Sen. Steve Stadelman

Filed: 5/23/2017

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2527

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2527 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
53-15.12a as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/3-15.12a new)
7    Sec. 3-15.12a. Alternate route to high school diploma for
8adult learners.
9    (a) The purpose of this amendatory Act of the 100th General
10Assembly is to provide eligible applicants that have been or
11are unable to establish agreements with a secondary or unit
12school district in the area in which the applicant is located
13with a process for attaining the authority to award high school
14diplomas to adult learners.
15    (a-5) In this Section:
16    "Adult learner" means a person ineligible for reenrollment

 

 

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1under subsection (b) of Section 26-2 of this Code and 34 CFR
2300.102.
3    "Board" means the Illinois Community College Board.
4    "Eligible applicant" means a community college established
5and operating under the authority of the Public Community
6College Act; a non-profit entity in partnership with a regional
7superintendent of schools; the chief administrator of an
8intermediate service center that has the authority, under rules
9adopted by the State Board of Education, to issue a high school
10diploma; or a school district organized under Article 34 of
11this Code. In order to be an eligible applicant, an entity
12under this definition, other than a school district organized
13under Article 34 of this Code, must provide evidence or other
14documentation that it is or has been unable to establish an
15agreement with a secondary or unit school district in which the
16eligible applicant is located to provide a program in which
17students who successfully complete the program can receive a
18high school diploma from their school district of residence.
19    "Executive Director" means the Executive Director of the
20Illinois Community College Board.
21    "High school diploma program for adult learners" means a
22program approved to operate under this Section that provides a
23program of alterative study to adult learners leading to the
24issuance of a high school diploma.
25    (b) An eligible applicant is authorized to design a high
26school diploma program for adult learners, to be approved by

 

 

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1the Board prior to implementation. An approved program shall
2include, without limitation, all of the following:
3        (1) An administrative structure, program activities,
4    program staff, a budget, and a specific curriculum that is
5    consistent with Illinois Learning Standards, as well as
6    Illinois content standards for adults, but may be different
7    from a regular school program in terms of location, length
8    of school day, program sequence, multidisciplinary
9    courses, pace, instructional activities, or any
10    combination of these.
11        (2) Issuance of a high school diploma only if an adult
12    learner meets all minimum requirements under this Code and
13    its implementing rules for receipt of a high school
14    diploma.
15        (3) Specific academic, behavioral, and emotional
16    support services to be offered to adult learners enrolled
17    in the program.
18        (4) Career and technical education courses that lead to
19    industry certifications in high growth and in-demand
20    industry sectors or dual credit courses from a regionally
21    accredited post-secondary educational institution
22    consistent with the Dual Credit Quality Act. The program
23    may include partnering with a community college district to
24    provide career and technical education courses that lead to
25    industry certifications.
26        (5) Specific program outcomes and goals and metrics to

 

 

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1    be used by the program to determine success.
2        (6) The requirement that all instructional staff must
3    hold an educator license valid for the high school grades
4    issued under Article 21B of this Code.
5        (7) Any other requirements adopted by rule by the
6    Board.
7    (c) Eligible applicants shall apply for approval of a high
8school diploma program for adult learners to the Board on forms
9prescribed by the Board.
10        (1) Initial approval shall be for a period not to
11    exceed 2 school years.
12        (2) Renewal of approval shall be for a period not to
13    exceed 4 school years and shall be contingent upon at least
14    specific documented outcomes of student progression,
15    graduation rates, and earning of industry-recognized
16    credentials.
17        (3) Program approval may be given only if the Executive
18    Director determines that the eligible applicant has
19    provided assurance through evidence of other documentation
20    that it will meet the requirements of subsection (b) of
21    this Section and any rules adopted by the Board.
22        (4) Notwithstanding anything in this Code to the
23    contrary, a non-profit eligible applicant shall provide
24    the following to the Board:
25            (A) documentation that the non-profit entity will
26        fulfill the requirements of subsection (b) of this

 

 

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1        Section;
2            (B) evidence that the non-profit entity has the
3        capacity to fulfill the requirements of this Section;
4            (C) a description of the coordination and
5        oversight that the eligible entity will provide in the
6        administration of the program by the non-profit
7        entity;
8            (D) evidence that the non-profit entity has a
9        history of providing services to adults 18 years of age
10        or older whose educational and training opportunities
11        have been limited by educational disadvantages,
12        disabilities, and challenges.
13        (5) If an eligible applicant that has been approved
14    fails to meet any of the requirements of subsection (b) of
15    this Section and any rules adopted by the Board, the
16    Executive Director shall immediately initiate a process to
17    revoke the eligible applicant's approval to provide the
18    program, pursuant to rules adopted by the Board. If the
19    eligible applicant's approval is revoked, it shall be
20    liable to adult learners who participated in the program
21    for any damages they incur.
22    (d) The Board may adopt any rules necessary to implement
23this Section.
 
24    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
25becoming law.".