Suspension and expulsion from state funded preschool programs is not allowed, including all Project HELP classrooms. Legislation was introduced in Illinois in 2016 which passed the Illinois General Assembly with strong bipartisan support in May 2017. This legislation was signed into law by Governor Rauner on August 14, 2017. It is known as Public Act 100-105, and focuses on preventing expulsion of children ages birth to five from early childhood programs because of the child’s behavior. The law became effective on January 1, 2018.
Simply stated, the goals of PA 100-0105 are :
To ensure early childhood programs engage in best practices in their disciplinary actions by prohibiting expulsions of young children due to child behavior
To connect providers to existing available resources and supports to address the various needs of children
To track transitions due to child behavior, providing data to better understand the issue and identify the need for additional resources:
Preventing Suspensions and Expulsions in Early childhood Settings
37-50B: Early Childhood Block Grant (ECBG) Behavior Support Plan
37-50A: Early Childhood Block Grant (ECBG) Program Transition Plan
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: BEHAVIOR SUPPORT and PROGRAM TRANSITION PLANS