SPRINGFIELD – School districts will be required to operate with more transparency about their teacher employment data under a measure sponsored by State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) that became law Friday.

“Public school class sizes have been growing larger and larger over the last several years, which makes it harder for educators to provide the quality education,” Peters said. “Communities of color are hit particularly hard by this. These students are already at a systemic disadvantage, and they deserve to have the opportunity to learn the skills they need to succeed.”

House Bill 254 requires all school districts, including the Chicago Public Schools, to report their teacher employment data, including student-to-teacher ratio and number of teachers employed by the districts. Districts must submit their reports to the Illinois State Board of Education by Nov. 16, 2020. The bill was an initiative of Raise Your Hand Action.

“Requiring school districts to report this data allows parents to be stronger advocates for their community’s schools,” Peters said. “This will lead to better conditions in the classroom, both for teachers and their students.”

The bill is effective immediately.