Illinois · Senate Bill · 2026 Session
SB2909
Illinois SB 2909 — AN ACT concerning education (amending 105 ILCS 5/24A-5)

Status ● Enrolled Effective N/A Passage Likelihood H

WHAT THIS BILL REGULATES · 1 REQUIREMENT TYPE

How Is This Bill Enforced

Enforcement Authority
No independent enforcement mechanism or penalty is created by the new AI provisions. Enforcement would fall within the existing School Code framework administered by the State Board of Education and local school districts.
Private Right of Action
No private right of action. Enforcement is exclusive to the designated authority.
Penalties
The bill creates no independent penalty or damages provision. Violations would be addressed through existing School Code administrative and employment processes.

What This Bill Requires

Verbatim statutory text on the left; plain-language analysis and a per-section checklist on the right. Numbered markers cross-link to the matching checklist row.

Statutory Text
Analysis & Obligations
105 ILCS 5/24A-5
Content of evaluation plans — AI restrictions in teacher evaluation
Government

1 An evaluator is prohibited from using an artificial intelligence tool to assign a numerical score or qualitative rating, such as "excellent", "proficient", "need improvement", or "unsatisfactory", for any component of a teacher's evaluation or any evaluation task that requires professional judgment. However, an artificial intelligence tool may be used to support the evaluator in administrative tasks.

2 A teacher is prohibited from using an artificial intelligence tool to generate evidence of professional practice that will be used by an evaluator to evaluate the teacher's performance. However, an artificial intelligence tool may be used by a teacher to support the teacher in administrative tasks.

3 The joint committee under subsection (b-5) of Section 24A-4 shall determine how artificial intelligence tools may be used in accordance with paragraphs (a) through (o). If an evaluator uses an artificial intelligence tool, the name and specific purpose of the artificial intelligence tool must be disclosed to the teacher being evaluated. If a teacher uses an artificial intelligence tool, the name and specific purpose of the artificial intelligence tool must be disclosed to the evaluator evaluating the teacher.

Nothing in this Section or Section 24A-4 shall be construed as preventing immediate dismissal of a teacher for deficiencies which are deemed irremediable or for actions which are injurious to or endanger the health or person of students in the classroom or school, or preventing the dismissal or non-renewal of teachers not in contractual continued service for any reason not prohibited by applicable employment, labor, and civil rights laws. Failure to strictly comply with the time requirements contained in Section 24A-5 shall not invalidate the results of the remediation plan.

This section amends the existing teacher evaluation plan requirements to add three new AI-specific provisions. First, evaluators are categorically prohibited from using artificial intelligence tools to assign scores or ratings for any evaluation component that requires professional judgment — the prohibition covers both numerical scores and the statutory qualitative ratings (excellent, proficient, needs improvement, unsatisfactory). An express carve-out permits evaluators to use AI for administrative tasks. Second, teachers are prohibited from using AI to generate evidence of professional practice that will be submitted for evaluation, with a parallel carve-out for administrative tasks. Third, when either party does use an AI tool, mutual disclosure of the tool's name and specific purpose is required. A joint committee under Section 24A-4 is charged with determining how AI tools may be used within the evaluation framework established by subsections (a) through (o).

The bill does not define artificial intelligence tool, leaving interpretation to the joint committee and existing administrative processes. No new enforcement mechanism, penalty, or private right of action is created; compliance would be governed by the existing School Code administrative framework.

Compliance actions 3 items
1
School district evaluators must not use an artificial intelligence tool to assign a numerical score or qualitative rating for any component of a teacher's evaluation or any evaluation task requiring professional judgment. AI may be used only to support the evaluator in administrative tasks.
2
Teachers must not use an artificial intelligence tool to generate evidence of professional practice that will be submitted for use in their performance evaluation. AI may be used only to support the teacher in administrative tasks.
3
Evaluators who use an AI tool in the evaluation process must disclose the tool's name and specific purpose to the teacher being evaluated. Teachers who use an AI tool must disclose the tool's name and specific purpose to the evaluator. The joint committee under Section 24A-4 must determine how AI tools may be used within the evaluation plan framework.
T-01

Passage Likelihood

High
Status Enrolled
Chamber Passed both
Committee Passed
Majority party Yes
Bipartisan Yes
Prior session None

Legislative History

2026-01-27 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Christopher Belt
2026-01-27 First Reading
2026-01-27 Referred to Assignments
2026-02-03 Assigned to Education
2026-02-17 Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Chapin Rose
2026-02-18 Do Pass Education; 012-000-000
2026-02-18 Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading February 19, 2026
2026-02-18 Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Javier L. Cervantes
2026-02-18 Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Doris Turner
2026-02-18 Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Secretary by Sen. Christopher Belt
2026-02-18 Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Assignments
2026-02-24 Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Assignments Refers to Education
2026-02-24 Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Doris Turner
2026-02-25 Second Reading
2026-02-25 Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading February 26, 2026
2026-02-27 Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Robert Peters
2026-03-04 Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommend Do Adopt Education; 012-000-000
2026-03-19 Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Ram Villivalam
2026-03-24 Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Rachel Ventura
2026-03-26 Recalled to Second Reading
2026-03-26 Senate Floor Amendment No. 1 Adopted; Belt
2026-03-26 Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading
2026-03-26 Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mike Porfirio
2026-03-26 Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Elgie R. Sims, Jr.
2026-03-26 Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Mike Simmons
2026-03-27 Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Graciela Guzmán
2026-04-13 Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Sara Feigenholtz
2026-04-16 Third Reading - Passed; 055-000-000
2026-04-17 Arrived in House
2026-04-17 Chief House Sponsor Rep. Mary Beth Canty
2026-04-17 Added as Co-Sponsor Sen. Lakesia Collins
2026-04-17 First Reading
2026-04-17 Referred to Rules Committee
2026-04-27 Assigned to Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools
2026-05-05 Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Anthony DeLuca
2026-05-06 Do Pass / Short Debate Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools; 009-000-000
2026-05-07 Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Maura Hirschauer
2026-05-07 Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
2026-05-19 Second Reading - Short Debate
2026-05-19 Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate
2026-05-20 Added Alternate Co-Sponsor Rep. Joyce Mason
2026-05-22 Third Reading/Final Action Deadline Extended-9(b) May 31, 2026
2026-05-25 Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
2026-05-25 Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Laura Faver Dias
2026-05-25 Added Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Nicolle Grasse
2026-05-27 Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 113-000-000
2026-05-27 Passed Both Houses

Entry Last Reviewed

2026-06-01
AI generated