093_SB0192enr SB192 Enrolled LRB093 07888 NHT 08078 b 1 AN ACT relating to education. 2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 3 represented in the General Assembly: 4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing 5 Section 14-7.03 as follows: 6 (105 ILCS 5/14-7.03) (from Ch. 122, par. 14-7.03) 7 Sec. 14-7.03. Special Education Classes for Children from 8 Orphanages, Foster Family Homes, Children's Homes, or in 9 State Housing Units. If a school district maintains special 10 education classes on the site of orphanages and children's 11 homes, or if children from the orphanages, children's homes, 12 foster family homes, other State agencies, or State 13 residential units for children attend classes for children 14 with disabilities in which the school district is a 15 participating member of a joint agreement, or if the children 16 from the orphanages, children's homes, foster family homes, 17 other State agencies, or State residential units attend 18 classes for the children with disabilities maintained by the 19 school district, then reimbursement shall be paid to eligible 20 districts in accordance with the provisions of this Section 21 by the Comptroller as directed by the State Superintendent of 22 Education. 23 The amount of tuition for such children shall be 24 determined by the actual cost of maintaining such classes, 25 using the per capita cost formula set forth in Section 26 14-7.01, such program and cost to be pre-approved by the 27 State Superintendent of Education. 28 On forms prepared by the State Superintendent of 29 Education, the district shall certify to the regional 30 superintendent the following: 31 (1) The name of the home or State residential unit SB192 Enrolled -2- LRB093 07888 NHT 08078 b 1 with the name of the owner or proprietor and address of 2 those maintaining it; 3 (2) That no service charges or other payments 4 authorized by law were collected in lieu of taxes 5 therefrom or on account thereof during either of the 6 calendar years included in the school year for which 7 claim is being made; 8 (3) The number of children qualifying under this 9 Act in special education classes for instruction on the 10 site of the orphanages and children's homes; 11 (4) The number of children attending special 12 education classes for children with disabilities in which 13 the district is a participating member of a special 14 education joint agreement; 15 (5) The number of children attending special 16 education classes for children with disabilities 17 maintained by the district; 18 (6) The computed amount of tuition payment claimed 19 as due, as approved by the State Superintendent of 20 Education, for maintaining these classes. 21 If a school district makes a claim for reimbursement 22 under Section 18-3 or 18-4 of this Act it shall not include 23 in any claim filed under this Section a claim for such 24 children. Payments authorized by law, including State or 25 federal grants for education of children included in this 26 Section, shall be deducted in determining the tuition amount. 27 Nothing in this Act shall be construed so as to prohibit 28 reimbursement for the tuition of children placed in for 29 profit facilities. Private facilities shall provide adequate 30 space at the facility for special education classes provided 31 by a school district or joint agreement for children with 32 disabilities who are residents of the facility at no cost to 33 the school district or joint agreement upon request of the 34 school district or joint agreement. If such a private SB192 Enrolled -3- LRB093 07888 NHT 08078 b 1 facility provides space at no cost to the district or joint 2 agreement for special education classes provided to children 3 with disabilities who are residents of the facility, the 4 district or joint agreement shall not include any costs for 5 the use of those facilities in its claim for reimbursement. 6 Reimbursement for tuition may include the cost of 7 providing summer school programs for children with severe and 8 profound disabilities served under this Section. Claims for 9 that reimbursement shall be filed by November 1 and shall be 10 paid on or before December 15 from appropriations made for 11 the purposes of this Section. 12 The State Board of Education shall establish such rules 13 and regulations as may be necessary to implement the 14 provisions of this Section. 15 Claims filed on behalf of programs operated under this 16 Section housed in a jail, detention center, or county-owned 17 shelter care facility shall be on an individual student basis 18 only for eligible students with disabilities. These claims 19 shall be in accordance with applicable rules. 20 Each district claiming reimbursement for a program 21 operated as a group program shall have an approved budget on 22 file with the State Board of Education prior to the 23 initiation of the program's operation. On September 30, 24 December 31, and March 31, the State Board of Education shall 25 voucher payments to group programs based upon the approved 26 budget during the year of operation. Final claims for group 27 payments shall be filed on or before July 15. Final claims 28 for group programs received at the State Board of Education 29 on or before June 15 shall be vouchered by June 30. Final 30 claims received at the State Board of Education between June 31 16 and July 15 shall be vouchered by August 30. Claims for 32 group programs received after July 15 shall not be honored. 33 Each district claiming reimbursement for individual 34 students shall have the eligibility of those students SB192 Enrolled -4- LRB093 07888 NHT 08078 b 1 verified by the State Board of Education. On September 30, 2 December 31, and March 31, the State Board of Education shall 3 voucher payments for individual students based upon an 4 estimated cost calculated from the prior year's claim. Final 5 claims for individual students for the regular school term 6 must be received at the State Board of Education by July 15. 7 Claims for individual students received after July 15 shall 8 not be honored. Final claims for individual students shall be 9 vouchered by August 30. 10 Reimbursement shall be made based upon approved group 11 programs or individual students. The State Superintendent of 12 Education shall direct the Comptroller to pay a specified 13 amount to the district by the 30th day of September, 14 December, March, June, or August, respectively. However, 15 notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section or the 16 School Code, beginning with fiscal year 1994 and each fiscal 17 year thereafter through fiscal year 2002, if the amount 18 appropriated for any fiscal year is less than the amount 19 required for purposes of this Section, the amount required to 20 eliminate any insufficient reimbursement for each district 21 claim under this Section shall be reimbursed on August 30 of 22 the next fiscal year, and the payments required to eliminate 23 any insufficiency for prior fiscal year claims shall be made 24 before any claims are paid for the current fiscal year. 25 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section or this 26 Code, beginning with fiscal year 2003, total reimbursement 27 under this Section in any fiscal year is limited to the 28 amount appropriated for that purpose for that fiscal year, 29 and if the amount appropriated for any fiscal year is less 30 than the amount required for purposes of this Section, the 31 insufficiency shall be apportioned pro rata among the school 32 districts seeking reimbursement. 33 The claim of a school district otherwise eligible to be 34 reimbursed in accordance with Section 14-12.01 for the SB192 Enrolled -5- LRB093 07888 NHT 08078 b 1 1976-77 school year but for this amendatory Act of 1977 shall 2 not be paid unless the district ceases to maintain such 3 classes for one entire school year. 4 If a school district's current reimbursement payment for 5 the 1977-78 school year only is less than the prior year's 6 reimbursement payment owed, the district shall be paid the 7 amount of the difference between the payments in addition to 8 the current reimbursement payment, and the amount so paid 9 shall be subtracted from the amount of prior year's 10 reimbursement payment owed to the district. 11 Regional superintendents may operate special education 12 classes for children from orphanages, foster family homes, 13 children's homes or State housing units located within the 14 educational services region upon consent of the school board 15 otherwise so obligated. In electing to assume the powers and 16 duties of a school district in providing and maintaining such 17 a special education program, the regional superintendent may 18 enter into joint agreements with other districts and may 19 contract with public or private schools or the orphanage, 20 foster family home, children's home or State housing unit for 21 provision of the special education program. The regional 22 superintendent exercising the powers granted under this 23 Section shall claim the reimbursement authorized by this 24 Section directly from the State Board of Education. 25 Any child who is not a resident of Illinois who is placed 26 in a child welfare institution, private facility, foster 27 family home, State operated program, orphanage or children's 28 home shall have the payment for his educational tuition and 29 any related services assured by the placing agent. 30 Commencing July 1, 1992, for each disabled student who is 31 placed residentially by a State agency or the courts for care 32 or custody or both care and custody, welfare, medical or 33 mental health treatment or both medical and mental health 34 treatment, rehabilitation, and protection, whether placed SB192 Enrolled -6- LRB093 07888 NHT 08078 b 1 there on, before, or after July 1, 1992, the costs for 2 educating the student are eligible for reimbursement under 3 this Section providing the placing agency or court has 4 notified the appropriate school district authorities of the 5 status of student residency where applicable prior to or upon 6 placement. 7 The district of residence of the parent, guardian, or 8 disabled student as defined in Sections 14-1.11 and 14-1.11a 9 is responsible for the actual costs of the student's special 10 education program and is eligible for reimbursement under 11 this Section when placement is made by a State agency or the 12 courts. Payments shall be made by the resident district to 13 the district wherein the facility is located no less than 14 once per quarter unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the 15 parties. 16 When a dispute arises over the determination of the 17 district of residence, the district or districts may appeal 18 the decision in writing to the State Superintendent of 19 Education. The decision of the State Superintendent of 20 Education shall be final. 21 In the event a district does not make a tuition payment 22 to another district that is providing the special education 23 program and services, the State Board of Education shall 24 immediately withhold 125% of the then remaining annual 25 tuition cost from the State aid or categorical aid payment 26 due to the school district that is determined to be the 27 resident school district. All funds withheld by the State 28 Board of Education shall immediately be forwarded to the 29 school district where the student is being served. 30 When a child eligible for services under this Section 31 14-7.03 must be placed in a nonpublic facility, that facility 32 shall meet the programmatic requirements of Section 14-7.02 33 and its regulations, and the educational services shall be 34 funded only in accordance with this Section 14-7.03. SB192 Enrolled -7- LRB093 07888 NHT 08078 b 1 Administrative expenses incurred by a responsible school 2 district, as defined by rule, for children whose residence is 3 other than a foster family home and who are educationally 4 placed pursuant to Section 14-7.02 of this Code are 5 reimbursable in accordance with this Section. These 6 administrative expenses must be associated with supervisory 7 and case coordination responsibilities specific to these 8 eligible students. 9 (Source: P.A. 92-597, eff. 7-1-02; 92-877, eff. 1-7-03.) 10 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 11 becoming law.