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1 | AN ACT concerning education.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Law | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | is amended by adding Section 5 as follows: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | (105 ILCS 305/5 new) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Sec. 5. I-Connect Computer Technology Program. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | (a) In this Section: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | "Low-income students" means pupils aged 3 to 17, inclusive, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | from families receiving public aid, living in institutions for | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | neglected or delinquent children, being supported in foster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | homes with public funds, or eligible to receive free or | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | reduced-price lunches. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | "Program" means the I-Connect Computer Technology Program. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | "State Board" means the State Board of Education. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | "Technology Board" means the I-Connect Computer Technology | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | Board. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | (b) The General Assembly finds that in the modern, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | knowledge-based economy of the 21st century, it is critical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | that all students have access to modern educational technology. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | The General Assembly further finds that universal access to | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | portable computers has been found to increase student | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | assessment test scores and encourage student and parent |
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1 | collaboration in learning. As provided in Section 1 of Article | ||||||
2 | X of the Illinois Constitution, "A fundamental goal of the | ||||||
3 | People of the State is the educational development of all | ||||||
4 | persons to the limits of their capacities." In order to ensure | ||||||
5 | universal access to modern educational technology, the General | ||||||
6 | Assembly finds it necessary to provide students in public | ||||||
7 | schools with access to portable computers. | ||||||
8 | (c) The Academy shall establish the I-Connect Computer | ||||||
9 | Technology Program to provide students and teachers in selected | ||||||
10 | classrooms of participating schools with personal portable | ||||||
11 | computers with age-appropriate and subject-appropriate | ||||||
12 | learning software, professional development, and repair and | ||||||
13 | warranty services.
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14 | (d) Subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2007-2008 | ||||||
15 | school year and each school year thereafter, each student | ||||||
16 | entering the 6th grade who attends a public school | ||||||
17 | participating in the Program shall receive a portable computer. | ||||||
18 | Additionally, each participating school may designate a | ||||||
19 | reasonable number of classroom teachers and other teachers to | ||||||
20 | receive portable computers. Portable computers shall be | ||||||
21 | delivered to each school district and shall be the property of | ||||||
22 | that school district. School districts are responsible for | ||||||
23 | distributing the computers to students and for establishing | ||||||
24 | rules for student use of the computers. Each portable computer | ||||||
25 | must include software and other learning technologies capable | ||||||
26 | of being used in a classroom environment. |
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1 | (e) Each school participating in the Program shall receive | ||||||
2 | teacher technology training and professional development. | ||||||
3 | Teachers that take part in technology training courses, | ||||||
4 | seminars, or other related courses of instruction may credit | ||||||
5 | that time towards their continuing professional development | ||||||
6 | requirement, pursuant to Section 21-14 of the School Code. | ||||||
7 | Professional development provided in accordance with this | ||||||
8 | Section must be sufficient to ensure the optimal use of | ||||||
9 | software and other learning technologies associated with using | ||||||
10 | the portable computer. | ||||||
11 | (f) The Academy shall work with the selected schools to | ||||||
12 | develop appropriate plans for external and internal network | ||||||
13 | infrastructure improvements. | ||||||
14 | (g) The Academy may enter into contracts or memorandums of | ||||||
15 | understanding with private parties and other State agencies to | ||||||
16 | carry out its functions under this Section. When entering into | ||||||
17 | any contracts or memorandums of understanding permitted by this | ||||||
18 | Section, the Academy shall give preference to proposals that | ||||||
19 | (i) maintain the lowest achievable cost, (ii) provide the best | ||||||
20 | available product or service in its class, and (iii) are | ||||||
21 | responsive to local technology and educational concerns. | ||||||
22 | (h) There is created the I-Connect Computer Technology | ||||||
23 | Board. The Technology Board shall be comprised of 10 members as | ||||||
24 | follows: the Lieutenant Governor; 5 members appointed by the | ||||||
25 | Governor, including at least one Regional Superintendent of | ||||||
26 | Schools; one member appointed by the chairman of the Board of |
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1 | Higher Education; one member appointed by the chairman of the | ||||||
2 | State Board of Education; one member appointed by the president | ||||||
3 | of Illinois Computing Educators; and one member appointed by | ||||||
4 | the Illinois Principals Association. | ||||||
5 | (i) Each of the Governor's appointees must have a | ||||||
6 | background in at least one of the following areas: | ||||||
7 | (1) Computer technical support. | ||||||
8 | (2) Education administration at the grade K through 12 | ||||||
9 | level. | ||||||
10 | (3) Teaching 6th through 12th grade students. | ||||||
11 | (4) The Illinois Century Network or other means of | ||||||
12 | accessing the Internet in schools. | ||||||
13 | Members shall serve 4-year terms, except that members | ||||||
14 | appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the remainder of | ||||||
15 | the vacated term. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner | ||||||
16 | as the initial appointment. | ||||||
17 | Technology Board members shall receive no compensation | ||||||
18 | other than reimbursement for necessary travel expenses that | ||||||
19 | shall be reimbursed through the Academy. | ||||||
20 | (j) When selecting schools to participate in the Program, | ||||||
21 | the Academy and the Technology Board shall ensure that at least | ||||||
22 | 30% of the funds for the portable computers and infrastructure | ||||||
23 | be used for schools located in the City of Chicago, at least | ||||||
24 | 30% for schools in suburban Cook, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, | ||||||
25 | and DuPage Counties, and at least 30% for schools in the | ||||||
26 | remainder of the State. The remainder of the funds for portable |
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1 | computers and infrastructure may be allocated at the discretion | ||||||
2 | of the Academy and the Technology Board. The Academy shall | ||||||
3 | separately allocate necessary funds to administer the Program, | ||||||
4 | provide professional development, and provide all other | ||||||
5 | services required under this Section. Nothing in this Section | ||||||
6 | shall be construed to limit the number of schools that may | ||||||
7 | apply to participate in the Program. | ||||||
8 | (k) The Technology Board shall select Program participants | ||||||
9 | based on the following criteria: | ||||||
10 | (1) the ability of an applicant school to effectively | ||||||
11 | fulfill the Program goals; | ||||||
12 | (2) the ability of an applicant school to integrate the | ||||||
13 | portable computers into existing academic improvement | ||||||
14 | plans; | ||||||
15 | (3) the ability of an applicant school to enhance the | ||||||
16 | professional development of participating teachers; and | ||||||
17 | (4) the percentage of low-income students who attend | ||||||
18 | the applicant school. | ||||||
19 | (l) All Program participants must comply with requests from | ||||||
20 | the Academy and the Technology Board for information relating | ||||||
21 | to the annual report requirements of the Program. | ||||||
22 | (m) All participating schools shall designate at least one | ||||||
23 | teacher or administrator who shall be the liaison to the | ||||||
24 | Academy and the Technology Board and have the primary | ||||||
25 | responsibility for ensuring that computers are being used and | ||||||
26 | maintained. |
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1 | (n) No later than 30 days after the Technology Board | ||||||
2 | reaches a majority of members appointed, an application shall | ||||||
3 | be developed by the Technology Board and mailed to the | ||||||
4 | principal of every public school in this State that educates | ||||||
5 | 6th grade students. The application shall without limitation | ||||||
6 | contain all of the following: | ||||||
7 | (1) A deadline for returning the application for | ||||||
8 | entrance into the Program. | ||||||
9 | (2) An inquiry into the adequacy of the applicant | ||||||
10 | school's infrastructure to manage the
computers. | ||||||
11 | (3) The name of the applicant school's liaison to the | ||||||
12 | Academy and the Technology Board as required under this | ||||||
13 | Section. | ||||||
14 | (4) Any additional information deemed necessary by the | ||||||
15 | Technology Board. | ||||||
16 | (o) By no later than July 1 of each year, the Technology | ||||||
17 | Board, in conjunction with the Academy, must submit an annual | ||||||
18 | report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the progress | ||||||
19 | of the Program. The report must include without limitation all | ||||||
20 | of the following: | ||||||
21 | (1) The number of students who received portable | ||||||
22 | computers through the Program. | ||||||
23 | (2) An accounting of all State, local, and federal | ||||||
24 | funds used in the prior year and funds sought for the | ||||||
25 | coming year. | ||||||
26 | (3) A projection for the cost of implementing the |
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1 | Program in the next school year. | ||||||
2 | (4) The identification of software included with the | ||||||
3 | computers. | ||||||
4 | (5) The academic progress of the students using the | ||||||
5 | computers. | ||||||
6 | (6) If available, a comparison of academic progress | ||||||
7 | between those students using the computers in a specific | ||||||
8 | curriculum and those who are not. | ||||||
9 | (7) The quality and quantity of increased student | ||||||
10 | proficiency with technology. | ||||||
11 | (8) Teacher involvement and performance. | ||||||
12 | (9) Of those students taking the computers home, the | ||||||
13 | number of households in which a person other than the | ||||||
14 | student uses the computer. | ||||||
15 | (10) Recommendations for Program improvement. | ||||||
16 | (p) The I-Connect Computer Technology Fund is created as a | ||||||
17 | special fund in the State treasury. All funds deposited into | ||||||
18 | the I-Connect Computer Technology Fund shall be used, subject | ||||||
19 | to appropriation, by the Academy for the purposes of this | ||||||
20 | Section. | ||||||
21 | (q) The Academy may use any funds appropriated by the | ||||||
22 | General Assembly for the purposes of the Program as well as any | ||||||
23 | gift, grant, or donation given for the Program. The Academy and | ||||||
24 | the Technology Board may solicit and accept a gift, grant, or | ||||||
25 | donation of any kind from any source, including a foundation, | ||||||
26 | private entity, governmental entity, or institution of higher |
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1 | education, for the implementation and administration of the | ||||||
2 | Program. | ||||||
3 | (r) The State Board shall give preference to the Program | ||||||
4 | when allocating any funds it receives from any federal program | ||||||
5 | for educational technology. The State Board shall consult with | ||||||
6 | the Technology Board on funding decisions for any such | ||||||
7 | appropriation. | ||||||
8 | (s) The Academy shall use no less than 40% and no more than | ||||||
9 | 50% of allocated funds for the Program, but no more than | ||||||
10 | $5,000,000, to provide continuing support for schools | ||||||
11 | participating in the technology immersion pilot project | ||||||
12 | created under Section 2-3.135 of the School Code. | ||||||
13 | (t) It is the sole duty of school districts, school | ||||||
14 | administrators, and school teachers to make decisions relating | ||||||
15 | to the use of portable computers provided under the Program, | ||||||
16 | including the determination of (i) the standards for allowing | ||||||
17 | students to take computers off of school property, (ii) the | ||||||
18 | courses or curricula best suited for the computers, and (iii) | ||||||
19 | the use of particular software or learning technologies.
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20 | Section 90. The State Finance Act is amended by adding | ||||||
21 | Section 5.675 as follows: | ||||||
22 | (30 ILCS 105/5.675 new) | ||||||
23 | Sec. 5.675. The I-Connect Computer Technology Fund.
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24 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon |
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1 | becoming law.
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