SB2135enr 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2135 Enrolled LRB093 14551 NHT 40042 b

AN ACT relating to schools.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 2-3.134 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.134 new)

Sec. 2-3.134. K-3 class size reduction grant program. A class size reduction grant program is created. The program shall be implemented and administered by the State Board of Education. From appropriations made for purposes of this Section, the State Board shall award grants to schools that meet the criteria established by this Section for the award of those grants.

Grants shall be awarded pursuant to application. The form and manner of applications and the criteria for the award of grants shall be prescribed by the State Board of Education. The grant criteria as so prescribed, however, shall provide that only those schools that are on the State Board of Education Early Academic Warning List or the academic watch list under Section 2-3.25d that maintain grades kindergarten through 3 are grant eligible.

Grants awarded to eligible schools under this Section shall be used and applied by the schools to defray the costs and expenses of operating and maintaining classes in grades kindergarten through 3 with an average class size within a specific grade of no more than 20 pupils. If a school's facilities are inadequate to allow for this specified class size, then a school may use the grant funds for teacher aides instead.

The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules, consistent with the requirements of this Section, that are necessary to implement and administer the K-3 class size reduction grant program.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.