| ||||
| Public Act 101-0450 | ||||
| ||||
| ||||
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 changing Section | ||||
27-24.2 as follows: | ||||
(105 ILCS 5/27-24.2) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-24.2) | ||||
Sec. 27-24.2. Safety education; driver education course. | ||||
Instruction shall be given in safety education in each of | ||||
grades one through 8, equivalent to one class period each week, | ||||
and any school district which maintains
grades 9 through 12 | ||||
shall offer a driver education course in any such school
which | ||||
it operates. Its curriculum shall include content dealing with | ||||
Chapters 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, | ||||
the rules adopted pursuant to those Chapters insofar as they | ||||
pertain to the operation of motor vehicles, and the portions of | ||||
the Litter Control Act relating to the operation of motor | ||||
vehicles. The course of instruction given in grades 10 through | ||||
12 shall include an emphasis on the development of knowledge, | ||||
attitudes, habits, and skills necessary for the safe operation | ||||
of motor vehicles, including motorcycles insofar as they can be | ||||
taught in the classroom, and instruction on distracted driving | ||||
as a major traffic safety issue. In addition, the course shall | ||||
include instruction on special hazards existing at and required | ||||
safety and driving precautions that must be observed at | ||
emergency situations, highway construction and maintenance | ||
zones, and railroad crossings and the approaches thereto. | ||
Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, the course shall also | ||
include instruction concerning law enforcement procedures for | ||
traffic stops, including a demonstration of the proper actions | ||
to be taken during a traffic stop and appropriate interactions | ||
with law enforcement. The course of instruction required of | ||
each eligible student at the high school level shall consist of | ||
a minimum of 30 clock hours of classroom instruction and a | ||
minimum of 6 clock hours of individual behind-the-wheel | ||
instruction in a dual control car on public roadways taught by | ||
a driver education instructor endorsed by the State Board of | ||
Education. Both the classroom instruction part and the practice | ||
driving
part of such driver education course shall be open to a | ||
resident or
non-resident student attending a non-public school | ||
in the district wherein the
course is offered. Each student | ||
attending any public or non-public high school
in the district | ||
must receive a passing grade in at least 8 courses during the
| ||
previous 2 semesters prior to enrolling in a driver education | ||
course, or the
student shall not be permitted to enroll in the | ||
course; provided that the local
superintendent of schools (with | ||
respect to a student attending a public high
school in the | ||
district) or chief school administrator (with respect to a
| ||
student attending a non-public high school in the district) may | ||
waive the
requirement if the superintendent or chief school | ||
administrator, as the case
may be, deems it to be in the best | ||
interest of the student. A student may be allowed to commence | ||
the
classroom instruction part of such driver education course | ||
prior to reaching
age 15 if such student then will be eligible | ||
to complete the entire course
within 12 months after being | ||
allowed to commence such classroom instruction. | ||
A school district may offer a driver education course in a | ||
school by contracting with a commercial driver training school | ||
to provide both the classroom instruction part and the practice | ||
driving part or either one without having to request a | ||
modification or waiver of administrative rules of the State | ||
Board of Education if the school district approves the action | ||
during a public hearing on whether to enter into a contract | ||
with a commercial driver training school. The public hearing | ||
shall be held at a regular or special school board meeting | ||
prior to entering into such a contract. If a school district | ||
chooses to approve a contract with a commercial driver training | ||
school, then the district must provide evidence to the State | ||
Board of Education that the commercial driver training school | ||
with which it will contract holds a license issued by the | ||
Secretary of State under Article IV of Chapter 6 of the | ||
Illinois Vehicle Code and that each instructor employed by the | ||
commercial driver training school to provide instruction to | ||
students served by the school district holds a valid teaching | ||
license issued under the requirements of this Code and rules of | ||
the State Board of Education. Such evidence must include, but | ||
need not be limited to, a list of each instructor assigned to | ||
teach students served by the school district, which list shall | ||
include the instructor's name, personal identification number | ||
as required by the State Board of Education, birth date, and | ||
driver's license number. Once the contract is entered into, the | ||
school district shall notify the State Board of Education of | ||
any changes in the personnel providing instruction either (i) | ||
within 15 calendar days after an instructor leaves the program | ||
or (ii) before a new instructor is hired. Such notification | ||
shall include the instructor's name, personal identification | ||
number as required by the State Board of Education, birth date, | ||
and driver's license number. If the school district maintains | ||
an Internet website, then the district shall post a copy of the | ||
final contract between the district and the commercial driver | ||
training school on the district's Internet website. If no | ||
Internet website exists, then the school district shall make | ||
available the contract upon request. A record of all materials | ||
in relation to the contract must be maintained by the school | ||
district and made available to parents and guardians upon | ||
request. The instructor's date of birth and driver's license | ||
number and any other personally identifying information as | ||
deemed by the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act of 1994 | ||
must be redacted from any public materials. | ||
Such a course may be commenced immediately after the | ||
completion of a prior
course. Teachers of such courses shall | ||
meet the licensure requirements of
this Code and regulations of | ||
the State Board as to qualifications. Except for a contract | ||
with a Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist, a school | ||
district that contracts with a third party to teach a driver | ||
education course under this Section must ensure the teacher | ||
meets the educator licensure and endorsement requirements | ||
under Article 21B and must follow the same evaluation and | ||
observation requirements that apply to non-tenured teachers | ||
under Article 24A. The teacher evaluation must be conducted by | ||
a school administrator employed by the school district and must | ||
be submitted annually to the district superintendent and all | ||
school board members for oversight purposes. | ||
Subject to rules of the State Board of Education, the | ||
school district may charge a reasonable fee, not to exceed $50, | ||
to students who participate in the course, unless a student is | ||
unable to pay for such a course, in which event the fee for | ||
such a student must be waived. However, the district may | ||
increase this fee to an amount not to exceed $250 by school | ||
board resolution following a public hearing on the increase, | ||
which increased fee must be waived for students who participate | ||
in the course and are unable to pay for the course. The total | ||
amount from driver education fees and reimbursement from the | ||
State for driver education must not exceed the total cost of | ||
the driver education program in any year and must be deposited | ||
into the school district's driver education fund as a separate | ||
line item budget entry. All moneys deposited into the school | ||
district's driver education fund must be used solely for the | ||
funding of a high school driver education program approved by | ||
the State Board of Education that uses driver education | ||
instructors endorsed by the State Board of Education. | ||
(Source: P.A. 99-642, eff. 7-28-16; 99-720, eff. 1-1-17; | ||
100-465, eff. 8-31-17.)
| ||
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
| ||