98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB5332

 

Introduced , by Rep. Monique D. Davis

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/14-2
105 ILCS 5/14-4.05 new
105 ILCS 5/14-8.01  from Ch. 122, par. 14-8.01

    Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that if a student's individualized educational program (IEP) calls for services in a general education classroom, the student must be served in a class that is composed of students of whom at least 70% are without IEPs, that utilizes the general curriculum, that is taught by an instructor certified for general education, and that is not designated as a general remedial classroom. Provides that, in the formation of special education classes, consideration shall be given to the age of the students, the nature and severity of their disabilities, the educational needs of the students, and the degree of intervention necessary, subject to specified maximum class size limitations. Provides that, notwithstanding these class size limitations, class size shall be limited according to the needs of the students for individualized instruction and services. Provides that the maximum class sizes shall, if necessary, be further restricted at the local level to account for the activities and services in which the affected educators participate. Removes language that requires the State Board of Education to include a class size limitation in its standards and rules. Makes a related change.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB5332LRB098 17746 NHT 54608 b

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 Sections
514-2 and 14-8.01 and by adding Section 14-4.05 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/14-2)
7    Sec. 14-2. Definition of general education classroom for
8special education students receiving services in the general
9education classroom.
10    (a) With respect to the provisions of Section 14-4.05 of
11this Code any State statute or administrative rule that define
12defines a general education classroom to be composed of a
13certain percentage of students with individualized education
14programs (IEPs), students with individualized education
15programs shall exclude students receiving only speech services
16outside of the general education classroom, provided that the
17instruction the students receive in the general education
18classroom does not require modification.
19    (b) In every instance, a school district must ensure that
20composition of the general education classroom does not
21interfere with the provision of a free and appropriate public
22education to any student.
23(Source: P.A. 97-284, eff. 8-9-11.)
 

 

 

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1    (105 ILCS 5/14-4.05 new)
2    Sec. 14-4.05. Class size.
3    (a) In this Section, "IEP" means an individualized
4educational program.
5    (b) If a student's IEP calls for services in a general
6education classroom, the student must be served in a class that
7is composed of students of whom at least 70% are without IEPs,
8that utilizes the general curriculum, that is taught by an
9instructor certified for general education, and that is not
10designated as a general remedial classroom. For purposes of
11this subsection (b), a student who receives speech services
12outside of the general education classroom and who does not
13require modifications to the content of the general education
14curriculum shall be included in the calculation of the
15percentage of students without IEPs as provided under Section
1614-2 of this Code.
17    (c) In this subsection (c):
18    "Class" means any circumstance in which only students with
19IEPs are served and at least one special education teacher is
20assigned and provides instruction or therapy or both
21exclusively to students with IEPs.
22    "Class size" means the total number of students an educator
23serves during any special education class.
24    In the formation of special education classes,
25consideration shall be given to the age of the students, the

 

 

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1nature and severity of their disabilities, the educational
2needs of the students, and the degree of intervention
3necessary, subject to the limitations of this subsection (c).
4        (1) Except as provided in paragraph (5) of this
5    subsection (c), classes in which all of the students
6    receive special education services for 20% of the school
7    day or less shall have at least one qualified teacher for
8    each 15 students in attendance during any given class.
9    However, the district may increase the class size by a
10    maximum of 2 students if a paraprofessional is provided for
11    the entire class.
12        (2) Except as provided in paragraph (5) of this
13    subsection (c), each class in which any student receives
14    special education services for more than 20% of the school
15    day, but no more than 60% of the school day, shall have at
16    least one qualified teacher for each 10 students in
17    attendance during that class. However, the district may
18    increase the class size by a maximum of 5 students if a
19    paraprofessional is provided for the entire class.
20        (3) Except as provided in paragraph (5) of this
21    subsection (c), each class in which any student receives
22    special education services for more than 60% of the school
23    day shall have at least one qualified teacher for each 8
24    students in attendance during that class. However, the
25    district may increase the class size by a maximum of 5
26    students if a paraprofessional is provided for the entire

 

 

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1    class.
2        (4) Each class for children ages 3 through 5 shall have
3    at least one qualified teacher for each 5 students in
4    attendance during that class. However, the district may
5    increase the class size by a maximum of 5 students if a
6    paraprofessional is provided for the entire class.
7        (5) For any school year in which the amount of State
8    reimbursement for teachers identified in Section 14-13.01
9    of this Code exceeds the amount in effect on January 1,
10    2007 by at least 100% and no corresponding reduction has
11    been made in other State sources of support for special
12    education:
13            (A) the maximum class size stated in paragraph (1)
14        of this subsection (c) shall be 13 rather than 15;
15            (B) the maximum class size stated in paragraph (2)
16        of this subsection (c) shall be 8 rather than 10; and
17            (C) the maximum class size stated in paragraph (3)
18        of this subsection (c) shall be 6 rather than 8.
19        (6) The provisions of paragraphs (1) through (5) of
20    this subsection (c) notwithstanding, class size shall be
21    limited according to the needs of the students for
22    individualized instruction and services.
23    (d) The maximum class sizes set forth in subsection (c) of
24this Section shall, if necessary, be further restricted at the
25local level to account for the activities and services in which
26the affected educators participate in order to provide students

 

 

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1with IEPs the free, appropriate, public education in the least
2restrictive environment to which they are entitled.
 
3    (105 ILCS 5/14-8.01)  (from Ch. 122, par. 14-8.01)
4    Sec. 14-8.01. Supervision of special education buildings
5and facilities. All special educational facilities, building
6programs, housing, and all educational programs for the types
7of disabled children defined in Section 14-1.02 shall be under
8the supervision of and subject to the approval of the State
9Board of Education.
10    All special education facilities, building programs, and
11housing shall comply with the building code authorized by
12Section 2-3.12.
13    All educational programs for children with disabilities as
14defined in Section 14-1.02 administered by any State agency
15shall be under the general supervision of the State Board of
16Education. Such supervision shall be limited to insuring that
17such educational programs meet standards jointly developed and
18agreed to by both the State Board of Education and the
19operating State agency, including standards for educational
20personnel.
21    Any State agency providing special educational programs
22for children with disabilities as defined in Section 14-1.02
23shall promulgate rules and regulations, in consultation with
24the State Board of Education and pursuant to the Illinois
25Administrative Procedure Act as now or hereafter amended, to

 

 

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1insure that all such programs comply with this Section and
2Section 14-8.02.
3    No otherwise qualified disabled child receiving special
4education and related services under Article 14 shall solely by
5reason of his or her disability be excluded from the
6participation in or be denied the benefits of or be subjected
7to discrimination under any program or activity provided by a
8State agency.
9    State agencies providing special education and related
10services, including room and board, either directly or through
11grants or purchases of services shall continue to provide these
12services according to current law and practice. Room and board
13costs not provided by a State agency other than the State Board
14of Education shall be provided by the State Board of Education
15to the extent of available funds. An amount equal to one-half
16of the State education agency's share of IDEA PART B federal
17monies, or so much thereof as may actually be needed, shall
18annually be appropriated to pay for the additional costs of
19providing for room and board for those children placed pursuant
20to Section 14-7.02 of this Code and, after all such room and
21board costs are paid, for similar expenditures for children
22served pursuant to Section 14-7.02 or 14-7.02b of this Code.
23Any such excess room and board funds must first be directed to
24those school districts with students costing in excess of 4
25times the district's per capita tuition charge and then to
26community based programs that serve as alternatives to

 

 

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1residential placements.
2    Beginning with Fiscal Year 1997 and continuing through
3Fiscal Year 2000, 100% of the former Chapter I, Section 89-313
4federal funds shall be allocated by the State Board of
5Education in the same manner as IDEA, PART B "flow through"
6funding to local school districts, joint agreements, and
7special education cooperatives for the maintenance of
8instructional and related support services to students with
9disabilities. However, beginning with Fiscal Year 1998, the
10total IDEA Part B discretionary funds available to the State
11Board of Education shall not exceed the maximum permissible
12under federal law or 20% of the total federal funds available
13to the State, whichever is less. After all room and board
14payments and similar expenditures are made by the State Board
15of Education as required by this Section, the State Board of
16Education may use the remaining funds for administration and
17for providing discretionary activities. However, the State
18Board of Education may use no more than 25% of its available
19IDEA Part B discretionary funds for administrative services.
20    Special education and related services included in the
21child's individualized educational program which are not
22provided by another State agency shall be included in the
23special education and related services provided by the State
24Board of Education and the local school district.
25    The State Board of Education with the advice of the
26Advisory Council shall prescribe the standards and make the

 

 

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1necessary rules and regulations for special education programs
2administered by local school boards, including but not limited
3to establishment of classes, training requirements of teachers
4and other professional personnel, eligibility and admission of
5pupils, the curriculum, class size limitation, building
6programs, housing, transportation, special equipment and
7instructional supplies, and the applications for claims for
8reimbursement. The State Board of Education shall promulgate
9rules and regulations for annual evaluations of the
10effectiveness of all special education programs and annual
11evaluation by the local school district of the individualized
12educational program for each child for whom it provides special
13education services.
14    A school district is responsible for the provision of
15educational services for all school age children residing
16within its boundaries excluding any student placed under the
17provisions of Section 14-7.02 or any disabled student whose
18parent or guardian lives outside of the State of Illinois as
19described in Section 14-1.11.
20(Source: P.A. 93-1022, eff. 8-24-04; 94-69, eff. 7-1-05.)