Rep. Sharon Chung Hailed for Contributions to Education, Improving School Hiring Practices

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, received an award from the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD) for her work spearheading legislation to support high-quality physical and artistic elementary education.

“Ensuring our educators in marginalized areas like the arts and physical education are qualified to instruct on their subjects is vital to Illinois’ goal of building the best education system in America. Last week, I was privileged to receive recognition from IAHPERD for the law I passed requiring those qualifications,” Chung said. “Too often, developing kids’ physical and artistic skills takes a backseat to other competencies. But to best prepare them for a happy and stable future, they need well-rounded education. Along with IAHPERD, that is something I will continue to work for.”

Months ago, Chung passed House Bill 3402, which closed a loophole in hiring standards for physical and artistic education teachers. This legislation was backed by high schools and universities across Illinois and passed the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support.