Blog

IL House passes Civics Education Bill HB4025

4/27/2015

Thank you for action and your passion! HB4025 passed in the IL House of Representatives on Friday April 24th with a vote of 81 in favor and 29 opposed. You can see how your representative voted here. Now it goes to the IL Senate. CAC will continue to keep you informed of developments and how you can help. Thanks again!

Letter to the editor published in Chicago Tribune on Civics Education, HB4025 and HB4024

4/21/2015

Letter: Save our democracy

Illinois is one of 10 states that doesn’t require a civics course to graduate high school despite research that civic learning translates into civic action.

State Rep. Deborah Conroy (D-Villa Park) introduced legislation to have Illinois join the majority of states that mandates civics. House Bill 4025 recommends a civics education requirement for Illinois public high schools, and House Bill 4024 requires the State Board of Education to ensure that teachers have access to professional development activities in civics education.

Studies show that students who receive effective civics learning are more likely to vote and discuss politics at home, four times more likely to volunteer and work on community issues, and are more confident to speak publicly and communicate with elected representatives. In fact, high-quality civics learning contributes to lower dropout rates. These statistics are true even with variables for income and race.

Civics learning promotes civic equality, meaning that poor, minority, urban or rural students perform considerably higher for having received civics learning than their peers do. Comprehensive civics education that aims to reach all public school students would likely decrease the “civic achievement gap” evidenced by the research.

A Paul Simon Institute poll revealed that more than 70 percent of Illinoisans favor a high school civics course requirement for graduation. Moreover, the integrity and health of democracy in Illinois depends on the active, informed and effective participation of Illinoisans. Everyone gains from a civically literate population where individuals have the knowledge, disposition and skills to make a difference in their communities and hold government accountable.

— Maryam Judar, executive director and community lawyer, Citizen Advocacy Center, Elmhurst

Published in Chicago Tribune online 4/20/15 and Voice of the People in print 4/21/15

Also published in the
State Journal Register
Letter: Support bill requiring high school civics classes in Illinois

Urgent Action: Please file witness slip for civics education HB4025-HFA2

4/15/2015

Witness slips must be submitted before 10 a.m.
on Thursday, April 16th, 2015

Please join CAC to #BringBackCivics by filing a witness slip as a proponent by following the steps below. Thank you in advance for supporting civics education in Illinois!

Go to www.ilga.gov

1. Click GA Dashboard (red link on left side under Reports & Inquiry)

2. Click House (left column)

3. Click Committee Hearings (drop down menu after clicking "House")

4. Click Week (on the top bar)

5. Click Committee Name (Hint: Click word "Committee" at top of column to put Committee names in alphabetical order)

HB 4025 Committee Name: Elementary & Secondary Committee: School Curriculum and Policies Committee

6. Click on the icon that looks like a sheet of paper at far right of page to view hearing details

7. Scroll to find HB4025-HFA2 and click on the icon at far right of page (pencil and paper) to create witness slip for that bill. There may be multiple pages.

8. Fill in all fields in Section I (unless marked optional). May put "none" for firm/business or agency and title. Or can put "Citizen" or "Concerned Citizen" for title. Section II may not apply.

9. Section III: Position Click Proponent to support this amendment

10. Section IV: Testimony: Check Record of Appearance Only -- unless you will fax a written statement to 1-217-557-2165

11. Type the text, check box: I agree to the ILGA terms of agreement, click Create Slip

12. To create another witness slip: Click Create Another Witness Slip and begin again at Step 2

FAQ for Filing Witness Slips

Note: Registration is not required to submit a witness slip. However, to keep an online log of the witness slips you've submitted, you must register from the home page by clicking on "My Legislation." The "My Legislation" tab is along the top or on the left side under Reports and Inquiry -- just above GA Dashboard. Registration will also automatically populate many of the fields on each witness slip you submit.

Quick Links

#BringBackCivics Fact Sheet

Letter to Representative Conroy from McCormick Tribune Foundation and Chicago Community Trust

House Bill 4025
aims to promote greater civic learning through a required civics course for all Illinois high school students.

FAQ for Filing Witness Slips

Task Force Final Report and Public Comments

Open Government Agenda/Legislative Session

4/15/2015

We want to keep you informed. If you have any questions, please call us at 630-833-4080.

Open Gov Agenda 2015.pdf
File Size:	376 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

Protect your right to inspect financial information Help defeat HB 3621

4/14/2015

This bill would deprive you of information that is rightfully yours! It could pass the Illinois House of Representatives this week unless you contact your Representative to urge them to vote NO!

Find your IL Representatives

Download the flyer in pdf format

Oppose HB 3621 Infographic
File Size:	128 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

What is happening with Civics Education in Illinois?

4/2/2015

We last told you that HB 4024 and HB 4025 passed out of their respective committees. Before they go to the House floor, representatives are writing amendments to strengthen the bills' language. The Citizen Advocacy Center will keep you informed of developments. In the meantime, this infographic fact sheet will assist you in sparking conversation on the need for Civics Education in Illinois.

Download the flyer in pdf format to print or distribute.

Civics Education in Illinois Infographic
File Size:	306 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

House Bill 4025
aims to promote greater civic learning through a required civics course for all Illinois high school students.

House Bill 4024 supports teacher training, the greatest area of need for implementation of a new course. This new measure ensures that professional development activities align with best practices in civics education.

Follow our blog here.

IL House passes Civics Education Bill HB4025

Letter to the editor published in Chicago Tribune on Civics Education, HB4025 and HB4024

Urgent Action: Please file witness slip for civics education HB4025-HFA2

Open Government Agenda/Legislative Session

Protect your right to inspect financial information Help defeat HB 3621

What is happening with Civics Education in Illinois?

Archives

Categories