SPRINGFIELD – In collaboration with the Illinois Federation of Teachers, State Senator Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas introduced new legislation to clarify and expand offerings and funding for community schools in Illinois, ensuring that innovative community education models can reach more geographies.

“As a former community schools director, I can testify to the numerous benefits community schools yield for students, their families, and communities at large. Thriving communities have strong neighborhood schools that extend their walls into the neighborhood,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “Community schools complement formal schooling by providing out of school time programming including arts enrichment, homework help, leadership development, sports, and adult education. The positive impact can be transformational for young people and an entire community. This initiative will support greater access to students and families across Illinois.”

Community schools are schools that cultivate and sustain strategic partnerships between the school and other community resources to promote student achievement, positive learning conditions, and the well-being of students through wraparound services. Senate Bill 2391 adds language about a designated program coordinator and articulates types of wrap-around services that could be offered in a community school.

SPRINGFIELD – A legislative initiative introduced by State Senator Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas codifies home visiting programs administered by the Department of Human Services for over 30 years. Home visiting is an essential program in the early childhood ecosystem that helps eligible parents and caregivers support their child’s development from the prenatal phase through age five.

“We have to acknowledge that when a child is born, a parent is born as well. All parents desire to provide the best upbringing for their children, but instruction manuals do not come with each child. Unexpected challenges can arise for families and potentially undermine their ability to meet these needs,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “Home visiting programs are evidence-based and aim to support bond building, connect families to critical community resources, and provide guidance on wellness and development to contribute to optimal child outcomes and greater family stability.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas is thrilled to announce she will serve as chair of the newly formed Senate Early Childhood Committee in the 103rd General Assembly.

“As a lifetime advocate for early childhood education and development, I am excited to lead this new committee and develop policies that support the young children and families of our state,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “I am hopeful that with the creation of this committee, we will dive deeper into issues that impact early experiences and directly address them through policies that ensure young children throughout the state are supported during every stage of their development.”

SPRINGFIELD – To provide more transparency and due process in the current hiring process for principals in the Chicago Public School system, State Senator Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas, in collaboration with Chicago Principals and Administrators Association, introduced a new initiative to grant Local School Councils (LSC) access to the universe of qualified applicants for these vital positions—ensuring viable candidates are not overlooked, and underqualified applicants are not chosen over their peers.

“Current policies have caused some schools to hire administrators who did not meet the roles and expectations set, and this legislation will help address those issues,” said Senator Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “Administrators lead and determine how schools operate, so by ensuring that each school can see the full scope of applicants, we are providing greater access to select those best qualified for the position.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas is proud to support a new law making it easier for people to change their gender on their birth certificate, as well as waiving fees for people in certain groups to order a new birth certificate.

“This law will be life-saving for many transgender and nonbinary people in our state, who will now be able to live more fully as themselves,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “I am so proud to be a part of this fight for equality, and that our transgender siblings will be able to change their documentation more quickly and without risking their safety.”

SPRINGFIELD –A longtime champion of worker’s rights and increasing support for education workers, State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas is supporting a measure that would allow principals and assistant principals in the city of Chicago to collectively bargain.

“Workers in all roles can suffer under unfair workplace policies—even those in managerial positions with more power in the workplace than others,” Senator Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) said. “School principals should have the same right to organize and demand change in their working conditions as other employees, and this law will ensure they can do just that.” 

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure families with limited economic resources have access to affordable, permanent housing, State Senator Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas is the Senate sponsor of new legislation to provide increased funding for the Rental Housing Support Program.

“Without affordable housing options, folks may lose their jobs, be displaced from their community and separated from their families,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “It is imperative that we continue to invest in affordable housing programs so that we increase access all over the state, and this initiative takes the first steps to do just that.”

SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas is proud to be appointed to the inaugural Crime Reduction Task Force, a group of legislators working to reduce crime across the state.

“In order to prevent crime in the state, it is important to address the root causes of crime—including the multi-layered forces of systemic oppression, access to mental health resources, and rates of drug use and addiction in our communities,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “I look forward to serving on this task force to bring light to these issues, addressing them, and consequently reducing crime in our communities.” 

The Crime Reduction Task Force will review research and best practices to prevent crime in Illinois. Members will take expert and witness testimony and submit a report detailing its findings, recommendations and needed resources to the General Assembly and Governor by March 1, 2023. Senator Pacione-Zayas is excited to be a part of this task force to address rising rates of crime in her community.

“As a public servant, one of my highest priorities is ensuring public safety for all through establishing statewide systems of care,” Pacione-Zayas said. “By addressing interlocking systems of oppression that create conditions and circumstances that ultimately limit choices and can lead a person to commit a crime, we are laying the foundation for solving root causes. Additionally, we are also helping to identify solutions for mitigating the systemic racism in the criminal legal system individuals may face if found guilty of a crime, such as mistreatment in the prison system, and the ongoing struggle of finding work upon release and ostracization from their community because of their conviction.” 

Senator Pacione-Zayas was appointed to the Crime Reduction Task Force on Sept. 7, 2022.