SB0238eng 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0238 Engrossed LRB099 03150 NHT 23158 b

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 1C-2 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/1C-2)

Sec. 1C-2. Block grants.

(a) For fiscal year 1999, and each fiscal year thereafter, the State Board of Education shall award to school districts block grants as described in subsection (c). The State Board of Education may adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement this Section. In accordance with Section 2-3.32, all state block grants are subject to an audit. Therefore, block grant receipts and block grant expenditures shall be recorded to the appropriate fund code.

(b) (Blank).

(c) An Early Childhood Education Block Grant shall be created by combining the following programs: Preschool Education, Parental Training and Prevention Initiative. These funds shall be distributed to school districts and other entities on a competitive basis. Not less than 14% of the Early Childhood Education Block Grant allocation of funds this grant shall be used to fund programs for children ages 0-3, which percentage shall increase to at least 20% by Fiscal Year 2016. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2016, at least 25% of any additional Early Childhood Education Block Grant funding over and above the previous fiscal year's allocation shall be used to fund programs for children ages 0-3. Once the percentage of Early Childhood Education Block Grant funding allocated to programs for children ages 0-3 reaches 20% of the overall Early Childhood Education Block Grant allocation for a full fiscal year, thereafter in subsequent fiscal years the percentage of Early Childhood Education Block Grant funding allocated to programs for children ages 0-3 each fiscal year shall remain at least 20% of the overall Early Childhood Education Block Grant allocation. However, if, in a given fiscal year, the amount appropriated for the Early Childhood Education Block Grant is insufficient to increase the percentage of the grant to fund programs for children ages 0-3 without reducing the amount of the grant for existing providers of preschool education programs, then the percentage of the grant to fund programs for children ages 0-3 may be held steady instead of increased.

(Source: P.A. 98-645, eff. 7-1-14.)

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