Illinois legislation · 104th General Assembly
Illinois HB4577: KINDERGARTEN-PLAY-BASED LEARN
Status: Signed into law, July 10, 2026
Amends the School Code regarding the establishment of kindergartens. With respect to a provision stating that kindergarten should provide opportunities for play-based learning, defines: (1) "play-based learning" as either guided play or student-initiated play; (2) "guided play" as intentional teacher-directed play with activities set up and led by a teacher that are aligned to learning goals or standards; and (3) "student-initiated play" as child-selected opportunities to build, pretend, create, move, or explore in an environment intentionally curated by a teacher to align with learning goals or standards.
What the bill says
A bill FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026HB4577Introduced 2/3/2026, by Rep. Laura Faver DiasSYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: ILCS 5/10-22.18from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.18 105 ILCS 5/10-22.18 from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.18 ILCS 5/10-22.18 from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.18 Amends the School Code regarding the establishment of kindergartens.With respect to a provision stating that kindergarten should provideopportunities for play-based learning, (2) "guided play" asintentional teacher-directed play with activities set up and led by ateacher that are aligned to learning goals or standards…
From the introduced text, January 23, 2026:
A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026HB4577Introduced 2/3/2026, by Rep. Laura Faver DiasSYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: ILCS 5/10-22.18from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.18 105 ILCS 5/10-22.18 from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.18 ILCS 5/10-22.18 from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.18 Amends the School Code regarding the establishment of kindergartens.With respect to a provision stating that kindergarten should provideopportunities for play-based learning, (2) "guided play" asintentional teacher-directed play with activities set up and led by ateacher that are aligned to learning goals or standards; and (3)"student-initiated play" as child-selected opportunities to build,pretend, create, move, or explore in an environment intentionally curatedby a teacher to align with learning goals or standards. LRB104 17463 LNS 30889 b LRB104 17463 LNS 30889 b LRB104 17463 LNS 30889 b A BILL FOR HB4577LRB104 17463 LNS 30889 b HB4577 LRB104 17463 LNS 30889 b HB4577 LRB104 17463 LNS 30889 b AN ACT concerning education. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly: Section 5.The School Code is amended by changing Section 10-22.18 as follows: (105 ILCS 5/10-22.18)(from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.18) Sec. 10-22.18.Kindergartens. (a)[ADDED: As used in this Section:] [ADDED: "Guided play" means intentional teacher-directed play with ] [ADDED: activities set up and led by a teacher that are aligned to ] [ADDED: learning goals or standards.] …