Public Act 098-0059
 
HB2768 EnrolledLRB098 07026 NHT 37085 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
10-21.4a and 22-20 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/10-21.4a)  (from Ch. 122, par. 10-21.4a)
    Sec. 10-21.4a. Principals and assistant principals -
Duties. To employ principals and assistant principals who hold
valid supervisory or administrative certificates. The
principal, with the assistance of any assistant principals,
shall supervise the operation of attendance centers as the
board shall determine necessary. In an attendance center having
fewer than 4 teachers, a head teacher who does not qualify as a
principal may be assigned in the place of a principal.
    The principal, with the assistance of any assistant
principals, shall assume administrative responsibilities and
instructional leadership, under the supervision of the
superintendent, and in accordance with reasonable rules and
regulations of the board, for the planning, operation and
evaluation of the educational program of the attendance area to
which he or she is assigned. However, in districts under a
Financial Oversight Panel pursuant to Section 1A-8 for
violating a financial plan, the duties and responsibilities of
principals and assistant principals in relation to the
financial and business operations of the district shall be
approved by the Panel. In the event the Board refuses or fails
to follow a directive or comply with an information request of
the Panel, the performance of those duties shall be subject to
the direction of the Panel.
    School boards shall specify in their formal job description
for principals that his or her primary responsibility is in the
improvement of instruction. A majority of the time spent by a
principal shall be spent on curriculum and staff development
through both formal and informal activities, establishing
clear lines of communication regarding school goals,
accomplishments, practices and policies with parents and
teachers.
    Unless residency within a school district is made an
express condition of a person's employment or continued
employment as a principal or assistant principal of that school
district at the time of the person's initial employment as a
principal or assistant principal of that district, residency
within that school district may not at any time thereafter be
made a condition of that person's employment or continued
employment as a principal or assistant principal of the
district, without regard to whether the person's initial
employment as a principal or assistant principal of the
district began before or begins on or after the effective date
of this amendatory Act of 1996 and without regard to whether
that person's residency within or outside of the district began
or was changed before or begins or changes on or after that
effective date. In no event shall residency within a school
district be considered in determining the compensation of a
principal or assistant principal or the assignment or transfer
of a principal or assistant principal to an attendance center
of the district.
    School boards shall ensure that their principals and
assistant principals are evaluated on their instructional
leadership ability and their ability to maintain a positive
education and learning climate.
    It shall also be the responsibility of the principal to
utilize resources of proper law enforcement agencies when the
safety and welfare of students and teachers are threatened by
illegal use of drugs and alcohol, by illegal use or possession
of weapons, or by illegal gang activity.
    The principal shall submit recommendations to the
superintendent concerning the appointment, retention,
promotion and assignment of all personnel assigned to the
attendance center.
(Source: P.A. 97-217, eff. 7-28-11.)
 
    (105 ILCS 5/22-20)  (from Ch. 122, par. 22-20)
    Sec. 22-20. All courts and law enforcement agencies of the
State of Illinois and its political subdivisions shall report
to the principal of any public school in this State whenever a
child enrolled therein is detained for proceedings under the
Juvenile Court Act of 1987, as heretofore and hereafter
amended, or for any criminal offense, including illegal gang
activity, or any violation of a municipal or county ordinance.
The report shall include the basis for detaining the child,
circumstances surrounding the events which led to the child's
detention, and status of proceedings. The report shall be
updated as appropriate to notify the principal of developments
and the disposition of the matter.
    The information derived thereby shall be kept separate from
and shall not become a part of the official school record of
such child and shall not be a public record. Such information
shall be used solely by the appropriate school official or
officials whom the school has determined to have a legitimate
educational or safety interest to aid in the proper
rehabilitation of the child and to protect the safety of
students and employees in the school.
(Source: P.A. 97-1104, eff. 1-1-13.)