HB3492 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB097 06228 NHT 46303 b

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB3492

Introduced 2/24/2011, by Rep. Michael Unes - Darlene J. Senger - Kay Hatcher - Richard Morthland

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

See Index

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to select and enter into a 5-year agreement with a private organization to operate and administer a board examination system that has been approved by an interstate compact on board examination systems and that includes (1) a coherent group of courses that collectively constitutes a core curriculum at the high school level; (2) a comprehensive syllabus for each course; (3) appropriate instructional and teaching materials for each course; (4) high quality examinations that are closely aligned with the course syllabus; (5) professional scoring of examinations; and (6) teacher education that is designed to train teachers to properly teach those courses. Sets forth the duties of the private organization and the State Board. Requires the private organization to develop the Prairie State diploma. Allows school districts and charter schools to choose to offer a Prairie State diploma beginning in the 2013-2014 school year; allows the Prairie State diploma to be awarded at the end of grade 10 or during or at the end of grade 11 or 12; and requires students who elect to pursue a Prairie State diploma to participate in the board examination system. Makes related changes in Sections concerning recognition standards, State assessments, school board powers, and required high school courses.

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 changing Sections 2-3.25a, 2-3.64, and 27-22 and by adding Sections 10-20.53 and 34-18.45 and Article 27B as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.25a) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25a)

Sec. 2-3.25a. "School district" defined; additional standards.

(a) For the purposes of this Section and Sections 3.25b, 3.25c, 3.25d, 3.25e, and 3.25f of this Code, "school district" includes other public entities responsible for administering public schools, such as cooperatives, joint agreements, charter schools, special charter districts, regional offices of education, local agencies, and the Department of Human Services.

(b) In addition to the standards established pursuant to Section 2-3.25, the State Board of Education shall develop recognition standards for student performance and school improvement in all public schools operated by school districts. The indicators to determine adequate yearly progress shall be limited to the State assessment of student performance in reading and mathematics, student attendance rates at the elementary school level, graduation rates at the high school level, and participation rates on student assessments. The standards shall be designed to permit the measurement of student performance and school improvement by schools and school districts compared to student performance and school improvement for the preceding academic years. The State Board of Education shall determine appropriate modifications to the standards for schools that participate in the board examination system prescribed in Article 27B of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 96-734, eff. 8-25-09.)

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.64) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.64)

Sec. 2-3.64. State goals and assessment.

(a) Beginning in the 1998-1999 school year, the State Board of Education shall establish standards and periodically, in collaboration with local school districts, conduct studies of student performance in the learning areas of fine arts and physical development/health.

Beginning with the 1998-1999 school year until the 2004-2005 school year, the State Board of Education shall annually test: (i) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades in English language arts (reading, writing, and English grammar) and mathematics; and (ii) all pupils enrolled in the 4th and 7th grades in the biological and physical sciences and the social sciences (history, geography, civics, economics, and government). Unless the testing required to be implemented no later than the 2005-2006 school year under this subsection (a) is implemented for the 2004-2005 school year, for the 2004-2005 school year, the State Board of Education shall test: (i) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades in English language arts (reading and English grammar) and mathematics and (ii) all pupils enrolled in the 4th and 7th grades in the biological and physical sciences. The maximum time allowed for all actual testing required under this paragraph shall not exceed 25 hours, as allocated among the required tests by the State Board of Education, across all grades tested.

Beginning no later than the 2005-2006 school year, the State Board of Education shall annually test: (i) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in reading and mathematics and (ii) all pupils enrolled in the 4th and 7th grades in the biological and physical sciences. In addition, the State Board of Education shall test (1) all pupils enrolled in the 5th and 8th grades in writing during the 2006-2007 school year; (2) all pupils enrolled in the 5th, 6th, and 8th grades in writing during the 2007-2008 school year; and (3) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 8th grades in writing during the 2008-2009 school year and each school year thereafter. After the addition of grades and change in subjects as delineated in this paragraph and including whatever other tests that may be approved from time to time no later than the 2005-2006 school year, the maximum time allowed for all State testing in grades 3 through 8 shall not exceed 38 hours across those grades.

Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, the State Board of Education shall not test pupils under this subsection (a) in physical development and health, fine arts, and the social sciences (history, geography, civics, economics, and government). The State Board of Education shall not test pupils under this subsection (a) in writing during the 2005-2006 school year.

The State Board of Education shall establish the academic standards that are to be applicable to pupils who are subject to State tests under this Section beginning with the 1998-1999 school year. However, the State Board of Education shall not establish any such standards in final form without first providing opportunities for public participation and local input in the development of the final academic standards. Those opportunities shall include a well-publicized period of public comment, public hearings throughout the State, and opportunities to file written comments. Beginning with the 1998-99 school year and thereafter, the State tests will identify pupils in the 3rd grade or 5th grade who do not meet the State standards.

If, by performance on the State tests or local assessments or by teacher judgment, a student's performance is determined to be 2 or more grades below current placement, the student shall be provided a remediation program developed by the district in consultation with a parent or guardian. Such remediation programs may include, but shall not be limited to, increased or concentrated instructional time, a remedial summer school program of not less than 90 hours, improved instructional approaches, tutorial sessions, retention in grade, and modifications to instructional materials. Each pupil for whom a remediation program is developed under this subsection shall be required to enroll in and attend whatever program the district determines is appropriate for the pupil. Districts may combine students in remediation programs where appropriate and may cooperate with other districts in the design and delivery of those programs. The parent or guardian of a student required to attend a remediation program under this Section shall be given written notice of that requirement by the school district a reasonable time prior to commencement of the remediation program that the student is to attend. The State shall be responsible for providing school districts with the new and additional funding, under Section 2-3.51.5 or by other or additional means, that is required to enable the districts to operate remediation programs for the pupils who are required to enroll in and attend those programs under this Section. Every individualized educational program as described in Article 14 shall identify if the State test or components thereof are appropriate for that student. The State Board of Education shall develop rules and regulations governing the administration of alternative tests prescribed within each student's individualized educational program which are appropriate to the disability of each student.

All pupils who are in a State approved transitional bilingual education program or transitional program of instruction shall participate in the State tests. The time allotted to take the State tests, however, may be extended as determined by the State Board of Education by rule. Any student who has been enrolled in a State approved bilingual education program less than 3 cumulative academic years may take an accommodated Limited English Proficient student academic content assessment, as determined by the State Board of Education, if the student's lack of English as determined by an English language proficiency test would keep the student from understanding the regular State test. If the school district determines, on a case-by-case individual basis, that a Limited English Proficient student academic content assessment would likely yield more accurate and reliable information on what the student knows and can do, the school district may make a determination to assess the student using a Limited English Proficient student academic content assessment for a period that does not exceed 2 additional consecutive years, provided that the student has not yet reached a level of English language proficiency sufficient to yield valid and reliable information on what the student knows and can do on the regular State test.

Reasonable accommodations as prescribed by the State Board of Education shall be provided for individual students in the testing procedure. All test procedures prescribed by the State Board of Education shall require: (i) that each test used for State and local student testing under this Section identify by name the pupil taking the test; (ii) that the name of the pupil taking the test be placed on the test at the time the test is taken; (iii) that the results or scores of each test taken under this Section by a pupil of the school district be reported to that district and identify by name the pupil who received the reported results or scores; and (iv) that the results or scores of each test taken under this Section be made available to the parents of the pupil. In addition, in each school year the scores attained by a student on the Prairie State Achievement Examination administered under subsection (c) of this Section and any Prairie State Achievement Awards received by the student shall become part of the student's permanent record and shall be entered on the student's transcript pursuant to regulations that the State Board of Education shall promulgate for that purpose in accordance with Section 3 and subsection (e) of Section 2 of the Illinois School Student Records Act. Beginning with the 1998-1999 school year and in every school year thereafter, scores received by students on the State assessment tests administered in grades 3 through 8 shall be placed into students' temporary records.

The State Board of Education shall establish a period of time, to be referred to as the State test window, in each school year for which State testing shall occur to meet the objectives of this Section. However, if the schools of a district are closed and classes are not scheduled during any week that is established by the State Board of Education as the State test window, the school district may (at the discretion of the State Board of Education) move its State test window one week earlier or one week later than the established State test window, so long as the school district gives the State Board of Education written notice of its intention to deviate from the established schedule by December 1 of the school year in which falls the State test window established by the State Board of Education for the testing.

(a-5) All tests administered pursuant to this Section shall be academically based. For the purposes of this Section "academically based tests" shall mean tests consisting of questions and answers that are measurable and quantifiable to measure the knowledge, skill, and ability of students in the subject matters covered by tests. The scoring of academically based tests shall be reliable, valid, unbiased and shall meet the guidelines for test development and use prescribed by the American Psychological Association, the National Council of Measurement and Evaluation, and the American Educational Research Association. Academically based tests shall not include assessments or evaluations of attitudes, values, or beliefs, or testing of personality, self-esteem, or self-concept. Nothing in this amendatory Act is intended, nor shall it be construed, to nullify, supersede, or contradict the legislative intent on academic testing expressed during the passage of HB 1005/P.A. 90-296. Nothing in this Section is intended, nor shall it be construed, to nullify, supersede, or contradict the legislative intent on academic testing expressed in the preamble of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

The State Board of Education shall monitor the use of short answer questions in the math and reading assessments or in other assessments in order to demonstrate that the use of short answer questions results in a statistically significant improvement in student achievement as measured on the State assessments for math and reading or on other State assessments and is justifiable in terms of cost and student performance.

(b) It shall be the policy of the State to encourage school districts to continuously test pupil proficiency in the fundamental learning areas in order to: (i) provide timely information on individual students' performance relative to State standards that is adequate to guide instructional strategies; (ii) improve future instruction; and (iii) complement the information provided by the State testing system described in this Section. To assist school districts in testing pupil proficiency in reading in the primary grades, the State Board shall make optional reading inventories for diagnostic purposes available to each school district that requests such assistance. Districts that administer the reading inventories may develop remediation programs for students who perform in the bottom half of the student population. Those remediation programs may be funded by moneys provided under the School Safety and Educational Improvement Block Grant Program established under Section 2-3.51.5.

(c) Beginning with the 2000-2001 school year, each school district that operates a high school program for students in grades 9 through 12 shall annually administer the Prairie State Achievement Examination established under this subsection to its students as set forth below. The Prairie State Achievement Examination shall be developed by the State Board of Education to measure student performance in the academic areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social sciences. Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, however, the State Board of Education shall not test a student in the social sciences (history, geography, civics, economics, and government) as part of the Prairie State Achievement Examination unless the student is retaking the Prairie State Achievement Examination in the fall of 2004. In addition, the State Board of Education shall not test a student in writing as part of the Prairie State Achievement Examination during the 2005-2006 school year. The State Board of Education shall establish the academic standards that are to apply in measuring student performance on the Prairie State Achievement Examination including the minimum examination score in each area that will qualify a student to receive a Prairie State Achievement Award from the State in recognition of the student's excellent performance. Each school district that is subject to the requirements of this subsection (c) shall afford all students one opportunity to take the Prairie State Achievement Examination beginning as late as practical during the spring semester of grade 11, but in no event before March 1. The State Board of Education shall annually notify districts of the weeks during which this test administration shall be required to occur. Every individualized educational program as described in Article 14 shall identify if the Prairie State Achievement Examination or components thereof are appropriate for that student. Each student, exclusive of a student whose individualized educational program developed under Article 14 identifies the Prairie State Achievement Examination as inappropriate for the student, shall be required to take the examination in grade 11. For each academic area the State Board of Education shall establish the score that qualifies for the Prairie State Achievement Award on that portion of the examination. Districts shall inform their students of the timelines and procedures applicable to their participation in every yearly administration of the Prairie State Achievement Examination. Students receiving special education services whose individualized educational programs identify the Prairie State Achievement Examination as inappropriate for them nevertheless shall have the option of taking the examination, which shall be administered to those students in accordance with standards adopted by the State Board of Education to accommodate the respective disabilities of those students. A student who successfully completes all other applicable high school graduation requirements but fails to receive a score on the Prairie State Achievement Examination that qualifies the student for receipt of a Prairie State Achievement Award shall nevertheless qualify for the receipt of a regular high school diploma. In no case, however, shall a student receive a regular high school diploma without taking the Prairie State Achievement Examination, unless the student is exempted from taking the Prairie State Achievement Examination under this subsection (c) because (i) the student's individualized educational program developed under Article 14 of this Code identifies the Prairie State Achievement Examination as inappropriate for the student, (ii) the student is exempt due to the student's lack of English language proficiency under subsection (a) of this Section, (iii) the student is enrolled in a program of Adult and Continuing Education as defined in the Adult Education Act, (iv) the school district is not required to test the individual student for purposes of accountability under federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requirements, or (v) the student is otherwise identified by the State Board of Education through rules as being exempt from the assessment.

For the purpose of receiving a Prairie State Achievement Award, a score as determined by the State Board of Education on a board examination prescribed in Article 27B of this Code may be substituted for scores on the Prairie State Achievement Examination if a pupil who is in grade 12 has previously taken the board examination and has not achieved the minimum score required to earn a Prairie State diploma.

(d) Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year, all schools in this State that are part of the sample drawn by the National Center for Education Statistics, in collaboration with their school districts and the State Board of Education, shall administer the biennial State academic assessments of 4th and 8th grade reading and mathematics under the National Assessment of Educational Progress carried out under Section 411(b)(2) of the National Education Statistics Act of 1994 (20 U.S.C. 9010) if the Secretary of Education pays the costs of administering the assessments.

(e) Beginning no later than the 2005-2006 school year, subject to available federal funds to this State for the purpose of student assessment, the State Board of Education shall provide additional tests and assessment resources that may be used by school districts for local diagnostic purposes. These tests and resources shall include without limitation additional high school writing, physical development and health, and fine arts assessments. The State Board of Education shall annually distribute a listing of these additional tests and resources, using funds available from appropriations made for student assessment purposes.

(f) For the assessment and accountability purposes of this Section, "all pupils" includes those pupils enrolled in a public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control, a charter school operating in compliance with the Charter Schools Law, a school operated by a regional office of education under Section 13A-3 of this Code, or a public school administered by a local public agency or the Department of Human Services.

(Source: P.A. 96-430, eff. 8-13-09; 96-1000, eff. 7-2-10.)

(105 ILCS 5/10-20.53 new)

Sec. 10-20.53. Board examination system. A school board may contract with the private organization that is approved by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 27B-15 of this Code to provide approved board examination systems for the schools in the school district.

If a school district decides not to participate in the board examination system prescribed in Article 27B of this Code, pupils enrolled in that school district may earn a Prairie State diploma by obtaining a passing score on the same board examinations.

(105 ILCS 5/27-22) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-22)

Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses.

(a) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 1984-1985 school year through the 2004-2005 school year must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully complete the following courses:

(1) three years of language arts;

(2) two years of mathematics, one of which may be related to computer technology;

(3) one year of science;

(4) two years of social studies, of which at least one year must be history of the United States or a combination of history of the United States and American government; and

(5) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C) foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American Sign Language or (D) vocational education.

(b) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2005-2006 school year must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully complete all of the following courses:

(1) Three years of language arts.

(2) Three years of mathematics.

(3) One year of science.

(4) Two years of social studies, of which at least one year must be history of the United States or a combination of history of the United States and American government.

(5) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C) foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.

(c) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2006-2007 school year must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully complete all of the following courses:

(1) Three years of language arts.

(2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of which must be English and the other of which may be English or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other graduation requirements.

(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be Algebra I and one of which must include geometry content.

(4) One year of science.

(5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one year must be history of the United States or a combination of history of the United States and American government.

(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C) foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.

(d) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2007-2008 school year must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully complete all of the following courses:

(1) Three years of language arts.

(2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of which must be English and the other of which may be English or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other graduation requirements.

(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be Algebra I and one of which must include geometry content.

(4) Two years of science.

(5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one year must be history of the United States or a combination of history of the United States and American government.

(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C) foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.

(e) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2008-2009 school year or a subsequent school year must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully complete all of the following courses:

(1) Four years of language arts.

(2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of which must be English and the other of which may be English or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other graduation requirements.

(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be Algebra I and one of which must include geometry content.

(4) Two years of science.

(5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one year must be history of the United States or a combination of history of the United States and American government.

(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C) foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.

(f) The State Board of Education shall develop and inform school districts of standards for writing-intensive coursework.

(g) This amendatory Act of 1983 does not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in 1983-1984 school year and prior school years or to students with disabilities whose course of study is determined by an individualized education program.

This amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly does not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2004-2005 school year or a prior school year or to students with disabilities whose course of study is determined by an individualized education program.

(h) The provisions of this Section are subject to the provisions of Section 27-22.05.

(i) Pupils who earn a Prairie State diploma pursuant to Article 27B of this Code are exempt from the requirements prescribed in this Section. Pupils who earn a Prairie State diploma are entitled to all of the rights and privileges of persons who graduate with a high school diploma issued pursuant to this Section, including access to postsecondary scholarships and other forms of student financial aid and access to all forms of postsecondary education. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a pupil who earns a Prairie State diploma may elect to remain in high school through grade 12. A pupil who earns a Prairie State diploma and who elects not to pursue one of the options prescribed in Section 27B-20 of this Code may only be readmitted to that high school or another high school in this State pursuant to policies adopted by the school district of readmission.

(Source: P.A. 94-676, eff. 8-24-05.)

(105 ILCS 5/Art. 27B heading new)

ARTICLE 27B. BOARD EXAMINATION SYSTEM

(105 ILCS 5/27B-5 new)

Sec. 27B-5. Declaration of purpose and policy. The legislature declares and finds all of the following:

(1) It is in the interest of this State to greatly increase the proportion of students who enter high school and who subsequently leave those high schools with the skills needed to compete effectively in a global economy that provides world class wages only to workers with world class skills.

(2) It is in the interest of students in this State, their families, and schools to provide a college and work readiness assessment to students.

(3) The purpose of this Article is to greatly increase the proportion of students in this State who leave high school with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in college in a way that does not significantly increase the cost of high school.

(105 ILCS 5/27B-10 new)

Sec. 27B-10. Definitions. In this Article, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Approved board examination system" means a board examination system that has been approved by an interstate compact on board examination systems.

"Board examination system" means a complete instructional system that includes all of the following components:

(1) A coherent group of courses that collectively constitutes a core curriculum at the high school level.

(2) A comprehensive syllabus for each course.

(3) Appropriate instructional and teaching materials for each course.

(4) High quality examinations that are closely aligned with the course syllabus.

(5) Professional scoring of examinations.

(6) Teacher education that is designed to train teachers to properly teach those courses.

"Prairie State diploma" means a high school diploma that is offered to any student who demonstrates readiness for college level mathematics and English according to standards prescribed by an interstate compact on board examination systems, who has passing grades on an additional set of required approved board examinations in core academic courses as determined by the State Board of Education, including the arts, history, and science, and who successfully completes a course in economics.

"Readiness for college level mathematics and English" means that a student has the English and mathematics skills and knowledge needed to succeed in college level courses that count toward a degree or certificate without taking remedial or developmental coursework.

(105 ILCS 5/27B-15 new)

Sec. 27B-15. Board examination system; private contractor; duties.

(a) The State Board of Education shall select and enter into a 5-year agreement with a private organization to operate and administer the board examination system prescribed in this Article.

(b) The private organization selected by the State Board of Education shall do all of the following:

(1) Identify, select, and contract with a national organization that is devoted to issues concerning education and the economy and that is selected by the State Board of Education to provide technical services to develop and maintain an interstate system of approved board examination systems.

(2) Provide data and other information to a national organization that is devoted to issues concerning education and the economy and that is selected by the State Board of Education to provide technical services the national organization deems necessary to set appropriate performance standards for the students in this State. The State Board of Education shall provide data and other information to the private organization.

(3) Conduct technical studies required by the State Board of Education to compare the scores on approved board examinations by the students in this State to scores on the Prairie State Achievement Examination and other measures deemed necessary to ensure the efficacy of the approved board examinations. The private organization may contract with other entities that are selected by the State Board of Education for the purpose of conducting technical studies.

(4) In cooperation with the State Superintendent of Education and the State Board of Education, solicit moneys from all lawful private and public sources, including federal moneys, to offset the costs of instruction provided to students under this Article.

(5) Exercise general supervision over the implementation of the approved board examination systems in this State for the duration of the 5-year contract. These examination systems shall meet the following criteria:

(A) Appear on a list of approved board examination systems selected by the interstate compact.

(B) Be periodically modified to reflect core standards selected by an interstate compact on board examination systems.

(C) Have common passing scores that are prescribed by an interstate compact on board examination systems and that are set to the level of literacy required to succeed in college level courses offered by public community colleges in this State that count toward a degree or certificate without taking remedial or developmental coursework. The private organization, on approval of the State Board of Education and with input from representatives from school districts, charter schools, public community colleges, and universities in this State, shall designate 2 individuals to represent this State in an interstate compact on board examination systems to prescribe the common passing scores prescribed in this item (C).

(6) Prepare an annual report for the State Board of Education, which shall be forwarded to the General Assembly and the Governor, on the progress made toward the goals established in this Article and provide copies to the Secretary of State. Participating schools and the State Board of Education shall provide data to the private organization as needed in order to complete the annual report.

(7) Identify, select, and represent this State on the national governing body of an interstate compact on board examination systems, as approved by the State Board of Education, to enable states to collaborate in the following areas:

(A) The selection of board examination systems for use in those states.

(B) Providing technical assistance required to implement the board examination systems effectively in those states for the use of those examinations.

(C) Entering into contracts with board examination system providers or with a national organization that is devoted to issues concerning education and the economy to develop new or improved board examination systems.

(8) Select this State's representatives in an interstate compact on board examination systems in accordance with policies prescribed by that interstate compact.

(c) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this Section and shall select college and career readiness examinations that are available to pupils in grade 8, including those pupils who intend to participate in the board examinations system in high school. The examinations shall be selected to provide data to pupils, their families, and schools regarding the pupil's level of preparation for entry into a college and career readiness pathway in high school.

(d) Pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of Education, the State Board of Education shall develop a system to track the academic progress of pupils who participate in the board examination system.

(105 ILCS 5/27B-20 new)

Sec. 27B-20. Prairie State diploma.

(a) The private organization selected pursuant to Section 27B-15 of this Code shall develop the Prairie State diploma, to be approved and adopted by the State Board of Education. School districts and charter schools in this State may choose to offer a Prairie State diploma beginning in the 2013-2014 school year. A high school student who is enrolled in a school district or charter school that offers a Prairie State diploma may choose to pursue a Prairie State diploma.

(b) The Prairie State diploma may be awarded at the end of grade 10 or during or at the end of grade 11 or 12 to students who meet the criteria. Students who elect to pursue a Prairie State diploma shall participate in a board examination system that consists of internationally benchmarked instructional programs of study chosen by an interstate compact on board examination systems.

(c) Students who earn a Prairie State diploma shall have multiple pathways available to them and may do the following:

(1) Enroll the following fall semester in a public community college in this State. Public community colleges in this State shall admit students who obtain a Prairie State diploma and who otherwise meet the qualifications for admission without requiring those students to enroll in remedial courses. The school district or charter school from which the student earned the Prairie State diploma shall include that student in the school district's or charter school's student count and shall continue to receive per pupil funding for a student who earns a Prairie State diploma until that student would otherwise have graduated at the end of grade 12, as long as that student is enrolled in approved postsecondary studies at that school district or charter school. The school district or charter school shall reimburse the community college district for the amount of operating full-time student equivalency moneys that the community college district would be entitled to receive if the student was enrolled as a full-time equivalent student in a community college district. If the student attends community college on a community college campus, the school district or charter school shall reimburse the community college district for the amount of operating and capital outlay full-time student equivalency moneys. For the purposes of this subdivision (1), the amount of operating full-time student equivalency moneys shall be equivalent to the average appropriation per full-time student equivalent for all community college districts. Fifty percent of the remaining balance of the per pupil funding shall be used for teacher and pupil incentives, including scholarship programs, and 50% shall be used for maintenance and operations, including capital. The remaining balance of the per pupil funding for teacher and pupil incentives, including scholarship programs, shall be used to offset the costs of board examinations and to provide customized programs of assistance for students who do not pass the board examinations. A student who earns a Prairie State diploma may enroll in community college courses offered on a public community college campus or a public high school campus or both. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, community college districts may not classify a student who remains in high school pursuant to this subdivision (1) as a full-time equivalent student. Students who take courses on high school campuses pursuant to this subdivision (1) are eligible to participate in extracurricular activities, including interscholastic sports, through the end of grade 12.

(2) Remain in high school and enroll in additional advanced preparation board examination programs that are designed to prepare those students for admission to high quality, postsecondary institutions that offer baccalaureate degree programs. These board examination programs shall be selected from a list approved by an interstate compact for board examination systems. The school district or charter school from which the student earned the Prairie State diploma shall include that student in the school district's or charter school's student count and shall continue to receive per pupil funding for a student who earns a Prairie State diploma until that student would otherwise have graduated at the end of grade 12, as long as that student is enrolled in approved advanced preparation board examination programs at that school district or charter school. Students who elect to remain in high school pursuant to this subdivision (2) are eligible to participate in extracurricular activities, including interscholastic sports, through the end of grade 12.

(3) Enroll in a full-time career and technical education program offered on a public community college campus or a public high school campus or both. Students who elect to remain in high school pursuant to this subdivision (3) are eligible to participate in extracurricular activities, including interscholastic sports, through the end of grade 12. The school district or charter school from which the student earned the Prairie State diploma shall include that student in the school district's or charter school's student count and shall continue to receive per pupil funding for a student who earns a Prairie State diploma until that student would otherwise have graduated at the end of grade 12, as long as that student is enrolled in an approved full-time career and technical education program.

(4) Return to a traditional academic program without completing the next level of board examination systems curriculum.

(d) Students who pursue but do not earn a Prairie State diploma at the end of grade 10 or 11 shall receive a customized program of assistance during the next school year that addresses areas in which the student demonstrated deficiencies in the approved board examinations. These students may retake the board examinations at the next available examination administration. Students may choose to return to a traditional academic program without completing the board examination system curriculum.

(e) The private organization selected pursuant to Section 27B-15 of this Code shall develop detailed requirements for students to earn the Prairie State diploma, as approved and adopted by the State Board of Education, that include at least the following:

(1) Demonstrated skills and knowledge in English and mathematical literacy to be successful in college level courses offered by the public community colleges in this State that count toward a degree or certificate without taking remedial or developmental coursework, as determined by an interstate compact on board examination systems.

(2) Satisfactory grades on approved board examinations in subjects determined to be necessary to prepare a student to enter public community college without remedial or developmental coursework and that do not include coursework required exclusively for entry into an institution that awards baccalaureate degrees.

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.45 new)

Sec. 34-18.45. Board examination system. The board may contract with the private organization that is approved by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 27B-15 of this Code to provide approved board examination systems for the schools in the school district.

If the school district decides not to participate in the board examination system prescribed in Article 27B of this Code, pupils enrolled in the school district may earn a Prairie State diploma by obtaining a passing score on the same board examinations.