Substitute House Bill No. 5437, Public Act No. 24-45, is a comprehensive piece of legislation that addresses various aspects of education policy, including mandate relief, school discipline, and support for disconnected youth. The bill establishes the Education Mandate Review Advisory Council to advise on the cost and implementation of education mandates and to recommend repeals or amendments to burdensome mandates. It also amends in-service training requirements for educational personnel, removing language on culturally responsive pedagogy and social-emotional learning, and allowing noncertified employees to voluntarily participate in training. The bill modifies graduation credit requirements, adding a half-credit in personal financial management for classes starting in 2027, and allows for the creation of a reserve fund for educational expenditures by regional boards of education.

The bill revises policies on school climate and bullying, requiring schools to have a safe school climate plan with procedures for reporting and addressing bullying and teen dating violence. It also changes the requirements for school resource officers, who must now complete training related to social-emotional learning and restorative practices. Waste management regulations are updated to include recycling of organic materials by schools, and the bill allows local boards of education to deposit unexpended funds into a nonlapsing account. Furthermore, the bill redefines "alternative education," expands provisions for alternative education programs, and establishes working groups to review high school grading policies and the accountability index. Lastly, it creates a task force to develop recommendations for a statewide bereavement and grief counseling program for children and families.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 10-248a
ED Joint Favorable Change of Reference: 10-248a
File No. 668: 10-248a, 10-74j, 4-124ll
Public Act No. 24-45: 10-248a, 10-74j, 4-124ll