093_SB0902 LRB093 07276 NHT 07435 b 1 AN ACT relating to schools. 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 adding Section 5 2-3.131 as follows: 6 (105 ILCS 5/2-3.131 new) 7 Sec. 2-3.131. K-3 class size reduction grant program. A 8 class size reduction grant program is hereby created. The 9 program shall be implemented and administered by the State 10 Board of Education, which shall award grants from 11 appropriations made for purposes of this Section to school 12 districts that meet the criteria established by this Section 13 for the award of those grants. 14 Grants shall be awarded pursuant to application. The 15 form and manner of applications and the criteria for the 16 award of grants shall be prescribed by the State Board of 17 Education. However, the grant criteria as so prescribed 18 shall provide that: (i) for the 2004-2005 school year, the 19 2005-2006 school year, the 2006-2007 school year, and the 20 2007-2008 school year, only those schools that are on the 21 State Board of Education Early Academic Warning List or the 22 academic watch list under Section 2-3.25d that maintain 23 grades kindergarten through 3 shall be grant eligible; and 24 (ii) for the 2008-2009 school year and each year thereafter, 25 all schools that maintain grades kindergarten through 3 shall 26 be grant eligible. 27 Grants awarded to eligible schools under this Section 28 shall be used and applied by the schools to defray the costs 29 and expenses of operating and maintaining classes with a 30 class size of no more than 20 pupils in kindergarten for the 31 2004-2005 school year, in kindergarten and first grade for -2- LRB093 07276 NHT 07435 b 1 the 2005-2006 school year, in kindergarten and first and 2 second grades for the 2006-2007 school year, and in grades 3 kindergarten through 3 for the 2007-2008 school year and each 4 year thereafter. 5 The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules, 6 consistent with the requirements of this Section, that are 7 necessary to implement and administer the K-3 class size 8 reduction grant program. 9 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 10 becoming law.