(105 ILCS 5/3-15.10) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-15.10)
Sec. 3-15.10. Assistant Regional Superintendent. To employ, in counties or
regions of 2,000,000 inhabitants or less, in addition to any assistants
authorized to be employed with the approval of the county board, an assistant
regional superintendent of schools, who shall be a person of good attainment,
versed in the principles and methods of education, and qualified to teach and
supervise schools under Article 21B of this Code; to fix the term of such
assistant; and to direct his work and define his duties. On the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, in regions established
within that portion of a Class II county school unit outside of a city of 500,000 or more
inhabitants, the employment of all persons serving as assistant county or regional superintendents of schools is terminated, the position of assistant regional superintendent of schools in each such region is abolished, and this Section shall, beginning on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, have no further application in the educational service region. Assistant regional superintendents shall each be a
person of good attainment, versed in the principles and methods of education,
and qualified to teach and supervise schools under Article 21B of this Code. The
work of such assistant regional superintendent shall be so arranged and
directed that the county or regional superintendent and assistant
superintendent, together, shall devote an amount of time during the school
year, equal to at least the full time of one individual, to the supervision of
schools and of teaching in the schools of the county.
A regional superintendent of schools shall not employ his or her spouse,
child, stepchild, or
relative as an assistant regional superintendent of schools.
By September 1 each year, a regional superintendent shall certify to the State
Board of Education
that he or she
has complied with this paragraph.
If the State Board of Education becomes aware of the fact that a regional
superintendent is employing his or her spouse, child, stepchild, or relative as
an assistant regional superintendent, the State Board of Education shall report this information to the Governor and the Comptroller, and the State Board of Education shall not
request for payment from the State Comptroller any warrants for the payment of
the assistant regional superintendent's salary or other employment-related compensation or benefits. In this paragraph, "relative"
means a grandparent, parent, aunt, uncle, sibling, first cousin, nephew, niece,
grandchild, or spouse of one of these persons. This paragraph applies only to
contracts for employment entered into on or after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly.
(Source: P.A. 99-30, eff. 7-10-15.)
|
(105 ILCS 5/3-15.12) (from Ch. 122, par. 3-15.12)
Sec. 3-15.12. High school equivalency.
The regional
superintendent of schools and the Illinois Community College Board shall make available for qualified individuals
residing within the region a High School Equivalency Testing Program and alternative methods of credentialing, as identified under this Section.
For that purpose the regional superintendent alone or with other
regional superintendents may establish and supervise a testing center or
centers to administer the secure forms for high school equivalency testing to qualified persons. Such centers
shall be under the supervision of the regional superintendent in whose
region such centers are located, subject to the approval
of the
Executive Director of the Illinois Community College Board.
The Illinois Community College Board shall also establish criteria and make available alternative methods of credentialing throughout the State. An individual is eligible to apply to the regional superintendent of schools
for the region in which he or she
resides if he or she is: (a) a person who is 17 years
of age or older, has maintained residence in the State of Illinois,
and is
not a high school graduate; (b)
a person who is successfully completing an
alternative education program under Section 2-3.81, Article 13A,
or Article 13B; or (c) a
person who is
enrolled in a youth education program sponsored by the Illinois National
Guard.
For purposes of this Section, residence is that abode which the applicant
considers his or her home. Applicants may provide as sufficient proof of such
residence and as an acceptable form of identification a driver's license, valid passport, military ID, or other form of government-issued national or foreign identification that shows the applicant's name, address, date of birth, signature, and photograph or other acceptable identification as may be allowed by law or as regulated by the Illinois Community College Board. Such regional superintendent shall determine if the
applicant meets statutory and regulatory state standards. If qualified the
applicant shall at the time of such application pay a fee established by the
Illinois Community College Board, which fee shall be paid into a special
fund
under the control and supervision of the regional superintendent. Such moneys
received by the regional superintendent shall be used, first, for the
expenses incurred
in administering and scoring the examination, and next for other educational
programs that are developed and designed by the regional superintendent of
schools to assist those who successfully complete high school equivalency testing or meet the criteria for alternative methods of credentialing in furthering their academic development or
their ability to secure and retain gainful employment, including programs for
the competitive award based on test scores of college or adult education
scholarship grants or similar educational incentives. Any excess moneys shall
be paid into the institute fund.
Any applicant who has achieved the minimum passing standards as
established by the
Illinois Community College Board shall be
notified in writing by the regional superintendent and shall be
issued a State of Illinois High School Diploma on the forms provided by the
Illinois Community College Board. The regional superintendent shall
then certify to the Illinois Community College Board
the score of the applicant and such other and additional information
that may be required by the Illinois Community College Board. The
moneys received therefrom shall be used in the same manner as provided
for in this Section.
The Illinois Community College Board shall establish alternative methods of credentialing for the issuance of a State of Illinois High School Diploma. In addition to high school equivalency testing, the following alternative methods of receiving a State of Illinois High School Diploma shall be made available to qualified individuals on or after January 1, 2018: (A) High School Equivalency based on High School |
| Credit. A qualified candidate may petition to have his or her high school transcripts evaluated to determine what the candidate needs to meet criteria as established by the Illinois Community College Board.
|
|
(B) High School Equivalency based on Post-Secondary
|
| Credit. A qualified candidate may petition to have his or her post-secondary transcripts evaluated to determine what the candidate needs to meet criteria established by the Illinois Community College Board.
|
|
(C) High School Equivalency based on a Foreign
|
| Diploma. A qualified candidate may petition to have his or her foreign high school or post-secondary transcripts evaluated to determine what the candidate needs to meet criteria established by the Illinois Community College Board.
|
|
(D) High School Equivalency based on Completion of a
|
| Competency-Based Program as approved by the Illinois Community College Board. The Illinois Community College Board shall establish guidelines for competency-based high school equivalency programs.
|
|
Any applicant who has attained the age of 17 years and maintained
residence in the State of Illinois and is not a high school graduate, any person who has enrolled in a youth education program sponsored by the Illinois National Guard, or any person who has successfully completed
an
alternative education program under Section 2-3.81,
Article 13A, or Article 13B is eligible to apply for a State of Illinois High School Diploma (if he or she meets the requirements prescribed by the Illinois Community College Board) upon showing evidence that he or she has completed, successfully, high school equivalency testing, administered by the United
States Armed Forces Institute, official high school equivalency testing centers established in other
states, Veterans' Administration Hospitals, or the office of the State
Superintendent of Education for the Illinois State Penitentiary
System and the Department of Corrections. Such applicant shall apply to the
regional superintendent of the region wherein he or she has maintained residence, and,
upon payment of a fee established by the Illinois Community College Board,
the regional superintendent shall issue a State of Illinois High School Diploma and immediately thereafter certify to the Illinois Community College Board the score of the applicant and such other and
additional information as may be required by the Illinois Community College Board.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, any applicant who has
been out of school for at least one year may request the regional
superintendent of schools to administer restricted high school equivalency testing upon
written request of: the director of a program who certifies to the Chief
Examiner of an official high school equivalency testing center that the applicant has completed a
program of instruction provided by such agencies as the Job Corps, the
Postal Service Academy, or an apprenticeship training program; an employer
or program director for purposes of entry into apprenticeship programs;
another state's department of education in order to meet regulations
established by that department of education; or a post high school
educational institution for purposes of admission, the Department of Financial and
Professional Regulation for licensing purposes, or the Armed Forces
for induction purposes. The regional superintendent shall administer
such testing, and the applicant shall be notified in writing that he or she is
eligible to receive a State of Illinois High School Diploma
upon reaching age 17, provided he or she meets the standards established by the Illinois Community College Board.
Any test administered under this Section to an applicant who does not
speak and understand English may at the discretion of the administering
agency be given and answered in any language in which the test is
printed. The regional superintendent of schools may waive any fees required
by this Section in case of hardship.
The regional superintendent of schools and the Illinois Community College Board shall waive any fees required by this Section for an applicant who meets all of the following criteria:
(1) The applicant qualifies as a homeless person,
|
| child, or youth as defined in the Education for Homeless Children Act.
|
|
(2) The applicant has not attained 25 years of age
|
| as of the date of the scheduled test.
|
|
(3) The applicant can verify his or her status as a
|
| homeless person, child, or youth. A homeless services provider that is qualified to verify an individual's housing status, as determined by the Illinois Community College Board, and that has knowledge of the applicant's housing status may verify the applicant's status for purposes of this subdivision (3).
|
|
(4) The applicant has completed a high school
|
| equivalency preparation course through an Illinois Community College Board-approved provider.
|
|
(5) The applicant is taking the test at a testing
|
| center operated by a regional superintendent of schools or the Cook County High School Equivalency Office.
|
|
In counties of over 3,000,000 population, a State of Illinois High School Diploma
shall contain the signatures of the Executive Director of the Illinois Community College Board and the superintendent, president, or other chief
executive officer of the institution where high school equivalency testing instruction occurred and any
other signatures authorized by the Illinois Community College Board.
The regional superintendent of schools shall furnish the Illinois
Community College Board with any information that the Illinois
Community College Board requests with regard to testing and diplomas under this
Section.
A State of Illinois High School Diploma is a recognized high school equivalency certificate for purposes of reciprocity with other states. A high school equivalency certificate from another state is equivalent to a State of Illinois High School Diploma.
(Source: P.A. 102-1100, eff. 1-1-23 .)
|
(105 ILCS 5/3-15.12a) Sec. 3-15.12a. Alternate route to high school diploma for adult learners. (a) The purpose of Public Act 100-514 is to provide eligible applicants that have been or are unable to establish agreements with a secondary or unit school district in the area in which the applicant is located with a process for attaining the authority to award high school diplomas to adult learners. (a-5) In this Section: "Adult learner" means a person ineligible for reenrollment under subsection (b) of Section 26-2 of this Code and 34 CFR 300.102. "Board" means the Illinois Community College Board. "Eligible applicant" means a community college established and operating under the authority of the Public Community College Act; a non-profit entity in partnership with a regional superintendent of schools; the chief administrator of an intermediate service center that has the authority, under rules adopted by the State Board of Education, to issue a high school diploma; or a school district organized under Article 34 of this Code. In order to be an eligible applicant, an entity under this definition, other than a school district organized under Article 34 of this Code, must provide evidence or other documentation that it is or has been unable to establish an agreement with a secondary or unit school district in which the eligible applicant is located to provide a program in which students who successfully complete the program can receive a high school diploma from their school district of residence. "Executive Director" means the Executive Director of the Illinois Community College Board. "High school diploma program for adult learners" means a program approved to operate under this Section that provides a program of alternative study to adult learners leading to the issuance of a high school diploma. (b) An eligible applicant is authorized to design a high school diploma program for adult learners, to be approved by the Board prior to implementation. A non-profit eligible applicant shall operate this program only within the jurisdictional authority of the regional superintendent of schools, the chief administrator of an intermediate service center, or a school district organized Article 34 of this Code with whom the non-profit eligible applicant has entered into a partnership. An approved program shall include, without limitation, all of the following: (1) An administrative structure, program activities, |
| program staff, a budget, and a specific curriculum that is consistent with Illinois Learning Standards, as well as Illinois content standards for adults, but may be different from a regular school program in terms of location, length of school day, program sequence, multidisciplinary courses, pace, instructional activities, or any combination of these.
|
|
(2) Issuance of a high school diploma only if an
|
| adult learner meets all minimum requirements under this Code and its implementing rules for receipt of a high school diploma.
|
|
(3) Specific academic, behavioral, and emotional
|
| support services to be offered to adult learners enrolled in the program.
|
|
(4) Career and technical education courses that lead
|
| to industry certifications in high growth and in-demand industry sectors or dual credit courses from a regionally accredited post-secondary educational institution consistent with the Dual Credit Quality Act. The program may include partnering with a community college district to provide career and technical education courses that lead to industry certifications.
|
|
(5) Specific program outcomes and goals and metrics
|
| to be used by the program to determine success.
|
|
(6) The requirement that all instructional staff must
|
| hold an educator license valid for the high school grades issued under Article 21B of this Code.
|
|
(7) Any other requirements adopted by rule by the
|
|
(c) Eligible applicants shall apply for approval of a high school diploma program for adult learners to the Board on forms prescribed by the Board.
(1) Initial approval shall be for a period not to
|
|
(2) Renewal of approval shall be for a period not to
|
| exceed 4 school years and shall be contingent upon at least specific documented outcomes of student progression, graduation rates, and earning of industry-recognized credentials.
|
|
(3) Program approval may be given only if the
|
| Executive Director determines that the eligible applicant has provided assurance through evidence of other documentation that it will meet the requirements of subsection (b) of this Section and any rules adopted by the Board. The Board shall make public any evaluation criteria it uses in making a determination of program approval or denial.
|
|
(4) Notwithstanding anything in this Code to the
|
| contrary, a non-profit eligible applicant shall provide the following to the Board:
|
|
(A) documentation that the non-profit entity will
|
| fulfill the requirements of subsection (b) of this Section;
|
|
(B) evidence that the non-profit entity has the
|
| capacity to fulfill the requirements of this Section;
|
|
(C) a description of the coordination and
|
| oversight that the eligible entity will provide in the administration of the program by the non-profit entity;
|
|
(D) evidence that the non-profit entity has a
|
| history of providing services to adults 18 years of age or older whose educational and training opportunities have been limited by educational disadvantages, disabilities, and challenges.
|
|
(5) If an eligible applicant that has been approved
|
| fails to meet any of the requirements of subsection (b) of this Section and any rules adopted by the Board, the Executive Director shall immediately initiate a process to revoke the eligible applicant's approval to provide the program, pursuant to rules adopted by the Board.
|
|
(d) The Board may adopt any rules necessary to implement this Section.
(Source: P.A. 100-514, eff. 9-22-17; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19.)
|
(105 ILCS 5/3A-4) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-4)
Sec. 3A-4. Mandatory consolidation of educational service regions.
(a) After July 1, 2015,
each
region must contain at least 61,000 inhabitants. Before June 30, 2013, regions may be consolidated
voluntarily under Section 3A-3 or by joint resolution of the county boards of
regions seeking to join a voluntary consolidation, effective July 1, 2015, to meet these population
requirements. The boundaries of regions already meeting these population
requirements on the effective date of Public Act 97-703 may not be
changed except to consolidate with another region or a whole county portion of
another region which does not meet these population requirements.
If, before November 1, 2013, locally determined consolidation decisions result in more than 35 regions of
population greater than 61,000 each, the State Board of Education shall, before November 23, 2013, direct
further consolidation, beginning with the region of lowest population, until
the number of 35 regions is achieved.
(b) (Blank).
(c) If, within 90 days after the most recent certified federal census, a region does not meet the population requirements of this Section, then regions may be consolidated voluntarily under Section 3A-3 of this Code or by joint resolution of the county boards of regions seeking to join a voluntary consolidation to meet these population requirements. If locally determined consolidation decisions result in a region not meeting the population requirements of this Section or result in more than 35 regions, then the State Board of Education shall have the authority to impose further consolidation by order of the State Superintendent of Education. Such an order shall be a final order and is subject to the Administrative Review Law.
(d) All population determinations shall be based on the most recent
federal census.
(Source: P.A. 97-703, eff. 6-25-12; 98-594, eff. 11-15-13.)
|
(105 ILCS 5/3A-6) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-6)
Sec. 3A-6. Election of Superintendent for consolidated region - Bond -
Vacancies in any educational service region. (a) The regional superintendent to be
elected under Section 3A-5 shall be elected at the time provided in the general
election law and must possess the qualifications described in Section 3-1 of
this Act.
(b) The bond required under Section 3-2 shall be filed in the office of
the
county clerk in the county where the regional office is situated, and a
certified copy of that bond shall be filed in the office of the county clerk
in each of the other counties in the region.
(c) When a vacancy occurs in the office of regional superintendent of
schools of any educational service region which is not located in a county
which is a home rule unit, such vacancy shall be filled within 60 days (i)
by appointment of the chairman of the county board, with the advice and
consent of the county board, when such vacancy occurs in a single county
educational service region; or (ii) by appointment of a committee composed
of the chairmen of the county boards of those counties comprising the
affected educational service region when such vacancy occurs in a
multicounty educational service region, each committeeman to be entitled to
one vote for each vote that was received in the county represented by such
committeeman on the committee by the regional superintendent of schools
whose office is vacant at the last election at which a regional
superintendent was elected to such office, and the person receiving the
highest number of affirmative votes from the committeemen for such vacant
office to be deemed the person appointed by such committee to fill the
vacancy. The appointee shall be a member of the same political party as the
regional superintendent of schools the appointee succeeds was at the time
such regional superintendent of schools last was elected. The appointee
shall serve
for the remainder of the term. However, if more than 28 months remain
in that term, the appointment shall be until the next general election, at
which time the vacated office shall be filled by election for the remainder
of the term. Nominations shall be made and any vacancy in nomination
shall be filled as follows:
(1) If the vacancy in office occurs before the first |
| date provided in Section 7-12 of the Election Code for filing nomination papers for county offices for the primary in the next even-numbered year following commencement of the term of office in which the vacancy occurs, nominations for the election for filling the vacancy shall be made pursuant to Article 7 of the Election Code.
|
|
(2) If the vacancy in office occurs during the time
|
| provided in Section 7-12 of the Election Code for filing nomination papers for county offices for the primary in the next even-numbered year following commencement of the term of office in which the vacancy occurs, the time for filing nomination papers for the primary shall not be more than 91 days nor less than 85 days prior to the date of the primary.
|
|
(3) If the vacancy in office occurs after the last
|
| day provided in Section 7-12 of the Election Code for filing nomination papers for county offices for the primary in the next even-numbered year following commencement of the term of office in which the vacancy occurs, a vacancy in nomination shall be deemed to have occurred and the county central committee of each established political party (if the vacancy occurs in a single county educational service region) or the multi-county educational service region committee of each established political party (if the vacancy occurs in a multi-county educational service region) shall nominate, by resolution, a candidate to fill the vacancy in nomination for election to the office at the general election. In the nomination proceedings to fill the vacancy in nomination, each member of the county central committee or the multi-county educational service region committee, whichever applies, shall have the voting strength as set forth in Section 7-8 or 7-8.02 of the Election Code, respectively. The name of the candidate so nominated shall not appear on the ballot at the general primary election. The vacancy in nomination shall be filled prior to the date of certification of candidates for the general election.
|
|
(4) The resolution to fill the vacancy shall be duly
|
| acknowledged before an officer qualified to take acknowledgments of deeds and shall include, upon its face, the following information: (A) the name of the original nominee and the office vacated; (B) the date on which the vacancy occurred; and (C) the name and address of the nominee selected to fill the vacancy and the date of selection. The resolution to fill the vacancy shall be accompanied by a statement of candidacy, as prescribed in Section 7-10 of the Election Code, completed by the selected nominee, a certificate from the State Board of Education, as prescribed in Section 3-1 of this Code, and a receipt indicating that the nominee has filed a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act.
|
|
The provisions of Sections 10-8 through 10-10.1 of the Election Code
relating to objections to nomination papers, hearings on objections, and
judicial review shall also apply to and govern objections to nomination papers
and resolutions for filling vacancies in nomination filed pursuant to this
Section. Unless otherwise specified in this Section, the nomination and
election provided for in this Section is governed by the general election
law.
Except as otherwise provided by applicable county ordinance or by law, if
a vacancy occurs in the office of regional superintendent of schools of an
educational service region that is located in a county that is a home rule unit
and that has a population of less than 2,000,000 inhabitants, that vacancy
shall be filled by the county board of such home rule county.
Any person appointed to fill a vacancy in the office of
regional superintendent of schools of any educational service region must
possess the qualifications required to be elected to the position of
regional superintendent of schools, and shall obtain a certificate of
eligibility from the State Superintendent of Education and file same with
the county clerk of the county in which the regional superintendent's office
is located.
If the regional superintendent of schools is called into the active military
service of the United States, his office shall not be deemed to be vacant,
but a temporary appointment shall be made as in the case of a vacancy.
The appointee shall perform all the duties of the regional superintendent
of schools during the time the regional superintendent of schools is in
the active military service of the United States, and shall be paid the
same compensation apportioned as to the time of service, and such appointment
and all authority thereunder shall cease upon the discharge of the regional
superintendent of schools from such active military service. The appointee
shall give the same bond as is required of a regularly elected regional
superintendent of schools.
(Source: P.A. 96-893, eff. 7-1-10.)
|