HB4310ham001 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Elementary & Secondary Education Committee

Filed: 1/12/2006

09400HB4310ham001 LRB094 14855 NHT 53178 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4310

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 4310 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections 10-16.5, 10-16.7, and 10-16.10 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-16.5 new)

Sec. 10-16.5. Oath of office. Each school board member, before taking his or her seat on the board, shall take an oath of office in substantially the following form:

I, (name of member or successful candidate), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of member of the Board of Education (or Board of School Directors, as the case may be) of (name of school district), in accordance with the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and the laws of the State of Illinois, to the best of my ability.

I further swear (or affirm) that:

I shall respect taxpayer interests by serving as a faithful protector of the school district's assets;

I shall encourage and respect the free expression of opinion by my fellow board members and others who seek a hearing before the board, while respecting the privacy of students and employees;

I shall recognize that a board member has no legal authority as an individual and that decisions can be made only be a majority vote at a public board meeting; and

I shall abide by majority decisions of the board, while retaining the right to seek changes in such decisions through ethical and constructive channels.

(105 ILCS 5/10-16.7 new)

Sec. 10-16.7. School board duties with respect to superintendent. The school board shall make all employment decisions pertaining to the superintendent. The school board shall direct, through policy, the superintendent in his or her charge of the administration of the school district, including without limitation considering the recommendations of the superintendent concerning the budget, building plans, the locations of sites, the selection, retention, and dismissal of employees, and the selection of textbooks, instructional material, and courses of study. The school board shall evaluate the superintendent in his or her administration of school board policies and his or her stewardship of the assets of the district.

(105 ILCS 5/10-16.10 new)

Sec. 10-16.10. Orientation program; periodic professional development program.

(a) Within 6 months after the election or appointment of a new school board member, the member must participate in an orientation program approved by the regional superintendent of schools of the educational service region where the school district is located or an entity approved by the regional superintendent. This orientation program shall focus on school law, the duties of board membership, and the ethical behavior of board members.

(b) Each member of a school board must periodically participate in a professional development program conducted by the regional superintendent of schools of the educational service region where the school district is located or an entity or program approved by the regional superintendent. The professional development program shall focus on finance, curriculum, policy review, board responsibilities, and accountability.

(c) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules necessary to implement this Section, subject to the approval of those rules by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.

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