SB3065 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 22553 AMC 52939 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
SB3065

Introduced 9/22/2008, by Sen. James T. Meeks

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/2-3.148 new

Amends the School Code. Establishes the 21st Century School Reform Initiative Pilot Program in which 4 clusters (a cluster being a high school and all of the prekindergarten, elementary, middle, and junior high schools from which a majority of students will attend that high school) must be selected within 30 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act for participation in the program for 3 school years. Sets forth provisions concerning how the clusters are to be selected, the establishment of a State oversight committee and local oversight committees, the recruitment of 3 superintendent advisors, the completion of a comprehensive needs assessment, the requirements that the cluster schools must meet, and the adoption of rules by the State Board of Education. Requires that the State oversight committee submit a report on or before January 1, 2012 to the General Assembly summarizing the results of the program and making recommendations on its expansion. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education, which may be referred to as the 21st Century School Reform Initiative Act.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 2-3.148 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.148 new)

Sec. 2-3.148. 21st Century School Reform Initiative Pilot Program.

(a) As used in this Section:

"Cluster" means a high school and all of the prekindergarten, elementary, middle, and junior high schools from which a majority of students will attend that high school.

"Program" means the 21st Century School Reform Initiative Pilot Program.

(b) The 21st Century School Reform Initiative Pilot Program is established. Four clusters must be selected within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly for participation in the program for 3 school years as follows:

(1) The chief executive officer of the Chicago Board of Education shall select 2 clusters in the City of Chicago.

(2) The State Superintendent of Education shall select one cluster in South Suburban Cook County.

(3) The State Superintendent of Education shall select one cluster in a county downstate.

Clusters must be selected through a prioritization process that considers the following:

(A) the number of years the high school within the cluster has remained on academic watch status; and

(B) the overall percentage of students in the school with State assessment scores demonstrating proficiency.

Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall make funds available to each school district containing a cluster for the purposes of implementing this Section.

(c) Within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, a State oversight committee must be established consisting of all of the following members:

(1) The State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee.

(2) The Governor or his or her designee.

(3) One member appointed by the President of the Senate.

(4) The lead sponsors of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly.

(5) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

(6) One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(7) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(8) One member appointed by the Governor representing the business community.

(9) One member appointed by Governor representing an association representing teachers.

(10) One member appointed by the Governor representing an association representing school boards.

The State oversight committee shall recruit 3 superintendents or retired superintendents of high-performing school districts to serve as superintendent advisors to conduct needs assessments and evaluations, advise local oversight committees, monitor progress and implementation of the program, and conduct systematic on-site visits to each of the clusters. For the duration of this project, the superintendent advisors shall provide regular reports to the oversight committee. On or before January 1, 2012, the State oversight committee shall submit a report to the General Assembly summarizing the results of the program and making recommendations on its expansion.

(d) Within 30 days after the selection of a cluster, a local oversight committee must be established for that cluster and shall consist of all of the following members:

(1) One school district administrator, external to the cluster.

(2) The principal of a high school, external to the cluster.

(3) One parent of a student attending a school within the cluster.

(4) Two teachers in schools within the cluster.

(5) One business professional.

(6) One representative of the State Board of Education.

(7) One high school student.

(8) One middle school student.

(e) The superintendent advisors must complete a comprehensive needs assessment to identify areas of deficiency in each cluster school. The data collected during the needs assessment process must be reviewed and analyzed by the school, local oversight committee, and superintendent advisors. The superintendent advisors shall determine whether vertical articulation occurs between grade levels and schools. The State oversight committee shall review the following goals and areas during the needs assessment and determine whether a school needs improvement in any of the following areas:

(1) Curriculum is aligned to State and national standards, all students possess a grade-appropriate common core of knowledge, rigorous and relevant standards are expected, individual grading policies are effective, high school course offerings are adequate, and instruction is provided in appropriate kindergarten through grade 8 content areas.

(2) Discipline policies are effective, as evidenced by a review of suspensions and expulsions, on-site observations of student behavior, and interviews with staff, students, parents, and administrators.

(3) Professional development opportunities are provided to staff, and teacher mentoring and induction programs are effective, as evidenced by classroom visits and staff surveys.

(4) Leadership training is provided for administrators.

(5) Assessment tools used by the school are effective and formative, and summative evaluations are conducted.

Based upon the results of the comprehensive needs assessment, the superintendent advisors, in conjunction with the State oversight committee and the local oversight committee, shall determine which areas need improvement and create a plan for the cluster to improve those areas of deficiency. The plan must outline the procedures that will be put in place to execute the requirements in subsections (f) thorough (j) of this Section. The plan must be filed with the State Board of Education within 120 days after the establishment of the local oversight committee.

(f) Each school within the cluster must incorporate the core instructional components of literacy, mathematics, technology, and fine arts and provide instruction in character education.

(1) Literacy instruction must be provided in every course of study and for each grade-level. Emphasis must be given to teaching pre-reading, reading, and post-reading skills, common literacy strategies across all grade levels, and discipline-specific reading strategies. A literacy coach must be employed in each school.

(2) Each high school student must take and successful pass Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II or Trigonometry in order to graduate, and all students must be prepared to take Algebra I in grade 9. The mathematics curriculum must emphasize real-world applications of classical mathematical principles and the integration of technology.

(3) Each classroom must be equipped with a minimum of one interactive whiteboard, one video projector, and 4 computers. Each school shall contain a minimum of one 35-station computer lab per 250 students. A laptop and wireless Internet access within the school building must be provided to each teacher. The superintendent advisors and local oversight committees shall work together to evaluate computer programs that provide (i) prompt feedback in assessing student deficiencies in core subjects, (ii) access to video libraries of instructional films aligned to the Illinois Learning Standards, (iii) databases of questions or activities related to classroom lesson plans, and (iv) the ability for parents to monitor grades, homework assignments, and learning activities from home and provide access to those programs that the superintendent advisors, State oversight committee, and local oversight committees determine would be beneficial to each school.

(4) Each school must provide students in each grade with at least one course in fine arts per year.

(5) Each school must provide age-appropriate instruction to students in each grade level on character education to encourage students to think critically and act responsibly. Such instruction may include information concerning goal-setting, self-esteem, time management, proper conduct, responsibility for actions, leadership, service to the community, and study skills.

(g) Each school within the cluster must implement a professional development model that provides training to all teachers at each grade level. Professional development must be based on current research and must be appropriate for serving the diverse needs of the students within the school and district. A teacher induction and mentoring program must be implemented for each cluster, and all cluster schools must provide a mentor for each administrator. The superintendent advisors, the State oversight committee, and the local oversight committees shall determine qualifications for mentors. Areas of professional development that may be provided shall include leadership development, training in a variety of instructional strategies, and training on new teacher and administrator mentoring programs.

(h) Cluster schools must implement the following intervention programs and offer participation in one or more programs to students whom staff of the school determines would benefit from the program:

(1) before-school and after-school tutoring;

(2) tutoring during the school day;

(3) weekend tutoring;

(4) accelerated and remediation summer school; and

(5) credit recovery programs. A mentoring program providing academic coaches to students may be established and implemented.

(i) A cluster school must implement a parent partnership program to encourage parental involvement and interest.

(j) Each school within a cluster shall administer additional assessments of progress to evaluate the success of the program. Schools must each provide evidence of progress toward the achievement of learning outcomes at least one time per week to the State oversight committee and local oversight committee. In addition to the Illinois Standards Achievement Test and the Prairie State Achievement Examination, schools must administer a nationally normed test each year to all students in the cluster and release the scores to the State oversight committee and local oversight committee or the superintendent advisors for data tracking purposes. School administrators in the cluster must ensure that annual performance reviews are conducted for each staff member and teacher.

(k) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the implementation of this Section.

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