97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB2817

 

Introduced 2/18/2011, by Rep. Tom Cross - Robert W. Pritchard

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/2-3.152

    Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning community schools.


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A BILL FOR

 

HB2817LRB097 07966 NHT 48086 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
52-3.152 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.152)
7    Sec. 2-3.152. Community schools.
8    (a) This Section applies beginning with the the 2009-2010
9school year.
10    (b) The General Assembly finds all of the following:
11        (1) All children are capable of success.
12        (2) Schools are the centers of vibrant communities.
13        (3) Strong families build strong educational
14    communities.
15        (4) Children succeed when adults work together to
16    foster positive educational outcomes.
17        (5) Schools work best when families take active roles
18    in the education of children.
19        (6) Schools today are limited in their ability to
20    dedicate time and resources to provide a wide range of
21    educational opportunities to students because of the focus
22    on standardized test outcomes.
23        (7) By providing learning opportunities outside of

 

 

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1    normal school hours, including programs on life skills and
2    health, students are more successful academically, more
3    engaged in their communities, safer, and better prepared to
4    make a successful transition from school to adulthood.
5        (8) A community school is a traditional school that
6    actively partners with its community to leverage existing
7    resources and identify new resources to support the
8    transformation of the school to provide enrichment and
9    additional life skill opportunities for students, parents,
10    and community members at-large. Each community school is
11    unique because its programming is designed by and for the
12    school staff, in partnership with parents, community
13    stakeholders, and students.
14        (9) Community schools currently exist in this State in
15    urban, rural, and suburban communities.
16        (10) Research shows that community schools have a
17    powerful positive impact on students, as demonstrated by
18    increased academic success, a positive change in attitudes
19    toward school and learning, and decreased behavioral
20    problems.
21        (11) After-school and evening programs offered by
22    community schools provide academic enrichment consistent
23    with the Illinois Learning Standards and general school
24    curriculum; an opportunity for physical fitness activities
25    for students, fine arts programs, structured learning
26    "play" time, and other recreational opportunities; a safe

 

 

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1    haven for students; and work supports for working families.
2        (12) Community schools are cost-effective because they
3    leverage existing resources provided by local, State,
4    federal, and private sources and bring programs to the
5    schools, where the students are already congregated.
6    Community schools have been shown to leverage between $5 to
7    $8 in existing programming for every $1 spent on a
8    community school.
9    (c) Subject to an appropriation or the availability of
10funding for such purposes, the State Board of Education shall
11make grants available to fund community schools and to enhance
12programs at community schools. A request-for-proposal process
13must be used in awarding grants under this subsection (c).
14Proposals may be submitted on behalf of a school, a school
15district, or a consortium of 2 or more schools or school
16districts. Proposals must be evaluated and scored on the basis
17of criteria consistent with this Section and other factors
18developed and adopted by the State Board of Education.
19Technical assistance in grant writing must be made available to
20schools, school districts, or consortia of school districts
21through the State Board of Education directly or through a
22resource and referral directory established and maintained by
23the State Board of Education.
24    (d) In order to qualify for a community school grant under
25this Section, a school must, at a minimum, have the following
26components:

 

 

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1        (1) Before and after-school programming each school
2    day to meet the identified needs of students.
3        (2) Weekend programming.
4        (3) At least 4 weeks of summer programming.
5        (4) A local advisory group comprised of school
6    leadership, parents, and community stakeholders that
7    establishes school-specific programming goals, assesses
8    program needs, and oversees the process of implementing
9    expanded programming.
10        (5) A program director or resource coordinator who is
11    responsible for establishing a local advisory group,
12    assessing the needs of students and community members,
13    identifying programs to meet those needs, developing the
14    before and after-school, weekend, and summer programming
15    and overseeing the implementation of programming to ensure
16    high quality, efficiency, and robust participation.
17        (6) Programming that includes academic excellence
18    aligned with the Illinois Learning Standards, life skills,
19    healthy minds and bodies, parental support, and community
20    engagement and that promotes staying in school and
21    non-violent behavior and non-violent conflict resolution.
22        (7) Maintenance of attendance records in all
23    programming components.
24        (8) Maintenance of measurable data showing annual
25    participation and the impact of programming on the
26    participating children and adults.

 

 

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1        (9) Documentation of true collaboration between the
2    school and community stakeholders, including local
3    governmental units, civic organizations, families,
4    businesses, and social service providers.
5        (10) A non-discrimination policy ensuring that the
6    community school does not condition participation upon
7    race, ethnic origin, religion, sex, or disability.
8(Source: P.A. 96-746, eff. 8-25-09; 96-1000, eff. 7-2-10.)