IL HB4365

School districts must pay tuition costs for students with disabilities attending non-public or out-of-state special education facilities if the district's program cannot meet the student's needs, capped at $4,500 per year or actual costs, whichever is less, excluding room, board, and transportation.

School districts may place students in unapproved non-public special education facilities only with State Board of Education emergency approval, which must be granted within 10 days if the facility demonstrates proper teacher licensure, age-appropriate curriculum, enrollment data, IEP implementation ability, and the district made good faith efforts to place the student in an approved facility.

Prior to out-of-state placements, school districts must offer parents the option of comparable in-state facilities and annually review out-of-state placements, with IEP teams reviewing approved in-state alternatives at least every 3 years.

School districts may claim reimbursement from the State for tuition payments exceeding the district's per capita tuition charge for non-special education students, subject to State Board of Education approval and compliance with district certification requirements.

The Illinois Purchased Care Review Board must approve tuition costs exceeding $4,500 per year or increasing more than 10 percent annually, and must consider wage increases awarded to front-line personnel in community-based settings when determining allowable rates.