SB 2909
SCH CD-TEACHER EVALUATION-AI
TL;DR
Illinois SB 2909, led by Senator Christopher Belt, would prohibit school districts from using artificial intelligence as the sole basis for evaluating teacher performance. AI can still assist in evaluations, but a qualified human evaluator must make the final call. The bill has passed both chambers and is headed to the governor.
How This Might Impact Your Business
EdTech vendors selling teacher evaluation tools to Illinois K-12 districts must ensure their platforms support human-in-the-loop workflows, not fully automated decisions.
AI-powered performance management products marketed to schools cannot be positioned as standalone evaluators; sales messaging and product design need to reflect this.
School districts across Illinois (the actual buyers) will demand contractual assurances that AI outputs are advisory only, affecting procurement language and RFP responses.
Vendors should expect requests for documentation showing how their AI generates recommendations, since human evaluators will need to understand and defend the outputs they rely on.
No specific penalties or fines are spelled out in the bill, but non-compliant districts risk grievances from teachers' unions and contract disputes with vendors.
The law applies only to teacher evaluations, not student assessment, scheduling, or administrative AI tools used in schools.
Effective date follows standard Illinois legislative timeline once signed; vendors have a short runway to update contracts and product documentation.
What Should You Do
If you sell evaluation or performance analytics software to Illinois schools, audit your product to confirm a human reviewer is required before any evaluation outcome is finalized.
Update sales collateral, demos, and contracts to explicitly state that AI outputs are recommendations subject to human review.
Brief your customer success team so they can advise Illinois district clients on workflow changes before the next evaluation cycle.
Track the governor's signature and effective date; prepare a customer communication for the day it becomes law.
Review whether similar human-oversight requirements are emerging in other states (NY, CA, CO) and plan a unified product approach rather than state-by-state patches.
Who It Affects
Sponsors
Status Timeline
passed chamber
Passed Both Houses
May 27, 2026