HB3364 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB099 03491 NHT 27942 b

99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB3364

Introduced , by Rep. Jaime M. Andrade, Jr.

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/10-20.12b

Amends the School Code. Provides that the principal of a school within any school district may admit a non-resident pupil requesting to attend that school if the parent or legal guardian of the pupil is a licensed employee for 2 or more years at that school. Provides that the principal of a school within the Chicago school district may admit a resident pupil, regardless of attendance boundaries, requesting to attend that school if the parent or legal guardian of the pupil is a licensed employee for 2 or more years at that school. Provides that if the pupil is requesting to attend a selective enrollment school or a magnet school within the Chicago school district where the parent or legal guardian of the pupil is a licensed employee, then the district shall add one additional point to the pupil's total application score or exam score for the school in which the pupil is requesting to attend. Allows a school district to charge tuition to non-resident pupils whose parents are employees of the district. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning 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 10-20.12b as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-20.12b)

Sec. 10-20.12b. Residency; payment of tuition; hearing; criminal penalty.

(a) For purposes of this Section:

(1) The residence of a person who has legal custody of a pupil is deemed to be the residence of the pupil.

(2) "Legal custody" means one of the following:

(i) Custody exercised by a natural or adoptive parent with whom the pupil resides.

(ii) Custody granted by order of a court of competent jurisdiction to a person with whom the pupil resides for reasons other than to have access to the educational programs of the district.

(iii) Custody exercised under a statutory short-term guardianship, provided that within 60 days of the pupil's enrollment a court order is entered that establishes a permanent guardianship and grants custody to a person with whom the pupil resides for reasons other than to have access to the educational programs of the district.

(iv) Custody exercised by an adult caretaker relative who is receiving aid under the Illinois Public Aid Code for the pupil who resides with that adult caretaker relative for purposes other than to have access to the educational programs of the district.

(v) Custody exercised by an adult who demonstrates that, in fact, he or she has assumed and exercises legal responsibility for the pupil and provides the pupil with a regular fixed night-time abode for purposes other than to have access to the educational programs of the district.

(a-5) If a pupil's change of residence is due to the military service obligation of a person who has legal custody of the pupil, then, upon the written request of the person having legal custody of the pupil, the residence of the pupil is deemed for all purposes relating to enrollment (including tuition, fees, and costs), for the duration of the custodian's military service obligation, to be the same as the residence of the pupil immediately before the change of residence caused by the military service obligation. A school district is not responsible for providing transportation to or from school for a pupil whose residence is determined under this subsection (a-5). School districts shall facilitate re-enrollment when necessary to comply with this subsection (a-5).

(b) Except as otherwise provided under subsection (b-5) of this Section or Section 10-22.5a of this Code, only resident pupils of a school district may attend the schools of the district without payment of the tuition required to be charged under Section 10-20.12a of this Code. However, children for whom the Guardianship Administrator of the Department of Children and Family Services has been appointed temporary custodian or guardian of the person of a child shall not be charged tuition as a nonresident pupil if the child was placed by the Department of Children and Family Services with a foster parent or placed in another type of child care facility and the foster parent or child care facility is located in a school district other than the child's former school district and it is determined by the Department of Children and Family Services to be in the child's best interest to maintain attendance at his or her former school district.

(b-5) In this subsection (b-5):

"Magnet school" means a school within a school district having a population of 500,000 or more that offers one or more specialty programs, including without limitation fine and performing arts programs, agricultural sciences programs, or International Baccalaureate programs, and has criteria requirements for enrollment, including prequalification based on performance on an exam.

"Selective enrollment school" means a school within a school district having a population of 500,000 or more that offers a curriculum that is specifically designed to meet the needs of academically advanced students and has criteria requirements for enrollment, including without limitation an application score based on an entrance exam, standardized test scores, and final classroom grades.

The principal of a school within any school district, including a district having a population of 500,000 or more, may admit a non-resident pupil requesting to attend that school if the parent or legal guardian of the pupil is a licensed employee for 2 or more years at that school. The principal of a school within a school district having a population of 500,000 or more may admit a resident pupil, regardless of attendance boundaries, requesting to attend that school if the parent or legal guardian of the pupil is a licensed employee for 2 or more years at that school. If the pupil is requesting to attend a selective enrollment school or a magnet school within a school district having a population of 500,000 or more where the parent or legal guardian of the pupil is a licensed employee, then the district shall add one additional point to the pupil's total application score or exam score for the school in which the pupil is requesting to attend. A school district may charge tuition to non-resident pupils whose parents are employees of the district, as provided under Section 10-20.12a of this Code.

(c) The provisions of this subsection do not apply in school districts having a population of 500,000 or more. If a school board in a school district with a population of less than 500,000 determines that a pupil who is attending school in the district on a tuition free basis is a nonresident of the district for whom tuition is required to be charged under Section 10-20.12a, the board shall notify the person who enrolled the pupil of the amount of the tuition charged under Section 10-20.12a that is due to the district for the nonresident pupil's attendance in the district's schools. The notice shall be given by certified mail, return receipt requested. Within 10 days after receipt of the notice, the person who enrolled the pupil may request a hearing to review the determination of the school board. The request shall be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the district superintendent. Within 10 days after receipt of the request, the board shall notify, by certified mail, return receipt requested, the person requesting the hearing of the time and place of the hearing, which shall be held not less than 10 nor more than 20 days after the notice of hearing is given. The board or a hearing officer designated by the board shall conduct the hearing. The board and the person who enrolled the pupil may be represented at the hearing by representatives of their choice. At the hearing, the person who enrolled the pupil shall have the burden of going forward with the evidence concerning the pupil's residency. If the hearing is conducted by a hearing officer, the hearing officer, within 5 days after the conclusion of the hearing, shall send a written report of his or her findings by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the school board and to the person who enrolled the pupil. The person who enrolled the pupil may, within 5 days after receiving the findings, file written objections to the findings with the school board by sending the objections by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the district superintendent. Whether the hearing is conducted by the school board or a hearing officer, the school board shall, within 15 days after the conclusion of the hearing, decide whether or not the pupil is a resident of the district and the amount of any tuition required to be charged under Section 10-20.12a as a result of the pupil's attendance in the schools of the district. The school board shall send a copy of its decision to the person who enrolled the pupil, and the decision of the school board shall be final.

(c-5) The provisions of this subsection apply only in school districts having a population of 500,000 or more. If the board of education of a school district with a population of 500,000 or more determines that a pupil who is attending school in the district on a tuition free basis is a nonresident of the district for whom tuition is required to be charged under Section 10-20.12a, the board shall notify the person who enrolled the pupil of the amount of the tuition charged under Section 10-20.12a that is due to the district for the nonresident pupil's attendance in the district's schools. The notice shall be given by certified mail, return receipt requested. Within 10 days after receipt of the notice, the person who enrolled the pupil may request a hearing to review the determination of the school board. The request shall be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the district superintendent. Within 30 days after receipt of the request, the board shall notify, by certified mail, return receipt requested, the person requesting the hearing of the time and place of the hearing, which shall be held not less than 10 nor more than 30 days after the notice of hearing is given. The board or a hearing officer designated by the board shall conduct the hearing. The board and the person who enrolled the pupil may each be represented at the hearing by a representative of their choice. At the hearing, the person who enrolled the pupil shall have the burden of going forward with the evidence concerning the pupil's residency. If the hearing is conducted by a hearing officer, the hearing officer, within 20 days after the conclusion of the hearing, shall serve a written report of his or her findings by personal service or by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the school board and to the person who enrolled the pupil. The person who enrolled the pupil may, within 10 days after receiving the findings, file written objections to the findings with the board of education by sending the objections by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the general superintendent of schools. If the hearing is conducted by the board of education, the board shall, within 45 days after the conclusion of the hearing, decide whether or not the pupil is a resident of the district and the amount of any tuition required to be charged under Section 10-20.12a as a result of the pupil's attendance in the schools of the district. If the hearing is conducted by a hearing officer, the board of education shall, within 45 days after the receipt of the hearing officer's findings, decide whether or not the pupil is a resident of the district and the amount of any tuition required to be charged under Section 10-20.12a as a result of the pupil's attendance in the schools of the district. The board of education shall send, by certified mail, return receipt requested, a copy of its decision to the person who enrolled the pupil, and the decision of the board shall be final.

(d) If a hearing is requested under subsection (c) or (c-5) to review the determination of the school board or board of education that a nonresident pupil is attending the schools of the district without payment of the tuition required to be charged under Section 10-20.12a, the pupil may, at the request of a person who enrolled the pupil, continue attendance at the schools of the district pending a final decision of the board following the hearing. However, attendance of that pupil in the schools of the district as authorized by this subsection (d) shall not relieve any person who enrolled the pupil of the obligation to pay the tuition charged for that attendance under Section 10-20.12a if the final decision of the board is that the pupil is a nonresident of the district. If a pupil is determined to be a nonresident of the district for whom tuition is required to be charged pursuant to this Section, the board shall refuse to permit the pupil to continue attending the schools of the district unless the required tuition is paid for the pupil.

(e) Except for a pupil referred to in subsection (b) of Section 10-22.5a, a pupil referred to in Section 10-20.12a, or a pupil referred to in subsection (b) or (b-5) of this Section, a person who knowingly enrolls or attempts to enroll in the schools of a school district on a tuition free basis a pupil known by that person to be a nonresident of the district shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.

(f) A person who knowingly or wilfully presents to any school district any false information regarding the residency of a pupil for the purpose of enabling that pupil to attend any school in that district without the payment of a nonresident tuition charge shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.

(g) The provisions of this Section are subject to the provisions of the Education for Homeless Children Act. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to apply to or require the payment of tuition by a parent or guardian of a "homeless child" (as that term is defined in Section 1-5 of the Education for Homeless Children Act) in connection with or as a result of the homeless child's continued education or enrollment in a school that is chosen in accordance with any of the options provided in Section 1-10 of that Act.

(Source: P.A. 94-309, eff. 7-25-05.)

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