For Immediate Release
August 20, 2025
New Illinois Law Ends School-Based Ticketing for Students
Law prohibits ticketing as a disciplinary measure, addressing a harmful practice that had a disproportionate impact on students of color
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) today announced the enactment of a new law that ends school-based ticketing for students. The law prohibits schools from issuing monetary fines, fees, tickets, or citations to students as a disciplinary consequence for a municipal code violation on school grounds during school hours. This legislation closes a loophole to address the use of harmful student ticketing practices that disproportionately affected students of color.
“Ticketing students for disciplinary offenses has not been shown to improve student behavior or address underlying causes and student needs,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders. “The practice has disproportionately impacted students of color and harmed low-income families, forcing them to pay exorbitant and unnecessary fines instead of buying groceries and other household needs. ISBE advocated strongly for closing this loophole, and I am very proud to see this law cross the finish line. This law is a necessary step to protect students who have been unfairly targeted. It reflects our ongoing commitment to eliminating discriminatory practices and building trauma-informed, resilient school systems.”
An April 2022 investigation by ProPublica and the Chicago Tribune found that more than 140 school districts across Illinois had issued municipal citations, often carrying fines of around $200, for infractions such as possessing a vape pen or tobacco; truancy; or "disturbing the peace." In many districts, Black and Latino students were ticketed at disproportionately higher rates.
A legal opinion from the Illinois Office of the Attorney General (OAG) reviewed the ProPublica/Tribune findings and confirmed the underlying fact pattern. The opinion also found that student ticketing violates the Illinois School Code, and in practice, can also violate state civil rights laws and protections for students with disabilities.
Key provisions of the new law include:
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Prohibition of Ticketing in Schools: Effective immediately, a student may no longer be issued monetary fines, fees, tickets, or citations for a municipal code violation as a form of discipline on school grounds during school hours.
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Defined Roles for School Resource Officers: Beginning July 1, 2026, any school district that employs a school resource officer must establish a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) with local law enforcement. The MOU must clearly define the officer’s role and prohibit the officer from issuing tickets or citations on school property.
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Annual Law Enforcement Referral Reporting: Beginning with the 2027-28 school year, districts must submit an annual report to ISBE with the number of K-12 students referred to law enforcement, as well as the number of instances of referrals.
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Publicly Available Data: ISBE will begin publishing statewide student referral data annually on Jan. 31, 2029.
This law does not prevent schools from contacting law enforcement when required by law, such as in cases involving criminal activity or threats to safety.
“Punitive discipline policies like ticketing disproportionately impact students of color, particularly Black students, students with disabilities, and other marginalized or vulnerable students,” said Attorney General Kwame Raoul. “These disparities cause real harms, such as decreased academic achievement, increased likelihood of students dropping out of school and increased involvement with the juvenile justice system. I commend the Illinois State Board of Education and the legislative sponsors for their work on this important law. I also strongly urge school districts to review and, if needed, to revise their disciplinary policies and agreements with local law enforcement.”
“When students are fined for school-related behavior, the underlying problem is not being solved — instead, it’s worsened. Fines push students into the justice system, giving them records before reaching adulthood, and impose a financial burden on working families,” said State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago). “By banning this practice, we are promoting equity in our schools and shifting the focus to restorative approaches that are effective and supportive of student growth.”
“This is a responsible measure that will protect students, increase accountability and promote greater equity in school discipline practices,” said State Representative La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago). “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. 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.”
“Tickets are issued at unequal rates across Illinois school districts, and the data shows Black and Latino students are ticketed at higher rates. Not only does this result in more students becoming justice-system involved, but the research tells us that tickets are ineffective at changing student behavior,” said Aimee Galvin, government affairs director at Stand for Children Illinois. “This bill is a win for equity and education, and it would not have been possible without the advocacy of community partners like the Debt Free Justice Coalition, Angie Thomas and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Chi Sigma Omega Chapter, Marla Baker, and Amara Harris. SB 1519 helps create an environment where students can learn from their mistakes without being unnecessarily funneled into the justice system, and we applaud the General Assembly and Governor’s office for standing up for students.”
The attorney general offers several recommendations to ensure compliance with state and federal laws. School districts are encouraged to review their policies and handbooks to ensure they reflect a preference for alternative approaches like substance abuse programming, peer juries, restorative practices, or therapeutic services.
Additionally, ISBE has invested significantly in training and supports for school districts to increase schools’ understanding and capacity to implement trauma-informed practices. In fiscal year 2026, the state of Illinois has invested $3.5 million in the Resilience Education to Advance Community Healing initiative, including the new Resilience-Supportive Schools Illinois program, and statewide Social-Emotional Learning Hubs to provide every school and district in the state access to the supports they need to understand and address the signs and symptoms of trauma.
For more information and resources, visit ISBE’s School Discipline webpage.
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About Stand for Children Illinois
Stand for Children Illinois is a unique catalyst for educational success and social progress, to create a brighter future for us all. Learn more about their work at stand.org/illinois.
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For more information:
Lindsay Record
Phone: 217-685-3585
Email: press@isbe.net
Stand for Children Media Contact:
Mea Anderson
Phone: 312-626-2596
Email:manderson@stand.org
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