HB3185 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 08391 NHT 50985 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB3185

Introduced 2/24/2011, by Rep. Timothy L. Schmitz - Anthony DeLuca

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/27A-11.50 new

Creates the Glenwood Charter School, a residential charter school to serve behaviorally capable children from school districts throughout this State who are from low-income families and are at risk, by establishing a charter school through a public-private partnership involving the State Board of Education and the Glenwood School for Boys and Girls, with the governing body of the Glenwood School for Boys and Girls serving as the governing body of the charter school. Sets forth provisions concerning the submission of a charter school proposal to the State Board, approval of the charter, the duties of the governing body of the Glenwood School for Boys and Girls, charter school requirements, charter school admission and enrollment, transportation, funding, services provided by a school district, submissions to the State Board, and reporting requirements. Provides that the Glenwood Charter School shall begin operation starting with the 2011-2012 school year, and requires the Glenwood School for Boys and Girls to hold at least one public meeting prior to the commencement of the 2011-2012 school year within the school district of origin to inform the public of the terms and conditions of the charter school. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

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 adding Section 27A-11.50 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/27A-11.50 new)

Sec. 27A-11.50. Glenwood Charter School.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article to the contrary, there is created the Glenwood Charter School, a residential charter school to serve behaviorally capable children from school districts throughout this State who are from low-income families and are at risk, by establishing a charter school through a public-private partnership involving the State Board and the Glenwood School for Boys and Girls, with the governing body of the Glenwood School for Boys and Girls serving as the governing body of the charter school.

The governing body of the Glenwood School for Boys and Girls shall submit a charter school proposal to the State Board in the form of a proposed contract to be entered into between the State Board and the governing body of the charter school, as provided under Section 27A-6 of this Code. The contract shall comply with this Section and the other provisions of this Article that are not in conflict with this Section. If the State Board finds that the proposed contract complies with this Section and the other provisions of this Article that are not in conflict with this Section, it shall immediately certify that the proposed contract complies with this Section and the other provisions of this Article that are not in conflict with this Section, approve the charter, and notify the school boards of all school districts of that approval. Upon approval, the State Board shall be the chartering entity for the charter school. If the State Board finds that the proposal fails to comply with this Section and the other provisions of this Article that are not in conflict with this Section, it shall refuse to certify the proposal and shall provide written explanation, detailing its reasons for refusal, to the governing body of the Glenwood School for Boys and Girls, and the governing body of the Glenwood School for Boys and Girls shall amend and resubmit the proposal.

(b) The governing body of the Glenwood School for Boys and Girls shall provide the facility needs of the Glenwood Charter School; shall provide all fiscal, personnel, and administrative management for the charter school; and shall operate the residential component of the charter school.

(c) The Glenwood Charter School must meet strict academic performance standards and other goals in its charter and must successfully manage school finances and operations. Due to the unique residential requirement of the charter school, students must be provided with a safe, nurturing, and emotionally stable environment at all times. Students must be able to live by the code of conduct and behavioral expectations of the charter school to ensure both academic outcomes and the safety of all students.

(d) The Glenwood Charter School shall be open to all behaviorally capable children in this State who are from low-income families and are at risk. Admission is subject to available classroom slots and residential slots. If necessary, a standard lottery process open to children from any school district must be used. However, enrollment preference must be given to previously enrolled students, prior year students within the charter school, and siblings of students enrolled at the charter school, and students enrolled at the Glenwood School for Boys and Girls during the 2011-2012 school year must be offered positions in the charter school prior to the first charter school lottery to fill any remaining positions.

The Glenwood Charter School shall seek to serve at-risk students testing as much as 2 or 3 years behind grade level in reading or mathematics. At the time of admission to the charter school, families of students must demonstrate financial need by being at or below the low-income threshold defined by the U.S. Census Bureau to determine poverty status, as updated annually for inflation by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.

(e) The Glenwood Charter School shall provide student transportation twice a week from an array of established community-serving partner organizations within a 25-mile radius of the charter school's main administrative office. Outside of that radius, it is the responsibility of the student's parents or guardian to arrange for transportation to and from the charter school.

(f) A school district's per capita student funding allocation shall follow a student of the Glenwood Charter School from his or her school district of origin. The school district of origin is responsible for providing special education services and low-incident, high-cost services for the charter school in the same amount and in a manner similar to what the district would provide any other charter school.

The charter school shall have equitable operational funding and equal access to all applicable State and federal funding, including as provided under Section 27A-11 of this Code, and the charter school shall receive State funding for transportation under Article 29 of this Code.

(g) The Glenwood Charter School shall submit all of the following to the State Board, prior to the charter school opening:

(1) Certification that the charter and its school shall comply with this Section and the other provisions of this Article that are not in conflict with this Section.

(2) A description of the charter school's educational program, pupil performance standards, curriculum, school year, school days, and hours of operation.

(3) A description of the charter school's plan for evaluating pupil performance, the types of pupil performance standards, the timeline for achievement of those standards, and the procedures for taking corrective action in the event that pupil performance falls below those standards.

(4) Evidence that the terms of the charter as proposed are economically sound for both the charter school, school districts, and this State.

(5) A proposed budget for the term of the charter, a description of the manner in which an annual audit of the financial and administrative operations of the charter school is to be conducted, including any services provided by the State Board or a school district, and a plan for the displacement of pupils, teachers, and other employees of the Glenwood School for Boys and Girls who will not attend or be employed in the charter school.

(6) A description of the governance and operation of the charter school, including the nature and extent of parental, professional educator, and community involvement in the governance and operation of the charter school.

(h) The State Board shall report the aggregate number of students enrolled in the Glenwood Charter School to each student's school district of origin and notify each such district of the amount of funding to be paid by the State Board to the charter school.

(i) The Glenwood Charter School shall maintain accurate records of daily attendance that shall be deemed sufficient to file claims under Section 18-8.05 of this Code, notwithstanding any other requirements of Section 18-8.05 of this Code regarding hours of instruction and teacher certification.

(j) The Glenwood Charter School shall begin operation starting with the 2011-2012 school year. The Glenwood School for Boys and Girls shall hold at least one public meeting prior to the commencement of the 2011-2012 school year within each admitted student's school district of origin to inform the public of the terms and conditions of the charter school.

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