State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Introduced ][ Engrossed ][ Senate Amendment 001 ]

92_HB3566enr

 
HB3566 Enrolled                               LRB9202486NTsbA

 1        AN ACT concerning schools.

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

 4        Section  5.   The  School  Code  is  amended  by changing
 5    Section 2-3.51 as follows:

 6        (105 ILCS 5/2-3.51) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.51)
 7        Sec. 2-3.51.  Reading Improvement  Block  Grant  Program.
 8    To  improve  the  reading  and  study skills of children from
 9    kindergarten through sixth grade in  school  districts.   The
10    State  Board  of  Education  is  authorized  to  administer a
11    Reading Improvement Block Grant Program.   As  used  in  this
12    Section:,
13        "School  district"  includes  shall include those schools
14    designated as "laboratory schools".
15        "Scientifically  based  reading   research"   means   the
16    application of rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures
17    to  obtain  valid  knowledge relevant to reading development,
18    reading instruction,  and  reading  difficulties.   The  term
19    includes  research that employs systematic, empirical methods
20    that draw on observation  or  experiment,  involves  rigorous
21    data  analysis that is adequate to test the stated hypotheses
22    and to justify  the  general  conclusions  drawn,  relies  on
23    measurements or observational methods that provide valid data
24    across   evaluators   and   observers   and  across  multiple
25    measurements and  observations,  and  has  been  accepted  by
26    peer-reviewed  journal  or approved by a panel of independent
27    experts  through  a  comparably   rigorous,   objective   and
28    scientific review.
29        (a)  Funds   for  the  Reading  Improvement  Block  Grant
30    Program shall be  distributed  to  school  districts  on  the
31    following basis:  70% of monies shall be awarded on the prior
 
HB3566 Enrolled            -2-                LRB9202486NTsbA
 1    year's  best  3 months average daily attendance and 30% shall
 2    be distributed on the number  of  economically  disadvantaged
 3    (E.C.I.A.  Chapter  I)  pupils in the district, provided that
 4    the State Board may distribute an amount not to exceed 2%  of
 5    the  monies  appropriated  for  the Reading Improvement Block
 6    Grant Program for the purpose of providing  teacher  training
 7    and  re-training  in  the  teaching of reading. Program funds
 8    shall be distributed to school  districts  in  2  semi-annual
 9    installments,  one  payment  on or before October 30, and one
10    payment prior to April 30, of  each  year.  The  State  Board
11    shall  promulgate  rules  and  regulations  necessary for the
12    implementation of this program.  Programs provided with grant
13    funds   shall   not   replace   quality   classroom   reading
14    instruction, but shall instead supplement such instruction.
15        (a-5)  Reading  Improvement  Block  Grant  Program  funds
16    shall be used by school districts in the following manner:
17             (1)   to hire reading specialists, reading teachers,
18        and reading aides  in  order  to  provide  early  reading
19        intervention in kindergarten through grade 2 and programs
20        of  continued  reading  support  for students in grades 3
21        through 6 to reduce class  size  in  grades  kindergarten
22        through  3  for the purpose of providing more intensified
23        reading instruction;
24             (2)  in kindergarten through grade 2,  to  establish
25        short-term  tutorial  early reading intervention programs
26        for children who are at risk of failing to learn to read;
27        these programs shall (i) focus  on  scientifically  based
28        research   and   best  practices  with  proven  long-term
29        results, (ii) identify students in need of help no  later
30        than  the  middle  of  first grade, (iii) provide ongoing
31        training  for  teachers  in  the  program,   (iv)   focus
32        instruction   on   strengthening   a  student's  phonemic
33        awareness, phonics, fluency,  and  comprehension  skills,
34        (v)  provide  a  means  to  document and evaluate student
 
HB3566 Enrolled            -3-                LRB9202486NTsbA
 1        growth, and (vi) provide properly trained staff to extend
 2        the time devoted in kindergarten through third  grade  to
 3        intensified   reading   instruction,   including   phonic
 4        instruction,  either  by  lengthening  the  school day or
 5        lengthening the school year;
 6             (3)  to  create  transitional  grades  for  students
 7        needing intensified reading  instruction  either  between
 8        the  first  and  second  grades or between the second and
 9        third grades in accordance  with  the  authority  granted
10        school districts in Section 10-21.2 of this Code;
11             (3)  (4)  to continue direct reading instruction for
12        grades 3 4 through 6;
13             (4)  (5)  in  grades  3  through  6,  to   establish
14        programs  of  support for students who demonstrate a need
15        for continued assistance  in  learning  to  read  and  in
16        maintaining reading achievement; these programs shall (i)
17        focus on scientifically based research and best practices
18        with  proven  long-term  results,  (ii)  provide  ongoing
19        training  for  teachers  and  other  staff members in the
20        program,  (iii)  focus  instruction  on  strengthening  a
21        student's phonics, fluency, and comprehension  skills  in
22        grades  3 through 6, (iv) provide a means to evaluate and
23        document student growth, and (v) provide properly trained
24        staff to establish  reading  academies  in  schools  that
25        focus  on  the  mechanics  of reading, the application of
26        reading skills, and the reading of  rich  literature  and
27        that  reflect a commitment of time and resources to these
28        functions;
29             (5) (6)  in grades K through 6, to provide classroom
30        reading  materials  for  students;  each   district   may
31        allocate  up  to  25%  of  the  funds for this purpose to
32        conduct intense vocabulary, spelling, and related writing
33        enrichment programs that promote better understanding  of
34        language and words; and
 
HB3566 Enrolled            -4-                LRB9202486NTsbA
 1             (6)   (7)  to   provide   a  long-term  professional
 2        development    program    for     classroom     teachers,
 3        administrators,  and other appropriate staff; the program
 4        shall (i) focus on scientifically based research and best
 5        practices with proven long-term results, (ii)  provide  a
 6        means to evaluate student progress in reading as a result
 7        of  the training, (iii) and be provided by approved staff
 8        development providers. to increase  the  availability  of
 9        reading specialists and teacher aides for reading; and
10             (8)  to  train  and retrain teachers of kindergarten
11        through third grade to be proficient in the  teaching  of
12        reading, including phonic instruction.
13        (a-10)  Reading  Improvement  Block  Grant  Program funds
14    shall be made available  to  each  eligible  school  district
15    submitting  an  approved  application  developed by the State
16    Board beginning with the 1998-99 school year.    Applications
17    shall  include  a  proposed  assessment method or methods for
18    measuring the reading growth of students who  receive  direct
19    instruction  as  a  result  of  the funding and the impact of
20    staff development activities on  student  growth  in  reading
21    student reading skills.  Such methods may include the reading
22    portion  of  the Illinois Standards Achievement Testing Goals
23    and Assessment Program.  At the end of each school  year  the
24    district  shall  report  performance  of  progress assessment
25    results to the  State  Board.   Districts  not  demonstrating
26    performance  progress  using  an  approved  assessment method
27    shall not be eligible for funding in the third or  subsequent
28    years until such progress is established.
29        (a-15)  The   State   Superintendent   of  Education,  in
30    cooperation with the school districts  participating  in  the
31    program,  shall  annually  report  to  the  leadership of the
32    General Assembly on the results of  the  Reading  Improvement
33    Block  Grant Program and the progress being made on improving
34    the reading skills of students in  kindergarten  through  the
 
HB3566 Enrolled            -5-                LRB9202486NTsbA
 1    sixth grade.
 2        (b)  (Blank).
 3        (c)  (Blank).
 4        (d)  Grants  under  the Reading Improvement Program shall
 5    be  awarded  provided  there  is  an  appropriation  for  the
 6    program, and  funding  levels  for  each  district  shall  be
 7    prorated according to the amount of the appropriation.
 8        (e)  (Blank).
 9        (f)  (Blank).
10    (Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98; 90-640, eff. 1-1-99.)

11        Section  99.   Effective  date.  This Act takes effect on
12    July 1, 2001.

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