any person except 7 a person designated by the school as a substitute unless they 8 are first incorporated in a school student record and made 9 subject to all of the provisions of this Act. School student 10 records shall not include information maintained by law 11 enforcement professionals working in the school. 12 (e) "Student Permanent Record" means the minimum personal 13 information necessary to a school in the education of the 14 student and contained in a school student record. Such 15 information may include the student's name, birth date, 16 address, grades, and grade level, parents' names and 17 addresses, attendance records, reports of psychological 18 evaluations, including information on intelligence and 19 personality, academic information obtained through test 20 administration, observation, or interviews, elementary and 21 secondary achievement-level test results, special education 22 records, records associated with a plan developed under 23 Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and 24 such other entries as the State Board may require or 25 authorize. 26 (f) "Student Temporary Record" means all information HB5275 - 5 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275- 6 -LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 6 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 6 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b 1 contained in a school student record but not contained in the 2 student permanent record. Such information may include family 3 background information, intelligence test scores, aptitude 4 test scores, psychological and personality test results, 5 teacher evaluations, and other information of clear relevance 6 to the education of the student, all subject to regulations of 7 the State Board. The information shall include all of the 8 following: 9 (1) Information provided under Section 8.6 of the 10 Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act and information 11 contained in service logs maintained by a local education 12 agency under subsection (d) of Section 14-8.02f of the 13 School Code. 14 (2) Information regarding serious disciplinary 15 infractions that resulted in expulsion, suspension, or the 16 imposition of punishment or sanction. For purposes of this 17 provision, serious disciplinary infractions means: 18 infractions involving drugs, weapons, or bodily harm to 19 another. 20 (3) Information concerning a student's status and 21 related experiences as a parent, expectant parent, or 22 victim of domestic or sexual violence, as defined in 23 Article 26A of the School Code, including a statement of 24 the student or any other documentation, record, or 25 corroborating evidence and the fact that the student has 26 requested or obtained assistance, support, or services HB5275 - 6 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275- 7 -LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 7 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 7 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b 1 related to that status. Enforcement of this paragraph (3) 2 shall follow the procedures provided in Section 26A-40 of 3 the School Code. 4 (g) "Parent" means a person who is the natural parent of 5 the student or other person who has the primary responsibility 6 for the care and upbringing of the student. All rights and 7 privileges accorded to a parent under this Act shall become 8 exclusively those of the student upon his 18th birthday, 9 graduation from secondary school, marriage or entry into 10 military service, whichever occurs first. Such rights and 11 privileges may also be exercised by the student at any time 12 with respect to the student's permanent school record. 13 (h) "Department" means the Department of Children and 14 Family Services. 15 (Source: P.A. 101-515, eff. 8-23-19; 102-199, eff. 7-1-22; 16 102-466, eff. 7-1-25; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 17 5-13-22.) 18 (105 ILCS 10/5) (from Ch. 122, par. 50-5) 19 Sec. 5. (a) A parent or any person specifically designated 20 as a representative by a parent and, if the child is in the 21 legal custody of the Department of Children and Family 22 Services, the Department's Office of Education and Transition 23 Services shall have the right to inspect and copy all school 24 student permanent and temporary records of that child. A 25 student shall have the right to inspect and copy his or her HB5275 - 7 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275- 8 -LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 8 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 8 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b 1 school student permanent record. No person who is prohibited 2 by an order of protection from inspecting or obtaining school 3 records of a student pursuant to the Illinois Domestic 4 Violence Act of 1986, as now or hereafter amended, shall have 5 any right of access to, or inspection of, the school records of 6 that student. If a school's principal or person with like 7 responsibilities or his designee has knowledge of such order 8 of protection, the school shall prohibit access or inspection 9 of the student's school records by such person. 10 (b) Whenever access to any person is granted pursuant to 11 paragraph (a) of this Section, at the option of that person or 12 the school, a qualified professional, who may be a 13 psychologist, counsellor or other advisor, and who may be an 14 employee of the school or employed by the parent or the 15 Department, may be present to interpret the information 16 contained in the student temporary record. If the school 17 requires that a professional be present, the school shall 18 secure and bear any cost of the presence of the professional. 19 If the parent or the Department so requests, the school shall 20 secure and bear any cost of the presence of a professional 21 employed by the school. 22 (c) A parent's or student's or, if applicable, the 23 Department's Office of Education and Transition Services' 24 request to inspect and copy records, or to allow a 25 specifically designated representative to inspect and copy 26 records, must be granted within a reasonable time, and in no HB5275 - 8 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275- 9 -LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 9 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 9 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b 1 case later than 10 business days after the date of receipt of 2 such request by the official records custodian. 3 (c-5) The time for response under this Section may be 4 extended by the school district by not more than 5 business 5 days from the original due date for any of the following 6 reasons: 7 (1) the requested records are stored in whole or in 8 part at other locations than the office having charge of 9 the requested records; 10 (2) the request requires the collection of a 11 substantial number of specified records; 12 (3) the request is couched in categorical terms and 13 requires an extensive search for the records responsive to 14 it; 15 (4) the requested records have not been located in the 16 course of routine search and additional efforts are being 17 made to locate them; 18 (5) the request for records cannot be complied with by 19 the school district within the time limits prescribed by 20 subsection (c) of this Section without unduly burdening or 21 interfering with the operations of the school district; or 22 (6) there is a need for consultation, which shall be 23 conducted with all practicable speed, with another public 24 body or school district or among 2 or more components of a 25 public body or school district having a substantial 26 interest in the determination or in the subject matter of HB5275 - 9 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275- 10 -LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 10 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 10 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b 1 the request. 2 The person making a request and the school district may 3 agree in writing to extend the time for compliance for a period 4 to be determined by the parties. If the requester and the 5 school district agree to extend the period for compliance, a 6 failure by the school district to comply with any previous 7 deadlines shall not be treated as a denial of the request for 8 the records. 9 (d) The school may charge its reasonable costs for the 10 copying of school student records, not to exceed the amounts 11 fixed in schedules adopted by the State Board, to any person 12 permitted to copy such records, except that no parent or 13 student shall be denied a copy of school student records as 14 permitted under this Section 5 for inability to bear the cost 15 of such copying. If consent is provided by a student or the 16 student's parent or guardian, then a copy of the student's 17 school student records shall be provided at no cost to the 18 Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, an independent service 19 coordination agency, or Equip for Equality to establish access 20 to adult disability services and related benefits. 21 (e) Nothing contained in this Section 5 shall make 22 available to a parent or student or, if applicable, the 23 Department's Office of Education and Transition Services 24 confidential letters and statements of recommendation 25 furnished in connection with applications for employment to a 26 post-secondary educational institution or the receipt of an HB5275 - 10 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275- 11 -LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 11 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 11 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b 1 honor or honorary recognition, provided such letters and 2 statements are not used for purposes other than those for 3 which they were specifically intended, and 4 (1) were placed in a school student record prior to 5 January 1, 1975; or 6 (2) the student has waived access thereto after being 7 advised of his right to obtain upon request the names of 8 all such persons making such confidential recommendations. 9 (f) Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed to 10 impair or limit the confidentiality of: 11 (1) Communications otherwise protected by law as 12 privileged or confidential, including but not limited to, 13 information communicated in confidence to a physician, 14 psychologist or other psychotherapist, school social 15 worker, school counselor, school psychologist, or school 16 social worker, school counselor, or school psychologist 17 intern who works under the direct supervision of a school 18 social worker, school counselor, or school psychologist; 19 or 20 (2) Information which is communicated by a student or 21 parent in confidence to school personnel; or 22 (3) Information which is communicated by a student, 23 parent, or guardian to a law enforcement professional 24 working in the school, except as provided by court order. 25 (g) No school employee shall be subjected to adverse 26 employment action, the threat of adverse employment action, or HB5275 - 11 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275- 12 -LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 12 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b HB5275 - 12 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b 1 any manner of discrimination because the employee is acting or 2 has acted to protect communications as privileged or 3 confidential pursuant to applicable provisions of State or 4 federal law or rule or regulation. 5 (Source: P.A. 102-199, eff. 7-1-22.) HB5275 - 12 - LRB103 37204 RJT 67323 b