99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB5036

 

Introduced , by Rep. Margo McDermed

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/10-20.58 new

    Amends the School Code. Provides that, before making any decisions on a school closure or school opening, a school board (other than the Chicago Board of Education) shall appoint a district advisory committee to advise and make recommendations to the school board about the school closure or school opening. Sets forth provisions concerning committee membership, compensation, and meetings; information the committee must gather; and public hearings. Requires the committee to make a recommendation to the school board on the school closure or school opening, and requires the school board to take into account the committee's recommendation on the school closure or school opening when making a final decision.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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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
510-20.58 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.58 new)
7    Sec. 10-20.58. School closure and opening; district
8advisory committee.
9    (a) In this Section:
10    "Committee" means the district advisory committee
11appointed under this Section.
12    "School closure" means the closing of a school in a school
13district with 2 or more schools, the effect of which is the
14assignment and transfer of all students enrolled at that school
15to one or more designated receiving schools.
16    "School opening" means the opening of a new school within
17an existing school district.
18    (b) Before making any decisions on a school closure or
19school opening, a school board shall appoint a district
20advisory committee to advise and make recommendations to the
21school board about the school closure or school opening. The
22committee shall consist of 9 members. The following shall be
23represented on the committee:

 

 

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1        (1) The ethnic, age group, and socioeconomic
2    composition of the school district.
3        (2) The business community within the boundaries of the
4    district.
5        (3) Landowners or renters within the boundaries of the
6    district.
7        (4) In a district with multiple schools, a community
8    member from the boundaries of each school in the district.
9        (5) Teachers employed by the district.
10        (6) District administrators.
11        (7) Parents of students who are enrolled in the
12    district.
13        (8) Persons with expertise in school finance,
14    environmental impacts, legal contracts, building codes,
15    and land-use planning.
16The members of the committee shall serve without compensation.
17    Prior to the committee's first public hearing under
18subsection (d) of this Section, the district superintendent
19shall call a meeting of the committee. At this first meeting,
20the committee shall elect a chairperson from among its members.
21Subsequent public hearings under subsection (d) of this Section
22shall be called by the chairperson.
23    (c) Before making any recommendations on school closure or
24a school opening, the committee shall gather the following
25information at public hearings under subsection (d) of this
26Section:

 

 

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1        (1) The enrollment projections for the school
2    district, including enrollment projections for each school
3    in the district, enrollment projections for a school being
4    opened, and the impact on each school facility of the
5    enrollment projections.
6        (2) The capacity and conditions of existing schools and
7    their ability to accommodate displaced students due to a
8    school closure.
9        (3) The per-student operating cost at each of the
10    district's schools, including an estimate for the new
11    school being opened.
12        (4) The education program and opportunity at each of
13    the district's schools.
14        (5) The cost savings that would result from the closure
15    of a school.
16        (6) The financial and economic impact of a school
17    opening.
18        (7) The transportation options for displaced students
19    due to a school closure and estimated transportation costs
20    and options for students enrolling in a new school.
21        (8) Cost-saving alternatives to closing schools.
22    The committee shall gather any other pertinent information
23on the district that it deems necessary in order to advise the
24school board on the school closure or school opening. The
25district shall provide the committee with any information
26requested by the committee.

 

 

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1    (d) The committee shall hold a public hearing at each of
2the schools in the school district to elicit public comment on
3the possibility of school closure or a school opening and the
4effects that the school closure or school opening would have on
5the students, their parents, and the community. A public notice
6of each public hearing must be published at least 5 days before
7the hearing on the district's Internet website and in a
8newspaper of general circulation in the geographic region of
9the district.
10    Following the public hearings, the committee shall make a
11recommendation, based on its analysis and conclusions, to the
12school board on the school closure or school opening. The
13school board shall take into account the committee's
14recommendation on the school closure or school opening when
15making a final decision.