SB1497 Enrolled LRB094 08338 NHT 38531 b

1     AN ACT concerning education.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
5 2-3.71 as follows:
 
6     (105 ILCS 5/2-3.71)  (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.71)
7     Sec. 2-3.71. Grants for preschool educational programs.
8     (a) Preschool program.
9         (1) The State Board of Education shall implement and
10     administer a grant program under the provisions of this
11     subsection which shall consist of grants to public school
12     districts and other eligible entities, as defined by the
13     State Board of Education, to conduct voluntary preschool
14     educational programs for children ages 3 to 5 which include
15     a parent education component. A public school district
16     which receives grants under this subsection may
17     subcontract with other entities that are eligible to
18     conduct a preschool educational program. These grants must
19     be used to supplement, not supplant, funds received from
20     any other source.
21         (2) (Blank).
22         (3) Any teacher of preschool children in the program
23     authorized by this subsection shall hold an early childhood
24     teaching certificate.
25         (4) This paragraph (4) applies before July 1, 2006 and
26     after June 30, 2008. The State Board of Education shall
27     provide the primary source of funding through
28     appropriations for the this program. Such funds shall be
29     distributed for the benefit of children who because of
30     their home and community environment are subject to such
31     language, cultural, economic and like disadvantages that
32     they have been determined as a result of screening

 

 

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1     procedures to be at risk of academic failure. Such
2     screening procedures shall be based on criteria
3     established by the State Board of Education.
4         (4.5) This paragraph (4.5) applies from July 1, 2006
5     through June 30, 2008. The State Board of Education shall
6     provide the primary source of funding through
7     appropriations for the program. Such funds shall be
8     distributed to achieve a goal of "Preschool for All
9     Children" for the benefit of all children whose families
10     choose to participate in the program. Based on available
11     appropriations, newly funded programs shall be selected
12     through a process giving first priority to qualified
13     programs serving primarily at-risk children and second
14     priority to qualified programs serving primarily children
15     with a family income of less than 4 times the poverty
16     guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by
17     the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the
18     authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2). For purposes of this
19     paragraph (4.5), at-risk children are those who because of
20     their home and community environment are subject to such
21     language, cultural, economic and like disadvantages to
22     cause them to have been determined as a result of screening
23     procedures to be at risk of academic failure. Such
24     screening procedures shall be based on criteria
25     established by the State Board of Education.
26         On or before November 1 of each fiscal year in which
27     the General Assembly provides funding for new programs
28     under this paragraph (4.5), the State Board of Education
29     shall report to the General Assembly on what percentage of
30     new funding was provided to programs serving primarily
31     at-risk children, what percentage of new funding was
32     provided to programs serving primarily children with a
33     family income of less than 4 times the federal poverty
34     level, and what percentage of new funding was provided to
35     other programs.
36         (5) The State Board of Education shall develop and

 

 

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1     provide evaluation tools, including tests, that school
2     districts and other eligible entities may use to evaluate
3     children for school readiness prior to age 5. The State
4     Board of Education shall require school districts and other
5     eligible entities to obtain consent from the parents or
6     guardians of children before any evaluations are
7     conducted. The State Board of Education shall encourage
8     local school districts and other eligible entities to
9     evaluate the population of preschool children in their
10     communities and provide preschool programs, pursuant to
11     this subsection, where appropriate.
12         (6) The State Board of Education shall report to the
13     General Assembly by July 1, 2007 1989 and every 3 years
14     thereafter, on the results and progress of students who
15     were enrolled in preschool educational programs, including
16     an assessment of which programs have been most successful
17     in promoting academic excellence and alleviating academic
18     failure. The State Board of Education shall assess the
19     academic progress of all students who have been enrolled in
20     preschool educational programs.
21     (b) (Blank).
22 (Source: P.A. 94-506, eff. 8-8-05.)
 
23     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
24 2006.