Illinois Education | Senator Chris Balkema

A century and a half of the state taking on more of the bill

System Overview

How Illinois Educates

The State of Illinois has gradually assumed greater responsibility for public education, from the first statewide school tax in the 1800s to the 1970 constitutional mandate that the state provide "efficient" and "high quality" schools. The 2017 Evidence-Based Funding Act marked the most significant shift yet in how the state directs resources toward student need and district capacity.

1,846,264

Public School Students

NAEP 2024 State Profile (NCES)

852

School Districts

Traditional districts; one of the highest counts of any state

136,492

Full-Time-Equivalent Teachers

Statewide, NAEP 2024 State Profile

13.53

Students Per Teacher

Mid-pack among Midwest peer states

Illinois State Board of Education: Mission & Authority

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is the statewide governing body responsible for setting policy, oversight, and strategic direction for public K-12 education in Illinois. Its authority comes from both the Illinois Constitution and the Illinois School Code.

“Provide each and every child with safe and healthy learning conditions, great educators, and equitable opportunities by practicing data-informed stewardship of resources and policy development, all done in partnership with educators, families, and stakeholders.”

Source: ISBE Mission Statement

Student Learning

High-quality education with access to the resources and supports students need to grow their knowledge, skills, and opportunities.

Learning Conditions

Advocating for the resources needed to create safe, healthy, welcoming learning environments that meet each student's academic, social, and emotional needs.

Elevating Educators

Educators prepared through multiple pathways, and supported and celebrated for their effectiveness in providing every child a high-quality education.

Source: Illinois State Board of Education.

A New Department for Early Childhood

The Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC) was created to consolidate early-childhood programs that were previously spread across three separate state agencies into one centralized department, with full operation targeted for 2026.

Consolidating Three Agencies

Programs move out of:

Department of Children & Family Services
Department of Human Services
Illinois State Board of Education

Goals & Expected Benefits

Improve coordination across programs and reduce administrative duplication
Simplify access to services for families
Increase accountability through a single agency
Better align early-childhood resources and funding

1800s

First Statewide School Tax

Illinois adopts its first statewide tax dedicated to funding public education, the earliest step toward a state role in what had been a purely local responsibility.

1970

Constitutional Mandate

The 1970 Illinois Constitution establishes education as a fundamental state goal, directing the state to provide an "efficient system of high quality public educational institutions and services."

2017

Evidence-Based Funding Act

Illinois replaces its old general state aid formula with Evidence-Based Funding (EBF), tying new state dollars to how far each district sits from an adequacy target rather than a flat per-pupil amount.

2024–2026

Illinois Department of Early Childhood

The state enacts legislation consolidating early-childhood programs from DCFS, DHS, and ISBE into the new Illinois Department of Early Childhood, with full operation targeted for 2026.

Key Takeaway Illinois education isn't run by one office; ISBE sets K-12 policy, the new IDEC is consolidating early-childhood services, and the Evidence-Based Funding formula now ties state dollars to district need rather than a flat per-pupil grant, a structural shift that shapes every other section on this page.

Federal law sets the floor; states hold the pen on curriculum

Standards & Assessment

Who Sets the Bar

Federal law establishes minimum standards and equity requirements, while states retain primary authority over curriculum, instruction, and graduation requirements. That division of labor has shifted through three major federal laws since 2002, and it means the states that improve fastest are often the ones that change what happens inside the classroom, not just how much they spend.

State vs. Federal Graduation Requirements

Illinois

Illinois School Code & ISBE

4 years of language arts
3 years of mathematics (one of which must be Algebra I; may include one year of computer science)
2 years of science; 2 years of social studies (at least one year must be U.S. history, or a combination of U.S. history and government)
1 year of music, art, foreign language, or vocational education
Minimum school year of 185 days, with 176 days of actual attendance
ISBE provides leadership, advocacy, and oversight

Federal

U.S. Dept. of Education, ESSA & NAEP

Assessments in mathematics and reading/language arts required in each of grades 3–8, and at least once in grades 9–12
NAEP selects a small representative sample of students nationwide rather than testing every student
Federal law does not set graduation-credit requirements; those remain a state and local decision

Source: Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5); Every Student Succeeds Act (Public Law 114–95); NCES, NAEP.

Three Federal Eras Since 2002

2002

No Child Left Behind Act

Reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
Required annual standardized testing and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
Mandated subgroup reporting to expose achievement gaps
Relied heavily on test-based sanctions, increasing administrative demands on states

2010

Common Core Standards

Focused on mathematics and English language arts
Defined academic expectations across grade levels
Adoption and implementation left to individual states

2015

Every Student Succeeds Act

Maintained annual assessments and subgroup reporting
Allowed states to design their own accountability systems
Clarified the federal role as oversight and support, not prescription
Shifted responsibility for improvement strategies to states and districts

Source: U.S. Congress; Illinois Board of Higher Education; NCES.

What High-Performing States Do Differently

New Jersey

Frequent interim assessments identify learning gaps early and guide instructional adjustments before students fall further behind.

Minnesota

The North Star accountability system tracks reading and math proficiency, English-learner progress, and four-year graduation rates in one public dashboard.

Massachusetts

Data-driven professional learning aligns teacher collaboration and coaching, backed by a MCAS accountability system that reports four-year graduation rates.

The Mississippi Miracle

From the lowest literacy achievement rates in the country to a national leader in reading proficiency, Mississippi turned around its reading outcomes without large funding increases, through five deliberate policy changes.

2013

Legislative Foundation

The Literacy-Based Promotion Act and Early Learning Collaborative Act established a statewide K–3 literacy framework.

Step 2

Early Identification

A universal reading screener within the first 30 days of kindergarten, with early-childhood programs aligned to K–3 literacy goals.

Step 3

Instructional Capacity

Literacy coaches placed in low-performing districts; teacher prep and professional development aligned to the science of reading (LETRS).

Step 4

Targeted Accountability

A third-grade reading requirement tied to grade-level proficiency, paired with a supportive retention policy: remediation, reassessment, continued coaching.

Step 5

Statewide Coordination

Implementation coordinated across state leaders, districts, teacher-prep programs, and community organizations.

Source: Mississippi State Treasury; Southern Regional Education Board (SREB); ALI Coalition.

Key Takeaway Federal law sets a floor on testing and equity reporting, but the states that move the needle on outcomes, from New Jersey's interim assessments to Mississippi's literacy overhaul, do it by changing instruction and accountability, not simply by spending more.

Reading Illinois' scores without misreading them

Student Performance & Proficiency

What the Scores Show

Illinois student performance sits close to the national average on the Nation's Report Card, lags most Midwest peers, and looks dramatically different in Chicago than statewide. Layered on top of all of it: Illinois lowered its own proficiency benchmarks in 2025, which raises the share of students counted as "proficient" without changing what any student actually knows.

Comparing Midwest States

State	Students Enrolled	Pupil/Teacher Ratio	School Districts	FTE Teachers
Illinois	1,846,264	13.53	1,031	136,492.2
Ohio	1,675,300	16.64	1,057	100,659.1
Michigan	1,426,491	16.58	365	86,021.5
Indiana	1,032,723	15.33	444	67,373.8
Missouri	891,248	12.77	565	69,785.5
Minnesota	869,967	14.70	574	59,181.4
Wisconsin	814,202	13.66	468	59,623.0
Iowa	508,112	14.09	336	36,068.0
Kansas	483,505	13.01	337	37,166.6
Nebraska	329,162	13.69	279	24,052.3
South Dakota	141,467	13.71	165	10,315.3
North Dakota	119,033	12.35	221	9,639.1

Note: "School Districts" here uses NCES's broader organizational-unit count, which includes special-education cooperatives and alternative programs alongside traditional districts. Source: NAEP 2024 State Profile, Nation's Report Card (NCES).

Regional State Education Scores (NAEP 2024)

State	Grade 4 Math	Grade 4 Reading	Grade 8 Math	Grade 8 Reading
Wisconsin	239	215	283	260
Minnesota	241	214	282	260
South Dakota	240	214	281	260
North Dakota	241	216	280	257
Nebraska	238	212	280	256
Ohio	239	216	279	260
Indiana	240	220	278	262
Iowa	237	215	275	261
Kansas	237	213	274	255
Illinois	236	214	277	262
Michigan	235	209	270	255
Missouri	235	212	270	255
National Average	236	214	272	257

NAEP scale scores (0–500), not percent proficient. Source: NAEP 2024 State Profile, Nation's Report Card (NCES).

Illinois vs. National: Percent Meeting NAEP Proficiency (2024)

Even after lowering its own proficiency standards and running slightly ahead of the national average on NAEP, most Illinois students still do not meet NAEP's "proficient" bar in reading or math.

Percent of students meeting or exceeding the NAEP Proficient benchmark. Source: NAEP 2024, U.S. Department of Education.

How Chicago Compares to Illinois Overall

Chicago Public Schools: 2025

ELA: 42% proficient overall · 39.8% high school · 42.4% grades 3–8
Math: 27% proficient overall · 25.2% high school · 27.3% grades 3–8

Illinois Statewide: 2025

ELA: 52.4% proficient overall · 51.3% high school · 52.6% grades 3–8
Math: 38.4% proficient overall · 39% high school · 38.2% grades 3–8

Source: Illinois Report Card; Illinois Policy Institute.

In 2025, Illinois lowered the proficiency standards used on its own state assessment (the IAR). Before the change, Illinois had one of the most restrictive benchmarks in the country: a 2022 NAEP mapping study found its "proficient" cut score ranked among the most demanding in the nation across all four tested categories, including the single most demanding standard nationwide for 4th-grade math. Lowering the bar raises the percentage of students who look "proficient" on paper without changing how much any student actually knows.

Two Different Rulers: NAEP vs. IAR

NAEP

National Assessment of Educational Progress

National 0–500 scale score, not a percent-proficient measure. Illinois grade 8 averages: reading ~262, math ~277. About 33% of Illinois students are proficient in reading and 32% in math when measured against NAEP's benchmark.

IAR

Illinois Assessment of Readiness

Scaled score (~650–850) with cut scores set by ISBE across four levels. 2025 results: ELA ~52% proficient or above, math ~38% (state-set thresholds, not a national comparison).

Reading the Results

Proficiency vs. Growth

Proficiency is a snapshot at one point in time; growth is year-over-year progress. NAEP and IAR scores are set on different scales with different cut points and are not directly comparable.

Source: ISBE, New Assessment Performance Levels Presentation; Illinois Report Card.

Proficiency Gaps by Student Group (ISBE 2025)

Percent proficient by subject and student group. Source: Illinois State Board of Education, 2025.

Early Learning Readiness

Since the 2017–2018 school year, Illinois teachers have used the Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) to observe students during natural activities like play and group work, mapping development across three key domains as children enter school.

87.1%

of Illinois kindergartners were assessed as "ready" on the KIDS readiness measure, though readiness varies widely by domain, with the social-emotional domain lagging well behind the others.

Source: Illinois Report Card.

Chronic Absenteeism Rises Sharply Through High School

Illinois law defines a "chronic absentee" as a student who misses 10% or more of school days in a year, with or without a valid excuse. Chronic absenteeism is linked to lower reading and graduation rates and higher dropout risk.

Percent of students chronically absent by grade (0 = Kindergarten). Source: Illinois Report Card.

Public School Enrollment Is Falling

10%

Enrollment Decline, 2014–2024

National enrollment declined just 2% over the same period.

4th-Worst

Nationally for Enrollment Decline

Only West Virginia, Mississippi, and New Hampshire lost a larger share of students.

~130,000

Students Lost Since 2019

Enrollment fell from about 1.98 million in 2019 to about 1.85 million recently.

13 of 15

Years of Declining Enrollment

Enrollment has fallen in 13 of the past 15 years, despite rising education spending.

Source: NCES; Illinois State Board of Education.

Key Takeaway Illinois students track close to the national average on NAEP but well behind most Midwest peers, Chicago performs well below the statewide average, and the state's 2025 decision to lower its own proficiency bar makes year-over-year comparisons on the state test harder to trust even as enrollment keeps shrinking.

Where the dollars come from, and where they go

Funding & Finance

Where the Money Goes

Illinois funds schools through a mix of local property taxes, state Evidence-Based Funding, and federal categorical programs. The formula is designed to steer new dollars toward the districts furthest from adequate funding, but Illinois still leans on local property taxpayers more than most states, and higher spending alone hasn't been a reliable predictor of better outcomes.

How Your Taxes Pay for Schools

Source: Illinois State Board of Education; NCES.

Illinois schools rely on local property taxes for a majority of funding, more than almost any other state. For the full picture of how school levies fit into your total property tax bill, see the Property Taxes page.

Evidence-Based Funding (EBF): How the Formula Works

EBF is designed to determine how much funding each district needs to adequately educate its students, then direct new state dollars toward the districts furthest from that target.

Stage 1

Determine Adequacy Target

The cost of educating all students: core investments, plus per-student factors, plus additional investments.

Stage 2

Measure Local Resources

Local capacity, plus replacement taxes, plus a base funding minimum.

Stage 3

Assign a Tier

Percent of adequacy determines tier placement; additional state funds are distributed based on tier.

Funding Tiers: Who Gets New Money First

Tier 1

Highest Need

Districts furthest from adequate funding receive the largest share of new state dollars.

Tier 2

Moderate Need

Districts below adequacy, but closer to their funding target than Tier 1.

Tier 3

Near Adequate

Districts close to their adequate funding level.

Tier 4

At or Above Adequacy

Districts already at or above their adequacy target.

A lower percent-of-adequacy means a district is further from meeting its target and needs, and receives, more state assistance; a higher percent means less state assistance is needed. As overall EBF funding rises over time, districts move closer to adequacy.

Source: ISBE, EBF Basics; FY26 EBF At-a-Glance.

$143,605,198

distributed to 958 Illinois schools under ESSA Section 1003A school-improvement funds, with administrative costs capped at 3% and priority given to schools identified for comprehensive and targeted support. Direct student services funded include academic tutoring, credit-recovery programs, and transportation.

Federal Funding Programs

Title I

Funds districts serving higher concentrations of students from low-income households to improve academic outcomes.

Title II

Supports teacher and principal preparation, professional development, and educator effectiveness.

Title III

Supports language instruction and academic achievement for English learners and immigrant students.

Title IV

Supports student enrichment, including school safety, a well-rounded education, and education technology.

IDEA

Supports special education and related services so states meet federally required standards.

Career & Technical Education

Supports CTE programs aligned with workforce and postsecondary readiness.

Source: U.S. Department of Education; ESSA (Public Law 114–95).

Illinois Has an Unusual Number of Local Governments

State	Units of Local Government	State	Property Tax Rate
Illinois	6,930	Illinois	1.88%
Texas	5,533	New Jersey	1.88%
Pennsylvania	4,851	Connecticut	1.48%
California	4,494	Nebraska	1.43%
Ohio	3,939	Vermont	1.42%
Missouri	3,796	New Hampshire	1.41%
Kansas	3,768	Texas	1.36%
Colorado	3,715	Ohio	1.31%
Minnesota	3,629	New York	1.26%
New York	3,447	Wisconsin	1.25%

Illinois has more units of local government than any other state in the country, and is in a virtual tie with New Jersey for the highest effective property tax rate. School districts are the largest single category of those local governments, which is a major reason Illinois leans so heavily on property taxes to fund schools.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau; NCES; Tax Foundation.

Per-Pupil Spending vs. Student Population

1New York: 2,606,748 students$26,097
2Vermont: 82,401 students$24,050
3New Jersey: 1,373,960 students$22,784
4Connecticut: 509,058 students$22,216
5New Hampshire: 169,027 students$19,396
6Illinois: 1,886,137 students$18,527
7Pennsylvania: 1,704,396 students$17,822
8Ohio: 1,645,412 students$14,389
9Wisconsin: 830,066 students$13,687
10Nebraska: 324,697 students$13,723
11Michigan: 1,434,137 students$13,351
12Texas: 5,372,806 students$11,049
13Florida: 2,791,707 students$10,823

Total operational spending per student. Source: NCES; state education finance reports.

Per-Pupil Spending vs. Student Proficiency, by District

Each dot is one of 750 Illinois elementary and unit school districts, plotted by total per-pupil spending against 3rd–8th grade reading and math proficiency. If money were the main driver of outcomes, the dots would trend upward and to the right. Instead, both trend lines run essentially flat, and slightly downward.

n=750 Illinois elementary and unit districts (high-school-only districts excluded). Source: Illinois Report Card; Illinois Policy Institute analysis.

Instructional Spending vs. Proficiency (Operational Costs Removed)

Backing transportation, administration, facilities, and other non-classroom costs out of the spending figure (isolating just the dollars that reach the classroom) does not change the picture. Instructional spending alone is still not a meaningful predictor of proficiency.

n=750 Illinois elementary and unit districts. Source: Illinois Report Card; Illinois Policy Institute analysis.

Across Illinois elementary-serving districts, higher per-pupil spending does not predict higher reading or math proficiency. Achievement varies widely at every funding level, even after backing out non-instructional operating costs, which means factors other than total spending are driving the difference in outcomes between districts.

Analysis of Illinois elementary and unit districts (high-school-only districts excluded). Source: Illinois State Report Card Data; Illinois Policy Institute.

Other Revenue & Cost Pressures

$24B+

Lottery Dollars to K-12 Since 1985

$796M transferred in FY2025 alone, ~7% of total IL K-12 funding

$83.069B

TRS Unfunded Pension Liability

47.8% funded ratio; see the Pensions page for the full picture

$708M

Potential Annual Savings

If Illinois's administrative spending matched the national average

Illinois Lottery proceeds support the Common School Fund, the state's primary K-12 funding stream. Meanwhile, the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) carries $76.054 billion in actuarial assets against $83.069 billion in unfunded liabilities, and Illinois's 852 traditional school districts (1,031 counting NCES's broader organizational-unit definition, which also includes special-education cooperatives), one of the highest counts in the nation either way, mean administrative costs are spread thin rather than consolidated.

Source: Illinois Lottery; Illinois Teachers' Retirement System; ISBE.

Unfunded, Funded & Indirect Mandates

Unfunded

The state imposes additional costs, but its appropriation doesn't fully cover them, so local education agencies make up the shortfall.

Funded

The mandate has an appropriation allocated to fully fund the initiative.

Indirect Costs

The state imposes additional duties carried out by existing staff, creating costs offset by savings, or costs recovered through external financial aid.

Source: Illinois Association of School Boards, Unfunded vs. Funded Mandates Fact Sheet (2023).

Key Takeaway Evidence-Based Funding was built to steer new dollars toward the districts furthest from adequate funding, but Illinois still funds schools more heavily through local property taxes than most states, carries an $83 billion unfunded teacher pension liability, and spends more per student than most large states without a clear payoff in outcomes.

When a classroom needs a teacher and none is available

Educators & Workforce

The Teacher Shortage

In Illinois, many educator positions are filled through alternative measures: hiring a retiree, bringing in a substitute, modifying responsibilities, outsourcing, or going virtual. A statewide survey of education leaders for the 2024–2025 school year put numbers on just how widespread that has become.

6,117

Teacher Positions Remedied

Through alternative measures, SY25

157

Administrator Positions Remedied

Through alternative measures, SY25

87%

Reported Shortage Problems

Of 742 leaders responding to this question

67%

Reported Weak Applicant Pools

Said fewer than half of applicants held proper credentials

On a separate question in the same survey, with a different response base, 129 of 644 education leaders who answered pointed to supporting alternate certification pathways as what would help most in growing the pool of qualified candidates.

Source: Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools (IARSS), 2024–2025 Educator Shortage Report.

Teacher Retention Has Fallen Since the Pandemic Years

This measure tracks the three-year average share of teachers returning to work at the same school district. Stability in teaching staff helps build a collaborative environment for both teachers and students; retention spiked in 2020–2021 before settling onto a lower plateau since 2022.

Three-year average percentage of teachers returning to the same district. Source: Illinois Report Card.

Teacher Education Levels (ISBE 2025)

57.2%

Hold a Master's Degree or Higher

Illinois teacher workforce, 2025

42.8%

Hold a Bachelor's Degree

Illinois teacher workforce, 2025

$45M

Teacher Pipeline Grant

State investment aimed at easing the shortage

Source: Illinois State Board of Education, 2025; ISBE Strategic Plan.

Key Takeaway Thousands of Illinois classrooms are staffed through workarounds, retirees, substitutes, modified duties, rather than a full-time credentialed hire, and teacher retention has settled onto a lower plateau since its pandemic-era peak, even as most education leaders say the applicant pool itself is the deeper problem.

From lecture halls to job sites

Higher Education & Career Pathways

Beyond K-12

Illinois runs one of the larger postsecondary systems in the country: a dozen public universities, dozens of community colleges, more than a hundred private institutions, and a growing network of trade and apprenticeship programs, each with a very different cost and a very different path into the workforce.

Public Universities

Enrolling nearly 190,000 students, a 10-year high in 2025

Community Colleges

Across 39 community college districts

100+

Private Institutions

Serving a significant share of students, especially in urban areas

~738K

Total Postsecondary Enrollment

Statewide, across all sectors

Illinois Public University Enrollment (2025)

Source: SHEEO State Higher Education Finance; College Tuition Compare.

Illinois College Enrollment, 1980–2025

Illinois college enrollment shows no clear long-term trend across four decades, cycling between roughly 325,000 and 390,000 students from 1980 all the way through 2019, when it reached a near-record 390,000. The real story is what happened next: enrollment then collapsed, falling to around 271,000 by 2025, one of the lowest points in 45 years, entirely within the last six years.

Approximate trend reconstructed from published enrollment figures. Source: SHEEO State Higher Education Finance; College Tuition Compare.

Community Colleges: Enrollment Rebounding

Illinois's 48 public community colleges, spread across 39 districts, enrolled 273,737 students in Fall 2025, the fourth straight year of statewide enrollment growth.

273,737

Students Enrolled, Fall 2025

Straight Years of Growth

9.5%

Growth in CTE/Trade Enrollment

Growth is now 1.3% above pre-pandemic levels, with more than 411,000 students in credit coursework in FY2025. Most community college students attend part-time (69.3%) and are under age 25 (66.2%). Dual-credit enrollment grew another 9.3%, transfer-program enrollment rose 2.3%, and 35.7% of community college students now take at least one online course, reflecting continued demand for flexible scheduling among working and returning students.

Source: Illinois Community College Board, Annual Enrollment Comparison Report, Fall 2025.

State Financial Aid

$700.5M

in state-funded student financial aid distributed in 2025, excluding loans, supporting students at both public and private in-state institutions, 60.5% of it awarded to public-college students and 39.5% to private-college students.

Source: SHEEO State Higher Education Finance.

Trade & Vocational Schools

Illinois is home to 78 vocational trade schools classified as less-than-two-year institutions, providing career-focused education and hands-on training across a range of skilled professions.

Average tuition and fees, Illinois trade schools. Source: College Tuition Compare.

Average tuition has stayed relatively stable over the past five years, with an overall upward trend: after a temporary drop in 2022–2023, costs rebounded to a five-year high of about $17,556 in 2024–2025.

Trade-Specific Outlook

Trade	Completion Rate	Outlook
Welding	80%+	Strong manufacturing and infrastructure demand
CDL / Trucking	70–90%	Supported by Illinois's logistics industry
HVAC	70–80%	Strong demand in residential and commercial construction
Healthcare (e.g. medical assisting)	50–65%	High placement rates in hospitals and clinics
Cosmetology	40–70%	Opportunities in salons and self-employment

Across trades, per-program enrollment is relatively small, but job security is generally strong given ongoing skilled-labor shortages statewide. Illinois has approximately 16,000 registered apprentices, with programs now extending beyond construction into healthcare, IT, logistics, and manufacturing.

Source: College Tuition Compare; Illinois Department of Employment Security; Illinois Economic Policy Institute.

Pathway Cost Comparison

Lowest Cost

Community Colleges

$3,000–$5,000 per year. The most affordable entry point, and a common pathway to transfer into a four-year institution.

Specialized

Trade & Technical Programs

$5,000–$20,000 total program cost. Shorter programs mean faster entry into the workforce.

Moderate

Public Universities

$10,000–$18,000 per year for Illinois residents, significantly higher for out-of-state and international students.

Highest Cost

Private Universities

$35,000–$60,000+ per year, though many offer large institutional scholarships and aid.

Cost differences strongly shape student decisions, with many students using a community-college transfer pathway specifically to reduce the total cost of a four-year degree.

Source: Illinois Board of Higher Education; Illinois Community College Board.

International Students

100K+

international students enrolled across Illinois institutions statewide, a major source of tuition revenue at flagship campuses.

UIUC's Fall 2025 enrollment reached 60,848 students, including roughly 5,533 international undergraduates and 7,817 international graduate students (13,350 total, about 22% of UIUC's enrollment), nearly 58% of them graduate students concentrated in STEM fields, drawn from more than 100 countries. International students at public universities typically pay two to three times the tuition of in-state students.

Source: University of Illinois System, Data & Enrollment Reports.

Key Takeaway Illinois higher education is a system of very different price points and outcomes, from $3,000-a-year community colleges to $60,000-a-year private universities, and while four-year enrollment has fallen for two decades, community colleges and trade programs are now growing again, and international enrollment remains a major source of revenue at flagship campuses.

What Senator Balkema is co-sponsoring in Springfield

Senator Balkema's Legislation

What Senator Balkema Is Doing

Senator Balkema has co-sponsored 36 education-related bills this session, ranging from school-choice tax credits and reading-deficiency screening to campus free speech and full funding of the Evidence-Based Funding formula.

Featured Bills

SB0261

Makes the Invest in Kids Act Permanent

Reenacts the Invest in Kids Act and makes the scholarship-tax-credit program permanent. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

SB3776

Education Choice for Child Act

Requires ISBE to identify qualifying scholarship-granting organizations and publish an approved list, enabling Illinois to participate in the federal education tax-credit scholarship program for K–12 expenses beginning after December 31, 2026.

SB3701

Full Funding of EBF & Mandated Programs

Requires full state funding of all mandated categorical education programs, school meal programs, and the Evidence-Based Funding formula beginning in FY2027, with no proration.

SB1915

Reading Deficiency & Dyslexia Notification

Requires school districts to notify parents in writing when a student in grades 1–3 is identified with a significant reading deficiency or dyslexia characteristics, including instructional supports and home strategies.

All Co-Sponsored Education Legislation

Every education-related bill Senator Balkema has co-sponsored this session. Search by bill number or keyword below.

Bill	What It Does
HB1787	Substitute Teacher Emergency Drill TrainingRequires school districts to provide substitute teachers and personnel with evacuation and lockdown drill training, including in-person training when available. Districts must display classroom exit maps and include emergency procedure information in employee materials.
HB3011	Community College Trustee OathRequires community college board of trustees members to take a specified oath before assuming office, filed with the board secretary. Trustees may not perform duties until the oath is properly filed.
HB3377	Homeless Student Funding ReportingRequires school districts to annually report to ISBE on funding received, reserved, and spent for homeless students, the number served, and activities funded. ISBE must publish this information online.
HB4587	Interim Conditional Child Care Director PathwayAmends the Child Care Act of 1969. Allows a licensed day care center to hire an individual completing their educational requirements as an Interim Conditional Child Care Director for 12 months while enrolled in an accredited college or university program.
HB4795	Early Childhood Educator License PathwayAmends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Allows a National Board early-childhood-generalist certification to qualify for an Educator License with Stipulations, deemed to meet the state's early-childhood and pre-kindergarten instructional competency requirements.
SB0096	Nonpublic School Students & District AthleticsBeginning with the 2025–2026 school year, requires a school board to allow a resident student who attends a nonpublic school to participate in district-sponsored extracurricular athletics without enrolling or completing coursework at the public school, if certain conditions are met.
SB0098	Mandatory Expulsion for Sexual ViolenceProvides that a student determined to have committed sexual violence, sexual assault, or nonconsensual sexual activity at school or a school-sponsored activity shall be expelled for a period of not less than one year.
SB0261	Makes the Invest in Kids Act PermanentReenacts the Invest in Kids Act and makes the Act permanent. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.
SB0168	Abuse by an Educator or Authority FigureCreates the criminal offense of abuse by an educator or authority figure, prohibiting sexual conduct with students aged 18–22 where a position of trust or supervision exists. Consent is not a defense; conviction may result in license suspension, revocation, or denial.
SB0939	Expulsion for Initiating Sexual AssaultRequires expulsion of students who initiate sexual assault at school or school-related activities for no less than one year; sexual conduct violations carry a minimum six-month expulsion. Age or disability is not a required consideration.
SB1195	Anna's Law: Trauma-Informed Response TrainingEstablishes trauma-informed response training requirements for law enforcement, requiring initial and in-service training every three years on trauma-informed responses, particularly for sexual assault and abuse cases.
SB1227	Curriculum TransparencyRequires school boards to post on their website a list of instructional curriculum and the procedures used to document, review, and approve it.
SB1605	Agriculture Courses Count as CTEAllows agricultural courses to meet the career and technical education graduation requirement and permits districts to apply for grants covering up to 50% of an agriculture teacher's salary.
SB1693	City Colleges of Chicago Board ElectionsRequires election, rather than appointment, of City Colleges of Chicago board of trustees beginning with the 2027 consolidated election, with 20 trustee districts plus one at-large trustee.
SB1864	Bias Assessment in Instructor EvaluationsRequires public college and university instructor evaluations to include an assessment of bias or unfair treatment toward individuals or groups based on race, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or political ideology.
SB1865	Campus Free Speech ActRequires public universities and community colleges to adopt free-expression policies, include free-speech education in freshman orientation, and creates a state Committee on Free Expression to issue annual reports.
SB1867	Multiple Teacher Licensure AssessmentsRequires ISBE to approve multiple distinct assessments for teacher licensure and allows teacher preparation programs to use any evidence-based effectiveness assessment aligned with state teaching standards.
SB1915	Reading Deficiency & Dyslexia NotificationRequires school districts to notify parents in writing when a student in grades 1–3 is identified with a significant reading deficiency or dyslexia characteristics, including difficulties, instructional supports, and home strategies.
SB2113	Bars Voting Incentives from Higher-Ed EmployeesRequires the governing board of each public institution of higher education to adopt a policy prohibiting employees from offering incentives to students to vote.
SB2128	Student Data & Voter RegistrationProvides that an institution of higher learning participating in the Monetary Award Program may not release a student's personally identifiable information for voter registration activities unless the student consents in writing.
SB2340	Student Transfer ReportingRequires ISBE to publish annual reports on student transfer activity, including requests, approvals, denials, and enrollment changes, and to annually audit 20 districts for transfer-decision compliance.
SB2773	Paraprofessional Licensure UpdateUpdates paraprofessional educator licensure eligibility, allowing licensure with a high school diploma and competency test, an associate degree or 60 college credit hours, or a short-term approval period with demonstrated job performance.
SB2821	Instructional Materials Posting & Opt-OutRequires districts to post information on instructional materials and activities on their websites twice yearly, including a process for parents to opt out of materials conflicting with religious beliefs. Effective July 1, 2026.
SB2991	Clarifies Nonconsensual Sexual ActivityClarifies that nonconsensual sexual activity or assault includes situations where the victim did not agree, was unconscious, intoxicated, drugged, or has a disability preventing consent. Requires expulsion procedures to comply with Title IX.
SB3070	Foreign Language Requirement AlternativeReplaces the foreign-language graduation requirement with a choice between two years of foreign language or career and technical education coursework, beginning with the 2028–2029 freshman class.
SB3301	Foreign Language Requirement ExemptionAllows districts to be exempt from the two-year foreign-language graduation requirement beginning in 2028–2029 if they lack sufficient staffing, with State Superintendent approval; individual students may also qualify for exemption.
SB3492	Emerging-Technology Workforce CurriculumAuthorizes ISBE to issue statewide workforce-development curriculum guidance focused on emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing, encouraging districts to adopt career-preparation programs.
SB3651	Paraprofessional Path to Substitute LicenseAllows paraprofessionals with a valid endorsement and at least 5 years of in-state experience to obtain a Substitute Teaching License without a bachelor's degree or enrollment in an educator preparation program.
SB3701	Full Funding of EBF & Mandated ProgramsRequires full state funding of all mandated categorical education programs, school meal programs, and the Evidence-Based Funding formula beginning in FY2027, with no proration. ISBE must annually report the funding needed to meet full adequacy.
SB3776	Education Choice for Child ActRequires ISBE to identify qualifying scholarship-granting organizations and publish an approved list, enabling Illinois to participate in the federal education tax-credit scholarship program beginning after December 31, 2026.
SB3850	Opts Illinois Into Federal School-Choice CreditRequires the Governor to annually submit a list of eligible scholarship-granting organizations to the U.S. Treasury to opt Illinois into the federal school-choice tax-credit program.
SB4053	University of Illinois Extension FundingAppropriates $20,000,000 to the University of Illinois to increase the Extension Service Trust Fund allocation for the University of Illinois Extension program. Effective July 1, 2026.
SB4186	Iroquois County CUSD #9 Facility GrantAppropriates $16,500,000 from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to DCEO for a grant to Iroquois County Community Unit School District #9 for facility additions and upgrades.
SB1210	Optional Firearm Safety Training CourseProvides that a school district may offer a firearm safety training course, which may include hunting safety, to students in grades 9-12. Students may not be required to take the course, and a school board that offers it must publish its implementation policy on the district's website.
SR0383	Urges Illinois to Opt Into Federal School ChoiceUrges Governor JB Pritzker to opt Illinois into the provisions of the Educational Choice for Children Act.
SJR0016	Encourages Manufacturing CareersEncourages young people to consider a career in small to mid-sized manufacturing.

Bill numbers link to each bill's official status page on the Illinois General Assembly website (104th General Assembly).

Key Takeaway Most of the education bills Senator Balkema has co-sponsored this session cluster into a few buckets: school-choice and scholarship-tax-credit fights, student-safety and Title IX compliance rules, teacher-licensure flexibility, and funding-adequacy mandates, with the Invest in Kids Act's future and full EBF funding among the highest-stakes questions still unresolved.