103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1266 Introduced 2/3/2023, by Sen. Cristina Castro SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/27-12.1 from Ch. 122, par. 27-12.1 105 ILCS 5/27-22 from Ch. 122, par. 27-22 Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Instead of requiring consumer education to be taught and studied, provides that beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2024-2025 school year, pupils in the public schools in grade 11 or 12 shall be taught and be required to complete a stand-alone, one-semester or equivalent course covering personal finance, which shall include, but is not limited to, instruction covering behavioral economics; banking and bill payment; investing; types of credit; managing credit; including credit scores; paying for college; insurance; taxes; budgeting; consumer skills; retirement planning, including tax-advantaged retirement plans; home ownership and financing; and personal transportation, including car ownership and leasing. Provides that the State Board of Education shall devise or approve the personal finance education standards for the course. Provides that the school board shall oversee implementation of the personal finance course for each high school student prior to graduation. Specifies the oversight duties of the school board. In provisions regarding required high school courses, provides that the personal finance education course may be counted toward the fulfillment of other graduation requirements. Makes other changes. LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1266 Introduced 2/3/2023, by Sen. Cristina Castro SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/27-12.1 from Ch. 122, par. 27-12.1 105 ILCS 5/27-22 from Ch. 122, par. 27-22 105 ILCS 5/27-12.1 from Ch. 122, par. 27-12.1 105 ILCS 5/27-22 from Ch. 122, par. 27-22 Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Instead of requiring consumer education to be taught and studied, provides that beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2024-2025 school year, pupils in the public schools in grade 11 or 12 shall be taught and be required to complete a stand-alone, one-semester or equivalent course covering personal finance, which shall include, but is not limited to, instruction covering behavioral economics; banking and bill payment; investing; types of credit; managing credit; including credit scores; paying for college; insurance; taxes; budgeting; consumer skills; retirement planning, including tax-advantaged retirement plans; home ownership and financing; and personal transportation, including car ownership and leasing. Provides that the State Board of Education shall devise or approve the personal finance education standards for the course. Provides that the school board shall oversee implementation of the personal finance course for each high school student prior to graduation. Specifies the oversight duties of the school board. In provisions regarding required high school courses, provides that the personal finance education course may be counted toward the fulfillment of other graduation requirements. Makes other changes. LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 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 SB1266 Introduced 2/3/2023, by Sen. Cristina Castro SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/27-12.1 from Ch. 122, par. 27-12.1 105 ILCS 5/27-22 from Ch. 122, par. 27-22 105 ILCS 5/27-12.1 from Ch. 122, par. 27-12.1 105 ILCS 5/27-22 from Ch. 122, par. 27-22 105 ILCS 5/27-12.1 from Ch. 122, par. 27-12.1 105 ILCS 5/27-22 from Ch. 122, par. 27-22 Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Instead of requiring consumer education to be taught and studied, provides that beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2024-2025 school year, pupils in the public schools in grade 11 or 12 shall be taught and be required to complete a stand-alone, one-semester or equivalent course covering personal finance, which shall include, but is not limited to, instruction covering behavioral economics; banking and bill payment; investing; types of credit; managing credit; including credit scores; paying for college; insurance; taxes; budgeting; consumer skills; retirement planning, including tax-advantaged retirement plans; home ownership and financing; and personal transportation, including car ownership and leasing. Provides that the State Board of Education shall devise or approve the personal finance education standards for the course. Provides that the school board shall oversee implementation of the personal finance course for each high school student prior to graduation. Specifies the oversight duties of the school board. In provisions regarding required high school courses, provides that the personal finance education course may be counted toward the fulfillment of other graduation requirements. Makes other changes. LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 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 SB1266LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 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 1. Purpose. The General Assembly has determined 5 that it is in the best interests of the State and the State's 6 citizens that all high school students be required to take a 7 one semester course in personal finance prior to graduation. 8 Research has shown that such a course is significantly more 9 effective if taught as a separate course in the 11th or 12th 10 grade rather than embedded in another course or taught at an 11 earlier time. Similarly, research has shown that before the 12 course can be implemented, there must be time to develop 13 curriculum and provide incentives for professional development 14 for teachers of the course. 15 Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section 16 27-12.1 and 27-22 as follows: 17 (105 ILCS 5/27-12.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-12.1) 18 Sec. 27-12.1. Personal finance Consumer education. 19 (a) For pupils entering the 9th grade before the 2023-2024 20 school year, pupils Pupils in the public schools in grades 9 21 through 12 shall be taught and be required to study courses 22 which include instruction in the area of consumer education, 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1266 Introduced 2/3/2023, by Sen. Cristina Castro SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/27-12.1 from Ch. 122, par. 27-12.1 105 ILCS 5/27-22 from Ch. 122, par. 27-22 105 ILCS 5/27-12.1 from Ch. 122, par. 27-12.1 105 ILCS 5/27-22 from Ch. 122, par. 27-22 105 ILCS 5/27-12.1 from Ch. 122, par. 27-12.1 105 ILCS 5/27-22 from Ch. 122, par. 27-22 Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Instead of requiring consumer education to be taught and studied, provides that beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2024-2025 school year, pupils in the public schools in grade 11 or 12 shall be taught and be required to complete a stand-alone, one-semester or equivalent course covering personal finance, which shall include, but is not limited to, instruction covering behavioral economics; banking and bill payment; investing; types of credit; managing credit; including credit scores; paying for college; insurance; taxes; budgeting; consumer skills; retirement planning, including tax-advantaged retirement plans; home ownership and financing; and personal transportation, including car ownership and leasing. Provides that the State Board of Education shall devise or approve the personal finance education standards for the course. Provides that the school board shall oversee implementation of the personal finance course for each high school student prior to graduation. Specifies the oversight duties of the school board. In provisions regarding required high school courses, provides that the personal finance education course may be counted toward the fulfillment of other graduation requirements. Makes other changes. LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 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 5/27-12.1 from Ch. 122, par. 27-12.1 105 ILCS 5/27-22 from Ch. 122, par. 27-22 LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY SB1266 LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266- 2 -LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 2 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 2 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b 1 including but not necessarily limited to (i) understanding the 2 basic concepts of financial literacy, including consumer debt 3 and installment purchasing (including credit scoring, managing 4 credit debt, and completing a loan application), budgeting, 5 savings and investing, banking (including balancing a 6 checkbook, opening a deposit account, and the use of interest 7 rates), understanding simple contracts, State and federal 8 income taxes, personal insurance policies, the comparison of 9 prices, higher education student loans, identity-theft 10 security, and homeownership (including the basic process of 11 obtaining a mortgage and the concepts of fixed and adjustable 12 rate mortgages, subprime loans, and predatory lending), and 13 (ii) understanding the roles of consumers interacting with 14 agriculture, business, labor unions and government in 15 formulating and achieving the goals of the mixed free 16 enterprise system. The State Board of Education shall devise 17 or approve the consumer education curriculum for grades 9 18 through 12 and specify the minimum amount of instruction to be 19 devoted thereto. 20 (a-5) Beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the 21 2024-2025 school year, pupils in the public schools in grade 22 11 or 12 shall be taught and be required to complete a 23 stand-alone, one-semester or equivalent course covering 24 personal finance, which shall include, but is not limited to, 25 instruction covering behavioral economics; banking and bill 26 payment; investing; types of credit; managing credit, SB1266 - 2 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266- 3 -LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 3 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 3 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b 1 including credit scores; paying for college; insurance; taxes; 2 budgeting; consumer skills; retirement planning, including 3 tax-advantaged retirement plans; home ownership and financing; 4 and personal transportation, including car ownership and 5 leasing. The State Board of Education shall devise or approve 6 the personal finance education standards for the course. The 7 State Board of Education may review and update these 8 curriculum standards every 5 years. The State Board of 9 Education may adopt or adapt national standards for personal 10 finance education in implementing the curriculum standards. 11 The school board shall oversee implementation of the 12 personal finance course for each high school student prior to 13 graduation. This oversight shall include: 14 (1) identifying the certifications and credentials 15 needed by teachers of the personal finance course, such as 16 credentials in social studies, family and consumer 17 science, mathematics, career and technical education, or 18 other subject matters; 19 (2) preparing a list of curriculum providers that 20 delineates between core curriculum providers and 21 supplementary providers in coordination with the State 22 Board of Education; and 23 (3) preparing a list of professional development 24 providers that have the capability to support educators 25 with the implementation of the course and that have 26 delivered professional development to educators in the SB1266 - 3 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266- 4 -LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 4 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 4 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b 1 State within the past 12 months. 2 The school board shall develop implementation guidelines and 3 timelines to assist schools in implementing this course. 4 (b) (Blank). 5 (c) The Financial Literacy Fund is created as a special 6 fund in the State treasury. State funds and private 7 contributions for the promotion of financial literacy shall be 8 deposited into the Financial Literacy Fund. All money in the 9 Financial Literacy Fund shall be used, subject to 10 appropriation, by the State Board of Education to award grants 11 to school districts for the following: 12 (1) Defraying the costs of financial literacy training 13 for teachers. 14 (2) Rewarding a school or teacher who wins or achieves 15 results at a certain level of success in a financial 16 literacy competition. 17 (3) Rewarding a student who wins or achieves results 18 at a certain level of success in a financial literacy 19 competition. 20 (4) Funding activities, including books, games, field 21 trips, computers, and other activities, related to 22 financial literacy education. 23 In awarding grants, every effort must be made to ensure 24 that all geographic areas of the State are represented. 25 (d) A school board may establish a special fund in which to 26 receive public funds and private contributions for the SB1266 - 4 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266- 5 -LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 5 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 5 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b 1 promotion of financial literacy. Money in the fund shall be 2 used for the following: 3 (1) Defraying the costs of financial literacy training 4 for teachers. 5 (2) Rewarding a school or teacher who wins or achieves 6 results at a certain level of success in a financial 7 literacy competition. 8 (3) Rewarding a student who wins or achieves results 9 at a certain level of success in a financial literacy 10 competition. 11 (4) Funding activities, including books, games, field 12 trips, computers, and other activities, related to 13 financial literacy education. 14 (e) The State Board of Education, upon the next 15 comprehensive review of the Illinois Learning Standards, is 16 urged to include the instruction listed in subsection (a-5), 17 basic principles of personal insurance policies, and 18 understanding simple contracts. 19 (Source: P.A. 99-284, eff. 8-5-15.) 20 (105 ILCS 5/27-22) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-22) 21 Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses. 22 (a) (Blank). 23 (b) (Blank). 24 (c) (Blank). 25 (d) (Blank). SB1266 - 5 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266- 6 -LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 6 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 6 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b 1 (e) Through the 2023-2024 school year, as a prerequisite 2 to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 3 9th grade must, in addition to other course requirements, 4 successfully complete all of the following courses: 5 (1) Four years of language arts. 6 (2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of 7 which must be English and the other of which may be English 8 or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive 9 courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other 10 graduation requirements. 11 (3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be 12 Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and 13 one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science 14 course. A mathematics course that includes geometry 15 content may be offered as an integrated, applied, 16 interdisciplinary, or career and technical education 17 course that prepares a student for a career readiness 18 path. 19 (3.5) For pupils entering the 9th grade in the 20 2022-2023 school year and 2023-2024 school year, one year 21 of a course that includes intensive instruction in 22 computer literacy, which may be English, social studies, 23 or any other subject and which may be counted toward the 24 fulfillment of other graduation requirements. 25 (4) Two years of science. 26 (5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one SB1266 - 6 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266- 7 -LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 7 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 7 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b 1 year must be history of the United States or a combination 2 of history of the United States and American government 3 and, beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the 4 2016-2017 school year and each school year thereafter, at 5 least one semester must be civics, which shall help young 6 people acquire and learn to use the skills, knowledge, and 7 attitudes that will prepare them to be competent and 8 responsible citizens throughout their lives. Civics course 9 content shall focus on government institutions, the 10 discussion of current and controversial issues, service 11 learning, and simulations of the democratic process. 12 School districts may utilize private funding available for 13 the purposes of offering civics education. Beginning with 14 pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 school 15 year, one semester, or part of one semester, may include a 16 financial literacy course. 17 (6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C) 18 foreign language, which shall be deemed to include 19 American Sign Language, (D) vocational education, or (E) 20 forensic speech (speech and debate). A forensic speech 21 course used to satisfy the course requirement under 22 subdivision (1) may not be used to satisfy the course 23 requirement under this subdivision (6). 24 (e-5) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, as a 25 prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil 26 entering the 9th grade must, in addition to other course SB1266 - 7 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266- 8 -LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 8 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 8 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b 1 requirements, successfully complete all of the following 2 courses: 3 (1) Four years of language arts. 4 (2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of 5 which must be English and the other of which may be English 6 or any other subject. If applicable, writing-intensive 7 courses may be counted toward the fulfillment of other 8 graduation requirements. 9 (3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be 10 Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and 11 one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science 12 course. A mathematics course that includes geometry 13 content may be offered as an integrated, applied, 14 interdisciplinary, or career and technical education 15 course that prepares a student for a career readiness 16 path. 17 (3.5) One year of a course that includes intensive 18 instruction in computer literacy, which may be English, 19 social studies, or any other subject and which may be 20 counted toward the fulfillment of other graduation 21 requirements. 22 (4) Two years of laboratory science. 23 (5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one 24 year must be history of the United States or a combination 25 of history of the United States and American government 26 and at least one semester must be civics, which shall help SB1266 - 8 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266- 9 -LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 9 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 9 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b 1 young people acquire and learn to use the skills, 2 knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare them to be 3 competent and responsible citizens throughout their lives. 4 Civics course content shall focus on government 5 institutions, the discussion of current and controversial 6 issues, service learning, and simulations of the 7 democratic process. School districts may utilize private 8 funding available for the purposes of offering civics 9 education. One semester, or part of one semester, may 10 include a financial literacy course. 11 (5.5) One semester or the equivalent of a stand-alone 12 course on personal finance education to be taken in grade 13 11 or 12, which may be counted toward the fulfillment of 14 other graduation requirements as determined by the school 15 board. 16 (6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C) 17 foreign language, which shall be deemed to include 18 American Sign Language, (D) vocational education, or (E) 19 forensic speech (speech and debate). A forensic speech 20 course used to satisfy the course requirement under 21 subdivision (1) may not be used to satisfy the course 22 requirement under this subdivision (6). 23 (e-10) Beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, as a 24 prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil 25 entering the 9th grade must, in addition to other course 26 requirements, successfully complete 2 years of foreign SB1266 - 9 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266- 10 -LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 10 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 10 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b 1 language courses, which may include American Sign Language. A 2 pupil may choose a third year of foreign language to satisfy 3 the requirement under subdivision paragraph (6) of subsection 4 (e-5). 5 (f) The State Board of Education shall develop and inform 6 school districts of standards for writing-intensive 7 coursework. 8 (f-5) If a school district offers an Advanced Placement 9 computer science course to high school students, then the 10 school board must designate that course as equivalent to a 11 high school mathematics course and must denote on the 12 student's transcript that the Advanced Placement computer 13 science course qualifies as a mathematics-based, quantitative 14 course for students in accordance with subdivision (3) of 15 subsection (e) of this Section. 16 (g) Public Act 83-1082 This amendatory Act of 1983 does 17 not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in 1983-1984 school 18 year and prior school years or to students with disabilities 19 whose course of study is determined by an individualized 20 education program. 21 Public Act 94-676 This amendatory Act of the 94th General 22 Assembly does not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 23 2004-2005 school year or a prior school year or to students 24 with disabilities whose course of study is determined by an 25 individualized education program. 26 Subdivision (3.5) of subsection (e) does not apply to SB1266 - 10 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266- 11 -LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 11 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b SB1266 - 11 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b 1 pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 school year or a 2 prior school year or to students with disabilities whose 3 course of study is determined by an individualized education 4 program. 5 Subsection (e-5) does not apply to pupils entering the 9th 6 grade in the 2023-2024 school year or a prior school year or to 7 students with disabilities whose course of study is determined 8 by an individualized education program. Subsection (e-10) does 9 not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2027-2028 10 school year or a prior school year or to students with 11 disabilities whose course of study is determined by an 12 individualized education program. 13 (h) The provisions of this Section are subject to the 14 provisions of Section 27-22.05 of this Code and the 15 Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act. 16 (i) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to modify 17 the requirements of this Section for any students enrolled in 18 grades 9 through 12 if the Governor has declared a disaster due 19 to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the 20 Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. 21 (Source: P.A. 101-464, eff. 1-1-20; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20; 22 101-654, Article 50, Section 50-5, eff. 3-8-21; 101-654, 23 Article 60, Section 60-5, eff. 3-8-21; 102-366, eff. 8-13-21; 24 102-551, eff. 1-1-22; 102-864, eff. 5-13-22; revised 9-2-22.) SB1266 - 11 - LRB103 26894 RJT 53258 b