Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation empowering local school councils. The law establishes local school councils (LSC) for public small schools, creates LSC seats for 7th and 8th grade students, restores LSC powers for schools on probation for more than five years, establishes binding elections for all student LSC seats, and creates a more transparent vetting process for board-appointed staff members. SB 101 establishes elected local school councils (LSC) for public small schools within Chicago Public Schools. A small school is defined as a school with a specialized educational focus, curriculum, or school design and with an enrollment of 600 students for high schools or 350 students for elementary schools. Schools will be required to appoint one full-time student member to the LSC. In elementary schools, students enrolled in grade 6 or higher would be eligible to be candidates. Additionally, the legislation requires a school’s principal to hold a mid-year binding advisory election to allow their student body to express its preference regarding which students should be appointed to the school’s LSC.  

The legislation prioritizes transparency and streamlines meeting procedures by clarifying who can call special meetings and providing clarity on procedures when vacancies exist in the LSC. Regarding teacher-members of the LSC, prior to appointing them, the legislation requires the board to make public the vetting process of staff member candidates. This is intended to make the appointment process more transparent.  The legislation allows the LSC to reject or modify any school improvement plan or implementation of the plan. With respect to the employment, dismissal, and evaluation of a school principal, the LSC of a school that has been on probation for five years or more will be able to conduct a non-binding poll that must be considered by the network chief. The network chief shall work collaboratively with the LSC throughout the process of employment, dismissal, and evaluation of a school principal. SB 101 is effective immediately.