Illinois just made a major change for students, and this has been far long overdue.

Governor JB Pritzker signed a new law this week that officially bans police/law enforcement from ticketing or fining students at school.  That means no more walking into class one minute late because they were getting fined moments before.

Related: Illinois Lawmakers Pass Bill Banning AI Therapists

The students who've been getting hit the hardest are students of color and low-income families, according to state officials.

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Students were getting fined for truancy, which is crazy in itself.

So, instead of being able to put food on their dinner tables, many families were busy paying fines at their child's school.  The new law puts a complete stop to that!

Students in Illinois Can No Longer Be Ticketed at School, New Law Says

The ban takes effect immediately, and by July 2026, all schools that use resource officers will have to clear agreements with law enforcement departments.  They'll ban ticketing, require new/proper training, and set up systems to review how resource programs within schools are working.

“We want to keep young people out of the criminal justice system, not unnecessarily introduce them to it by including law enforcement in school matters that should be handled by teachers and principals,” said Ford. “Excessive penalties can push a student away from the classroom instead of helping them, which is why it’s so important we’re choosing a better path forward today.” [chalkbeat]

 

Related: The Illinois Law You Probably Break Without Even Knowing It

Then, in 2027, those same schools will have to report how many students they refer to law enforcement, and the ISBE will track the data statewide.  This will, hopefully, build transparency between schools, students and their families, and law enforcement.

State Superintendent, Tony Sanders, said that ticketing never actually fixed anything, it just created more problems.  This is definitely a huge step in fairness, equality, and stronger relationships between administration and their students.