93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
HB7344


 
Introduced 10/27/2004, by Rep. Eileen Lyons - Julie Hamos
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 		














105 ILCS 5/14-16 new






30 ILCS 805/8.28 new









    Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code.  Provides that each school district that operates a high school must have a policy and procedures that allow a child with a disability who will have completed 4 years of high school at the end of a school year to participate in the graduation ceremony of the student's high school graduating class and receive a certificate of completion if the student's individualized education program prescribes special education, transition planning, transition services, or related services beyond the student's 4 years of high school.

Provides for notification about the policy and procedures. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.
















LRB093 23743 RAS 53762 b

















FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY


STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT
















 


 


A BILL FOR









 











HB7344

LRB093 23743 RAS 53762 b






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    AN ACT concerning education, which may be referred to as 
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Brittany's Law. 

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


 
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    Section 5. The School Code is amended  by adding Section 
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14-16 as follows:
 
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    (105 ILCS 5/14-16  new)
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    Sec. 14-16. Participation in graduation ceremony.

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    (a)  The General Assembly finds the following:
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            (1)  Each year, school districts across this State 
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    celebrate their students' accomplishments through 
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    graduation ceremonies at which high school diplomas are 
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    bestowed upon students who have completed their high school 
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    requirements.
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            (2)  There are children with disabilities in this 
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    State who have finished 4 years of high school, but whose 
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    individualized education programs prescribe the 
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    continuation of special education, transition planning, 
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    transition services, or related services beyond the 
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    completion of 4 years of high school.
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            (3)  It is well-established that the awarding of a 
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    high school diploma to and the high school graduation of a 
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    child with a disability is tantamount to the termination of 
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    eligibility for special education and related services for 
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    the student under applicable federal law.
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            (4)  Many children with disabilities who will 
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    continue their public education in accordance with their 
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    individualized education programs after finishing 4 years 
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    of high school wish to celebrate their accomplishments by 
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    participating in a graduation ceremony with their 
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    classmates.
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            (5)  The opportunity for classmates with 
 


 






HB7344
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LRB093 23743 RAS 53762 b




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    disabilities and those without disabilities to celebrate 
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    their accomplishments together only occurs once, and the 
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    opportunity to celebrate the receipt of a diploma several 
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    years after one's classmates have graduated diminishes the 
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    experience for students whose age peers have left high 
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    school several years earlier.
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    (b)  Beginning March 1, 2005, each school district that 
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operates a high school must have a policy and procedures that 
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allow a child with a disability who will have completed 4 years 
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of high school at the end of a school year to participate in 
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the graduation ceremony of the student's high school graduating 
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class and receive a certificate of completion if the student's 
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individualized education program prescribes special education, 
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transition planning, transition services, or related services 
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beyond the student's 4 years of high school.  The policy and 
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procedures must require  timely and meaningful written notice to 
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children with disabilities and their parents or guardians about 
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the school district's policy and procedures adopted in 
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accordance with this Section.
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    (c)  The State Board of Education shall monitor and enforce 
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compliance with the provisions of this Section and is 
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authorized to adopt rules for that purpose.
 
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    Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding 
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Section 8.28 as
follows:


 
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    (30 ILCS 805/8.28 new)

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    Sec. 8.28. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 
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of this
Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the 
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implementation of
any mandate created by this amendatory Act of 
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the 93rd General Assembly.

 

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    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
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becoming law.