HB2673 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB096 02939 NHT 22089 b

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB2673

Introduced 2/24/2009, by Rep. Dan Brady

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/27-23.4

Amends the School Code. Requires school districts to provide instruction and training in violence prevention and conflict resolution education as part of social-emotional learning standards and in line with established plans developed under the Children's Mental Health Act of 2003 for all students in grades pre-kindergarten through 8 and a peer mediation program for grades 4 through 12 (instead of instruction in violence prevention and conflict resolution education for grades 4 through 12). Makes changes concerning progress reports, school credit, the definition of violence prevention and conflict resolution education, State Board of Education guidelines, duties of the State Board, and funding. Subject to appropriation, requires the State Board to design and fund 50 pilot projects annually until all programs are in compliance. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning violence prevention education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section 27-23.4 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/27-23.4)

Sec. 27-23.4. Violence prevention and conflict resolution education. School districts shall provide instruction and training in violence prevention and conflict resolution education as part of social-emotional learning standards and in line with established plans developed under Section 15 of the Children's Mental Health Act of 2003 for all students in grades pre-kindergarten through 8 and a peer mediation program for grades 4 through 12. All schools maintaining any of grades kindergarten through 8 shall provide a numerical and narrative evaluation of progress in the use of these skills as part of their annual school report card under Section 10-17a or 34-88 of this Code. and may include such instruction in the courses of study regularly taught therein. School districts may give regular school credit for satisfactory completion by the student of such courses.

As used in this Section, "violence prevention and conflict resolution education" means and includes instruction in the following:

(1) The consequences of violent behavior.

(2) The causes of violent reactions to conflict.

(3) The following Nonviolent conflict resolution techniques: .

(A) Empathy.

(B) Anger management.

(C) Impulse control.

(D) Problem-solving.

(E) Making appropriate, scientifically-based decisions.

(4) The relationship between drugs, alcohol and violence.

The State Board of Education shall prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials that may be used as guidelines for development of a violence prevention program under this Section, including a new category column for program evaluation that rates violence-prevention programs as to ease of use; provided however that each school board shall determine the appropriate curriculum for satisfying the requirements of this Section. The State Board of Education shall assist in training teachers to provide effective instruction in the violence prevention curriculum and to establish the curriculum securely as a link to established school plans developed under the Children's Mental Health Act of 2003.

The State Board of Education and local school boards shall not be required to implement the provisions of this Section until Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS), Illinois Children's Mental Health Partnership (ICMHP) dollars or other unless grants of funds are made available and are received after July 1, 1993 from private sources, from the State, or from the federal government in amounts sufficient to enable the State Board and local school boards to meet the requirements of this Section. Any funds received by the State or a local educational agency pursuant to the federal Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act of 1994 shall first be applied or appropriated to meet the requirements and implement the provisions of this Section.

Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall design and fund 50 pilot projects annually until all programs under this Section are in compliance, with the revenue tied to cost of living adjustments. If no other State funds exist, revenue may be shared at an agreed-on percentage from the PBIS and ICMHP. The schools selected for the pilot projects shall reflect the major populations of this State. The State Board of Education shall provide guidance for implementation of these projects. This guidance shall include a rating of each available program as to its ease of use and effectiveness. Grants shall be awarded to school pilot projects using programs rated by this guide as select and also easy to use.

A progress report on compliance with this Section must be made as part of the annual school report card under Section 10-17a or 34-88 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 88-248; 89-146, eff. 7-14-95.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.