School districts required to detail childhood trauma — and better address it — under new state law

Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, speaks Thursday at the signing of a bill that will expand the Whole Child Task Force and require Illinois school districts to develop an index to determine childhood trauma exposure. (Screen image from state of Illinois livestream)

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Thursday signed into law a measure that will require Illinois school districts to develop an index to determine community childhood trauma exposure by 2025.

The legislation, sponsored by state Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, and state Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, also expands the Whole Child Task Force, which was created in 2021 by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus to help define and improve trauma-responsive practices in Illinois schools — and to battle systemic racism.