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| Public Act 097-0097 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||
represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section | ||||
10-22.22e as follows: | ||||
(105 ILCS 5/10-22.22e new) | ||||
Sec. 10-22.22e. Science and mathematics partnership | ||||
school. | ||||
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the | ||||
contrary and subject to the provisions of this Section, 4 or | ||||
more contiguous school districts with all or portion of their | ||||
territory located within the geographic boundaries of the same | ||||
municipality may, when in their judgment the interest of the | ||||
districts and of the students therein will be best served, | ||||
jointly operate, through an institution of higher education | ||||
located in the municipality, a science and mathematics | ||||
partnership school for serving some or all of grades | ||||
kindergarten through 8. The partnership school may (i) restrict | ||||
attendance to pupils who reside within the geographic | ||||
boundaries of the areas served by the school districts and (ii) | ||||
select students for enrollment based on admission criteria that | ||||
focuses on academic proficiency in science and mathematics | ||||
established by the partnership school and approved by the | ||||
districts' school boards; however, in no case may the | ||
partnership school discriminate on the basis of disability, | ||
race, creed, color, gender, national origin, religion, | ||
ancestry, marital status, or need for special education | ||
services in the establishment of its attendance boundaries or | ||
in the selection of students for enrollment. The number of | ||
students enrolled from each school district shall be | ||
approximately equal in number. If there are more students | ||
eligible for enrollment in the partnership school from a school | ||
district than there are spaces available, eligible students | ||
must be selected by lottery. | ||
(b) The school board of each school district shall, by | ||
proper resolution, enter into the joint operation of the | ||
partnership school. The school boards of the participating | ||
districts shall execute a partnership school contract with the | ||
institution of higher education for the joint operation, | ||
subject to the provisions of this Section. The agreement for | ||
joint operation of the partnership school shall include, but | ||
not be limited to, provisions for administration, staff, | ||
programs, financing, facilities, and transportation. | ||
(c) Each participating school district shall pay its per | ||
capita cost of educating the students residing in the district | ||
and attending the partnership school for the maintenance and | ||
operation of the partnership school. The manner of determining | ||
per capita cost must be set forth in the agreement. Each | ||
district shall pay the amount owed under the terms of the | ||
agreement from the fund that the district would have used if | ||
the district had incurred the costs directly and may levy taxes | ||
and issue bonds as otherwise authorized for these purposes in | ||
order to make payments. | ||
(d) The teachers and other non-administrative, certified | ||
employees who work in the partnership school must be selected | ||
according to criteria established by the partnership school and | ||
agreed to by the school districts' school boards. The number of | ||
such employees selected from each school district must be | ||
approximately equal in number. Their selection must be for a | ||
2-year or 4-year period, upon the completion of which they must | ||
be assigned to a comparable position in the school from which | ||
they were selected. While working in the partnership school, | ||
these employees shall remain employees of and be paid by the | ||
school district from which they were selected, and their wages | ||
and benefits must be the same as if they were teaching or | ||
otherwise working in that district, provided that additional | ||
wages and benefits may be provided to these teachers and other | ||
staff if the participating school districts and the exclusive | ||
bargaining representatives of their teachers and other staff | ||
agree. The contractual continued service status of a teacher | ||
and the retirement benefits of those employees who accept work | ||
with the partnership school must not be affected. A school term | ||
worked in the partnership school must be considered a school | ||
term worked in the school district from which the employees | ||
were selected for contractual continued service attainment | ||
purposes. The time spent in employment with a participating | ||
district by any teacher who has not yet entered upon | ||
contractual continued service and accepts selection to work in | ||
the partnership school is not lost when computing the time | ||
necessary for the teacher to enter upon contractual continued | ||
service. | ||