Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia

Filed: 2/20/2014

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 3754

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 3754 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The State Finance Act is amended by changing
5Section 5.796 as follows:
 
6    (30 ILCS 105/5.796)
7    Sec. 5.796. The State Charter School Commission Fund. This
8Section is repealed on July 31, 2014.
9(Source: P.A. 97-152, eff. 7-20-11; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12.)
 
10    Section 10. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
1127A-3, 27A-5, 27A-7.5, 27A-7.10, 27A-8, 27A-9, and 27A-12 as
12follows:
 
13    (105 ILCS 5/27A-3)
14    Sec. 27A-3. Definitions. For purposes of this Article:

 

 

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1    "At-risk pupil" means a pupil who, because of physical,
2emotional, socioeconomic, or cultural factors, is less likely
3to succeed in a conventional educational environment.
4    "Authorizer" means an entity authorized under this Article
5to review applications, decide whether to approve or reject
6applications, enter into charter contracts with applicants,
7oversee charter schools, and decide whether to renew, not
8renew, or revoke a charter.
9    "Commission" means the State Charter School Commission
10established under Section 27A-7.5 of this Code.
11    "Local school board" means the duly elected or appointed
12school board or board of education of a public school district,
13including special charter districts and school districts
14located in cities having a population of more than 500,000,
15organized under the laws of this State.
16    "State Board" means the State Board of Education.
17(Source: P.A. 97-152, eff. 7-20-11.)
 
18    (105 ILCS 5/27A-5)
19    Sec. 27A-5. Charter school; legal entity; requirements.
20    (a) A charter school shall be a public, nonsectarian,
21nonreligious, non-home based, and non-profit school. A charter
22school shall be organized and operated as a nonprofit
23corporation or other discrete, legal, nonprofit entity
24authorized under the laws of the State of Illinois.
25    (b) A charter school may be established under this Article

 

 

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1by creating a new school or by converting an existing public
2school or attendance center to charter school status. Beginning
3on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd
4General Assembly, in all new applications submitted to the
5State Board or a local school board to establish a charter
6school in a city having a population exceeding 500,000,
7operation of the charter school shall be limited to one campus.
8The changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act of the
993rd General Assembly do not apply to charter schools existing
10or approved on or before the effective date of this amendatory
11Act.
12    (b-5) In this subsection (b-5), "virtual-schooling" means
13the teaching of courses through online methods with online
14instructors, rather than the instructor and student being at
15the same physical location. "Virtual-schooling" includes
16without limitation instruction provided by full-time, online
17virtual schools.
18    From April 1, 2013 through April 1, 2014, there is a
19moratorium on the establishment of charter schools with
20virtual-schooling components in school districts other than a
21school district organized under Article 34 of this Code. This
22moratorium does not apply to a charter school with
23virtual-schooling components existing or approved prior to
24April 1, 2013 or to the renewal of the charter of a charter
25school with virtual-schooling components already approved
26prior to April 1, 2013.

 

 

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1    On or before March 1, 2014, the State Charter School
2Commission shall submit to the General Assembly a report on the
3effect of virtual-schooling, including without limitation the
4effect on student performance, the costs associated with
5virtual-schooling, and issues with oversight. The report shall
6include policy recommendations for virtual-schooling.
7    (c) A charter school shall be administered and governed by
8its board of directors or other governing body in the manner
9provided in its charter. The governing body of a charter school
10shall be subject to the Freedom of Information Act and the Open
11Meetings Act.
12    (d) A charter school shall comply with all applicable
13health and safety requirements applicable to public schools
14under the laws of the State of Illinois.
15    (e) Except as otherwise provided in the School Code, a
16charter school shall not charge tuition; provided that a
17charter school may charge reasonable fees for textbooks,
18instructional materials, and student activities.
19    (f) A charter school shall be responsible for the
20management and operation of its fiscal affairs including, but
21not limited to, the preparation of its budget. An audit of each
22charter school's finances shall be conducted annually by an
23outside, independent contractor retained by the charter
24school. Annually, by December 1, every charter school must
25submit to the State Board a copy of its audit and a copy of the
26Form 990 the charter school filed that year with the federal

 

 

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1Internal Revenue Service.
2    (g) A charter school shall comply with all provisions of
3this Article, the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act, and
4its charter. A charter school is exempt from all other State
5laws and regulations in the School Code governing public
6schools and local school board policies, except the following:
7        (1) Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of the School Code
8    regarding criminal history records checks and checks of the
9    Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Murderer and
10    Violent Offender Against Youth Database of applicants for
11    employment;
12        (2) Sections 24-24 and 34-84A of the School Code
13    regarding discipline of students;
14        (3) The Local Governmental and Governmental Employees
15    Tort Immunity Act;
16        (4) Section 108.75 of the General Not For Profit
17    Corporation Act of 1986 regarding indemnification of
18    officers, directors, employees, and agents;
19        (5) The Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act;
20        (6) The Illinois School Student Records Act;
21        (7) Section 10-17a of the School Code regarding school
22    report cards; and
23        (8) The P-20 Longitudinal Education Data System Act.
24    The change made by Public Act 96-104 to this subsection (g)
25is declaratory of existing law.
26    (h) A charter school may negotiate and contract with a

 

 

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1school district, the governing body of a State college or
2university or public community college, or any other public or
3for-profit or nonprofit private entity for: (i) the use of a
4school building and grounds or any other real property or
5facilities that the charter school desires to use or convert
6for use as a charter school site, (ii) the operation and
7maintenance thereof, and (iii) the provision of any service,
8activity, or undertaking that the charter school is required to
9perform in order to carry out the terms of its charter.
10However, a charter school that is established on or after the
11effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General
12Assembly and that operates in a city having a population
13exceeding 500,000 may not contract with a for-profit entity to
14manage or operate the school during the period that commences
15on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd
16General Assembly and concludes at the end of the 2004-2005
17school year. Except as provided in subsection (i) of this
18Section, a school district may charge a charter school
19reasonable rent for the use of the district's buildings,
20grounds, and facilities. Any services for which a charter
21school contracts with a school district shall be provided by
22the district at cost. Any services for which a charter school
23contracts with a local school board or with the governing body
24of a State college or university or public community college
25shall be provided by the public entity at cost.
26    (i) In no event shall a charter school that is established

 

 

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1by converting an existing school or attendance center to
2charter school status be required to pay rent for space that is
3deemed available, as negotiated and provided in the charter
4agreement, in school district facilities. However, all other
5costs for the operation and maintenance of school district
6facilities that are used by the charter school shall be subject
7to negotiation between the charter school and the local school
8board and shall be set forth in the charter.
9    (j) A charter school may limit student enrollment by age or
10grade level.
11    (k) If the charter school is approved by the State Board
12Commission, then the State Board Commission charter school is
13its own local education agency.
14(Source: P.A. 97-152, eff. 7-20-11; 97-154, eff. 1-1-12;
1597-813, eff. 7-13-12; 98-16, eff. 5-24-13.)
 
16    (105 ILCS 5/27A-7.5)
17    Sec. 27A-7.5. State Charter School Commission abolished;
18transfer to State Board; appeals.
19    (a) On the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
2098th General Assembly, the A State Charter School Commission is
21abolished and the terms of all members end. On that date, all
22of the powers, duties, assets, liabilities, contracts,
23property, records, and pending business of the Commission are
24transferred to the State Board. For purposes of the Successor
25Agency Act and Section 9b of the State Finance Act, the State

 

 

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1Board is declared to be the successor agency of the Commission.
2Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
398th General Assembly, references in statutes, rules, forms,
4and other documents to the Commission shall, in appropriate
5contexts, be deemed to refer to the State Board. Standards and
6procedures of the Commission in effect on the effective date of
7this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly shall be
8deemed standards and procedures of the State Board and shall
9remain in effect until amended or repealed by the State Board.
10established as an independent commission with statewide
11chartering jurisdiction and authority. The Commission shall be
12under the State Board for administrative purposes only.
13    (a-5) The State Board shall provide administrative support
14to the Commission as needed.
15    (b) The Commission is responsible for authorizing
16high-quality charter schools throughout this State,
17particularly schools designed to expand opportunities for
18at-risk students, consistent with the purposes of this Article.
19    (c) The Commission shall consist of 9 members, appointed by
20the State Board. The State Board shall make these appointments
21from a slate of candidates proposed by the Governor, within 60
22days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
2397th General Assembly with respect to the initial Commission
24members. In making the appointments, the State Board shall
25ensure statewide geographic diversity among Commission
26members. The Governor shall propose a slate of candidates to

 

 

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1the State Board within 60 days after the effective date of this
2amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly and 60 days prior
3to the expiration of the term of a member thereafter. If the
4Governor fails to timely propose a slate of candidates
5according to the provisions of this subsection (c), then the
6State Board may appoint the member or members of the
7Commission.
8    (d) Members appointed to the Commission shall collectively
9possess strong experience and expertise in public and nonprofit
10governance, management and finance, public school leadership,
11higher education, assessments, curriculum and instruction, and
12public education law. All members of the Commission shall have
13demonstrated understanding of and a commitment to public
14education, including without limitation charter schooling. At
15least 3 members must have past experience with urban charter
16schools.
17    (e) To establish staggered terms of office, the initial
18term of office for 3 Commission members shall be 4 years and
19thereafter shall be 4 years; the initial term of office for
20another 3 members shall be 3 years and thereafter shall be 4
21years; and the initial term of office for the remaining 3
22members shall be 2 years and thereafter shall be 4 years. The
23initial appointments must be made no later than October 1,
242011.
25    (f) Whenever a vacancy on the Commission exists, the State
26Board shall appoint a member for the remaining portion of the

 

 

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1term.
2    (g) Subject to the State Officials and Employees Ethics
3Act, the Commission is authorized to receive and expend gifts,
4grants, and donations of any kind from any public or private
5entity to carry out the purposes of this Article, subject to
6the terms and conditions under which they are given, provided
7that all such terms and conditions are permissible under law.
8Funds received under this subsection (g) must be deposited into
9the State Charter School Commission Fund.
10    (b) The State Charter School Commission Fund is created as
11a special fund in the State treasury. All money in the Fund
12shall be used, subject to appropriation, by the State Board,
13acting on behalf and with the consent of the Commission, for
14operational and administrative costs of the Commission. On July
151, 2014, the State Comptroller shall order transferred and the
16State Treasurer shall transfer all money in the State Charter
17School Commission Fund to the State Board of Education Special
18Purpose Trust Fund.
19    Subject to appropriation, any funds appropriated for use by
20the State Board, acting on behalf and with the consent of the
21Commission, may be used for the following purposes, without
22limitation: personal services, contractual services, and other
23operational and administrative costs. The State Board is
24further authorized to make expenditures with respect to any
25other amounts deposited in accordance with law into the State
26Charter School Commission Fund.

 

 

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1    (g-5) Funds or spending authority for the operation and
2administrative costs of the Commission shall be appropriated to
3the State Board in a separate line item. The State
4Superintendent of Education may not reduce or modify the budget
5of the Commission or use funds appropriated to the Commission
6without the approval of the Commission.
7    (h) The Commission shall operate with dedicated resources
8and staff qualified to execute the day-to-day responsibilities
9of charter school authorizing in accordance with this Article.
10The Commission may employ and fix the compensation of such
11employees and technical assistants as it deems necessary to
12carry out its powers and duties under this Article, without
13regard to the requirements of any civil service or personnel
14statute; and may establish and administer standards of
15classification of all such persons with respect to their
16compensation, duties, performance, and tenure and enter into
17contracts of employment with such persons for such periods and
18on such terms as the Commission deems desirable.
19    (i) Every 2 years, the Commission shall provide to the
20State Board and local school boards a report on best practices
21in charter school authorizing, including without limitation
22evaluating applications, oversight of charters, and renewal of
23charter schools.
24    (j) The Commission may charge a charter school that it
25authorizes a fee, not to exceed 3% of the revenue provided to
26the school, to cover the cost of undertaking the ongoing

 

 

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1administrative responsibilities of the eligible chartering
2authority with respect to the school. This fee must be
3deposited into the State Charter School Commission Fund.
4    (c) On the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
598th General Assembly, any (k) Any charter school authorized by
6the Commission State Board prior to this amendatory Act of the
798th 97th General Assembly shall have its authorization
8transferred to the Commission upon a vote of the State Board,
9which shall then become the school's authorizer for all
10purposes under this Article. However, in no case shall such
11transfer take place later than July 1, 2012. At this time, all
12of the powers, duties, assets, liabilities, contracts,
13property, records, and pending business of the Commission State
14Board as the school's authorizer must be transferred to the
15State Board Commission. Any charter school authorized by a
16local school board or boards may seek transfer of authorization
17to the State Board Commission during its current term only with
18the approval of the local school board or boards. At the end of
19its charter term, a charter school authorized by a local school
20board or boards must reapply to the board or boards before it
21may apply for authorization to the State Board Commission under
22the terms of this Article amendatory Act of the 97th General
23Assembly.
24    (d) On the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
2598th 97th General Assembly, all rules of the State Board
26applicable to matters falling within the responsibility of the

 

 

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1Commission shall be applicable to the actions of the State
2Board Commission. The Commission shall thereafter have the
3authority to propose to the State Board modifications to all
4rules applicable to matters falling within the responsibility
5of the Commission. The State Board shall retain rulemaking
6authority for the Commission, but shall work jointly with the
7Commission on any proposed modifications. Upon recommendation
8of proposed rule modifications by the Commission and pursuant
9to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, the State Board
10shall consider such changes within the intent of this
11amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly and grant any and
12all changes consistent with that intent.
13    (e) Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act
14of the 98th General Assembly, the State Board (l) The
15Commission shall have the responsibility to consider appeals
16under this Article immediately upon appointment of the initial
17members of the Commission under subsection (c) of this Section.
18Appeals pending on the effective date of this amendatory Act of
19the 98th General Assembly at the time of initial appointment
20shall be determined by the State Board Commission; the State
21Board Commission may extend the time for review as necessary
22for thorough review, but in no case shall the extension exceed
23the time that would have been available had the appeal been
24submitted to the State Board Commission on the effective date
25of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly appointment
26of its initial members. In any appeal filed with the State

 

 

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1Board Commission under this Article, both the applicant and the
2school district in which the charter school plans to locate
3shall have the right to request a hearing before the State
4Board Commission. If more than one entity requests a hearing,
5then the State Board Commission may hold only one hearing,
6wherein the applicant and the school district shall have an
7equal opportunity to present their respective positions.
8(Source: P.A. 97-152, eff. 7-20-11; 97-641, eff. 12-19-11;
997-1156, eff. 1-25-13.)
 
10    (105 ILCS 5/27A-7.10)
11    Sec. 27A-7.10. Authorizer powers and duties; immunity;
12principles and standards.
13    (a) Authorizers are responsible for executing, in
14accordance with this Article, all of the following powers and
15duties:
16        (1) Soliciting and evaluating charter applications.
17        (2) Approving quality charter applications that meet
18    identified educational needs and promote a diversity of
19    educational choices.
20        (3) Declining to approve weak or inadequate charter
21    applications.
22        (4) Negotiating and executing sound charter contracts
23    with each approved charter school.
24        (5) Monitoring, in accordance with charter contract
25    terms, the performance and legal compliance of charter

 

 

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1    schools.
2        (6) Determining whether each charter contract merits
3    renewal, nonrenewal, or revocation.
4    (b) An authorizing entity may delegate its duties to
5officers, employees, and contractors.
6    (c) Regulation by authorizers is limited to the powers and
7duties set forth in subsection (a) of this Section and must be
8consistent with the spirit and intent of this Article.
9    (d) An authorizing entity, members of the local school
10board, or the State Board Commission, in their official
11capacity, and employees of an authorizer are immune from civil
12and criminal liability with respect to all activities related
13to a charter school that they authorize, except for willful or
14wanton misconduct.
15    (e) The State Board Commission and all local school boards
16that have a charter school operating are required to develop
17and maintain chartering policies and practices consistent with
18recognized principles and standards for quality charter
19authorizing in all major areas of authorizing responsibility,
20including all of the following:
21        (1) Organizational capacity and infrastructure.
22        (2) Soliciting and evaluating charter applications.
23        (3) Performance contracting.
24        (4) Ongoing charter school oversight and evaluation.
25        (5) Charter renewal decision-making.
26    Authorizers shall carry out all their duties under this

 

 

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1Article in a manner consistent with nationally recognized
2principles and standards and with the spirit and intent of this
3Article.
4(Source: P.A. 97-152, eff. 7-20-11.)
 
5    (105 ILCS 5/27A-8)
6    Sec. 27A-8. Evaluation of charter proposals.
7    (a) This Section does not apply to a charter school
8established by referendum under Section 27A-6.5. In evaluating
9any charter school proposal submitted to it, the local school
10board or and the State Board Commission shall give preference
11to proposals that:
12        (1) demonstrate a high level of local pupil, parental,
13    community, business, and school personnel support;
14        (2) set rigorous levels of expected pupil achievement
15    and demonstrate feasible plans for attaining those levels
16    of achievement; and
17        (3) are designed to enroll and serve a substantial
18    proportion of at-risk children; provided that nothing in
19    the Charter Schools Law shall be construed as intended to
20    limit the establishment of charter schools to those that
21    serve a substantial portion of at-risk children or to in
22    any manner restrict, limit, or discourage the
23    establishment of charter schools that enroll and serve
24    other pupil populations under a nonexclusive,
25    nondiscriminatory admissions policy.

 

 

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1    (b) In the case of a proposal to establish a charter school
2by converting an existing public school or attendance center to
3charter school status, evidence that the proposed formation of
4the charter school has received majority support from certified
5teachers and from parents and guardians in the school or
6attendance center affected by the proposed charter, and, if
7applicable, from a local school council, shall be demonstrated
8by a petition in support of the charter school signed by
9certified teachers and a petition in support of the charter
10school signed by parents and guardians and, if applicable, by a
11vote of the local school council held at a public meeting. In
12the case of all other proposals to establish a charter school,
13evidence of sufficient support to fill the number of pupil
14seats set forth in the proposal may be demonstrated by a
15petition in support of the charter school signed by parents and
16guardians of students eligible to attend the charter school. In
17all cases, the individuals, organizations, or entities who
18initiate the proposal to establish a charter school may elect,
19in lieu of including any petition referred to in this
20subsection as a part of the proposal submitted to the local
21school board, to demonstrate that the charter school has
22received the support referred to in this subsection by other
23evidence and information presented at the public meeting that
24the local school board is required to convene under this
25Section.
26    (c) Within 45 days of receipt of a charter school proposal,

 

 

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1the local school board shall convene a public meeting to obtain
2information to assist the board in its decision to grant or
3deny the charter school proposal. A local school board may
4develop its own process for receiving charter school proposals
5on an annual basis that follows the same timeframes as set
6forth in this Article. Only after the local school board
7process is followed may a charter school applicant appeal to
8the State Board Commission.
9    (d) Notice of the public meeting required by this Section
10shall be published in a community newspaper published in the
11school district in which the proposed charter is located and,
12if there is no such newspaper, then in a newspaper published in
13the county and having circulation in the school district. The
14notices shall be published not more than 10 days nor less than
155 days before the meeting and shall state that information
16regarding a charter school proposal will be heard at the
17meeting. Copies of the notice shall also be posted at
18appropriate locations in the school or attendance center
19proposed to be established as a charter school, the public
20schools in the school district, and the local school board
21office. If 45 days pass without the local school board holding
22a public meeting, then the charter applicant may submit the
23proposal to the State Board Commission, where it must be
24addressed in accordance with the provisions set forth in
25subsection (g) of this Section.
26    (e) Within 30 days of the public meeting, the local school

 

 

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1board shall vote, in a public meeting, to either grant or deny
2the charter school proposal. If the local school board has not
3voted in a public meeting within 30 days after the public
4meeting, then the charter applicant may submit the proposal to
5the State Board Commission, where it must be addressed in
6accordance with the provisions set forth in subsection (g) of
7this Section.
8    (f) Within 7 days of the public meeting required under
9subsection (e) of this Section, the local school board shall
10file a report with the State Board granting or denying the
11proposal. If the local school board has approved the proposal,
12within 30 days of receipt of the local school board's report,
13the State Board shall determine whether the approved charter
14proposal is consistent with the provisions of this Article and,
15if the approved proposal complies, certify the proposal
16pursuant to Section 27A-6.
17    (g) If the local school board votes to deny the proposal,
18then the charter school applicant has 30 days from the date of
19that vote to submit an appeal to the State Board Commission. In
20such instances or in those instances referenced in subsections
21(d) and (e) of this Section, the State Board Commission shall
22follow the same process and be subject to the same timelines
23for review as the local school board.
24    (h) The State Board Commission may reverse a local school
25board's decision to deny a charter school proposal if the State
26Board Commission finds that the proposal (i) is in compliance

 

 

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1with this Article and (ii) is in the best interests of the
2students the charter school is designed to serve. Final
3decisions of the State Board Commission are subject to judicial
4review under the Administrative Review Law.
5    (i) In the case of a charter school proposed to be jointly
6authorized by 2 or more school districts, the local school
7boards may unanimously deny the charter school proposal with a
8statement that the local school boards are not opposed to the
9charter school, but that they yield to the State Board
10Commission in light of the complexities of joint
11administration.
12(Source: P.A. 96-105, eff. 7-30-09; 96-734, eff. 8-25-09;
1396-1000, eff. 7-2-10; 97-152, eff. 7-20-11.)
 
14    (105 ILCS 5/27A-9)
15    Sec. 27A-9. Term of charter; renewal.
16    (a) A charter may be granted for a period not less than 5
17and not more than 10 school years. A charter may be renewed in
18incremental periods not to exceed 5 school years.
19    (b) A charter school renewal proposal submitted to the
20local school board or State Board the Commission, as the
21chartering entity, shall contain:
22        (1) A report on the progress of the charter school in
23    achieving the goals, objectives, pupil performance
24    standards, content standards, and other terms of the
25    initial approved charter proposal; and

 

 

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1        (2) A financial statement that discloses the costs of
2    administration, instruction, and other spending categories
3    for the charter school that is understandable to the
4    general public and that will allow comparison of those
5    costs to other schools or other comparable organizations,
6    in a format required by the State Board.
7    (c) A charter may be revoked or not renewed if the local
8school board or State Board the Commission, as the chartering
9entity, clearly demonstrates that the charter school did any of
10the following, or otherwise failed to comply with the
11requirements of this law:
12        (1) Committed a material violation of any of the
13    conditions, standards, or procedures set forth in the
14    charter.
15        (2) Failed to meet or make reasonable progress toward
16    achievement of the content standards or pupil performance
17    standards identified in the charter.
18        (3) Failed to meet generally accepted standards of
19    fiscal management.
20        (4) Violated any provision of law from which the
21    charter school was not exempted.
22    In the case of revocation, the local school board or State
23Board the Commission, as the chartering entity, shall notify
24the charter school in writing of the reason why the charter is
25subject to revocation. The charter school shall submit a
26written plan to the local school board or State Board the

 

 

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1Commission, whichever is applicable, to rectify the problem.
2The plan shall include a timeline for implementation, which
3shall not exceed 2 years or the date of the charter's
4expiration, whichever is earlier. If the local school board or
5State Board the Commission, as the chartering entity, finds
6that the charter school has failed to implement the plan of
7remediation and adhere to the timeline, then the chartering
8entity shall revoke the charter. Except in situations of an
9emergency where the health, safety, or education of the charter
10school's students is at risk, the revocation shall take place
11at the end of a school year. Nothing in this amendatory Act of
12the 96th General Assembly shall be construed to prohibit an
13implementation timetable that is less than 2 years in duration.
14    (d) (Blank).
15    (e) Notice of a local school board's decision to deny,
16revoke or not to renew a charter shall be provided to the
17Commission and the State Board. The State Board Commission may
18reverse a local board's decision if the State Board Commission
19finds that the charter school or charter school proposal (i) is
20in compliance with this Article, and (ii) is in the best
21interests of the students it is designed to serve. The State
22Board may condition the granting of an appeal on the acceptance
23by the charter school of funding in an amount less than that
24requested in the proposal submitted to the local school board.
25Final decisions of the State Board Commission shall be subject
26to judicial review under the Administrative Review Law.

 

 

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1    (f) Notwithstanding other provisions of this Article, if
2the State Board Commission on appeal reverses a local board's
3decision or if a charter school is approved by referendum, the
4State Board Commission shall act as the authorized chartering
5entity for the charter school. The State Board Commission shall
6approve and certify the charter and shall perform all functions
7under this Article otherwise performed by the local school
8board. The State Board shall determine whether the charter
9proposal approved by the Commission is consistent with the
10provisions of this Article and, if the approved proposal
11complies, certify the proposal pursuant to this Article. The
12State Board shall report the aggregate number of charter school
13pupils resident in a school district to that district and shall
14notify the district of the amount of funding to be paid by the
15State Board Commission to the charter school enrolling such
16students. The State Board Commission shall require the charter
17school to maintain accurate records of daily attendance that
18shall be deemed sufficient to file claims under Section 18-8.05
19notwithstanding any other requirements of that Section
20regarding hours of instruction and teacher certification. The
21State Board shall withhold from funds otherwise due the
22district the funds authorized by this Article to be paid to the
23charter school and shall pay such amounts to the charter
24school.
25    (g) (Blank). For charter schools authorized by the
26Commission, the Commission shall quarterly certify to the State

 

 

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1Board the student enrollment for each of its charter schools.
2    (h) For charter schools authorized by the State Board
3Commission, the State Board shall pay directly to a charter
4school any federal or State aid attributable to a student with
5a disability attending the school.
6(Source: P.A. 96-105, eff. 7-30-09; 97-152, eff. 7-20-11.)
 
7    (105 ILCS 5/27A-12)
8    Sec. 27A-12. Evaluation; report. On or before September 30
9of every odd-numbered year, all local school boards with at
10least one charter school, as well as the Commission, shall
11submit to the State Board any information required by the State
12Board pursuant to applicable rule. On or before the second
13Wednesday in January of every even-numbered year, the State
14Board shall issue a report to the General Assembly and the
15Governor on its findings for the previous 2 school years. The
16State Board's report shall summarize all of the following:
17        (1) The authorizer's strategic vision for chartering
18    and progress toward achieving that vision.
19        (2) The academic and financial performance of all
20    operating charter schools overseen by the authorizer,
21    according to the performance expectations for charter
22    schools set forth in this Article.
23        (3) The status of the authorizer's charter school
24    portfolio, identifying all charter schools in each of the
25    following categories: approved (but not yet open),

 

 

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1    operating, renewed, transferred, revoked, not renewed,
2    voluntarily closed, or never opened.
3        (4) The authorizing functions provided by the
4    authorizer to the charter schools under its purview,
5    including the authorizer's operating costs and expenses
6    detailed in annual audited financial statements, which
7    must conform with generally accepted accounting
8    principles.
9    Further, in the report required by this Section, the State
10Board (i) shall compare the performance of charter school
11pupils with the performance of ethnically and economically
12comparable groups of pupils in other public schools who are
13enrolled in academically comparable courses, (ii) shall review
14information regarding the regulations and policies from which
15charter schools were released to determine if the exemptions
16assisted or impeded the charter schools in meeting their stated
17goals and objectives, and (iii) shall include suggested changes
18in State law necessary to strengthen charter schools.
19    In addition, the State Board shall undertake and report on
20periodic evaluations of charter schools that include
21evaluations of student academic achievement, the extent to
22which charter schools are accomplishing their missions and
23goals, the sufficiency of funding for charter schools, and the
24need for changes in the approval process for charter schools.
25    Based on the information that the State Board receives from
26authorizers and the State Board's ongoing monitoring of both

 

 

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1charter schools and authorizers, the State Board has the power
2to remove the power to authorize from any authorizer in this
3State if the authorizer does not demonstrate a commitment to
4high-quality authorization practices and, if necessary, revoke
5the chronically low-performing charters authorized by the
6authorizer at the time of the removal. The State Board shall
7adopt rules as needed to carry out this power, including
8provisions to determine the status of schools authorized by an
9authorizer whose authorizing power is revoked.
10(Source: P.A. 96-105, eff. 7-30-09; 97-152, eff. 7-20-11.)
 
11    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
122014.".