McLean County Times

Republican state Sen. Sue Rezin isn't optimistic of the chances that the Illinois State Board of Education submits clarification on the rules by which it strips schools of recognition.

The  Joint Committee on Administrative Rules originally made the request, which also covered enforcement of the statewide school mask mandate, on Sept. 15. 

“The required supermajority of JCAR was unwilling to publicly chastise ISBE for the arbitrary implementation of enforcement tools, so we set a 30-day clock for them to bring us rules,” Rezin posted on Facebook. “I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that the 30-day extension brings us to when the legislature will reconvene. We will have to see if ISBE (Illinois State Board of Education) brings us rules, or if they will ask the legislature to take up the issue legislatively.”

After roughly a year of schools being largely shuttered, Gov. J.B. Pritzker marked the statewide reopening for in-person learning by re-imposing his masking mandate for all public and private school students, according to ABC20. Since then, ISBE officials have revoked the recognition of more than 60 schools and districts for not fully adhering to the mandate. 

Being stripped of recognition or placed on probation could lead to such penalties as a school being denied state funding and declared ineligible to participate in Illinois High School Association sponsored athletics.

Critics of ISBE's enforcement note that public school districts receive up to a two-month grace period before any disciplinary action is taken, while private schools can face immediate action.

As of mid-September, four public districts remained on probation and nine private schools were still considered unrecognized.

"Our concern is about the process and for these nonpublic schools," Rezin told ABC20. "ISBE came in pretty heavy handedly."

JCAR can only make recommendations; ISBE does not have to comply. 

"ISBE does not currently plan on filing rules," said Kristen Kennedy, ISBE's legal counsel.

A bill was introduced by the legislature earlier in September that, if passed, would strengthen ISBE's position to enforce the mandate and sidestep a need for court rulings, according to ABC20.

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