•August 27, 2025•

Op-Ed by DM Williamee

A new Illinois law (SB1560) will mandate that all students in 3rd through 12th grade have annual mental health screenings beginning the 2027-2028 school year. (105 ILCS 5/2-3.203)

The Illinois State Board of Education has until September 1st, 2026, to develop its guidelines, such as how these screenings will be conducted, how any follow-ups/referrals will be implemented, and how they plan to protect students’ privacy as well, as the information gathered will be done so digitally. Parents can opt out of the screenings, but the process for doing so, as well as any consequences for opting out, if they exist, are still unclear. As many already know, educators are mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse, and while it is widely accepted that more resources are needed for mental health services for all ages, is implementing a program like this (with the word “mandatory”) in our schools 1) necessary, 2) wise, and 3) an overreach of the State? How will this mandatory screening impact mandatory reporting?

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