State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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91_HB1144

 
                                               LRB9105093NTdv

 1        AN ACT to amend  the  School  Code  by  changing  Section
 2    34-18.

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

 5        Section 5.   The  School  Code  is  amended  by  changing
 6    Section 34-18 as follows:

 7        (105 ILCS 5/34-18) (from Ch. 122, par. 34-18)
 8        Sec.  34-18.   Powers  of  the  board.   The  board shall
 9    exercise general supervision and jurisdiction over the public
10    education and the public school  system  of  the  city,  and,
11    except  as otherwise provided by this Article, shall have the
12    following powers power:
13             1.  To make suitable provision for the establishment
14        and maintenance throughout the year or for  such  portion
15        thereof  as  it  may  direct,  not less than 9 months, of
16        schools  of  all  grades  and  kinds,  including   normal
17        schools,   high   schools,  night  schools,  schools  for
18        defectives and delinquents, parental and truant  schools,
19        schools for the blind, the deaf and the crippled, schools
20        or   classes   in   manual  training,  constructural  and
21        vocational teaching, domestic arts and physical  culture,
22        vocation  and  extension schools and lecture courses, and
23        all other educational courses and  facilities,  including
24        establishing,   equipping,   maintaining   and  operating
25        playgrounds and recreational programs, when such programs
26        are conducted in, adjacent  to,  or  connected  with  any
27        public   school   under   the   general  supervision  and
28        jurisdiction of the board;  provided,  however,  that  in
29        allocating  funds  from year to year for the operation of
30        all attendance centers within  the  district,  the  board
31        shall  ensure  that  supplemental general State aid funds
 
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 1        are allocated and applied in accordance with Section 18-8
 2        or 18-8.05. To  admit  to  such  schools  without  charge
 3        foreign  exchange  students  who  are  participants in an
 4        organized exchange student program which is authorized by
 5        the board. The board shall permit all students to  enroll
 6        in  apprenticeship  programs in trade schools operated by
 7        the board, whether those programs  are union-sponsored or
 8        not.  No student shall be refused admission  into  or  be
 9        excluded  from  any  course of instruction offered in the
10        common schools by  reason  of  that  student's  sex.   No
11        student   shall   be  denied  equal  access  to  physical
12        education and interscholastic athletic programs supported
13        from school district funds  or  denied  participation  in
14        comparable   physical  education  and  athletic  programs
15        solely by reason of the student's sex.  Equal  access  to
16        programs   supported   from  school  district  funds  and
17        comparable programs will be defined in rules  promulgated
18        by  the State Board of Education in consultation with the
19        Illinois High  School  Association.  Notwithstanding  any
20        other  provision  of  this  Article, neither the board of
21        education nor any local school council  or  other  school
22        official  shall recommend that children with disabilities
23        be placed into regular education classrooms unless  those
24        children    with    disabilities    are   provided   with
25        supplementary  services  to  assist  them  so  that  they
26        benefit from the regular classroom  instruction  and  are
27        included   on   the  teacher's  regular  education  class
28        register;
29             2.  To  furnish  lunches  to  pupils,  to   make   a
30        reasonable  charge  therefor, and to use school funds for
31        the payment of such expenses as the board  may  determine
32        are necessary in conducting the school lunch program;
33             3.  To co-operate with the circuit court;
34             4.  To   make   arrangements   with  the  public  or
 
                            -3-                LRB9105093NTdv
 1        quasi-public libraries and museums for the use  of  their
 2        facilities by teachers and pupils of the public schools;
 3             5.  To  employ  dentists  and prescribe their duties
 4        for the purpose of treating the pupils  in  the  schools,
 5        but  accepting  such  treatment  shall  be  optional with
 6        parents or guardians;
 7             6.  To  grant  the  use  of   assembly   halls   and
 8        classrooms  when  not  otherwise needed, including light,
 9        heat, and attendants, for free public lectures, concerts,
10        and other  educational  and  social  interests,  free  of
11        charge,   under   such  provisions  and  control  as  the
12        principal  of  the   affected   attendance   center   may
13        prescribe;
14             7.  To  apportion the pupils to the several schools;
15        provided  that  no  pupil  shall  be  excluded  from   or
16        segregated  in  any  such school on account of his color,
17        race, sex, or nationality.  The  board  shall  take  into
18        consideration  the  prevention  of  segregation  and  the
19        elimination  of  separation of children in public schools
20        because of color, race, sex, or nationality. Except  that
21        children  may  be  committed  to  or  attend parental and
22        social  adjustment  schools  established  and  maintained
23        either for boys or girls only.  All records pertaining to
24        the creation, alteration or revision of attendance  areas
25        shall  be open to the public.  Nothing herein shall limit
26        the board's authority to establish multi-area  attendance
27        centers   or   other   student   assignment  systems  for
28        desegregation purposes or otherwise, and to apportion the
29        pupils to the several schools.  Furthermore, beginning in
30        school year 1994-95, pursuant to a board plan adopted  by
31        October  1,  1993, the board shall offer, commencing on a
32        phased-in basis, the opportunity for families within  the
33        school district to apply for enrollment of their children
34        in any attendance center within the school district which
 
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 1        does  not  have selective admission requirements approved
 2        by the board.  The appropriate geographical area in which
 3        such open enrollment may be exercised shall be determined
 4        by the board of education.  Such children may be admitted
 5        to any such attendance center on a space available  basis
 6        after   all  children  residing  within  such  attendance
 7        center's area have been accommodated.  If the  number  of
 8        applicants  from  outside  the attendance area exceed the
 9        space available,  then  successful  applicants  shall  be
10        selected  by  lottery.   The  board  of  education's open
11        enrollment plan must include provisions  that  allow  low
12        income  students  to have access to transportation needed
13        to exercise school choice.  Open enrollment shall  be  in
14        compliance  with the provisions of the Consent Decree and
15        Desegregation Plan cited in Section 34-1.01;
16             8.  To approve programs and policies  for  providing
17        transportation services to students. Nothing herein shall
18        be  construed  to  permit  or  empower the State Board of
19        Education to order, mandate, or require busing  or  other
20        transportation  of  pupils  for  the purpose of achieving
21        racial balance in any school;
22             9.  Subject to the limitations in this  Article,  to
23        establish  and  approve system-wide curriculum objectives
24        and  standards,  including  graduation  standards,  which
25        reflect the multi-cultural diversity in the city and  are
26        consistent with State law, provided that for all purposes
27        of  this  Article courses or proficiency in American Sign
28        Language  shall  be  deemed  to  constitute  courses   or
29        proficiency   in   a  foreign  language;  and  to  employ
30        principals and teachers, appointed as  provided  in  this
31        Article,  and  fix  their  compensation.  The board shall
32        prepare  such  reports  related  to  minimal   competency
33        testing  as  may  be  requested  by  the  State  Board of
34        Education, and in  addition  shall  monitor  and  approve
 
                            -5-                LRB9105093NTdv
 1        special  education  and  bilingual education programs and
 2        policies within the district to assure  that  appropriate
 3        services are provided in accordance with applicable State
 4        and  federal  laws  to  children  requiring  services and
 5        education in those areas;
 6             10.  To employ  non-teaching  personnel  or  utilize
 7        volunteer  personnel  for:  (i)  non-teaching  duties not
 8        requiring instructional judgment or evaluation of pupils,
 9        including library  duties;  and  (ii)  supervising  study
10        halls,   long  distance  teaching  reception  areas  used
11        incident  to  instructional   programs   transmitted   by
12        electronic  media  such  as  computers, video, and audio,
13        detention  and  discipline  areas,  and  school-sponsored
14        extracurricular activities. The board may further utilize
15        volunteer   non-certificated    personnel    or    employ
16        non-certificated  personnel  to assist in the instruction
17        of pupils under the immediate supervision  of  a  teacher
18        holding a valid certificate, directly engaged in teaching
19        subject  matter  or  conducting activities; provided that
20        the  teacher  shall  be   continuously   aware   of   the
21        non-certificated persons' activities and shall be able to
22        control  or modify them. The general superintendent shall
23        determine qualifications  of  such  personnel  and  shall
24        prescribe rules for determining the duties and activities
25        to be assigned to such personnel;
26             11.  To  provide television studio facilities in not
27        to exceed one school building and to provide programs for
28        educational purposes, provided, however, that  the  board
29        shall  not  construct,  acquire,  operate,  or maintain a
30        television transmitter; to grant the use  of  its  studio
31        facilities  to  a  licensed television station located in
32        the school district; and to maintain and operate  not  to
33        exceed  one school radio transmitting station and provide
34        programs for educational purposes;
 
                            -6-                LRB9105093NTdv
 1             12.  To  offer,  if  deemed   appropriate,   outdoor
 2        education courses, including field trips within the State
 3        of  Illinois,  or  adjacent  states,  and  to  use school
 4        educational funds for the expense  of  the  said  outdoor
 5        educational  programs, whether within the school district
 6        or not;
 7             13.  During that period of  the  calendar  year  not
 8        embraced  within  the regular school term, to provide and
 9        conduct courses in subject matters normally  embraced  in
10        the program of the schools during the regular school term
11        and  to  give  regular  school  credit  for  satisfactory
12        completion  by  the  student  of  such  courses as may be
13        approved for credit by the State Board of Education;
14             14.  To insure against any loss or liability of  the
15        board,  the  former  School  Board Nominating Commission,
16        Local  School  Councils,  the  Chicago  Schools  Academic
17        Accountability  Council,  or   the   former   Subdistrict
18        Councils  or  of  any  member, officer, agent or employee
19        thereof,  resulting  from  alleged  violations  of  civil
20        rights arising  from  incidents  occurring  on  or  after
21        September  5,  1967 or from the wrongful or negligent act
22        or omission of any such person whether  occurring  within
23        or  without  the  school  premises, provided the officer,
24        agent or  employee  was,  at  the  time  of  the  alleged
25        violation  of  civil  rights or wrongful act or omission,
26        acting within  the  scope  of  his  employment  or  under
27        direction   of   the   board,  the  former  School  Board
28        Nominating  Commission,  the  Chicago  Schools   Academic
29        Accountability  Council,  Local  School  Councils, or the
30        former  Subdistrict  Councils;  and  to  provide  for  or
31        participate in  insurance  plans  for  its  officers  and
32        employees,   including  but  not  limited  to  retirement
33        annuities, medical, surgical and hospitalization benefits
34        in such types and amounts as may  be  determined  by  the
 
                            -7-                LRB9105093NTdv
 1        board;  provided,  however, that the board shall contract
 2        for  such  insurance  only  with  an  insurance   company
 3        authorized  to do business in this State.  Such insurance
 4        may include provision for employees who rely on treatment
 5        by prayer  or  spiritual  means  alone  for  healing,  in
 6        accordance  with  the tenets and practice of a recognized
 7        religious denomination;
 8             15.  To contract with the corporate  authorities  of
 9        any  municipality  or  the county board of any county, as
10        the case may be, to provide for the regulation of traffic
11        in parking areas of property used for school purposes, in
12        such manner as is  provided  by  Section  11-209  of  The
13        Illinois  Vehicle  Code,  approved September 29, 1969, as
14        amended;
15             16.  To provide, on an equal basis,  access  to  the
16        school  campus to the official recruiting representatives
17        of the armed forces of Illinois and the United States for
18        the purposes of informing students of the educational and
19        career opportunities available in  the  military  if  the
20        board has provided such access to persons or groups whose
21        purpose  is  to  acquaint  students  with  educational or
22        occupational opportunities available to them.  The  board
23        is  not  required  to  give  greater notice regarding the
24        right of access to  recruiting  representatives  than  is
25        given to other persons and groups;
26             17. (a)  To  sell  or  market  any  computer program
27        developed by an employee of the school district, provided
28        that such employee developed the computer  program  as  a
29        direct  result  of  his  or  her  duties  with the school
30        district  or  through  the  utilization  of  the   school
31        district  resources  or  facilities.    The  employee who
32        developed the computer program shall be entitled to share
33        in the proceeds of such sale or marketing of the computer
34        program.  The distribution of such proceeds  between  the
 
                            -8-                LRB9105093NTdv
 1        employee  and the school district shall be as agreed upon
 2        by the employee and  the  school  district,  except  that
 3        neither  the employee nor the school district may receive
 4        more than 90% of such proceeds.  The negotiation  for  an
 5        employee  who  is  represented by an exclusive bargaining
 6        representative  may  be  conducted  by  such   bargaining
 7        representative at the employee's request.
 8             (b)  For the purpose of this paragraph 17:
 9                  (1)  "Computer" means an internally programmed,
10             general    purpose   digital   device   capable   of
11             automatically accepting data,  processing  data  and
12             supplying the results of the operation.
13                  (2)  "Computer program" means a series of coded
14             instructions or statements in a form acceptable to a
15             computer,  which causes the computer to process data
16             in order to achieve a certain result.
17                  (3)  "Proceeds"  means  profits  derived   from
18             marketing  or  sale of a product after deducting the
19             expenses of developing and marketing such product;
20             18.  To delegate to the  general  superintendent  of
21        schools,   by   resolution,   the  authority  to  approve
22        contracts and expenditures in amounts of $10,000 or less;
23             19.  Upon the written request  of  an  employee,  to
24        withhold from the compensation of that employee any dues,
25        payments or contributions payable by such employee to any
26        labor organization as defined in the Illinois Educational
27        Labor  Relations  Act.  Under such arrangement, an amount
28        shall be withheld from each regular payroll period  which
29        is  equal  to  the pro rata share of the annual dues plus
30        any  payments  or  contributions,  and  the  board  shall
31        transmit  such  withholdings  to  the   specified   labor
32        organization  within 10 working days from the time of the
33        withholding;
34             19a.  Upon receipt of notice from the comptroller of
 
                            -9-                LRB9105093NTdv
 1        a municipality with a population of 500,000 or more  that
 2        a  debt  is due and owing the municipality by an employee
 3        of the  Chicago  School  Reform  Board  of  Trustees,  to
 4        withhold,  from  the  compensation  of that employee, the
 5        amount of the debt that is due  and  owing  and  pay  the
 6        amount  withheld  to the municipality; provided, however,
 7        that the amount deducted from  any  one  salary  or  wage
 8        payment  shall  not  exceed  25% of the net amount of the
 9        payment.  Before the Board deducts any  amount  from  any
10        salary  or  wage of an employee under this paragraph, the
11        municipality shall certify that  the  employee  has  been
12        afforded an opportunity for a hearing to dispute the debt
13        that  is due and owing the municipality.  For purposes of
14        this paragraph, "net  amount"  means  that  part  of  the
15        salary  or  wage payment remaining after the deduction of
16        any amounts required by law to be deducted and "debt  due
17        and owing" means (i) a specified sum of money owed to the
18        municipality for city services, work, or goods, after the
19        period  granted  for  payment  has  expired,  or  (ii)  a
20        specified  sum of money owed to the municipality pursuant
21        to a court order or order of  an  administrative  hearing
22        officer  after  the  exhaustion  of,  or  the  failure to
23        exhaust, judicial review;
24             20.  The board is encouraged to employ a  sufficient
25        number  of  certified  school  counselors  to  maintain a
26        student/counselor ratio of 250 to  1  by  July  1,  1990.
27        Each  counselor shall spend at least 75% of his work time
28        in direct contact with  students  and  shall  maintain  a
29        record of such time;
30             21.  To  make  available  to students vocational and
31        career counseling  and  to  establish  5  special  career
32        counseling  days for students and parents.  On these days
33        representatives of local businesses and industries  shall
34        be invited to the school campus and shall inform students
 
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 1        of  career opportunities available to them in the various
 2        businesses and industries.  Special  consideration  shall
 3        be  given  to  counseling  minority students as to career
 4        opportunities available to them in various fields.    For
 5        the  purposes of this paragraph, minority student means a
 6        person who is:
 7                  (a)  Black (a person having origins in  any  of
 8             the black racial groups in Africa);
 9                  (b)  Hispanic   (a   person   of   Spanish   or
10             Portuguese  culture with origins in Mexico, South or
11             Central   America,   or   the   Caribbean   islands,
12             regardless of race);
13                  (c)  Asian American (a person having origins in
14             any  of  the  original  peoples  of  the  Far  East,
15             Southeast  Asia,  the  Indian  Subcontinent  or  the
16             Pacific Islands); or
17                  (d)  American  Indian  or  Alaskan  Native   (a
18             person having origins in any of the original peoples
19             of North America).
20             Counseling  days  shall  not  be  in lieu of regular
21        school days;
22             22.  To report to the State Board of  Education  the
23        annual  student  dropout  rate and number of students who
24        graduate from, transfer from or otherwise leave bilingual
25        programs;
26             23.  Except as otherwise provided in the Abused  and
27        Neglected  Child  Reporting Act or other applicable State
28        or federal law, to permit school officials  to  withhold,
29        from  any  person,  information on the whereabouts of any
30        child removed from school premises  when  the  child  has
31        been  taken  into  protective  custody  as  a  victim  of
32        suspected  child  abuse.   School  officials shall direct
33        such person to the  Department  of  Children  and  Family
34        Services,  or  to  the  local  law  enforcement agency if
 
                            -11-               LRB9105093NTdv
 1        appropriate;
 2             24.  To develop a policy, based on the current state
 3        of existing school facilities, projected  enrollment  and
 4        efficient utilization of available resources, for capital
 5        improvement  of  schools  and school buildings within the
 6        district, addressing in that  policy  both  the  relative
 7        priority  for major repairs, renovations and additions to
 8        school facilities, and the advisability or  necessity  of
 9        building   new  school  facilities  or  closing  existing
10        schools to meet current or projected demographic patterns
11        within the district;
12             25.  To make available to the students in every high
13        school attendance center the ability to take all  courses
14        necessary  to comply with the Board of Higher Education's
15        college entrance criteria effective in 1993;
16             26.  To  encourage  mid-career  changes   into   the
17        teaching   profession,  whereby  qualified  professionals
18        become  certified  teachers,  by  allowing   credit   for
19        professional    employment   in   related   fields   when
20        determining point of entry on teacher pay scale;
21             27.  To provide or contract  out  training  programs
22        for  administrative personnel and principals with revised
23        or expanded duties pursuant  to  this  Act  in  order  to
24        assure  they  have  the  knowledge  and skills to perform
25        their duties;
26             28.  To establish a fund for the prioritized special
27        needs programs, and to allocate such funds and other lump
28        sum  amounts  to  each  attendance  center  in  a  manner
29        consistent with the  provisions  of  part  4  of  Section
30        34-2.3.   Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to
31        require any additional appropriations of State funds  for
32        this purpose;
33             29.  (Blank);
34             30.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act
 
                            -12-               LRB9105093NTdv
 1        or  any other law to the contrary, to contract with third
 2        parties for services otherwise  performed  by  employees,
 3        including those in a bargaining unit, and to layoff those
 4        employees  upon  14  days  written notice to the affected
 5        employees.  Those contracts may be for a  period  not  to
 6        exceed 5 years and may be awarded on a system-wide basis;
 7             31.  To  promulgate  rules  establishing  procedures
 8        governing  the  layoff or reduction in force of employees
 9        and the recall of  such  employees,  including,  but  not
10        limited  to,  criteria  for  such  layoffs, reductions in
11        force or recall rights of such employees and  the  weight
12        to  be  given to any particular criterion.  Such criteria
13        shall take into account factors  including,  but  not  be
14        limited  to,  qualifications, certifications, experience,
15        performance ratings or evaluations, and any other factors
16        relating to an employee's job performance; and
17             32.  To develop a policy to prevent nepotism in  the
18        hiring of personnel or the selection of contractors.
19        The  specifications  of the powers herein granted are not
20    to be  construed  as  exclusive  but  the  board  shall  also
21    exercise  all  other  powers  that  they  may be requisite or
22    proper for the maintenance and the development  of  a  public
23    school  system, not inconsistent with the other provisions of
24    this Article or provisions of this Code which  apply  to  all
25    school districts.
26        In  addition  to the powers herein granted and authorized
27    to be exercised by the board, it shall be  the  duty  of  the
28    board  to  review or to direct independent reviews of special
29    education expenditures and services. The board shall  file  a
30    report  of such review with the General Assembly on or before
31    May 1, 1990.
32    (Source: P.A. 89-15,  eff.  5-30-95;  89-397,  eff.  8-20-95;
33    89-626,  eff.  8-9-96;  90-22,  eff.  6-20-97;  90-548,  eff.
34    1-1-98.)

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