Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez

Filed: 3/26/2012

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4275

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 4275 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
510-22.6, 13A-4, 13A-11, and 34-19 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/10-22.6)  (from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.6)
7    Sec. 10-22.6. Suspension or expulsion of pupils; school
8searches.
9    (a) To expel pupils guilty of gross disobedience or
10misconduct, including gross disobedience or misconduct
11perpetuated by electronic means, and no action shall lie
12against them for such expulsion. Expulsion shall take place
13only after the parents have been requested to appear at a
14meeting of the board, or with a hearing officer appointed by
15it, to discuss their child's behavior. Such request shall be
16made by registered or certified mail and shall state the time,

 

 

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1place and purpose of the meeting. The board, or a hearing
2officer appointed by it, at such meeting shall state the
3reasons for dismissal and the date on which the expulsion is to
4become effective. If a hearing officer is appointed by the
5board he shall report to the board a written summary of the
6evidence heard at the meeting and the board may take such
7action thereon as it finds appropriate. In school districts
8located in whole or in part within counties that have a
9municipality with a population of 500,000 or more, an expelled
10pupil must be immediately transferred to an alternative program
11in the manner provided in Article 13A or 13B of this Code,
12except those pupils expelled under the provisions of the
13federal Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994. In school districts
14located outside of counties that have a municipality with a
15population of 500,000 or more, an An expelled pupil may be
16immediately transferred to an alternative program in the manner
17provided in Article 13A or 13B of this Code. A pupil must not
18be denied transfer because of the expulsion, except in cases in
19which such transfer is deemed to cause a threat to the safety
20of students or staff in the alternative program.
21    (b) To suspend or by policy to authorize the superintendent
22of the district or the principal, assistant principal, or dean
23of students of any school to suspend pupils guilty of gross
24disobedience or misconduct, or to suspend pupils guilty of
25gross disobedience or misconduct on the school bus from riding
26the school bus, and no action shall lie against them for such

 

 

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1suspension. The board may by policy authorize the
2superintendent of the district or the principal, assistant
3principal, or dean of students of any school to suspend pupils
4guilty of such acts for a period not to exceed 10 school days.
5If a pupil is suspended due to gross disobedience or misconduct
6on a school bus, the board may suspend the pupil in excess of
710 school days for safety reasons. Any suspension shall be
8reported immediately to the parents or guardian of such pupil
9along with a full statement of the reasons for such suspension
10and a notice of their right to a review. The school board must
11be given a summary of the notice, including the reason for the
12suspension and the suspension length. Upon request of the
13parents or guardian the school board or a hearing officer
14appointed by it shall review such action of the superintendent
15or principal, assistant principal, or dean of students. At such
16review the parents or guardian of the pupil may appear and
17discuss the suspension with the board or its hearing officer.
18If a hearing officer is appointed by the board he shall report
19to the board a written summary of the evidence heard at the
20meeting. After its hearing or upon receipt of the written
21report of its hearing officer, the board may take such action
22as it finds appropriate. In school districts located in whole
23or in part within counties that have a municipality with a
24population of 500,000 or more, a pupil who is suspended in
25excess of 20 school days must be immediately transferred to an
26alternative program in the manner provided in Article 13A or

 

 

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113B of this Code. In school districts located outside of
2counties that have a municipality with a population of 500,000
3or more, a A pupil who is suspended in excess of 20 school days
4may be immediately transferred to an alternative program in the
5manner provided in Article 13A or 13B of this Code. A pupil
6must not be denied transfer because of the suspension, except
7in cases in which such transfer is deemed to cause a threat to
8the safety of students or staff in the alternative program.
9    (c) The Department of Human Services shall be invited to
10send a representative to consult with the board at such meeting
11whenever there is evidence that mental illness may be the cause
12for expulsion or suspension.
13    (d) The board may expel a student for a definite period of
14time not to exceed 2 calendar years, as determined on a case by
15case basis. A student who is determined to have brought one of
16the following objects to school, any school-sponsored activity
17or event, or any activity or event that bears a reasonable
18relationship to school shall be expelled for a period of not
19less than one year:
20        (1) A firearm. For the purposes of this Section,
21    "firearm" means any gun, rifle, shotgun, weapon as defined
22    by Section 921 of Title 18 of the United States Code,
23    firearm as defined in Section 1.1 of the Firearm Owners
24    Identification Card Act, or firearm as defined in Section
25    24-1 of the Criminal Code of 1961. The expulsion period
26    under this subdivision (1) may be modified by the

 

 

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1    superintendent, and the superintendent's determination may
2    be modified by the board on a case-by-case basis.
3        (2) A knife, brass knuckles or other knuckle weapon
4    regardless of its composition, a billy club, or any other
5    object if used or attempted to be used to cause bodily
6    harm, including "look alikes" of any firearm as defined in
7    subdivision (1) of this subsection (d). The expulsion
8    requirement under this subdivision (2) may be modified by
9    the superintendent, and the superintendent's determination
10    may be modified by the board on a case-by-case basis.
11Expulsion or suspension shall be construed in a manner
12consistent with the Federal Individuals with Disabilities
13Education Act. A student who is subject to suspension or
14expulsion as provided in this Section may be eligible for a
15transfer to an alternative school program in accordance with
16Article 13A of the School Code. The provisions of this
17subsection (d) apply in all school districts, including special
18charter districts and districts organized under Article 34.
19    (d-5) The board may suspend or by regulation authorize the
20superintendent of the district or the principal, assistant
21principal, or dean of students of any school to suspend a
22student for a period not to exceed 10 school days or may expel
23a student for a definite period of time not to exceed 2
24calendar years, as determined on a case by case basis, if (i)
25that student has been determined to have made an explicit
26threat on an Internet website against a school employee, a

 

 

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1student, or any school-related personnel, (ii) the Internet
2website through which the threat was made is a site that was
3accessible within the school at the time the threat was made or
4was available to third parties who worked or studied within the
5school grounds at the time the threat was made, and (iii) the
6threat could be reasonably interpreted as threatening to the
7safety and security of the threatened individual because of his
8or her duties or employment status or status as a student
9inside the school. The provisions of this subsection (d-5)
10apply in all school districts, including special charter
11districts and districts organized under Article 34 of this
12Code.
13    (e) To maintain order and security in the schools, school
14authorities may inspect and search places and areas such as
15lockers, desks, parking lots, and other school property and
16equipment owned or controlled by the school, as well as
17personal effects left in those places and areas by students,
18without notice to or the consent of the student, and without a
19search warrant. As a matter of public policy, the General
20Assembly finds that students have no reasonable expectation of
21privacy in these places and areas or in their personal effects
22left in these places and areas. School authorities may request
23the assistance of law enforcement officials for the purpose of
24conducting inspections and searches of lockers, desks, parking
25lots, and other school property and equipment owned or
26controlled by the school for illegal drugs, weapons, or other

 

 

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1illegal or dangerous substances or materials, including
2searches conducted through the use of specially trained dogs.
3If a search conducted in accordance with this Section produces
4evidence that the student has violated or is violating either
5the law, local ordinance, or the school's policies or rules,
6such evidence may be seized by school authorities, and
7disciplinary action may be taken. School authorities may also
8turn over such evidence to law enforcement authorities. The
9provisions of this subsection (e) apply in all school
10districts, including special charter districts and districts
11organized under Article 34.
12    (f) Suspension or expulsion may include suspension or
13expulsion from school and all school activities and a
14prohibition from being present on school grounds.
15    (g) A school district may adopt a policy providing that if
16a student is suspended or expelled for any reason from any
17public or private school in this or any other state, the
18student must complete the entire term of the suspension or
19expulsion in an alternative school program under Article 13A of
20this Code or an alternative learning opportunities program
21under Article 13B of this Code before being admitted into the
22school district if there is no threat to the safety of students
23or staff in the alternative program. This subsection (g)
24applies to all school districts, including special charter
25districts and districts organized under Article 34 of this
26Code.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 96-633, eff. 8-24-09; 96-998, eff. 7-2-10;
297-340, eff. 1-1-12; 97-495, eff. 1-1-12; revised 9-28-11.)
 
3    (105 ILCS 5/13A-4)
4    Sec. 13A-4. Administrative transfers. In the case of a
5student enrolled in the public schools of a school district
6organized under Article 34, in accordance with the uniform
7system of discipline established under Section 34-19, or a
8student enrolled in a school district located in whole or in
9part within a county that has a municipality with a population
10of 500,000 or more, a student who is determined to be subject
11to suspension or expulsion or who is suspended or expelled, in
12the manner provided by Section 10-22.6, must be immediately
13transferred to the alternative program. In all other cases, a A
14student who is determined to be subject to suspension or
15expulsion or who is suspended or expelled, in the manner
16provided by Section 10-22.6, (or, in the case of a student
17enrolled in the public schools of a school district organized
18under Article 34, in accordance with the uniform system of
19discipline established under Section 34-19) may be immediately
20transferred to the alternative program. At the earliest time
21following that transfer appropriate personnel from the sending
22school district and appropriate personnel of the alternative
23program shall meet to develop an alternative education plan for
24the student. The student's parent or guardian shall be
25requested to appear at invited to this meeting. In school

 

 

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1districts located in whole or in part within counties that have
2a municipality with a population of 500,000 or more, this
3request must be made by certified mail or delivered in person;
4state the date, time, place, and purpose of the meeting; and
5provide notice that the parents or guardians will be given an
6opportunity to speak regarding their expectations for the
7alternative education plan. The student may be invited. The
8alternative educational plan shall include, but not be limited
9to all of the following:
10        (1) The duration of the plan, including a date after
11    which the student may be returned to the regular
12    educational program in the public schools of the
13    transferring district. If the parent or guardian of a
14    student who is scheduled to be returned to the regular
15    education program in the public schools of the district
16    files a written objection to the return with the principal
17    of the alternative school, the matter shall be referred by
18    the principal to the regional superintendent of the
19    educational service region in which the alternative school
20    program is located for a hearing. Notice of the hearing
21    shall be given by the regional superintendent to the
22    student's parent or guardian. After the hearing, the
23    regional superintendent may take such action as he or she
24    finds appropriate and in the best interests of the student.
25    The determination of the regional superintendent shall be
26    final.

 

 

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1        (2) The specific academic and behavioral components of
2    the plan.
3        (3) A method and time frame for reviewing the student's
4    progress.
5        (4) For school districts located in whole or in part
6    within counties that have a municipality with a population
7    of 500,000 or more, a parental involvement section. The
8    parental involvement section shall state whether there was
9    involvement by the parent, guardian, or student in
10    developing the alternative education plan.
11Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, if a
12student for whom an individualized educational program has been
13developed under Article 14 is transferred to an alternative
14school program under this Article 13A, that individualized
15educational program shall continue to apply to that student
16following the transfer unless modified in accordance with the
17provisions of Article 14.
18(Source: P.A. 89-383, eff. 8-18-95; 89-629, eff. 8-9-96.)
 
19    (105 ILCS 5/13A-11)
20    Sec. 13A-11. Chicago public schools.
21    (a) The Chicago Board of Education shall may establish
22alternative schools within Chicago and may contract with third
23parties for services otherwise performed by employees,
24including those in a bargaining unit, in accordance with
25Sections 34-8.1, 34-18, and 34-49.

 

 

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1    (b) Alternative schools operated by third parties within
2Chicago shall be exempt from all provisions of the School Code,
3except provisions concerning:
4        (1) Student civil rights;
5        (2) Staff civil rights;
6        (3) Health and safety;
7        (4) Performance and financial audits;
8        (5) The Illinois Goals Assessment Program;
9        (6) Chicago learning outcomes;
10        (7) Sections 2-3.25a through 2-3.25j of the School
11    Code;
12        (8) The Inspector General; and
13        (9) Section 34-2.4b of the School Code.
14(Source: P.A. 89-383, eff. 8-18-95; 89-636, eff. 8-9-96.)
 
15    (105 ILCS 5/34-19)  (from Ch. 122, par. 34-19)
16    Sec. 34-19. By-laws, rules and regulations; business
17transacted at regular meetings; voting; records. The board
18shall, subject to the limitations in this Article, establish
19by-laws, rules and regulations, which shall have the force of
20ordinances, for the proper maintenance of a uniform system of
21discipline for both employees and pupils, and for the entire
22management of the schools, and may fix the school age of
23pupils, the minimum of which in kindergartens shall not be
24under 4 years, except that, based upon an assessment of the
25child's readiness, children who have attended a non-public

 

 

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1preschool and continued their education at that school through
2kindergarten, were taught in kindergarten by an appropriately
3certified teacher, and will attain the age of 6 years on or
4before December 31 of the year of the 2009-2010 school term and
5each school term thereafter may attend first grade upon
6commencement of such term, and in grade schools shall not be
7under 6 years. It may expel, suspend or, subject to the
8limitations of all policies established or adopted under
9Section 14-8.05, otherwise discipline any pupil found guilty of
10gross disobedience, misconduct or other violation of the
11by-laws, rules and regulations, including gross disobedience
12or misconduct perpetuated by electronic means. An expelled
13pupil must may be immediately transferred to an alternative
14program in the manner provided in Article 13A or 13B of this
15Code, except those pupils expelled under the provisions of the
16federal Gun-Free Schools Act of 1994. A pupil must not be
17denied transfer because of the expulsion, except in cases in
18which such transfer is deemed to cause a threat to the safety
19of students or staff in the alternative program. A pupil who is
20suspended in excess of 20 school days must may be immediately
21transferred to an alternative program in the manner provided in
22Article 13A or 13B of this Code. A pupil must not be denied
23transfer because of the suspension, except in cases in which
24such transfer is deemed to cause a threat to the safety of
25students or staff in the alternative program. The bylaws, rules
26and regulations of the board shall be enacted, money shall be

 

 

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1appropriated or expended, salaries shall be fixed or changed,
2and textbooks, electronic textbooks, and courses of
3instruction shall be adopted or changed only at the regular
4meetings of the board and by a vote of a majority of the full
5membership of the board; provided that notwithstanding any
6other provision of this Article or the School Code, neither the
7board or any local school council may purchase any textbook for
8use in any public school of the district from any textbook
9publisher that fails to furnish any computer diskettes as
10required under Section 28-21. Funds appropriated for textbook
11purchases must be available for electronic textbook purchases
12and the technological equipment necessary to gain access to and
13use electronic textbooks at the local school council's
14discretion. The board shall be further encouraged to provide
15opportunities for public hearing and testimony before the
16adoption of bylaws, rules and regulations. Upon all
17propositions requiring for their adoption at least a majority
18of all the members of the board the yeas and nays shall be
19taken and reported. The by-laws, rules and regulations of the
20board shall not be repealed, amended or added to, except by a
21vote of 2/3 of the full membership of the board. The board
22shall keep a record of all its proceedings. Such records and
23all by-laws, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, may be
24proved by a copy thereof certified to be such by the secretary
25of the board, but if they are printed in book or pamphlet form
26which are purported to be published by authority of the board

 

 

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1they need not be otherwise published and the book or pamphlet
2shall be received as evidence, without further proof, of the
3records, by-laws, rules and regulations, or any part thereof,
4as of the dates thereof as shown in such book or pamphlet, in
5all courts and places where judicial proceedings are had.
6    Notwithstanding any other provision in this Article or in
7the School Code, the board may delegate to the general
8superintendent or to the attorney the authorities granted to
9the board in the School Code, provided such delegation and
10appropriate oversight procedures are made pursuant to board
11by-laws, rules and regulations, adopted as herein provided,
12except that the board may not delegate its authorities and
13responsibilities regarding (1) budget approval obligations;
14(2) rule-making functions; (3) desegregation obligations; (4)
15real estate acquisition, sale or lease in excess of 10 years as
16provided in Section 34-21; (5) the levy of taxes; or (6) any
17mandates imposed upon the board by "An Act in relation to
18school reform in cities over 500,000, amending Acts herein
19named", approved December 12, 1988 (P.A. 85-1418).
20(Source: P.A. 96-864, eff. 1-21-10; 96-1403, eff. 7-29-10;
2197-340, eff. 1-1-12; 97-495, eff. 1-1-12; revised 9-28-11.)".