Public Act 0710 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB3777 Enrolled LRB098 14125 NHT 48706 b

Public Act 098-0710

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 14-4.01 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/14-4.01) (from Ch. 122, par. 14-4.01)

Sec. 14-4.01. Special educational facilities for children with disabilities.

(a) School boards of any school districts that maintain a recognized school, whether operating under the general law or under a special charter, subject to any limitations hereinafter specified, shall establish and maintain such special educational facilities as may be needed for children with disabilities as defined in Section 14-1.02 of this Article who are residents of their school district, and such children, residents of other school districts as may be authorized by this Article.

All such school boards shall place or by regulation may authorize the director of special education to place, pursuant to procedures required by this Act and rules and regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education, eligible children into special education programs designed to benefit children with disabilities defined in Sections 14-1.02 through 14-1.07 of this Act.

(b) All school districts, administrative districts or governing boards responsible for providing special education services shall submit to the appropriate regional superintendent comprehensive plans or modifications thereto for the provision of special education services in accordance with rules promulgated by the State Board of Education. Copies of comprehensive plans or modifications thereto shall be forwarded by the regional superintendent to the State Board of Education. Regional superintendents who provide special education services shall submit comprehensive plans or modifications thereto directly to the State Board of Education. Comprehensive plans or modifications thereto shall be made available by regional superintendents for public inspection during regular business hours.

The State Board of Education shall provide for the submission of comprehensive plans not more frequently than once every 3 years but may require the submission of such modifications as it deems necessary to achieve the purposes of this Act and applicable federal law.

(c) Special education cooperatives established by school districts are eligible for school maintenance project grants under Section 5-100 of the School Construction Law.

(Source: P.A. 89-397, eff. 8-20-95.)

Section 10. The School Construction Law is amended by changing Section 5-100 as follows:

(105 ILCS 230/5-100)

Sec. 5-100. School maintenance project grants.

(a) The State Board of Education is authorized to make grants to school districts and special education cooperatives established by school districts, without regard to enrollment, for school maintenance projects. These grants shall be paid out of moneys appropriated for that purpose from the School Infrastructure Fund. No grant under this Section for one fiscal year shall exceed $50,000, but a school district or special education cooperative may receive grants for more than one project during one fiscal year. A school district or special education cooperative must provide local matching funds in an amount equal to the amount of the grant under this Section. A school district or special education cooperative has no entitlement to a grant under this Section.

(b) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement this Section. These rules need not be the same as the rules for school construction project grants or debt service grants.

The rules may specify: (1) the manner of applying for grants; (2) project eligibility requirements; (3) restrictions on the use of grant moneys; (4) the manner in which school districts and special education cooperatives must account for the use of grant moneys; and (5) any other provision that the State Board determines to be necessary or useful for the administration of this Section.

The rules shall specify the methods and standards to be used by the State Board to prioritize applications. School maintenance projects shall be prioritized in the following order:

(i) emergency projects;

(ii) health/life safety projects;

(iii) State Program priority projects;

(iv) permanent improvement projects; and

(v) other projects.

(c) In each school year in which school maintenance project grants are awarded, 20% of the total amount awarded shall be awarded to a school district with a population of more than 500,000, provided that the school district complies with the requirements of this Section and the rules adopted under this Section.

(Source: P.A. 91-38, eff. 6-15-99.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.

Effective Date: 7/16/2014