SPRINGFIELD – Schools with high numbers of student discipline incidents would be required to create a plan that details how the use of suspensions will be reduced under legislation led by Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood).

“Students need to be in the classroom in order to learn and get the best out of their education,” Lightford said. “We need to find a way to deal with behavioral issues without jeopardizing our students’ education.”

School districts would be ranked according to their number of disciplinary incidents, with those in the top 20 percent for three consecutive years required to submit an annual report to the Illinois State Board of Education beginning in October of this year.

Senate Bill 1941 also creates the Safe Schools and Healthy Learning Environments Grant Program to provide resources to help implement restorative interventions and resolution strategies.

The plan was approved by the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, and is scheduled for deliberation before the full Senate.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Senate Majority Leader Kimberley Lightford (D-Maywood) joined Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton on Thursday to recognize the achievements of women in Illinois, as part of the governor’s Women’s History Month Celebration at the Capitol.

“We’re joined by distinguished women who have spent their careers blazing a trail for generations to come,” Lightford told the assembled crowd in the Capitol Rotunda. “Women like you, our three award recipients, and countless women across our state are the reason Illinois continues to advance women’s rights and make progress toward true gender parity.”

Governor Pritzker presented achievement awards to Dr. Alicia Alexander, founder of the Edwardsville chapter of Support the Girls, Kahala Clay, Circuit Clerk of St. Clair County, Wendy Pollack, founder of the Women’s Law and Policy Initiative at Chicago’s Shriver Center, and former State Representative and Democratic Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie.

SPRINGFIELD – Children could soon be required to start school at age 5 under a proposal spearheaded by Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood).

Senate Bill 2075 lowers the compulsory school age from 6 to 5, and was approved by the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday.

“It is vital for students to be in the classroom, especially at an early age,” Lightford said. “This measure allows us to make a strong impact in the lives of our children and increases opportunities for those who come from underprivileged communities.”

The measure seeks to help address chronic absenteeism across the state by establishing a habit of attendance in kindergarten and first grade. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, at least one in five Chicago Public School students missed at least 17 days of school during the 2017-18 school year. The state’s average is about one in six children.

Chronic absenteeism has a wide range of negative effects for the absent students and for their classmates, as instructors often need to go over materials again, Lightford said.

The legislation now heads to the full Senate for approval.

SPRINGFIELD—The Illinois Supreme Court has rejected Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s bid to resentence former Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke for the murder of Laquan McDonald. Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Kimberly A. Lightford, a Maywood Democrat, released the following statement on the decision:

“We are disappointed by the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision. The sentencing Van Dyke received earlier this year contradicts state law and the high court’s precedent.

“It is frustrating that the Supreme Court rejected this motion without explanation and saddening to know that law enforcement officers are not being held accountable for their actions.

“The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus respects the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision, but will continue to fight to fix our broken justice system.”