Public Act 0904 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4832 Enrolled LRB094 17562 NHT 52858 b

Public Act 094-0904

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Community Service Education Act.

Section 5. Policy. Community service education programs educate students about the value of civic involvement through actual school-sponsored involvement in their communities. Students, citizens, civic groups, businesses, and community organizations benefit from community service education programs by developing strong partnerships that enhance the value of schools and quality of life in communities. Community service education programs build stronger schools, stronger communities, and a positive environment.

In many communities, the school district is the economic engine that provides jobs, economic stability, and prosperity. Community service education programs enable more school districts and communities to prosper economically while promoting good citizenship. School districts that offer community service education programs enjoy a significant return on their investment. Hence, the policy of the State of Illinois is to support such programs by providing incentives to encourage school districts to offer community service education programs.

Section 10. Community Service Education Program. There is created the Community Service Education Program, administered by the State Board of Education, in cooperation with school districts. Participation in this program is voluntary. The following items may serve as best practices to be considered by school districts opting to implement the program under Section 25 of this Act:

(1) The program contains provisions and standards conducive to the establishment of community, business, and education partnerships that give use to lasting relationships between school districts and partners that are mutually beneficial.

(2) The program provides greater community access to school facilities and programs to promote increased achievement by children.

(3) The program makes school facilities available for citizen use.

(4) The program organizes local residents to assess local conditions, set priorities, identify program needs, and participate in program planning and development.

(5) The program identifies and utilizes resources within the community or those that impact on the community.

(6) The program assists in the initiation of new and improved programs in an effort to improve opportunities for all residents of the community.

(7) The program provides effective youth training programs and employment counseling in schools, as well as paid work experience linking the schools with the private sector.

(8) The program provides student involvement in community service learning activities, organizations, and intergenerational programs.

(9) The program provides volunteer programs to bring parents, business personnel, community agency representatives, retirees, and other students into the classroom as participants in the teaching of students.

(10) The program provides supplemental or additional programs for junior high school and high school age youth that may consist of enrichment, individual, and supplemental activities, as well as recreational, cultural, and vocational programs.

(11) The program provides programs to meet the individual needs of all people who reside in the school district being served.

Nothing set forth in items (7) through (11) shall be constituted as either requiring or permitting the Community Service Education Program to have any program or programs serving the same purpose or purposes as those elsewhere specifically provided for in the School Code.

The Community Service Education Program shall avoid duplication of existing programs operated by other entities in whole or in part within a school district. The Community Service Education Program shall provide for the involvement of the residents of a school district in ascertaining the identity of local problems and in ascertaining the community resources available for dealing with these problems.

Section 25. Establishment of community service education program by school district. A school district may establish and operate a community service education program that qualifies for a grant under Section 92 of this Act by complying with the provisions of this Act and any rules adopted by the State Board of Education under Section 500 of this Act.

Section 60. Local input. Each school board that establishes a community service education program under Section 25 of this Act shall establish a process to obtain input into the development and operation of its community service education program by members who represent various service organizations, churches, public schools, units of local government, businesses and professions, public and private agencies serving youth, families, or senior citizens, municipal governments, townships, libraries, park, recreation, or forest preserve districts located in whole or in part within the school district, and any other group or groups participating in the school district's community service education program.

Section 65. Director of Community Service Education. Each school district maintaining a community service education program established under Section 25 of this Act shall employ or appoint a Director of Community Service Education. The Director shall be responsible for all aspects of the school district's community service education program. An individual employed solely as a Director of Community Service Education need not hold a teaching or administrative certificate from the State of Illinois.

Section 75. Non-duplication of programs. A school district that establishes a community service education program under Section 25 of this Act must strive to ensure that its community service education program does not duplicate services offered by other entities or school programs.

Section 80. Community service education consortiums. Any school district that opts to conduct a community service education program pursuant to the provisions of this Act may enter into an agreement with other school districts to form a consortium for the purpose of offering a consolidated community service education program.

Section 85. Partnership agreements. A school district community service education program established under Section 25 of this Act shall have the power to enter into agreements with any other public or private entity or entities for the furnishing of any component of its community service education program. These agreements may provide for payments from the school district's community service education fund to other entities as contributions to the expenses of the program or programs covered by these agreements.

Section 90. Funding. A school district maintaining a community service education program established under Section 25 of this Act is authorized to receive money from the State, as grants that are subject to appropriation, and other public and private sources for the support of its program or any component thereof and to expend this money pursuant to the provisions of this Act, subject to the terms and conditions under which the money is received. A not-for-profit organization may be established in support of the program, in accordance with the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986, and may seek tax exemption for the organization from the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Revenue. Subject to guidelines approved by the school board, the school district is also authorized to charge and collect fees from persons voluntarily participating in a specific community service education program. The school board shall also have the authority to designate funds to be used for community service education purposes.

Section 92. Grants. Subject to the availability of funds for the specific purpose of making grants for community service education, the State Board of Education is authorized to make grants to school districts operating community service education programs that meet the standards set forth in this Act and any rules adopted by the State Board of Education.

Section 500. Rules. The State Board of Education may adopt any rules that are necessary to implement and administer this Act.

Section 999. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.