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1 | AN ACT concerning education.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Vocational Academy Opportunity Act. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Section 5. Definition. In this Act, "Board" means the Board | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | of Trustees created by this Act. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | Section 10. Establishment, funding, and, location. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | (a) There is created 2 vocational academies, one located in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | Cook County and the other in St. Clair County, which shall be | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | residential institutions. Each academy shall be located within | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | one linear mile of a major interstate in a community where the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | average income of a household of 3 people is no greater than | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | 100% of the federal poverty level. The land value of the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | community in which the academy is located may not exceed $7.50 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | per square foot. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | (b) Each academy shall be a State agency, funded by State | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | appropriations, private contributions, and endowments. Minimal | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | fees for residential students may be charged. Each academy may | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | admit those students who have completed the academic equivalent | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | of the 9th grade and may offer a program of secondary and | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | postsecondary course work. Admission shall be determined by |
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1 | competitive examination. | ||||||
2 | (c) In order to be eligible for State appropriations, each | ||||||
3 | academy shall submit to the Board of Higher Education no later | ||||||
4 | than the 1st day of October of each year its budget proposal | ||||||
5 | for the operation and capital needs of the academy for its next | ||||||
6 | fiscal year. | ||||||
7 | Section 15. Board of Trustees. The academies shall be | ||||||
8 | governed by a single Board of Trustees for the collective | ||||||
9 | operation and oversight of the academies, which shall consist | ||||||
10 | of the following members: | ||||||
11 | (1) ex officio nonvoting members who shall be: the | ||||||
12 | State Superintendent of Education, the Executive Director | ||||||
13 | of the Illinois Community College Board, the Executive | ||||||
14 | Director of the Board of Higher Education, and the | ||||||
15 | superintendent of schools of the school district where each | ||||||
16 | campus is located; | ||||||
17 | (2) three Representatives of secondary education, | ||||||
18 | appointed by the State Superintendent of Education; | ||||||
19 | (3) two Representatives of higher education, appointed | ||||||
20 | by the Executive Director of the Board of Higher Education; | ||||||
21 | (4) the Mayor of Chicago, or his or her designee; | ||||||
22 | (5) the Mayor of East St. Louis, or his or her | ||||||
23 | designee; | ||||||
24 | (6) the President of the American Federation of Labor | ||||||
25 | and Congress of Industrial Organizations, or his or her |
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1 | designee; and | ||||||
2 | (7) two members representative of the general public, | ||||||
3 | appointed by the Governor. | ||||||
4 | With the exception of the initial appointments, the members | ||||||
5 | terms of office shall be for 6 years. At the first meeting, | ||||||
6 | members shall draw lots for appointments of 2, 4, or 6 year | ||||||
7 | initial terms. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired | ||||||
8 | portion of the terms by appointment of the officer who | ||||||
9 | appointed the person causing such vacancy. The initial terms | ||||||
10 | shall commence upon appointment and upon expiration of a term, | ||||||
11 | the member shall continue serving until a successor is | ||||||
12 | appointed. The Board shall select a chair from among its | ||||||
13 | members who shall serve a 2-year term as chair. Members shall | ||||||
14 | receive no salary but shall be reimbursed for all ordinary and | ||||||
15 | necessary expenses incurred in performing their duties as | ||||||
16 | members of the Board. | ||||||
17 | Section 20. Powers of the Board. The Board of Trustees is | ||||||
18 | authorized to: | ||||||
19 | (1) Accept donations, bequests, or other forms of | ||||||
20 | financial assistance for educational purposes from any | ||||||
21 | public or private person or agency and comply with rules | ||||||
22 | and regulations governing grants from the federal | ||||||
23 | government or from any other person or agency, which are | ||||||
24 | not in contravention of the Illinois Constitution or the | ||||||
25 | laws of the State of Illinois.
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1 | (2) Purchase equipment and make improvements to | ||||||
2 | facilities necessary for the use of the academies, in | ||||||
3 | accordance with applicable law. | ||||||
4 | (3) Adopt, amend, or repeal rules, regulations, and | ||||||
5 | policies necessary for the conduct of the business of the | ||||||
6 | Board. | ||||||
7 | (4) Award certificates and issue diplomas for | ||||||
8 | successful completion of programs of study requirements. | ||||||
9 | (5) Select a Director who shall be the chief | ||||||
10 | administrative officer of the academies and who shall | ||||||
11 | administer the rules, regulations, and policies adopted by | ||||||
12 | the Board of the Trustees under this Section. The Director | ||||||
13 | shall also be the chief administrative officer of the Board | ||||||
14 | and shall be responsible for all of the Board's | ||||||
15 | administrative functions, duties, and needs. | ||||||
16 | (6) Determine faculty and staff positions necessary | ||||||
17 | for the efficient operation of the academies and select | ||||||
18 | personnel for the positions. | ||||||
19 | (7) Prepare and adopt an annual budget necessary for | ||||||
20 | the continued operation of the academies. | ||||||
21 | (8) Enter into contracts and agreements which have been | ||||||
22 | recommended by the Director, to the extent that funds are | ||||||
23 | specifically appropriated for that purpose, with other | ||||||
24 | public agencies with respect to cooperative enterprises | ||||||
25 | and undertakings related to or associated with an | ||||||
26 | educational purpose or program affecting education in an |
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1 | academy. This shall not preclude the Board from entering | ||||||
2 | into other contracts and agreements that it may deem | ||||||
3 | necessary to carry out its duties and functions. | ||||||
4 | (9) Perform other functions as are necessary to the | ||||||
5 | supervision and control of those phases of education under | ||||||
6 | its supervision and control. | ||||||
7 | (10) Delegate to the Director any administrative | ||||||
8 | powers and duties as it deems appropriate to aid the | ||||||
9 | Director in the efficient administration of his or her | ||||||
10 | responsibility for the implementation of the policies of | ||||||
11 | the Board. | ||||||
12 | (11) Adopt rules, regulations, and policies necessary | ||||||
13 | for the efficient operation of an academy.
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14 | (12) Establish criteria to be used in determining | ||||||
15 | eligibility of applicants for enrollment in an academy. The | ||||||
16 | criteria shall ensure adequate geographic, sexual, and | ||||||
17 | ethnic representation. | ||||||
18 | (13) Determine subjects and extracurricular activities | ||||||
19 | to be offered by an academy. | ||||||
20 | (14) Pay salaries and expenses, including, but not | ||||||
21 | limited to, facilities, equipment, and supplies of the | ||||||
22 | faculty and staff of an academy out of funds appropriated | ||||||
23 | or otherwise made available for the operating and | ||||||
24 | administrative expenses of the Board and an academy. | ||||||
25 | (15) Exercise budgetary responsibility and allocate | ||||||
26 | for expenditure by an academy and programs under its |
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1 | jurisdiction and all moneys appropriated or otherwise made | ||||||
2 | available for purposes of the Board and of the academy. | ||||||
3 | (16) Prescribe and select for use in an academy free | ||||||
4 | school books and other materials of instruction for | ||||||
5 | children enrolled in the academy and programs under its | ||||||
6 | jurisdiction for which the General Assembly provides | ||||||
7 | funds.
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8 | (17) Prepare and adopt or approve programs of study and | ||||||
9 | rules, bylaws, and regulations for the conduct of students | ||||||
10 | and for the government of the school and programs under its | ||||||
11 | jurisdiction. | ||||||
12 | (18) Employ personnel as may be needed, establish | ||||||
13 | policies governing their employment and dismissal, and fix | ||||||
14 | the amount of their compensation. In the employment, | ||||||
15 | establishment of policies, and fixing of compensation, the | ||||||
16 | Board may make no discrimination on account of sex, race, | ||||||
17 | creed, color, or national origin.
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18 | Section 25. Academy property. Each academy shall be | ||||||
19 | empowered to lease or purchase real and personal property on | ||||||
20 | commercially reasonable terms for the use by the academy. Any | ||||||
21 | leases or purchases of real or personal property, and any | ||||||
22 | disposition of the property, by an academy shall be in | ||||||
23 | compliance with the provisions of the Civil Administrative Code | ||||||
24 | of Illinois and the State Property Control Act. Personal | ||||||
25 | property acquired for use by an academy shall be inventoried |
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1 | and disposed of in accordance with the State Property Control | ||||||
2 | Act. | ||||||
3 | Section 30. Indemnification. Each academy, the Board, and | ||||||
4 | its employees shall be represented and indemnified in certain | ||||||
5 | civil law suits in accordance with the State Employee | ||||||
6 | Indemnification Act. An academy or its officers or employees | ||||||
7 | and the Board may not participate in the creation of any | ||||||
8 | corporation, joint venture, partnership, association, or other | ||||||
9 | organizational entity which exercises, expands, or enhances | ||||||
10 | the powers, duties, or responsibilities of the academy, unless | ||||||
11 | specifically authorized by the General Assembly. This Section | ||||||
12 | does not restrict an academy from creating any organization | ||||||
13 | entity that is within or a part of the academy.
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