Public Act 100-0992
 
HB5247 EnrolledLRB100 20690 AXK 36148 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 adding Section
2-3.173 and by changing Section 27-22.05 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.173 new)
    Sec. 2-3.173. Registered apprenticeship program.
    (a) In this Section, "registered apprenticeship program"
means an industry-based occupational training program of study
with standards reviewed and approved by the United States
Department of Labor that meets each of the following
characteristics:
        (1) Apprentices in the program are at all times
    employed by a company participating in the program.
        (2) The program features a structured combination of
    on-the-job learning supported by related technical
    classroom instruction, met either by a high school or a
    public community college.
        (3) Apprentices in the program are paid a training wage
    of not less than the State minimum wage, which escalates
    throughout the life of the apprenticeship, and employment
    is continued with the company following conclusion of the
    apprenticeship for a period of not less than 2 years.
        (4) Apprentices in the program earn an
    industry-related occupational skills certificate and a
    high school diploma.
        (5) Apprentices in the program may earn postsecondary
    credit toward a certificate or degree, as applicable.
    "Registered apprenticeship program" does not include an
    apprenticeship program related to construction, as defined
    under the Employee Classification Act.
    (b) No later than 6 months after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, the State Board
of Education shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding to adopt
rules as may be necessary to allow students of any high school
in this State who are 16 years of age or older to participate
in registered apprenticeship programs. The rules shall include
the waiver of all non-academic requirements mandated for
graduation from a high school under this Code that would
otherwise prohibit or prevent a student from participating in a
registered apprenticeship program.
 
    (105 ILCS 5/27-22.05)
    Sec. 27-22.05. Required course substitute. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Article or this Code, a school
board that maintains any of grades 9 through 12 is authorized
to adopt a policy under which a student who is enrolled in any
of those grades may satisfy one or more high school course or
graduation requirements, including, but not limited to, any
requirements under Sections 27-6 and 27-22, by successfully
completing a registered apprenticeship program under rules
adopted by the State Board of Education under Section 2-3.173
of this Code, or by substituting for and successfully
completing in place of the high school course or graduation
requirement a related vocational or technical education
course. A vocational or technical education course shall not
qualify as a related vocational or technical education course
within the meaning of this Section unless it contains at least
50% of the content of the required course or graduation
requirement for which it is substituted, as determined by the
State Board of Education in accordance with standards that it
shall adopt and uniformly apply for purposes of this Section.
No vocational or technical education course may be substituted
for a required course or graduation requirement under any
policy adopted by a school board as authorized in this Section
unless the pupil's parent or guardian first requests the
substitution and approves it in writing on forms that the
school district makes available for purposes of this Section.
(Source: P.A. 88-269.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.