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| Public Act 099-0203 | ||||
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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 changing Section | ||||
2-3.25f as follows:
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(105 ILCS 5/2-3.25f) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25f)
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Sec. 2-3.25f. State interventions.
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(a) The State Board of Education shall provide technical
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assistance to assist with the development and implementation of | ||||
School and District Improvement Plans.
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Schools or school districts that fail to make reasonable | ||||
efforts to
implement an
approved Improvement Plan may suffer | ||||
loss of State funds by school
district, attendance center, or | ||||
program as the State Board of Education
deems appropriate.
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(a-5) (Blank). | ||||
(b) If after 3 years following its placement on
academic
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watch status a school district or school remains on
academic | ||||
watch status, the
State Board of Education may (i)
change the | ||||
recognition status of the school district or school to
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nonrecognized or (ii) authorize the State Superintendent
of | ||||
Education to direct the reassignment of pupils
or direct the | ||||
reassignment or replacement of school district personnel who
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are relevant to the
failure
to
meet adequate yearly progress | ||||
criteria. If
a school district is nonrecognized in its | ||
entirety, it shall automatically
be dissolved on July 1 | ||
following that nonrecognition and its territory
realigned with | ||
another school district or districts by the regional board
of | ||
school trustees in accordance with the procedures set forth in | ||
Section
7-11 of the School Code. The effective date of the | ||
nonrecognition of a school
shall be July 1 following the | ||
nonrecognition.
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(b-5) The State Board of Education shall also develop a | ||
system to provide assistance and resources to lower performing | ||
school districts. At a minimum, the State Board shall identify | ||
school districts to receive priority services, to be known as | ||
priority districts. The school district shall provide the | ||
exclusive bargaining representative with a 5-day notice that | ||
the district has been identified as a priority district. In | ||
addition, the State Board may, by rule, develop other | ||
categories of low-performing schools and school districts to | ||
receive services. | ||
Districts designated as priority districts shall be those | ||
that fall within one of the following categories: | ||
(1) Have at least one school that is among the lowest | ||
performing 5% of schools in this State based on a 3-year | ||
average, with respect to the performance of the "all | ||
students" group for the percentage of students meeting or | ||
exceeding standards in reading and mathematics combined, | ||
and demonstrate a lack of progress as defined by the State | ||
Board of Education. | ||
(2) Have at least one secondary school that has an | ||
average graduation rate of less than 60% over the last 3 | ||
school years. | ||
(3) Have at least one school receiving a school | ||
improvement grant under Section 1003(g) of the federal | ||
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. | ||
The State Board of Education shall work with a priority | ||
district to perform a district needs assessment to determine | ||
the district's core functions that are areas of strength and | ||
weakness, unless the district is already undergoing a national | ||
accreditation process. The results from the district needs | ||
assessment shall be used by the district to identify goals and | ||
objectives for the district's improvement. The district needs | ||
assessment shall include a study of district functions, such as | ||
district finance, governance, student engagement, instruction | ||
practices, climate, community involvement, and continuous | ||
improvement. | ||
Based on the results of the district needs assessment, the | ||
State Board of Education shall work with the district to | ||
provide technical assistance and professional development, in | ||
partnership with the district, to implement a continuous | ||
improvement plan that would increase outcomes for students. The | ||
plan for continuous improvement shall be based on the results | ||
of the district needs assessment and shall be used to determine | ||
the types of services that are to be provided to each priority | ||
district. Potential services for a district may include | ||
monitoring adult and student practices, reviewing and | ||
reallocating district resources, developing a district | ||
leadership team, providing access to curricular content area | ||
specialists, and providing online resources and professional | ||
development. | ||
The State Board of Education may require priority districts | ||
identified as having deficiencies in one or more core functions | ||
of the district needs assessment to undergo an accreditation | ||
process as provided in subsection (d) of Section 2-3.25f-5 of | ||
this Code. | ||
(c) All federal requirements apply to schools and school | ||
districts
utilizing
federal funds under Title I, Part A of the | ||
federal Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965.
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(Source: P.A. 97-370, eff. 1-1-12; 98-1155, eff. 1-9-15.)
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law. | ||