Illinois 104th General Assembly Status: Introduced 1 D cosponsors

SB4026      — SCH CD-FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQ

Last action — Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments

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  1. 1
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced February 06, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Prognosis

Not enough signal yet

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

Not enough signal yet to read this bill's trajectory — we surface a likelihood only once there's real movement (stage, sponsorship, committee, or votes) to point to.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

The bill requires high schools to offer foreign language credit under certain conditions for graduation.

Starting in the 2028-2029 school year, students must complete 2 years of foreign language courses to graduate. The bill also mandates that high schools provide credit if students pass a proficiency test or have a relevant transcript.

What this means for you
  • Families: Families will need to ensure their children complete the foreign language requirement for high school graduation.

Summary

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. With respect to the requirement that, beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, each pupil entering the 9th grade must, as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, successfully complete 2 years of foreign language courses, requires a high school to offer 2 years of foreign-language course credit to any student who either (i) successfully passes a standardized test of language proficiency for a language other than English at the level required for the State Seal of Biliteracy or (ii) presents an official transcript demonstrating completion of 2 years of high-school equivalency in which the language of instruction was in a language other than English.

Bill Text

We don't have the full text on file for this bill yet.

Read SB4026 on the official Illinois source →

Action History

  1. Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments

  2. Rule 2-10 Committee/3rd Reading Deadline Established As May 31, 2026

  3. Rule 2-10 Committee/3rd Reading Deadline Established As May 22, 2026

  4. Rule 2-10 Committee/3rd Reading Deadline Established As May 15, 2026

  5. Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As April 24, 2026

  6. Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As March 27, 2026

  7. Assigned to Education

  8. Referred to Assignments

  9. First Reading

  10. Filed with Secretary by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 182 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (182)

182 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 182 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

education
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB4026      do?
Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. With respect to the requirement that, beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, each pupil entering the 9th grade must, as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, successfully complete 2 years of foreign language courses, requires a high school to offer 2 years of foreign-language course credit to any student who either (i) successfully passes a standardized test of language proficiency for a language other than English at the level required for the State Seal of Biliteracy or (ii) presents an official transcript demonstrating completion of 2 years of high-school equivalency in which the language of instruction was in a language other than English.
Who sponsors SB4026     ?
SB4026      is sponsored by Kimberly A. Lightford (Democrat).
What is the current status of SB4026     ?
This bill has been introduced in the Senate. Introduced February 06, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track SB4026     ?
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Last checked for changes 4 months ago · updated continuously

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