Rep. Renee Kosel
Filed: 04/07/05
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1 | AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 881
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2 | AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 881 by replacing | ||||||
3 | everything after the enacting clause with the following:
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4 | "Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Article | ||||||
5 | 14A as follows: | ||||||
6 | (105 ILCS 5/Art. 14A heading new)
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7 | ARTICLE 14A. GIFTED AND TALENTED CHILDREN | ||||||
8 | (105 ILCS 5/14A-5 new)
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9 | Sec. 14A-5. Applicability. This Article applies beginning | ||||||
10 | with the 2006-2007 school year. | ||||||
11 | (105 ILCS 5/14A-10 new)
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12 | Sec. 14A-10. Legislative findings. The General Assembly | ||||||
13 | finds the following: | ||||||
14 | (1) that gifted and talented children (i) exhibit high | ||||||
15 | performance capabilities in intellectual, creative, and | ||||||
16 | artistic areas, (ii) possess an exceptional leadership | ||||||
17 | potential, (iii) excel in specific academic fields, and | ||||||
18 | (iv) have the potential to be influential in business, | ||||||
19 | government, health care, the arts, and other critical | ||||||
20 | sectors of our economic and cultural environment; | ||||||
21 | (2) that gifted and talented children require services | ||||||
22 | and activities that are not ordinarily provided by schools; |
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1 | and | ||||||
2 | (3) that outstanding talents are present in children | ||||||
3 | and youth from all cultural groups, across all economic | ||||||
4 | strata, and in all areas of human endeavor. | ||||||
5 | (105 ILCS 5/14A-15 new) | ||||||
6 | Sec. 14A-15. Purpose. The purpose of this Article is to | ||||||
7 | provide encouragement, assistance, and guidance to school | ||||||
8 | districts in the development and improvement of educational | ||||||
9 | programs for gifted and talented children as defined in Section | ||||||
10 | 14A-20 of this Code. School districts shall continue to have | ||||||
11 | the authority and flexibility to design education programs for | ||||||
12 | gifted and talented children in response to community needs, | ||||||
13 | but these programs must comply with the requirements | ||||||
14 | established in Section 14A-30 of this Code by no later than | ||||||
15 | September 1, 2006 in order to merit recognition by the State | ||||||
16 | Board of Education and to qualify for State funding for the | ||||||
17 | education of gifted and talented children, should such funding | ||||||
18 | become available. | ||||||
19 | (105 ILCS 5/14A-20 new) | ||||||
20 | Sec. 14A-20. Gifted and talented children. For purposes of | ||||||
21 | this Article, "gifted and talented children" means
children and | ||||||
22 | youth with outstanding talent who perform or show the potential | ||||||
23 | for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when | ||||||
24 | compared with other children and youth of their age, | ||||||
25 | experience, and environment. A child shall be considered gifted | ||||||
26 | and talented in any area of aptitude, and, specifically, in | ||||||
27 | language arts and mathematics, by scoring in the top 5% locally | ||||||
28 | in that area of aptitude. | ||||||
29 | (105 ILCS 5/14A-25 new) | ||||||
30 | Sec. 14A-25. Non-discrimination. Eligibility for | ||||||
31 | participation in programs established pursuant to this Article |
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1 | shall be determined solely through identification of a child as | ||||||
2 | gifted or talented. No program shall condition participation | ||||||
3 | upon race, religion, sex, disability, or any factor other than | ||||||
4 | the identification of the child as gifted or talented. | ||||||
5 | (105 ILCS 5/14A-30 new) | ||||||
6 | Sec. 14A-30. Local programs; requirements. In order for a | ||||||
7 | local program for the education of gifted and talented children | ||||||
8 | to be recognized by the State Board of Education and to qualify | ||||||
9 | for State funding, if available, as of the beginning of the | ||||||
10 | 2006-2007 academic year, the local program must meet the | ||||||
11 | following minimum requirements and demonstrate the fulfillment | ||||||
12 | of these requirements in a written program description | ||||||
13 | submitted to the State Board of Education by the local | ||||||
14 | educational agency operating the program and modified if the | ||||||
15 | program is substantively altered: | ||||||
16 | (1) The use of a minimum of 3 assessment measures used | ||||||
17 | to identify gifted and talented children in each area of | ||||||
18 | aptitude, which may include without limitation scores on | ||||||
19 | standardized achievement tests, observation checklists, | ||||||
20 | portfolios, and currently-used district assessments. | ||||||
21 | (2) A priority emphasis on language arts and | ||||||
22 | mathematics. | ||||||
23 | (3) An identification method that uses the definition | ||||||
24 | of gifted and talented children as defined in Section | ||||||
25 | 14A-20 of this Code. | ||||||
26 | (4) Assessment instruments sensitive to the inclusion | ||||||
27 | of underrepresented groups, including low-income students, | ||||||
28 | minority students, and English language learners. | ||||||
29 | (5) A process of identification of gifted and talented | ||||||
30 | children that is of equal rigor in each area of aptitude | ||||||
31 | addressed by the program. | ||||||
32 | (6) The use of identification procedures that | ||||||
33 | appropriately correspond with the planned programs, |
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1 | curricula, and services. | ||||||
2 | (7) A fair and equitable decision-making process. | ||||||
3 | (8) The availability of a fair and impartial appeal | ||||||
4 | process within the local educational agency for parents or | ||||||
5 | guardians whose children are aggrieved by a decision of the | ||||||
6 | local educational agency regarding eligibility for | ||||||
7 | participation in a program. | ||||||
8 | (9) Procedures for annually informing the community | ||||||
9 | at-large, including parents, about the program and the | ||||||
10 | methods used for the identification of gifted and talented | ||||||
11 | children. | ||||||
12 | (10) Procedures for notifying parents or guardians of a | ||||||
13 | child of a decision affecting that child's participation in | ||||||
14 | a program. | ||||||
15 | (11) A description of how gifted and talented children | ||||||
16 | will be grouped and instructed in language arts and in | ||||||
17 | mathematics in order to maximize the educational benefits | ||||||
18 | they derive from participation in a program addressing | ||||||
19 | those areas of aptitude, including curriculum | ||||||
20 | modifications and options that accelerate and add depth and | ||||||
21 | complexity to the curriculum content. | ||||||
22 | (12) An explanation of how the program emphasizes | ||||||
23 | higher-level skills attainment,
including problem-solving, | ||||||
24 | critical thinking, creative thinking, and research skills, | ||||||
25 | as embedded within relevant content areas. | ||||||
26 | (13) A methodology for measuring academic growth for | ||||||
27 | gifted and talented children and a procedure for | ||||||
28 | communicating a child's progress to his or her parents or | ||||||
29 | guardian. | ||||||
30 | (14) The collection of data on performance outcomes for | ||||||
31 | children in a program for gifted and talented children and | ||||||
32 | the reporting of the data to the State Board of Education. | ||||||
33 | (15) The designation of a building-level supervisor | ||||||
34 | responsible for overseeing the educational program for |
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1 | gifted and talented children. | ||||||
2 | (16) A showing that the certified teachers who are | ||||||
3 | assigned to teach gifted and talented children are | ||||||
4 | qualified to address the educational needs of the children | ||||||
5 | and to differentiate the curriculum and apply | ||||||
6 | instructional methods to meet the needs of the children. | ||||||
7 | (17) Plans for the continuation of professional | ||||||
8 | development for staff assigned to the program serving | ||||||
9 | gifted and talented children. | ||||||
10 | (105 ILCS 5/14A-35 new) | ||||||
11 | Sec. 14A-35. Administrative functions of the State Board of | ||||||
12 | Education.
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13 | (a) The State Board of Education must designate a staff | ||||||
14 | person who shall be in charge of educational programs for | ||||||
15 | gifted and talented children. This staff person shall, at a | ||||||
16 | minimum, (i) be responsible for developing a recognition | ||||||
17 | program for educational programs for gifted and talented | ||||||
18 | children by no later than September 1, 2006, (ii) receive and | ||||||
19 | maintain the written descriptions of all programs for gifted | ||||||
20 | and talented children in the State, (iii) collect and maintain | ||||||
21 | the annual performance outcome data submitted by local | ||||||
22 | educational agencies, (iv) identify potential funding sources | ||||||
23 | for the education of gifted and talented children, and (v) | ||||||
24 | serve as the main contact person at the State Board of | ||||||
25 | Education for local educational agencies, parents, and other | ||||||
26 | stakeholders regarding the education of gifted and talented | ||||||
27 | children. | ||||||
28 | (b) Subject to the availability of funds for these | ||||||
29 | purposes, the State Board of Education may perform a variety of | ||||||
30 | additional administrative functions with respect to the | ||||||
31 | education of gifted and talented children, including, but not | ||||||
32 | limited to, supervision, quality assurance, compliance | ||||||
33 | monitoring, and oversight of local programs, analysis of |
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1 | performance outcome data submitted by local educational | ||||||
2 | agencies, the establishment of personnel standards, and a | ||||||
3 | program of personnel development for teachers and | ||||||
4 | administrative personnel in the education of gifted and | ||||||
5 | talented children.
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6 | (105 ILCS 5/14A-40 new) | ||||||
7 | Sec. 14A-40. Advisory Council. There is hereby created an | ||||||
8 | Advisory Council on the Education of Gifted and Talented | ||||||
9 | Children to consist of 7 members appointed by the State | ||||||
10 | Superintendent of Education. Members shall serve terms of 4 | ||||||
11 | years from the date of appointment. Upon the expiration of the | ||||||
12 | term of a member, that member shall continue to serve until a | ||||||
13 | replacement is appointed. The Council shall meet at least 3 | ||||||
14 | times each year. The Council shall organize with a chairperson | ||||||
15 | selected by the Council members and shall meet at the call of | ||||||
16 | the chairperson upon at least 10 days' written notice. Members | ||||||
17 | of the Council shall serve without compensation, but shall be | ||||||
18 | reimbursed for their travel to and from meetings and other | ||||||
19 | reasonable expenses in connection with meetings if approved by | ||||||
20 | the State Board of Education. | ||||||
21 | The State Board of Education shall consider | ||||||
22 | recommendations for membership on the Council from | ||||||
23 | organizations of educators and parents of gifted and talented | ||||||
24 | children and other groups with an interest in the education of | ||||||
25 | gifted and talented children. The members appointed shall be | ||||||
26 | residents of the State and be selected on the basis of their | ||||||
27 | knowledge of, or experience in, programs and problems of the | ||||||
28 | education of gifted and talented children. | ||||||
29 | The State Board of Education shall seek the advice of the | ||||||
30 | Council regarding all rules and policies to be adopted by the | ||||||
31 | State Board relating to the education of gifted and talented | ||||||
32 | children. The staff person designated pursuant to subsection | ||||||
33 | (a) of Section 14A-35 of this Code shall serve as the State |
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1 | Board of Education's liaison to the Council. The State Board of | ||||||
2 | Education shall provide necessary clerical support and | ||||||
3 | assistance in order to facilitate meetings of the Council. | ||||||
4 | (105 ILCS 5/14A-45 new) | ||||||
5 | Sec. 14A-45. Grants for services and materials. Subject to | ||||||
6 | the availability of categorical grant funding or other funding | ||||||
7 | and pursuant to rules of the State Board of Education, the | ||||||
8 | State Board of Education shall make grants available to fund | ||||||
9 | educational programs for gifted and talented children. A | ||||||
10 | request-for-proposal process shall be used in awarding grants | ||||||
11 | for services and materials, with carry over to the next fiscal | ||||||
12 | year, under this Section. A proposal may be submitted to the | ||||||
13 | State Board of Education by a school district, 2 or more
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14 | cooperating school districts, a county, 2 or more cooperating | ||||||
15 | counties, or a regional office of education. The proposals | ||||||
16 | shall include a statement of the qualifications and duties of | ||||||
17 | the personnel required in the field of diagnostic, counseling, | ||||||
18 | and consultative services and the educational materials | ||||||
19 | necessary. Upon receipt, the State Board of Education shall | ||||||
20 | evaluate the proposals in accordance with criteria developed by | ||||||
21 | the State Board of Education that is consistent with this | ||||||
22 | Article and shall award grants to the extent funding is | ||||||
23 | available. Educational programs for gifted and talented | ||||||
24 | children may be offered during the regular school term and may | ||||||
25 | include optional summer programs. As a condition for State | ||||||
26 | funding, a grantee must comply with the requirements of this | ||||||
27 | Article. | ||||||
28 | (105 ILCS 5/14A-50 new)
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29 | Sec. 14A-50. Contracts for experimental projects and | ||||||
30 | institutes. Subject to the availability of funds, the State | ||||||
31 | Board of Education shall have the authority to enter into and | ||||||
32 | monitor contracts with school districts, regional offices of |
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1 | education, colleges, universities, and professional | ||||||
2 | organizations for the conduct of experimental projects and | ||||||
3 | institutes, including summer institutes, in the field of | ||||||
4 | education of gifted and talented children as defined in Section | ||||||
5 | 14A-20 of this Code. These projects and institutes shall be | ||||||
6 | established in accordance with rules adopted by the State Board | ||||||
7 | of Education.
Prior to entering into a contract, the State | ||||||
8 | Board of Education shall evaluate the proposal as to the | ||||||
9 | soundness of the design of the project or institute, the | ||||||
10 | probability of obtaining productive outcomes, the adequacy of | ||||||
11 | resources to conduct the proposed project or institute, and the | ||||||
12 | relationship of the project or institute to other projects and | ||||||
13 | institutes already completed or in progress. The contents of | ||||||
14 | these projects and institutes must be designed based on | ||||||
15 | standards adopted by professional organizations for gifted and | ||||||
16 | talented children. | ||||||
17 | (105 ILCS 5/14A-55 new)
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18 | Sec. 14A-55. Rulemaking. The State Board of Education shall | ||||||
19 | have the authority to adopt all rules necessary to implement | ||||||
20 | and regulate the provisions this Article.
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21 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
22 | becoming law.".
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