093_SB1952
LRB093 08902 RCE 09134 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 2-3.71 as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/2-3.71) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.71)
7 Sec. 2-3.71. Grants for preschool educational and
8 related model research-training programs.
9 (a) Preschool program.
10 (1) The State Board of Education shall implement
11 and administer a grant program under the provisions of
12 this subsection (a) which shall consist of grants to
13 public school districts to conduct preschool educational
14 programs for children ages 3 to 5 which include a parent
15 education component. A public school district which
16 receives grants under this subsection may subcontract
17 with a private school, not-for-profit corporation or
18 other governmental agency to conduct a preschool
19 educational program. Except as otherwise provided in
20 paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, all teachers
21 of such programs shall (i) hold early childhood teaching
22 certificates issued under Article 21, or (ii) hold
23 elementary certificates issued under Article 21 with
24 kindergarten or preschool experience, or (iii) hold
25 baccalaureate degrees in child development, or (iv) meet
26 the requirements for supervising a day care center under
27 the Child Care Act of 1969, as amended.
28 (2) After December 31, 1989, any persons newly
29 hired to teach in the program authorized pursuant to this
30 subsection shall hold the certification required pursuant
31 to subparagraphs (i), (ii) or (iii) of paragraph (1) of
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1 this subsection.
2 (3) After July 1, 1998, any teacher in the program
3 authorized by this subsection shall hold an early
4 childhood teaching certificate.
5 (4) The State Board of Education shall provide the
6 primary source of funding through appropriations for this
7 program. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b),
8 such funds shall be distributed for the benefit of
9 children who because of their home and community
10 environment are subject to such language, cultural,
11 economic and like disadvantages that they have been
12 determined as a result of screening procedures to be at
13 risk of academic failure. Such screening procedures
14 shall be based on criteria established by the State Board
15 of Education.
16 (5) The State Board of Education shall develop and
17 provide evaluation tools, including tests, that school
18 districts may use to evaluate children for school
19 readiness prior to age 5. The State Board of Education
20 shall require school districts to obtain consent from the
21 parents or guardians of children before any evaluations
22 are conducted. The State Board of Education shall
23 encourage local school districts to evaluate the
24 population of preschool children in their districts and
25 provide preschool programs, pursuant to this subsection,
26 where appropriate.
27 (6) The State Board of Education shall report to
28 the General Assembly by July 1, 1989 and every 3 years
29 thereafter, on the results and progress of students who
30 were enrolled in preschool educational programs,
31 including an assessment of which programs have been most
32 successful in promoting academic excellence and
33 alleviating academic failure. The State Board of
34 Education shall assess the academic progress of all
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1 students who have been enrolled in preschool educational
2 programs.
3 (b) Up to 5% of the amounts annually appropriated for
4 purposes of preschool educational programs under this Section
5 may be used by the State Board of Education for grants to
6 school districts and public and private institutions of
7 higher education to establish and implement coordinated model
8 programs which include both a research component in early
9 childhood development and psychology and a personnel training
10 component in preferred teaching methodologies in effective
11 preschool educational programs. The State Board of Education
12 shall by rule establish criteria for the content, objectives
13 and manner of implementing model programs which may qualify
14 for grant awards under this subsection. Such criteria may
15 include considerations of the ability of a proposed model
16 program to serve children from preschool and early childhood
17 age groupings, including children therefrom who are or may
18 not be at risk, and of the ability of the proposed model
19 program to incorporate program site student teaching, for
20 early childhood certification purposes, of the children
21 actually served by the model program. The State Board of
22 Education shall establish standards within its rules for the
23 form of grant applications submitted under this subsection
24 and for evaluating those applications against the qualifying
25 criteria established as provided in this subsection for model
26 program content, objectives and implementation.
27 (Source: P.A. 86-316; 86-400; 86-1028; 87-141; 87-515;
28 87-895.)