Legislative Update

The 2021 Legislative session began on January 19, 2021, and will adjourn on March 5, 2021, where education continues to be a hot topic and priority among the legislators. Senator Derrin Owens, who represents District 24, which includes Kane County, currently has a very promising bill file open: S.B. 136 Higher Education Scholarship Amendments.  S.B. 136 would essentially combine the Regents Scholarship Program (given to high school students who take specific rigorous courses) and the New Century Scholarship (given to students who earn their Associate degree while they are in high school) and replace them with a new Opportunity Scholarship Program.  If this legislation passes, students would be eligible to apply for the Opportunity Scholarship based on specific high school class criteria and minimum secondary education academic performance standards; the awarded scholarship funding will be used for tuition and fees at a higher education institution.  Senator Owens is a prior school counselor and has a vested interest in scholarship opportunities for our students. As a district, we will continue to work with legislators to provide input on bill files as they are created.