Kendall County Times

Education Committee Minority Spokesperson Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) said she needed more information about Sen. Dave Koehler’s (D-Peoria) bill which amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code.

While Koehler explained that SB1821 creates a COVID-19 post-secondary transition recovery eligibility for children with disabilities and would help these children, Rezin commented that she wants more clarifications in terms of funds and logistics.

“[I] appreciate this bill,” Rezin said. “I think my questions center around logistics on how (the) administration is supposed to go back and find the children or students that we’re talking about … it seems to me there will be a fiscal impact to this as well.”

She further stated that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act cannot be used after a student’s 22nd birthday. She needed to know how the students can be financially assisted.

“The amendment fixes this,” Koehler told Rezin. “Makes it so that funds are available through the COVID relief bill."

Rezin sought further clarification of how the bill works.

“There’s still a lot of questions with this,” she said. “Federal funds are flexible and can be used for this or for many other things. I’m concerned about the logistics with how we reintegrate the students back into the system. I’d like more clarity. Logistically how is this going to work? If you could bring that back to this committee. I’d appreciate that.”

SB1821 states “that eligible students who reached or will reach their 22nd birthday between March 17, 2020 and the end of the 2021-2022 school year shall be afforded the option of extending the student's eligibility through the end of the 2021-2022 school year to provide the student with an opportunity to participate in post-secondary transition activities and services and pursue the goals under the student's most recent individualized education program. Sets forth provisions regarding the extension of eligibility.”

An amendment to the bill included: “The costs of the extended post-secondary transition services provided under subsection (b) of this Section may be funded through available federal COVID-19 relief funds allocated to the State of Illinois."

Rezin and 11 more legislators voted for the bill, advancing it out of the Senate Education Committee.