Sen. Christine Radogno
Filed: 11/9/2004
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1 | AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 757
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2 | AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 757 by replacing the | ||||||
3 | title with the following:
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4 | "AN ACT concerning education, which may be referred to as | ||||||
5 | Brittany's Law."; and | ||||||
6 | by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the | ||||||
7 | following:
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8 | "Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section | ||||||
9 | 14-16 as follows: | ||||||
10 | (105 ILCS 5/14-16 new) | ||||||
11 | Sec. 14-16. Participation in graduation ceremony.
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12 | (a) The General Assembly finds the following: | ||||||
13 | (1) Each year, school districts across this State | ||||||
14 | celebrate their students' accomplishments through | ||||||
15 | graduation ceremonies at which high school diplomas are | ||||||
16 | bestowed upon students who have completed their high school | ||||||
17 | requirements. | ||||||
18 | (2) There are children with disabilities in this State | ||||||
19 | who have finished 4 years of high school, but whose | ||||||
20 | individualized education programs prescribe the | ||||||
21 | continuation of special education, transition planning, | ||||||
22 | transition services, or related services beyond the | ||||||
23 | completion of 4 years of high school. |
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1 | (3) It is well-established that the awarding of a high | ||||||
2 | school diploma to and the high school graduation of a child | ||||||
3 | with a disability is tantamount to the termination of | ||||||
4 | eligibility for special education and related services for | ||||||
5 | the student under applicable federal law. | ||||||
6 | (4) Many children with disabilities who will continue | ||||||
7 | their public education in accordance with their | ||||||
8 | individualized education programs after finishing 4 years | ||||||
9 | of high school wish to celebrate their accomplishments by | ||||||
10 | participating in a graduation ceremony with their | ||||||
11 | classmates. | ||||||
12 | (5) The opportunity for classmates with disabilities | ||||||
13 | and those without disabilities to celebrate their | ||||||
14 | accomplishments together only occurs once, and the | ||||||
15 | opportunity to celebrate the receipt of a diploma several | ||||||
16 | years after one's classmates have graduated diminishes the | ||||||
17 | experience for students whose age peers have left high | ||||||
18 | school several years earlier. | ||||||
19 | (b) Beginning March 1, 2005, each school district that | ||||||
20 | operates a high school must have a policy and procedures that | ||||||
21 | allow a child with a disability who will have completed 4 years | ||||||
22 | of high school at the end of a school year to participate in | ||||||
23 | the graduation ceremony of the student's high school graduating | ||||||
24 | class and receive a certificate of completion if the student's | ||||||
25 | individualized education program prescribes special education, | ||||||
26 | transition planning, transition services, or related services | ||||||
27 | beyond the student's 4 years of high school. The policy and | ||||||
28 | procedures must require timely and meaningful written notice to | ||||||
29 | children with disabilities and their parents or guardians about | ||||||
30 | the school district's policy and procedures adopted in | ||||||
31 | accordance with this Section. | ||||||
32 | (c) The State Board of Education shall monitor and enforce | ||||||
33 | compliance with the provisions of this Section and is | ||||||
34 | authorized to adopt rules for that purpose. |
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1 | Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding | ||||||
2 | Section 8.28 as
follows:
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3 | (30 ILCS 805/8.28 new)
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4 | Sec. 8.28. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 | ||||||
5 | of this
Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the | ||||||
6 | implementation of
any mandate created by this amendatory Act of | ||||||
7 | the 93rd General Assembly.
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8 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
9 | becoming law.".
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