Parents would see what children are learning under school transparency bills
Illinois schools would be required to share curriculum materials with parents under a pair of bills in Springfield. State Rep. Amy Grant’s House Bill 3806 and state Sen. Andrew Chesney’s Senate Bill 2080 require school materials be made available to parents.
A pair of new bills would give Illinois parents more insight into what’s taught in their schools, including access to teaching materials that can help them support their children’s educations.
State Rep. Amy Grant, R-Wheaton, introduced House Bill 3806 and state Sen. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, filed Senate Bill 2080. Both bills represent the Curriculum Transparency Act, requiring public and charter schools to make educational materials accessible to parents within 10 days of classroom use.
Schools would have to give parents access to:
- Comprehensive lesson plans
- Learning materials used in the classroom
- Teacher training resources
Grant said the bill would make it easier to include parents in what their child is learning.
“Parents deserve to know what their children are being taught in the classroom. The Curriculum Transparency Act ensures that parents have easy access to lesson plans, materials and teacher training, reinforcing the idea that accountability and openness should be the foundation of our education system,” Grant said.
Chesney said sharing curriculum with parents is something all lawmakers should agree on.
“Parental oversight over their children’s curriculum materials should be a priority for all legislators. When adults entrust their children to their public schools, they should be allowed to review the lesson plans and course materials being used,” Chesney said.
It also allows parents to review copyrighted instructional materials upon request, which is currently exempted from transparency rules. When parents can see what’s happening in classrooms, they become empowered stakeholders rather than passive bystanders.
Illinoisans pay the second-highest property taxes in the nation, with about two-thirds of the average bill used to fund education. Parents have every right to know what their tax dollars are supporting and what their children are learning.
The bills do not dictate curriculum or restrict teachers’ methods; they simply show parents what’s happening in classrooms. Transparency and accountability in education can help Illinois remain competitive.