il-v50i40-23-ill-adm-code-525: 23 Ill. Adm. Code 525 — Regional Offices of Education and Intermediate Services

1) Heading of the Part: Regional Offices of Education and Intermediate Services 2) Code Citation: 23 Ill. Adm. Code 525 3) Section Numbers: Adopted Actions: 525.10 Amendment 525.80 New Section 4) Statutory Authority: Implementing Sections 2-3.62, 2-3.53, and 3-14.9 and authorized by Section 2-3.62 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2-3.62, 2-3.53, and 3-14.9]. 5) Effective Date of Rule: September 15, 2026 6) Does this rulemaking contain an automatic repeal date? No 7) Does this rulemaking contain incorporations by reference? No 8) A copy of the Adopted Rule, including any material incorporated by reference, is on file in the Agency's principal office and is available for public inspection. 9) Notice of Proposal Published in Illinois Register: 50 Ill. Reg. 4956; April 3, 2026 10) Has JCAR issued a Statement of Objection to this rule? No 11) Differences between Proposal and Final Version: Some grammatical changes and Section 525.80(h)(2)(C) is changed to: "the harm caused by the deficiencies is remedied, or will be remedied with additional corrective steps, to the satisfaction of the State Superintendent.". 12) Have all the changes agreed upon by the agency and JCAR been made as indicated in the agreements issued by JCAR? Yes 13) Will this rulemaking replace an emergency rule currently in effect? No 14) Are there any rulemakings pending on this Part? No 15) Summary and Purpose of Rulemaking: Public Act 104-385 allows the State Superintendent of Education to designate a regional office of education or intermediate ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION NOTICE OF ADOPTED AMENDMENTS service center as a learning partner in any iteration of the statewide system of support. The Public Act also provides that the status of learning partner, as designated by the State Superintendent, may be revoked at the State Superintendent's sole discretion. The proposed rules outline the circumstances under which the State Superintendent may change a ROE's or ISC's learning partner status to "On Probation," the timeline and process for a corrective action plan, and the process and procedures under which the State Superintendent may revoke and reinstate a ROE's or ISC's learning partner status. 16) Information and questions regarding this adopted rulemaking shall be directed to: Azita Kakvand Agency Rules Coordinator Illinois State Board of Education 555 West Monroe Street Chicago, Illinois 60661 (312) 793-2757 rules@isbe.net The full text of the Adopted Amendments begins on the next page: ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION NOTICE OF ADOPTED AMENDMENTS TITLE 23: EDUCATION AND CULTURAL RESOURCES SUBTITLE A: EDUCATION CHAPTER I: STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION SUBCHAPTER o: MISCELLANEOUS PART 525 REGIONAL OFFICES OF EDUCATION AND INTERMEDIATE SERVICES Section 525.10 Purpose 525.20 Regional Offices of Education 525.30 Cook County Intermediate Service Centers Outside of the City of Chicago 525.40 City of Chicago Intermediate Service Center 525.50 Annual Application 525.60 Program Evaluation Standards and Procedures 525.70 Fiscal Procedures 525.80 Revocation of Learning Partner Status AUTHORITY: Implementing Sections 2-3.62, 2-3.53, and 3-14.9 and authorized by Section 2- 3.62 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2-3.62, 2-3.53, and 3-14.9]. SOURCE: Adopted at 18 Ill. Reg. 17447, effective November 28, 1994; amended at 21 Ill. Reg. 2172, effective January 29, 1997; amended at 28 Ill. Reg. 15487, effective November 22, 2004; old Part repealed at 39 Ill. Reg. 10044, and new Part adopted at 39 Ill. Reg. 10046, effective June 30, 2015; amended at 40 Ill. Reg. 5038, effective March 2, 2016; amended at 50 Ill. Reg. 14586, effective September 15, 2026. Section 525.10 Purpose a) This Part establishes the procedures for the delivery to all school districts of the services and programs required under Sections 2-3.62 and 2-3.53 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2-3.62 and 2-3.53] by Regional Offices of Education, the Cook County Intermediate Service Centers, and City of Chicago School District 299 ("CPS"). b) Each Regional Office of Education (ROE), Intermediate Service Center (ISC), and CPS shall ensure the provision to all school districts (or in the case of CPS, its schools) of the services and programs listed in this subsection (b). These services may be provided either directly or in cooperation with one or more ROEs or ISCs. These services and programs shall include those listed in subsections (b)(1) through (b)(3) and may include the provision of other administrator and teacher training programs, data collection, on-site consultation, evaluation services, implementation of the improvement practices selected by school district staff and other services identified by school personnel as critical to the completion of their school improvement efforts. 1) Computer Technology Education as specified in Section 2-3.62(a)(2) of the School Code. These technology services must include, but need not be limited to, inservice training and staff development; use, application, and evaluation of software; technical assistance; and curriculum development. 2) Staff Development Services in Fundamental Learning Areas, to include at least mathematics, science and reading resources, as specified in Section 2-3.62(a)(3) of the School Code. These services shall include planning, implementation and evaluation services as they relate to the continuing education, inservice training and staff development needs of teachers and administrators in the areas of mathematics, biological, and physical sciences, language arts, fine arts, social sciences, and physical development and health. Activities shall include, but not be limited to, assisting in needs assessment activities, providing workshops and inservice training sessions, providing technical assistance, convening study or assessment groups, and acting as a clearinghouse for research materials in the fundamental learning areas. 3) The Illinois Administrators' Academy (Section 2-3.53 of the School Code), to at least provide the following services: assessing regional needs, acting as a clearinghouse for educational materials and research, and keeping accurate records of attendance at inservice training sessions provided through the Illinois Administrators' Academy. c) This Part also outlines the process by which the State Superintendent may revoke a ROE's or ISC's status as a learning partner pursuant to Section 3-14.9 of the School Code. (Source: Amended at 50 Ill. Reg. 14586, effective September 15, 2026) Section 525.80 Revocation of Learning Partner Status ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION NOTICE OF ADOPTED AMENDMENTS a) For purposes of this Section: "ISC" means intermediate service center. "ROE" means regional office of education. "School Code" means 105 ILCS 5. "State Board" means the State Board of Education. "State Superintendent" means the State Superintendent of Education or a designee. "Work Plan" means a customized plan based on a school-level needs assessment that identifies the services that will be provided by the learning partner. b) Pursuant to Section 3-14.9 of the School Code, the State Superintendent may revoke an ROE's or ISC's status of learning partner, as designated under that Section. The ROE's or ISC's learning partner status will be changed to "On Probation" following the process outlined in this Section if the ROE or ISC does any of the following: 1) fails to enter into a work plan with any school district that contracts with it for learning partner services; 2) employs personnel to carry out its duties as a learning partner who lack background or experience in school improvement; 3) fails to provide learning partner services as contracted by a school district; 4) fails to maintain financial records according to generally accepted accounting principles, as specified by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board; 5) subcontracts with another entity to carry out learning partner services; or 6) fails to comply with any applicable State or federal laws. ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION NOTICE OF ADOPTED AMENDMENTS c) Prior to changing the ROE's or ISC's status to "On Probation", the State Superintendent will notify the ROE or ISC, in writing, of the information obtained by the State Superintendent that reflects any of the actions listed under subsection (b) and of the ROE's or ISC's right to a conference with the State Superintendent first, as provided under subsection (d). Any change in status that may occur pursuant to this Section will be posted on the State Board's website no later than 30 calendar days after the change in status. An ROE or ISC whose status is changed to "On Probation" under this Section may continue to serve the schools already receiving learning partner services from the ROE or ISC but shall not serve any additional schools in a learning partner capacity. d) The State Superintendent will schedule a conference with the regional superintendent or executive director of any ROE or ISC prior to changing its learning partner status to "On Probation", at which representatives of the ROE or ISC will discuss the issues with State Board staff. By agreement of the parties, the conference may be conducted via videoconference or any other means. Within five calendar days after the date of the scheduled conference, the State Superintendent will determine if the ROE's or ISC's learning partner status will be changed to "On Probation" and will notify the ROE or ISC, in writing, to this effect. Within 15 calendar days after the notification, the regional superintendent or executive director of the ROE or ISC shall submit to the State Superintendent a corrective action plan that conforms to the requirements of this subsection (d). The State Superintendent will approve the plan no later than 15 calendar days after receiving it if the plan identifies and includes: 1) the specific steps to be taken by the ROE or ISC that are directly related to the area or areas of deficiency cited by the State Superintendent; 2) evidence that the ROE or ISC has the resources and the ability to take the steps described without giving rise to other issues of compliance that would lead to probationary status; and 3) a timeline for correction of the cited deficiencies that is demonstrably linked to the factors leading to those deficiencies and that is within a timeline needed to correct the identified problems. e) If the corrective action plan does not meet the criteria listed under subsection (d), the State Superintendent will notify the ROE or ISC, in writing, to this effect and ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION NOTICE OF ADOPTED AMENDMENTS the ROE or ISC will be given a single extension of five additional calendar days for correcting it. f) An ROE or ISC whose learning partner status is "On Probation" shall have its learning partner status restored any time upon submission of satisfactory evidence that demonstrates the ROE or ISC has rectified the deficiencies that resulted in the change of learning partner status. g) If the ROE or ISC does not submit an action plan that meets the criteria under subsection (d) within the 15-calendar day requirement (or 20 calendar days if permitted to correct), or if no corrective action plan meeting the requirements of subsection (d) is received within 15 calendar days after the ROE or ISC is notified of its "On Probation" status, the State Superintendent may revoke the ROE's or ISC's learning partner status. h) If, at any time while a corrective action plan is in effect, the State Superintendent determines that the agreed-upon actions are not being implemented in accordance with the corrective action plan or the underlying areas of deficiency are not being remedied, the State Superintendent may revoke the ROE's or ISC's learning partner status. 1) An ROE or ISC that has had its learning partner status revoked by the State Superintendent pursuant to this Section must terminate any learning partner contracts with school districts and may not enter into any new contracts for learning partner services. 2) An ROE or ISC that has had its learning partner status revoked may petition the State Superintendent for reinstatement no sooner than one year after the revocation if the ROE or ISC clearly demonstrates that: A) the deficiencies that resulted in revocation of status are resolved; B) systems and to ensure that the deficiencies that resulted in the change in learning partner status will not recur; and C) the harm caused by the deficiencies is remedied, or will be remedied with additional corrective steps, to the satisfaction of the State Superintendent. ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION NOTICE OF ADOPTED AMENDMENTS (Source: Added at 50 Ill. Reg. 14586, effective September 15, 2026) POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD NOTICE OF ADOPTED AMENDMENTS