Policy and Advocacy

Illinois Safe Schools Alliance (the Alliance) collaborates with schools, school districts, and government agencies on policy and advocacy initiatives to support LGBTQ+ young people at local, regional, and state levels.

For information, resources, activities, and support
by and for young people, please click here. 

We partner with schools, school districts, Illinois State Board of Education, and national organizations like GSA Network and Gender Spectrum to ensure all policies communicate the value of inclusion based on sexual orientation and gender identity. We understand that policies are a primary vehicle for schools, districts, and school systems to communicate their values regarding how school stakeholders should be treated — including students, families, personnel, and communities. Our work addresses policies and procedures related to non-discrimination, equal employment, equal educational opportunity, working with transgender and gender-expansive students, bullying prevention, school discipline, and more.

We work with schools and systems on effective policy language, procedures for communicating policies to the school community with information about how to make complaints and/or enforce the policies, and systems to regularly review the efficacy of new and/or revised policies.

Please contact Julio Flores for more information or to discuss possible collaboration.

Inclusive Curriculum Law

The Inclusive Curriculum Law, which took effect on July 1, 2020, mandates that all Illinois public schools include the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in the teaching of Illinois and United States history. The Illinois Inclusive Curriculum Advisory Council (IICAC), which includes PHIMC’s Illinois Safe Schools Alliance (The Alliance), Equality Illinois, and The Legacy Project, are developing tools and collating resources to support educators and school administrators with the implementation process.

To learn more about the law and its implementation, or to receive updates, resources, and tools from the IICAC, please click here.

To learn about other ways the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance can help you promote safety, support, and healthy development for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ+) youth in Illinois schools and communities, click here.