New Illinois laws impacting schools addresses bullying, overdose and substitutes

(The Center Square) – Reading, writing and arithmetic are still central in school, but the school scene in Illinois is changing in several ways that parents should know about.

Kimberly Small, executive director of the Illinois Association of School Boards, discussed how some new laws impact school life as summer winds to a close. Some bills deal with mental health issues ranging from bullying to trauma and drug overdoses.

Small anticipates students will be helped by a law that takes effect in January requiring schools keep a supply of opioid antagonists to save lives from drug overdoses.

“I expect that it will help,” she told The Center Square.

This is not the first time schools have kept undesignated supplies of medication, she said, citing the use of epinephrine for severe allergies.

To deal with trauma, another law requires that school employees and board members get training in how to respond.

“That law is going to benefit school board members as they consider how to provide and allocate resources to support individuals who have experienced trauma,” Small said.

Bullying can leave a student depressed and unwilling to go to school. Now, any administrator learning of a bullying incident must tell the parent of the involved child within 24 hours of the incident. Previously, parents were to get prompt notification, but prompt was not defined.

When students go back to school, they also will have easier access to a mental health hotline number, which will be printed on their identification cards. The chosen hotline is Safe2Help, and it is available 24/7 through a state initiative. That number is 844-472-3345.

Lastly, Small talked about how a law that provides more teaching support by doubling the time a substitute can stay in a classroom to 90 days.

“We’re excited this will provide greater consistency for the students our members are educating,” she said.