Dupage Policy Journal

The Illinois House Human Services Committee Special has advanced a bill that will allow special needs students to continue taking part in school programs through the end of the school year that they turned 22 years old.

Rep. Frances Hurley's (D-Chicago) legislation came about after a parent of a special needs student brought to Hurley's attention that those learners aren't allowed to finish the school year once their 22nd birthday passed.

"I don't think they should be punished for their birthdate," Hurley said, Capitol News Illinois reported.

Rep. Frances Hurley

Hurley's legislation was one of two related bills recently advanced by the Illinois House Human Services Committee.

Hurley also said she thinks the bill could be critical in bringing about raised equity for special needs students.

The Southside Occupational Academy principal, Josh Long, said the bill would "correct a historic inequity" for special needs students.

"These students stay in school until the day before their 22nd birthday," Long told the committee, Capitol News Illinois reported. "And when they're done, the bus stops coming. No more public school. No more resources. And most of the time, this happens during the school year just like Katie said on some random day that makes little sense to the students."

The other bill brought before the committee deals with allowing for the use of certain federal nutrition benefits to purchase feminine hygiene products.