Public Act 101-0227
 
HB0246 EnrolledLRB101 05293 AXK 50307 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 Sections 
2-3.155 and 27-21 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.155)
    Sec. 2-3.155. Textbook block grant program.
    (a) The provisions of this Section are in the public 
interest, for the public benefit, and serve secular public 
purposes.
    (b)  As used in this Section, "textbook" means any book or 
book substitute that a pupil uses as a text or text substitute, 
including electronic textbooks.  "Textbook" includes books, 
reusable workbooks, manuals, whether bound or in loose-leaf 
form, instructional computer software, and electronic 
textbooks and the technological equipment necessary to gain 
access to and use electronic textbooks intended as a principal 
source of study material for a given class or group of 
students.  "Textbook" also includes science curriculum 
materials in a kit format that includes pre-packaged consumable 
materials if (i) it is shown that the materials serve as a 
textbook substitute, (ii) the materials are for use by the 
pupils as a principal learning source, (iii) each component of 
the materials is integrally necessary to teach the requirements 
of the intended course, (iv) the kit includes teacher guidance 
materials, and (v) the purchase of individual consumable 
materials is not allowed.
    (c)  Beginning July 1, 2011, subject to annual appropriation 
by the General Assembly, the State Board of Education is 
authorized to provide annual funding to public school districts 
and State-recognized, non-public schools serving students in 
grades kindergarten through 12 for the purchase of selected 
textbooks.  The textbooks authorized to be purchased under this 
Section are limited without exception to textbooks that have 
been preapproved and designated by the State Board of Education 
for use in any public school and that are secular, 
non-religious, and non-sectarian, and non-discriminatory as to 
any of the characteristics under the Illinois Human Rights Act. 
Textbooks authorized to be purchased under this Section must 
include the roles and contributions of all people protected 
under the Illinois Human Rights Act.  The State Board of 
Education shall annually publish a list of the textbooks 
authorized to be purchased under this Section. Each public 
school district and State-recognized, non-public school shall, 
subject to appropriations for that purpose, receive a per pupil 
grant for the purchase of secular  and non-discriminatory 
textbooks.  The per pupil grant amount must be calculated by the 
State Board of Education utilizing the total appropriation
made 
for these purposes divided by the most current student

enrollment data available.
    (d)  The State Board of Education may adopt rules as 
necessary for the implementation of this Section and to ensure 
the religious neutrality of the textbook block grant program, 
as well as provide for the monitoring of all textbooks 
authorized in this Section to be purchased directly by 
State-recognized, nonpublic schools serving students in grades 
kindergarten through 12.

(Source: P.A. 97-570, eff. 8-25-11; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12.)
 



    (105 ILCS 5/27-21)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-21)



    Sec. 27-21. History of United States. History of the United 
States shall be taught in all public schools and
in all other 
educational institutions in this State supported or

maintained, in whole or in part, by public funds. The teaching 
of history
shall have as one of its objectives the imparting to 
pupils of a
comprehensive idea of our democratic form of 
government and the principles
for which our government stands 
as regards other nations, including the
studying of the place 
of our government in world-wide movements and the
leaders 
thereof, with particular stress upon the basic principles and

ideals of our representative form of government. The teaching 
of history
shall include a study of the role and contributions 
of African Americans and
other ethnic groups including but not 
restricted to Polish, Lithuanian, German,
Hungarian, Irish, 
Bohemian, Russian, Albanian, Italian, Czech, Slovak,
French, 
Scots, Hispanics, Asian Americans, etc., in the history of this

country and this
State. To reinforce the study of the role and 
contributions of Hispanics, such curriculum shall include the 
study of the events related to the forceful removal and illegal 
deportation of Mexican-American U.S. citizens during the Great 
Depression. In public schools only, the teaching of history 
shall include a study of the roles and contributions of 
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the history 
of this country and this State. The teaching of history also 
shall include a study of the
role of labor unions and their 
interaction with government in achieving the
goals of a mixed 
free enterprise system.  No pupils shall be graduated
from the 
eighth grade of any
public school unless he or she has received 
such instruction in the history of the
United States and gives 
evidence of having a comprehensive knowledge
thereof. 

(Source: P.A. 96-629, eff. 1-1-10.)

  
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 
2020.