HB3077 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB098 09835 NHT 39991 b

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB3077

Introduced , by Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr.

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act
110 ILCS 805/3-45	from Ch. 122, par. 103-45

Creates the Statewide Dropout Reengagement System Act. Requires the State Board of Education to create a statewide dropout reengagement system to provide appropriate educational opportunities and access to services for students ages 16 to 21 years who have dropped out of high school or are not accumulating sufficient credits to reasonably complete a high school diploma in a public school before the age of 21 years. Provides that under the system, school districts may (i) enter into a model interlocal agreement with a public community college or other public entity to provide a dropout reengagement program for eligible students of the district or (ii) enter into a model contract with a community-based organization to provide a dropout reengagement program for eligible students of the district. Requires the State Board to develop a model interlocal agreement and a model contract for the dropout reengagement system; sets forth what the agreement and contract must address. Contains provisions concerning student enrollment and rulemaking. Amends the Public Community College Act to provide that the board of trustees of a community college district may not require tuition of students enrolled in a dropout reengagement program.

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 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Statewide Dropout Reengagement System Act.

Section 5. Findings; legislative intent.

(a) The General Assembly makes the following findings:

(1) In every school district there are older youth who have become disengaged with the traditional education program of public high schools. They may have failed multiple classes and are far behind in accumulating credits to graduate. They do not see a high school diploma as an achievable goal. They may have dropped out of school entirely. They are not likely to become reengaged in their education by the prospect of reenrollment in a traditional or even an alternative high school.

(2) For many years, school districts, public community colleges, and community-based organizations have created partnerships to provide appropriate educational programs for these students. Programs such as career education options and career links have successfully offered individualized academic instruction, case management support, and career-oriented skills in an age-appropriate learning environment to hundreds of disengaged older youth. Preparation for the General Educational Development test is provided but is not the end goal for these students.

(3) In recent years, many of these partnerships have ceased to operate. The laws and rules authorizing school districts to contract using basic education allocations do not provide sufficient guidance and instead present barriers. Program providers are forced to adapt to rules that were not written to address the needs of the students being served. Questions and concerns about liability, responsibility, and administrative burdens have caused districts to reluctantly abandon their partnerships and, consequently, leave hundreds of students without a viable alternative for continuing their public education.

(b) The General Assembly intends to provide a statutory framework to support a statewide dropout reengagement system for older youth. The framework clarifies and standardizes funding, programs, and administration by directing the State Board of Education to develop model contracts and interlocal agreements. It is the General Assembly's intent to encourage school districts, public community colleges, and community-based organizations to participate in this system and provide appropriate instruction and services to reengage older students and help them make progress toward a meaningful credential and career skills.

Section 10. Definitions. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, in this Act:

"Dropout reengagement program" means an educational program that offers at least the following instruction and services:

(1) Academic instruction, including without limitation General Educational Development (GED) test preparation, academic skills instruction, and college and work readiness preparation, that generates credits that can be applied to a high school diploma from the student's school district or a GED certificate and has the goal of enabling the student to obtain the academic and work readiness skills necessary for employment or postsecondary study. A dropout reengagement program is not required to offer instruction in only those subject areas where a student is deficient in accumulated credits. Academic instruction must be provided by teachers licensed under the School Code or by instructors employed by a public community college whose required credentials are established by the college.

(2) Case management, academic and career counseling, and assistance with accessing services and resources that support at-risk youth and reduce barriers to educational success.

(3) If the program provider is a public community college, the opportunity for qualified students to enroll in college courses that lead to a postsecondary degree or certificate. The college may not charge an eligible student tuition for such enrollment.

"Eligible student" means a student who meets all of the following qualifications:

(1) Is at least 16 but less than 21 years of age at the beginning of the school year.

(2) Is not accumulating sufficient credits toward a high school diploma to reasonably complete a high school diploma from a public school before the age of 21 years or is recommended for the program by case managers from the Department of Children and Family Services or the juvenile justice system.

(3) Is enrolled or enrolls in the school district in which the student resides or is enrolled or enrolls in a nonresident school district under subsection (c) of Section 15 of this Act.

"Full-time equivalent eligible student" means an eligible student whose enrollment and attendance meet criteria adopted by the State Board specifically for dropout reengagement programs. The criteria shall be (1) based on the community college credits generated by the student if the program provider is a community college and (ii) based on a minimum amount of planned programming or instruction and minimum attendance by the student, rather than hours of seat time, if the program provider is a community-based organization.

"State Board" means the State Board of Education.

Section 15. Statewide dropout reengagement system.

(a) The State Board shall create a statewide dropout reengagement system to provide appropriate educational opportunities and access to services for students ages 16 to 21 years who have dropped out of high school or are not accumulating sufficient credits to reasonably complete a high school diploma in a public school before the age of 21 years.

(b) Under the system, school districts may do either of the following:

(1) Enter into the model interlocal agreement developed under Section 20 of this Act with a public community college or other public entity to provide a dropout reengagement program for eligible students of the district.

(2) Enter into the model contract developed under Section 20 of this Act with a community-based organization to provide a dropout reengagement program for eligible students of the district.

(c) If a school district does not enter an interlocal agreement or contract with a public community college, other public entity, or community-based organization to provide a dropout reengagement program for eligible students residing in the district, the community college, other public entity, or community-based organization may petition a school district other than the resident school district to enroll the eligible students and enter into the interlocal agreement or contract with the petitioning entity to provide a dropout reengagement program for the eligible students.

(d) This Section does not affect the authority of school districts to offer dropout reengagement programs or other educational services to eligible students directly.

Section 20. Model interlocal agreement and contract.

(a) The State Board shall develop a model interlocal agreement and a model contract for the dropout reengagement system.

(b) The model interlocal agreement and contract shall, at a minimum, address the following:

(1) The responsibilities for identification, referral, and enrollment of eligible students.

(2) Instruction and services to be provided by a dropout reengagement program, as specified in the definition of "dropout reengagement program" under Section 10 of this Act.

(3) The responsibilities for data collection and reporting, including student transcripts and data required for the statewide longitudinal data system.

(4) Administration of high school statewide student assessments.

(5) Uniform financial reimbursement rates per full-time equivalent eligible student enrolled in a dropout reengagement program, calculated and allocated as a statewide annual average of the basic education allocations for nonvocational students and including enhancements for vocational students if eligible students are enrolled in vocational courses in a program, and allowing for a uniform administrative fee to be retained by the district.

(6) The responsibilities for provision of special education or related services for eligible children with disabilities who have an individualized educational program.

(7) The responsibilities for necessary accommodations and plans for students qualifying under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

(8) Minimum instructional staffing ratios for dropout reengagement programs offered by community-based organizations, which are not required to be the same as for other basic education programs in school districts.

(9) Performance measures that must be reported to the State Board in a common format for purposes of accountability, including longitudinal monitoring of student progress and postsecondary education and employment.

Section 25. Student enrollment. Eligible students enrolled in a dropout reengagement program under this Act are considered regularly enrolled students of the school district in which they are enrolled.

Section 90. Rules.

(a) The State Board shall adopt rules to implement this Act.

(b) When adopting rules under this Section and developing model interlocal agreements and contracts under Section 20 of this Act, the State Board shall consult with the Illinois Community College Board, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, colleges and community-based organizations that have previously offered dropout reengagement programs, providers of online courses and programs, and school districts.

Section 95. The Public Community College Act is amended by changing Section 3-45 as follows:

(110 ILCS 805/3-45) (from Ch. 122, par. 103-45)

Sec. 3-45. Notwithstanding any provision of this Article to the contrary, a community college board may require tuition of students as provided in Section 6-4 of this Act. However, the board may not require tuition of students enrolled in a dropout reengagement program through an interlocal agreement between a school district and the community college under the Statewide Dropout Reengagement System Act.

(Source: P.A. 78-669.)