State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

   [ Search ]   [ Legislation ]   [ Bill Summary ]
[ Home ]   [ Back ]   [ Bottom ]


[ Introduced ][ Enrolled ][ House Amendment 001 ]

90_HB2887eng

      105 ILCS 5/2-3.51         from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.51
          Amends the School Code.   In  provisions  concerning  the
      Reading   Improvement  Block  Grant  Program,  provides  that
      districts not demonstrating performance  progress  for  those
      students  whose Illinois Goals and Assessment Program reading
      scores were included in any application for  funds,  using  a
      testing   procedure   established   by  the  State  Board  of
      Education, shall not be eligible for subsequent funding until
      such  progress  is  established  (instead  of   demonstrating
      performance  progress  using IGAP reading scores as the basis
      of measure).
                                                    LRB9009009NTmbA
HB2887 Engrossed                              LRB9009009NTmbA
 1        AN ACT to amend  the  School  Code  by  changing  Section
 2    2-3.51.
 3        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section 5.   The  School  Code  is  amended  by  changing
 6    Section 2-3.51 as follows:
 7        (105 ILCS 5/2-3.51) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.51)
 8        Sec.  2-3.51.   Reading  Improvement Block Grant Program.
 9    To improve the reading and  study  skills  of  children  from
10    kindergarten  through  sixth  grade in school districts.  The
11    State Board  of  Education  is  authorized  to  administer  a
12    Reading  Improvement  Block  Grant  Program.  As used in this
13    Section,  "school  district"  shall  include  those   schools
14    designated as "laboratory schools".
15        (a)    Funds  for  the  Reading  Improvement  Block Grant
16    Program shall be  distributed  to  school  districts  on  the
17    following basis:  70% of monies shall be awarded on the prior
18    year's  best  3 months average daily attendance and 30% shall
19    be distributed on the number  of  economically  disadvantaged
20    (E.C.I.A.  Chapter  I)  pupils in the district, provided that
21    the State Board may distribute an amount not to exceed 2%  of
22    the  monies  appropriated  for  the Reading Improvement Block
23    Grant Program for the purpose of providing  teacher  training
24    and  re-training  in  the  teaching of reading. Program funds
25    shall be distributed to school  districts  in  2  semi-annual
26    installments,  one  payment  on or before October 30, and one
27    payment prior to April 30, of  each  year.  The  State  Board
28    shall  promulgate  rules  and  regulations  necessary for the
29    implementation of this program.
30        (a-5)  Reading  Improvement  Block  Grant  Program  funds
31    shall be used by school districts in the following manner:
HB2887 Engrossed            -2-               LRB9009009NTmbA
 1             (1)  to reduce class  size  in  grades  kindergarten
 2        through  3  for the purpose of providing more intensified
 3        reading instruction;
 4             (2)  to extend  the  time  devoted  in  kindergarten
 5        through  third  grade to intensified reading instruction,
 6        including phonic instruction, either by  lengthening  the
 7        school day or lengthening the school year;
 8             (3)  to  create  transitional  grades  for  students
 9        needing  intensified  reading  instruction either between
10        the first and second grades or  between  the  second  and
11        third  grades  in  accordance  with the authority granted
12        school districts in Section 10-21.2 of this Code;
13             (4)  to  continue  direct  reading  instruction  for
14        grades 4 through 6;
15             (5)  to establish reading academies in schools  that
16        focus  on  the  mechanics  of reading, the application of
17        reading skills, and the reading of  rich  literature  and
18        that  reflect a commitment of time and resources to these
19        functions;
20             (6)  to conduct intense  vocabulary,  spelling,  and
21        related  writing  enrichment programs that promote better
22        understanding of language and words;
23             (7)  to  increase  the   availability   of   reading
24        specialists and teacher aides for reading; and
25             (8)  to  train  and retrain teachers of kindergarten
26        through third grade to be proficient in the  teaching  of
27        reading, including phonic instruction.
28        (a-10)  Reading  Improvement  Block  Grant  Program funds
29    shall be made available  to  each  eligible  school  district
30    submitting  an  approved  application  developed by the State
31    Board beginning with the 1998-99 school year.    Applications
32    shall  include  a  proposed  assessment method or methods for
33    measuring student reading skills.  Such methods  may  include
34    the  reading  portion  of  the  Illinois Goals and Assessment
HB2887 Engrossed            -3-               LRB9009009NTmbA
 1    Program.  At the end of each school year the  district  shall
 2    report  assessment results to the State Board.  Districts not
 3    demonstrating  performance   progress   using   an   approved
 4    assessment  method  shall  not be eligible for funding in the
 5    third or subsequent years until such progress is established.
 6    Reading Improvement Block Grant Program funds shall  be  made
 7    available  to  each  eligible  school  district  submitting a
 8    one-page application developed by the State  Board  beginning
 9    with  the  1998-99  school  year.  Applications shall include
10    existing Illinois Goals and Assessment Program (IGAP) reading
11    scores and the planned use for the funds.  At the end of each
12    school year the school district shall report new IGAP results
13    on the same  form.   Each  application,  beginning  with  the
14    1998-99  school  year,  shall  be for a 2-year grant based on
15    initial  year  qualification.   Districts  not  demonstrating
16    performance progress using  IGAP reading scores as the  basis
17    of  measure  based  on metrics of progress established by the
18    State Board shall not be eligible for funding in the third or
19    subsequent  years  thereafter  until  such      progress   is
20    established.
21        (a-15)  The   State   Superintendent   of  Education,  in
22    cooperation with the school districts  participating  in  the
23    program,  shall  annually  report  to  the  leadership of the
24    General Assembly on the results of  the  Reading  Improvement
25    Block  Grant Program and the progress being made on improving
26    the reading skills of students in  kindergarten  through  the
27    sixth grade.
28        (b)  (Blank).
29        (c)  (Blank).
30        (d)  Grants  under  the Reading Improvement Program shall
31    be  awarded  provided  there  is  an  appropriation  for  the
32    program, and  funding  levels  for  each  district  shall  be
33    prorated according to the amount of the appropriation.
34        (e)  (Blank).
HB2887 Engrossed            -4-               LRB9009009NTmbA
 1        (f)  (Blank).
 2    (Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98.)

[ Top ]