SB0449 Summary

• Creates Article 26A ("Ensuring Success in School Law") establishing comprehensive protections and services for students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of gender-based violence in Illinois schools.

• Requires school districts to adopt policies ensuring immediate school transfers for victims of gender-based violence, including to schools in different districts if necessary, with tuition waived for nonresidents and full access to extracurricular activities.

• Mandates designation of trained gender-based violence and parenting resource personnel at each school and requires complaint resolution procedures with specific due process protections, including confidentiality safeguards and victim protections against direct contact with alleged perpetrators.

• Provides accommodations and services including flexible scheduling, counseling access, classroom transfers, and ability to make up missed work for students who are parents, expectant parents, or gender-based violence victims, funded through school district resources.

• Establishes enforcement mechanisms allowing students to pursue civil claims against schools failing to exercise due diligence, with remedies including declaratory and injunctive relief, costs, attorney's fees, and compensatory and punitive damages.