Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB2688
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Full Text of SB2688  95th General Assembly

SB2688ham002 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Edward J. Acevedo

Filed: 5/29/2008

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 2688

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 2688 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4     "Section 3. The School Code is amended by changing Section
5 34-2.1 as follows:
 
6     (105 ILCS 5/34-2.1)  (from Ch. 122, par. 34-2.1)
7     Sec. 34-2.1. Local School Councils - Composition -
8 Voter-Eligibility - Elections - Terms.
9     (a) A local school council shall be established for each
10 attendance center within the school district. Each local school
11 council shall consist of the following 11 voting members: the
12 principal of the attendance center, 2 teachers employed and
13 assigned to perform the majority of their employment duties at
14 the attendance center, 6 parents of students currently enrolled
15 at the attendance center and 2 community residents. Neither the
16 parents nor the community residents who serve as members of the

 

 

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1 local school council shall be employees of the Board of
2 Education. In each secondary attendance center, the local
3 school council shall consist of 12 voting members -- the 11
4 voting members described above and one full-time student
5 member, appointed as provided in subsection (m) below. In the
6 event that the chief executive officer of the Chicago School
7 Reform Board of Trustees determines that a local school council
8 is not carrying out its financial duties effectively, the chief
9 executive officer is authorized to appoint a representative of
10 the business community with experience in finance and
11 management to serve as an advisor to the local school council
12 for the purpose of providing advice and assistance to the local
13 school council on fiscal matters. The advisor shall have access
14 to relevant financial records of the local school council. The
15 advisor may attend executive sessions. The chief executive
16 officer shall issue a written policy defining the circumstances
17 under which a local school council is not carrying out its
18 financial duties effectively.
19     (b) Within 7 days of January 11, 1991, the Mayor shall
20 appoint the members and officers (a Chairperson who shall be a
21 parent member and a Secretary) of each local school council who
22 shall hold their offices until their successors shall be
23 elected and qualified. Members so appointed shall have all the
24 powers and duties of local school councils as set forth in this
25 amendatory Act of 1991. The Mayor's appointments shall not
26 require approval by the City Council.

 

 

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1     The membership of each local school council shall be
2 encouraged to be reflective of the racial and ethnic
3 composition of the student population of the attendance center
4 served by the local school council.
5     (c) Beginning with the 1995-1996 school year and in every
6 even-numbered year thereafter, the Board shall set second
7 semester Parent Report Card Pick-up Day for Local School
8 Council elections and may schedule elections at year-round
9 schools for the same dates as the remainder of the school
10 system. Elections shall be conducted as provided herein by the
11 Board of Education in consultation with the local school
12 council at each attendance center.
13     (d) Beginning with the 1995-96 school year, the following
14 procedures shall apply to the election of local school council
15 members at each attendance center:
16         (i) The elected members of each local school council
17     shall consist of the 6 parent members and the 2 community
18     resident members.
19         (ii) Each elected member shall be elected by the
20     eligible voters of that attendance center to serve for a
21     two-year term commencing on July 1 immediately following
22     the election described in subsection (c). Eligible voters
23     for each attendance center shall consist of the parents and
24     community residents for that attendance center.
25         (iii) Each eligible voter shall be entitled to cast one
26     vote for up to a total of 5 candidates, irrespective of

 

 

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1     whether such candidates are parent or community resident
2     candidates.
3         (iv) Each parent voter shall be entitled to vote in the
4     local school council election at each attendance center in
5     which he or she has a child currently enrolled. Each
6     community resident voter shall be entitled to vote in the
7     local school council election at each attendance center for
8     which he or she resides in the applicable attendance area
9     or voting district, as the case may be.
10         (v) Each eligible voter shall be entitled to vote once,
11     but not more than once, in the local school council
12     election at each attendance center at which the voter is
13     eligible to vote.
14         (vi) The 2 teacher members of each local school council
15     shall be appointed as provided in subsection (l) below each
16     to serve for a two-year term coinciding with that of the
17     elected parent and community resident members.
18         (vii) At secondary attendance centers, the voting
19     student member shall be appointed as provided in subsection
20     (m) below to serve for a one-year term coinciding with the
21     beginning of the terms of the elected parent and community
22     members of the local school council.
23     (e) The Council shall publicize the date and place of the
24 election by posting notices at the attendance center, in public
25 places within the attendance boundaries of the attendance
26 center and by distributing notices to the pupils at the

 

 

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1 attendance center, and shall utilize such other means as it
2 deems necessary to maximize the involvement of all eligible
3 voters.
4     (f) Nomination. The Council shall publicize the opening of
5 nominations by posting notices at the attendance center, in
6 public places within the attendance boundaries of the
7 attendance center and by distributing notices to the pupils at
8 the attendance center, and shall utilize such other means as it
9 deems necessary to maximize the involvement of all eligible
10 voters. Not less than 2 weeks before the election date, persons
11 eligible to run for the Council shall submit their name, date
12 of birth, social security number, if available, and some
13 evidence of eligibility to the Council. The Council shall
14 encourage nomination of candidates reflecting the
15 racial/ethnic population of the students at the attendance
16 center. Each person nominated who runs as a candidate shall
17 disclose, in a manner determined by the Board, any economic
18 interest held by such person, by such person's spouse or
19 children, or by each business entity in which such person has
20 an ownership interest, in any contract with the Board, any
21 local school council or any public school in the school
22 district. Each person nominated who runs as a candidate shall
23 also disclose, in a manner determined by the Board, if he or
24 she ever has been convicted of any of the offenses specified in
25 subsection (c) of Section 34-18.5; provided that neither this
26 provision nor any other provision of this Section shall be

 

 

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1 deemed to require the disclosure of any information that is
2 contained in any law enforcement record or juvenile court
3 record that is confidential or whose accessibility or
4 disclosure is restricted or prohibited under Section 5-901 or
5 5-905 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Failure to make such
6 disclosure shall render a person ineligible for election or to
7 serve on the local school council. The same disclosure shall be
8 required of persons under consideration for appointment to the
9 Council pursuant to subsections (l) and (m) of this Section.
10     (f-5) Notwithstanding disclosure, a person who has been
11 convicted of any of the following offenses at any time shall be
12 ineligible for election or appointment to a local school
13 council and ineligible for appointment to a local school
14 council pursuant to subsections (l) and (m) of this Section:
15 (i) those defined in Section 11-6, 11-9.1, 11-16, 11-17.1,
16 11-19, 11-19.1, 11-19.2, 11-20.1, 12-13, 12-14, 12-14.1,
17 12-15, or 12-16 of the Criminal Code of 1961 or (ii) any
18 offense committed or attempted in any other state or against
19 the laws of the United States, which, if committed or attempted
20 in this State, would have been punishable as one or more of the
21 foregoing offenses. Notwithstanding disclosure, a person who
22 has been convicted of any of the following offenses within the
23 10 years previous to the date of nomination or appointment
24 shall be ineligible for election or appointment to a local
25 school council: (i) those defined in Section 401.1, 405.1, or
26 405.2 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act or (ii) any

 

 

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1 offense committed or attempted in any other state or against
2 the laws of the United States, which, if committed or attempted
3 in this State, would have been punishable as one or more of the
4 foregoing offenses.
5     Immediately upon election or appointment, incoming local
6 school council members shall be required to undergo a criminal
7 background investigation, to be completed prior to the member
8 taking office, in order to identify any criminal convictions
9 under the offenses enumerated in Section 34-18.5. The
10 investigation shall be conducted by the Department of State
11 Police in the same manner as provided for in Section 34-18.5.
12 However, notwithstanding Section 34-18.5, the social security
13 number shall be provided only if available. If it is determined
14 at any time that a local school council member or member-elect
15 has been convicted of any of the offenses enumerated in this
16 Section or failed to disclose a conviction of any of the
17 offenses enumerated in Section 34-18.5, the general
18 superintendent shall notify the local school council member or
19 member-elect of such determination and the local school council
20 member or member-elect shall be removed from the local school
21 council by the Board, subject to a hearing, convened pursuant
22 to Board rule, prior to removal.
23     (g) At least one week before the election date, the Council
24 shall publicize, in the manner provided in subsection (e), the
25 names of persons nominated for election.
26     (h) Voting shall be in person by secret ballot at the

 

 

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1 attendance center between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
2     (i) Candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall
3 be declared elected by the Council. In cases of a tie, the
4 Council shall determine the winner by lot.
5     (j) The Council shall certify the results of the election
6 and shall publish the results in the minutes of the Council.
7     (k) The general superintendent shall resolve any disputes
8 concerning election procedure or results and shall ensure that,
9 except as provided in subsections (e) and (g), no resources of
10 any attendance center shall be used to endorse or promote any
11 candidate.
12     (l) Beginning with the 1995-1996 school year and in every
13 even numbered year thereafter, the Board shall appoint 2
14 teacher members to each local school council. These
15 appointments shall be made in the following manner:
16         (i) The Board shall appoint 2 teachers who are employed
17     and assigned to perform the majority of their employment
18     duties at the attendance center to serve on the local
19     school council of the attendance center for a two-year term
20     coinciding with the terms of the elected parent and
21     community members of that local school council. These
22     appointments shall be made from among those teachers who
23     are nominated in accordance with subsection (f).
24         (ii) A non-binding, advisory poll to ascertain the
25     preferences of the school staff regarding appointments of
26     teachers to the local school council for that attendance

 

 

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1     center shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures
2     used to elect parent and community Council
3     representatives. At such poll, each member of the school
4     staff shall be entitled to indicate his or her preference
5     for up to 2 candidates from among those who submitted
6     statements of candidacy as described above. These
7     preferences shall be advisory only and the Board shall
8     maintain absolute discretion to appoint teacher members to
9     local school councils, irrespective of the preferences
10     expressed in any such poll.
11         (iii) In the event that a teacher representative is
12     unable to perform his or her employment duties at the
13     school due to illness, disability, leave of absence,
14     disciplinary action, or any other reason, the Board shall
15     declare a temporary vacancy and appoint a replacement
16     teacher representative to serve on the local school council
17     until such time as the teacher member originally appointed
18     pursuant to this subsection (l) resumes service at the
19     attendance center or for the remainder of the term. The
20     replacement teacher representative shall be appointed in
21     the same manner and by the same procedures as teacher
22     representatives are appointed in subdivisions (i) and (ii)
23     of this subsection (l).
24     (m) Beginning with the 1995-1996 school year, and in every
25 year thereafter, the Board shall appoint one student member to
26 each secondary attendance center. These appointments shall be

 

 

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1 made in the following manner:
2         (i) Appointments shall be made from among those
3     students who submit statements of candidacy to the
4     principal of the attendance center, such statements to be
5     submitted commencing on the first day of the twentieth week
6     of school and continuing for 2 weeks thereafter. The form
7     and manner of such candidacy statements shall be determined
8     by the Board.
9         (ii) During the twenty-second week of school in every
10     year, the principal of each attendance center shall conduct
11     a non-binding, advisory poll to ascertain the preferences
12     of the school students regarding the appointment of a
13     student to the local school council for that attendance
14     center. At such poll, each student shall be entitled to
15     indicate his or her preference for up to one candidate from
16     among those who submitted statements of candidacy as
17     described above. The Board shall promulgate rules to ensure
18     that these non-binding, advisory polls are conducted in a
19     fair and equitable manner and maximize the involvement of
20     all school students. The preferences expressed in these
21     non-binding, advisory polls shall be transmitted by the
22     principal to the Board. However, these preferences shall be
23     advisory only and the Board shall maintain absolute
24     discretion to appoint student members to local school
25     councils, irrespective of the preferences expressed in any
26     such poll.

 

 

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1         (iii) For the 1995-96 school year only, appointments
2     shall be made from among those students who submitted
3     statements of candidacy to the principal of the attendance
4     center during the first 2 weeks of the school year. The
5     principal shall communicate the results of any nonbinding,
6     advisory poll to the Board. These results shall be advisory
7     only, and the Board shall maintain absolute discretion to
8     appoint student members to local school councils,
9     irrespective of the preferences expressed in any such poll.
10     (n) The Board may promulgate such other rules and
11 regulations for election procedures as may be deemed necessary
12 to ensure fair elections.
13     (o) In the event that a vacancy occurs during a member's
14 term, the Council shall appoint a person eligible to serve on
15 the Council, to fill the unexpired term created by the vacancy,
16 except that any teacher vacancy shall be filled by the Board
17 after considering the preferences of the school staff as
18 ascertained through a non-binding advisory poll of school
19 staff.
20     (p) If less than the specified number of persons is elected
21 within each candidate category, the newly elected local school
22 council shall appoint eligible persons to serve as members of
23 the Council for two-year terms.
24     (q) The Board shall promulgate rules regarding conflicts of
25 interest and disclosure of economic interests which shall apply
26 to local school council members and which shall require reports

 

 

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1 or statements to be filed by Council members at regular
2 intervals with the Secretary of the Board. Failure to comply
3 with such rules or intentionally falsifying such reports shall
4 be grounds for disqualification from local school council
5 membership. A vacancy on the Council for disqualification may
6 be so declared by the Secretary of the Board. Rules regarding
7 conflicts of interest and disclosure of economic interests
8 promulgated by the Board shall apply to local school council
9 members. No less than 45 days prior to the deadline, the
10 general superintendent shall provide notice, by mail, to each
11 local school council member of all requirements and forms for
12 compliance with economic interest statements.
13     (r) (1) If a parent member of a local school council ceases
14 to have any child enrolled in the attendance center governed by
15 the Local School Council due to the graduation or voluntary
16 transfer of a child or children from the attendance center, the
17 parent's membership on the Local School Council and all voting
18 rights are terminated immediately as of the date of the child's
19 graduation or voluntary transfer. If the child of a parent
20 member of a local school council dies during the member's term
21 in office, the member may continue to serve on the local school
22 council for the balance of his or her term. Further, a local
23 school council member may be removed from the Council by a
24 majority vote of the Council as provided in subsection (c) of
25 Section 34-2.2 if the Council member has missed 3 consecutive
26 regular meetings, not including committee meetings, or 5

 

 

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1 regular meetings in a 12 month period, not including committee
2 meetings. If a parent member of a local school council ceases
3 to be eligible to serve on the Council for any other reason, he
4 or she shall be removed by the Board subject to a hearing,
5 convened pursuant to Board rule, prior to removal. A vote to
6 remove a Council member by the local school council shall only
7 be valid if the Council member has been notified personally or
8 by certified mail, mailed to the person's last known address,
9 of the Council's intent to vote on the Council member's removal
10 at least 7 days prior to the vote. The Council member in
11 question shall have the right to explain his or her actions and
12 shall be eligible to vote on the question of his or her removal
13 from the Council. The provisions of this subsection shall be
14 contained within the petitions used to nominate Council
15 candidates.
16     (2) A person may continue to serve as a community resident
17 member of a local school council as long as he or she resides
18 in the attendance area served by the school and is not employed
19 by the Board nor is a parent of a student enrolled at the
20 school. If a community resident member ceases to be eligible to
21 serve on the Council, he or she shall be removed by the Board
22 subject to a hearing, convened pursuant to Board rule, prior to
23 removal.
24     (3) A person may continue to serve as a teacher member of a
25 local school council as long as he or she is employed and
26 assigned to perform a majority of his or her duties at the

 

 

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1 school, provided that if the teacher representative resigns
2 from employment with the Board or voluntarily transfers to
3 another school, the teacher's membership on the local school
4 council and all voting rights are terminated immediately as of
5 the date of the teacher's resignation or upon the date of the
6 teacher's voluntary transfer to another school. If a teacher
7 member of a local school council ceases to be eligible to serve
8 on a local school council for any other reason, that member
9 shall be removed by the Board subject to a hearing, convened
10 pursuant to Board rule, prior to removal.
11 (Source: P.A. 90-378, eff. 8-14-97; 90-590, eff. 1-1-00;
12 91-622, eff. 8-19-99; 91-728, eff. 6-2-00.)
 
13     Section 5. The School Safety Drill Act is amended by
14 changing Section 20 as follows:
 
15     (105 ILCS 128/20)
16     Sec. 20. Number of drills; incidents covered; local
17 authority participation.
18     (a) During each academic year, schools must conduct a
19 minimum of 3 school evacuation drills to address and prepare
20 students and school personnel for fire incidents. These drills
21 must meet all of the following criteria:
22         (1) One of the 3 school evacuation drills shall require
23     the participation of the appropriate local fire department
24     or district.

 

 

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1             (A) Each local fire department or fire district
2         must contact the appropriate school administrator or
3         his or her designee no later than September 1 of each
4         year in order to arrange for the participation of the
5         department or district in the school evacuation drill.
6             (B) Each school administrator or his or her
7         designee must contact the responding local fire
8         official no later than September 15 of each year and
9         propose to the local fire official 4 dates within the
10         month of October, during at least 2 different weeks of
11         October, on which the drill shall occur. The fire
12         official may choose any of the 4 available dates, and
13         if he or she does so, the drill shall occur on that
14         date.
15             (C) The school administrator or his or her designee
16         and the local fire official may also, by mutual
17         agreement, set any other date for the drill, including
18         a date outside of the month of October.
19             (D) If the fire official does not select one of the
20         4 offered dates in October or set another date by
21         mutual agreement, the requirement that the school
22         include the local fire service in one of its mandatory
23         school evacuation drills shall be waived. Schools,
24         however, shall continue to be strongly encouraged to
25         include the fire service in a school evacuation drill
26         at a mutually agreed-upon time.

 

 

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1             (E) Upon the participation of the local fire
2         service, the appropriate local fire official shall
3         certify that the school evacuation drill was
4         conducted.
5             (F) When scheduling the school evacuation drill,
6         the school administrator or his or her designee and the
7         local fire department or fire district may, by mutual
8         agreement on or before September 14, choose to waive
9         the provisions of subparagraphs (B), (C), and (D) of
10         this paragraph (1).
11         Additional school evacuation drills for fire incidents
12     may involve the participation of the appropriate local fire
13     department or district.
14         (2) Schools may conduct additional school evacuation
15     drills to account for other evacuation incidents,
16     including without limitation suspicious items or bomb
17     threats.
18         (3) All drills shall be conducted at each school
19     building that houses school children.
20     (b) During each academic year, schools must conduct a
21 minimum of one bus evacuation drill. This drill shall be
22 accounted for in the curriculum in all public schools and in
23 all other educational institutions in this State that are
24 supported or maintained, in whole or in part, by public funds
25 and that provide instruction in any of the grades kindergarten
26 through 12. This curriculum shall include instruction in safe

 

 

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1 bus riding practices for all students. Schools may conduct
2 additional bus evacuation drills. All drills shall be conducted
3 at each school building that houses school children.
4     (c) During each academic year, schools must may conduct a
5 strongly encouraged law enforcement drill drills to address and
6 prepare students and school personnel for incidents, including
7 without limitation reverse evacuations, lock-downs, shootings,
8 bomb threats, or hazardous materials. Such drills must be
9 conducted according to the school district's or private
10 school's emergency and crisis response plans, protocols, and
11 procedures, with the participation of the appropriate law
12 enforcement agency. Law enforcement drills may be conducted on
13 days and times when students are not present in the school
14 building.
15         (1) A If conducted, a law enforcement drill must meet
16     all of the following criteria:
17             (A) During each calendar year, the appropriate
18         local law enforcement agency shall contact the
19         appropriate school administrator to request to
20         participate in a law enforcement drill and may actively
21         participate on-site in a drill.
22             (B) Upon the participation of a local law
23         enforcement agency in a law enforcement drill, the
24         appropriate local law enforcement official shall
25         certify that the law enforcement drill was conducted.
26         (2) Schools may conduct additional law enforcement

 

 

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1     drills at their discretion.
2         (3) (Blank). All drills shall be conducted at each
3     school building that houses school children.
4     (d) During each academic year, schools must conduct a
5 minimum of one severe weather and shelter-in-place drill to
6 address and prepare students and school personnel for possible
7 tornado incidents and may conduct additional severe weather and
8 shelter-in-place drills to account for other incidents,
9 including without limitation earthquakes or hazardous
10 materials. All drills shall be conducted at each school
11 building that houses school children.
12 (Source: P.A. 94-600, eff. 8-16-05.)
 
13     Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding
14 Section 8.32 as follows:
 
15     (30 ILCS 805/8.32 new)
16     Sec. 8.32. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8
17 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the
18 implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of
19 the 95th General Assembly.
 
20     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
21 2008.".