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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 changing Section
52-3.163 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.163)
7    Sec. 2-3.163. PUNS Prioritization of Urgency of Need for
8Services database information for students and parents or
9guardians.
10    (a) The General Assembly makes all of the following
11findings:
12        (1) Pursuant to Section 10-26 of the Department of
13    Human Services Act, the The Department of Human Services
14    maintains a statewide database known as the PUNS database
15    Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services that
16    records information about individuals with intellectual
17    disabilities or developmental disabilities who are
18    potentially in need of services.
19        (2) The Department of Human Services uses the data on
20    PUNS Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services to
21    select individuals for services as funding becomes
22    available, to develop proposals and materials for
23    budgeting, and to plan for future needs.

 

 

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1        (3) The PUNS database Prioritization of Urgency of
2    Need for Services is available for children and adults
3    with intellectual disabilities or a developmental
4    disabilities disability who have an unmet service needs
5    need anticipated in the next 5 years. The PUNS database is
6    also available for children with intellectual disabilities
7    or developmental disabilities with unmet service needs.
8        (4) Registration to be included on the PUNS database
9    Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services is the
10    first step toward receiving getting developmental
11    disabilities services in this State. A child or an adult
12    who is If individuals are not on the PUNS database will not
13    be Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services waiting
14    list, they are not in queue for State developmental
15    disabilities services.
16        (5) Lack of awareness and information about the PUNS
17    database results in underutilization or delays in
18    registration for the PUNS database by students with
19    intellectual disabilities or developmental disabilities
20    and their parents or guardians Prioritization of Urgency
21    of Need for Services may be underutilized by children and
22    their parents or guardians due to lack of awareness or
23    lack of information.
24    (a-5) The purpose of this Section is to ensure that each
25student with an intellectual disability or a developmental
26disability who has an individualized education program ("IEP")

 

 

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1and the student's parents or guardian are informed about the
2PUNS database, where to register for the PUNS database, and
3whom they can contact for information about the PUNS database
4and the PUNS database registration process. This Section is
5not intended to change the PUNS database registration process
6established by the Department of Human Services or to impose
7any responsibility on the State Board of Education or a school
8district to register students for the PUNS database.
9    (a-10) As used in this Section, "PUNS" means the
10Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services database or
11PUNS database developed and maintained by the Department of
12Human Services pursuant to Section 10-26 of the Department of
13Human Services Act.
14    (b) The State Board of Education may work in consultation
15with the Department of Human Services and with school
16districts to ensure that inform all students with intellectual
17disabilities or developmental disabilities and their parents
18or guardians are informed about the PUNS Prioritization of
19Urgency of Need for Services database, as described in
20subsections (c), (c-5), and (d) of this Section.
21    (c) The Subject to appropriation, the Department of Human
22Services, in consultation with the and State Board of
23Education, shall develop and implement an online,
24computer-based training program for at least one designated
25employee in every public school in this State to educate the
26designated employee or employees him or her about the PUNS

 

 

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1Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services database and
2steps required to register students for the PUNS database,
3including the documentation and information parents or
4guardians will need for the registration process to be taken
5to ensure children and adolescents are enrolled. The training
6shall include instruction on identifying and contacting for at
7least one designated employee in every public school in
8contacting the appropriate developmental disabilities
9Independent Service Coordination agency ("ISC") to register
10students for the PUNS database enroll children and adolescents
11in the database. The training of the designated employee or
12employees shall also include information about organizations
13and programs available in this State that offer assistance to
14families in understanding the PUNS database and navigating the
15PUNS database registration process. Each school district shall
16post on its public website and include in its student handbook
17the names of the designated trained employee or employees in
18each school within the school district. At least one
19designated employee in every public school shall ensure the
20opportunity to enroll in the Prioritization of Urgency of Need
21for Services database is discussed during annual
22individualized education program (IEP) meetings for all
23children and adolescents believed to have a developmental
24disability.
25    (c-5) During the student's annual IEP review meeting, if
26the student has an intellectual disability or a developmental

 

 

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1disability, the student's IEP team shall determine the
2student's PUNS database registration status based upon
3information provided by the student's parents or guardian or
4by the student. If it is determined that the student is not
5registered for the PUNS database or if it is unclear whether
6the student is registered for the PUNS database, the parents
7or guardian and the student shall be referred to a designated
8employee of the public school who has completed the training
9described in subsection (c). The designated trained employee
10shall provide the student's parents or guardian and the
11student with the name, location, and contact information of
12the appropriate ISC to contact in order to register the
13student for the PUNS database. The designated trained employee
14shall also identify for the parents or guardian and the
15student the information and documentation they will need to
16complete the PUNS database registration process with the ISC,
17and shall also provide information to the parents or guardian
18and the student about organizations and programs available in
19this State that offer information to families about the PUNS
20database and the PUNS database registration process.
21    (d) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
22Department of Human Services, through school districts, shall
23provide to the parents and guardians of each student with an
24IEP students a copy of the latest version of the Department of
25Human Services's guide titled "Understanding PUNS: A Guide to
26Prioritization for Urgency of Need for Services" each year at

 

 

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1the annual review meeting for the student's individualized
2education program, including the consideration required in
3subsection (e) of this Section.
4    (e) (Blank). The Department of Human Services shall
5consider the length of time spent on the Prioritization of
6Urgency of Need for Services waiting list, in addition to
7other factors considered, when selecting individuals on the
8list for services.
9(Source: P.A. 102-57, eff. 7-9-21.)