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1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
514-17 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/14-17 new)
7    Sec. 14-17. High-Cost Special Education Funding
8Commission.
9    (a) The High-Cost Special Education Funding Commission is
10created for the purpose of making recommendations to the
11Governor and the General Assembly for an alternative funding
12structure in this State for high-cost special education
13students that is aligned to the principles of the
14evidence-based funding formula in Section 18-8.15 in which
15school districts furthest away from adequacy receive the
16greatest amount of funding.
17    (b) The Commission shall consist of all of the following
18members:
19        (1) One representative appointed by the Speaker of the
20    House of Representatives, who shall serve as
21    co-chairperson.
22        (2) One representative appointed by the Minority
23    Leader of the House of Representatives.

 

 

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1        (3) One senator appointed by the President of the
2    Senate, who shall serve as co-chairperson.
3        (4) One senator appointed by the Minority Leader of
4    the Senate.
5        (5) The State Superintendent of Education or a
6    designee.
7        (6) The Director of the Governor's Office of
8    Management and Budget or a designee.
9        (7) The Chairperson of the Advisory Council on the
10    Education of Children with Disabilities or a designee.
11    Additionally, within 60 days after the effective date of
12this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, the State
13Superintendent of Education shall appoint all of the following
14individuals to the Commission:
15        (A) One representative of a statewide association that
16    represents private special education schools.
17        (B) One representative of a statewide association that
18    represents special education cooperatives.
19        (C) One educator from a special education cooperative,
20    recommended by a statewide association that represents
21    teachers.
22        (D) One educator from a special education cooperative
23    that is not a member district of a special education
24    cooperative, recommended by a different statewide
25    association that represents teachers.
26        (E) One educator or administrator from a nonpublic

 

 

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1    special education school.
2        (F) One representative of a statewide association that
3    represents school administrators.
4        (G) One representative of a statewide association that
5    represents school business officials.
6        (H) One representative of a statewide association that
7    represents private special education schools in rural
8    school districts.
9        (I) One representative from a residential program.
10    Members appointed to the Commission must reflect the
11racial, ethnic, and geographic diversity of this State.
12    (c) Members of the Commission shall serve without
13compensation, but may be reimbursed for their reasonable and
14necessary expenses from funds appropriated to the State Board
15of Education for that purpose.
16    (d) The State Board of Education shall provide
17administrative support to the Commission.
18    (e) To ensure that high-quality services are provided to
19ensure equitable outcomes for high-cost special education
20students, the Commission shall do all the following:
21        (1) Review the current system of funding high-cost
22    special education students in this State.
23        (2) Review the needs of high-cost special education
24    students in this State and the associated costs to ensure
25    high-quality services are provided to these students.
26        (3) Review how other states fund high-cost special

 

 

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1    education students.
2        (4) If available, review other proposals and best
3    practices for funding high-cost special education
4    students.
5    (f) On or before November 30, 2021, the Commission shall
6report its recommendations to the Governor and the General
7Assembly.
8    (g) This Section is repealed on December 31, 2022.
 
9    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
10becoming law.