HB1587 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 03006 NHT 50709 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB1587

Introduced 2/15/2011, by Rep. Robert W. Pritchard

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/27-24.2	from Ch. 122, par. 27-24.2
105 ILCS 5/27-24.3	from Ch. 122, par. 27-24.3

Amends the Driver Education Act of the School Code. Provides that instead of a school district providing the practice driving part of a driver education course, the district may enter into a memorandum of understanding with a private driver education provider stating the provider's ability and willingness to offer the practice driving part of the driver education course at a cost to the student equal to or less than the cost the district would incur in offering the instruction. Requires the district to submit to the State Board of Education and the State Board of Education to approve the memorandum of understanding before the district is relieved of its duty to provide behind-the-wheel instruction.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

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

Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections 27-24.2 and 27-24.3 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/27-24.2) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-24.2)

Sec. 27-24.2. Safety education; driver education course. Instruction shall be given in safety education in each of grades one though 8, equivalent to one class period each week, and any school district which maintains grades 9 through 12 shall offer a driver education course in any such school which it operates. Its curriculum shall include content dealing with Chapters 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, the rules adopted pursuant to those Chapters insofar as they pertain to the operation of motor vehicles, and the portions of the Litter Control Act relating to the operation of motor vehicles. The course of instruction given in grades 10 through 12 shall include an emphasis on the development of knowledge, attitudes, habits, and skills necessary for the safe operation of motor vehicles, including motorcycles insofar as they can be taught in the classroom, and instruction on distracted driving as a major traffic safety issue. In addition, the course shall include instruction on special hazards existing at and required safety and driving precautions that must be observed at emergency situations, highway construction and maintenance zones, and railroad crossings and the approaches thereto. The course of instruction required of each eligible student at the high school level shall consist of a minimum of 30 clock hours of classroom instruction and a minimum of 6 clock hours of individual behind-the-wheel instruction in a dual control car on public roadways taught by a driver education instructor endorsed by the State Board of Education. However, instead of the school district providing the behind-the-wheel instruction, the district may enter into a memorandum of understanding with a private driver education provider stating the provider's ability and willingness to offer the practice driving part of the driver education course at a cost to the student equal to or less than the cost the district would incur in offering the instruction. The district must submit to the State Board of Education and the State Board of Education must approve the memorandum of understanding before the district is relieved of its duty to provide behind-the-wheel instruction. Behind-the-wheel instruction provided by a private driver education provider must meet the requirements of this Code, the Illinois Vehicle Code, and any rules of the State Board of Education. Both the classroom instruction part and the practice driving part of a such driver education course shall be open to a resident or non-resident student attending a non-public school in the district wherein the course is offered. Each student attending any public or non-public high school in the district must receive a passing grade in at least 8 courses during the previous 2 semesters prior to enrolling in a driver education course, or the student shall not be permitted to enroll in the course; provided that the local superintendent of schools (with respect to a student attending a public high school in the district) or chief school administrator (with respect to a student attending a non-public high school in the district) may waive the requirement if the superintendent or chief school administrator, as the case may be, deems it to be in the best interest of the student. A student may be allowed to commence the classroom instruction part of such driver education course prior to reaching age 15 if such student then will be eligible to complete the entire course within 12 months after being allowed to commence such classroom instruction.

Such a course may be commenced immediately after the completion of a prior course. Teachers of such courses shall meet the certification requirements of this Act and regulations of the State Board as to qualifications.

Subject to rules of the State Board of Education, the school district may charge a reasonable fee, not to exceed $50, to students who participate in the course, unless a student is unable to pay for such a course, in which event the fee for such a student must be waived. The total amount from driver education fees and reimbursement from the State for driver education must not exceed the total cost of the driver education program in any year and must be deposited into the school district's driver education fund as a separate line item budget entry. All moneys deposited into the school district's driver education fund must be used solely for the funding of a high school driver education program approved by the State Board of Education that uses driver education instructors endorsed by the State Board of Education.

(Source: P.A. 95-339, eff. 8-21-07; 96-734, eff. 8-25-09.)

(105 ILCS 5/27-24.3) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-24.3)

Sec. 27-24.3. Reimbursement. In order for the school district to receive reimbursement from the State as hereinafter provided, the driver education course offered in its schools shall consist of at least 30 clock hours of classroom instruction and, subject to modification as hereinafter allowed and unless a memorandum of understanding has been entered into with a private driver education provider under Section 27-24.2 of this Code, at least 6 clock hours of practice driving in a car having dual operating controls under direct individual instruction.

(Source: P.A. 95-310, eff. 7-1-08.)