Public Act 094-1054
 
SB1497 Enrolled LRB094 08338 NHT 38531 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
2-3.71 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.71)  (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.71)
    Sec. 2-3.71. Grants for preschool educational programs.
    (a) Preschool program.
        (1) The State Board of Education shall implement and
    administer a grant program under the provisions of this
    subsection which shall consist of grants to public school
    districts and other eligible entities, as defined by the
    State Board of Education, to conduct voluntary preschool
    educational programs for children ages 3 to 5 which include
    a parent education component. A public school district
    which receives grants under this subsection may
    subcontract with other entities that are eligible to
    conduct a preschool educational program. These grants must
    be used to supplement, not supplant, funds received from
    any other source.
        (2) (Blank).
        (3) Any teacher of preschool children in the program
    authorized by this subsection shall hold an early childhood
    teaching certificate.
        (4) This paragraph (4) applies before July 1, 2006 and
    after June 30, 2008. The State Board of Education shall
    provide the primary source of funding through
    appropriations for the this program. Such funds shall be
    distributed for the benefit of children who because of
    their home and community environment are subject to such
    language, cultural, economic and like disadvantages that
    they have been determined as a result of screening
    procedures to be at risk of academic failure. Such
    screening procedures shall be based on criteria
    established by the State Board of Education.
        (4.5) This paragraph (4.5) applies from July 1, 2006
    through June 30, 2008. The State Board of Education shall
    provide the primary source of funding through
    appropriations for the program. Such funds shall be
    distributed to achieve a goal of "Preschool for All
    Children" for the benefit of all children whose families
    choose to participate in the program. Based on available
    appropriations, newly funded programs shall be selected
    through a process giving first priority to qualified
    programs serving primarily at-risk children and second
    priority to qualified programs serving primarily children
    with a family income of less than 4 times the poverty
    guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by
    the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the
    authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2). For purposes of this
    paragraph (4.5), at-risk children are those who because of
    their home and community environment are subject to such
    language, cultural, economic and like disadvantages to
    cause them to have been determined as a result of screening
    procedures to be at risk of academic failure. Such
    screening procedures shall be based on criteria
    established by the State Board of Education.
        On or before November 1 of each fiscal year in which
    the General Assembly provides funding for new programs
    under this paragraph (4.5), the State Board of Education
    shall report to the General Assembly on what percentage of
    new funding was provided to programs serving primarily
    at-risk children, what percentage of new funding was
    provided to programs serving primarily children with a
    family income of less than 4 times the federal poverty
    level, and what percentage of new funding was provided to
    other programs.
        (5) The State Board of Education shall develop and
    provide evaluation tools, including tests, that school
    districts and other eligible entities may use to evaluate
    children for school readiness prior to age 5. The State
    Board of Education shall require school districts and other
    eligible entities to obtain consent from the parents or
    guardians of children before any evaluations are
    conducted. The State Board of Education shall encourage
    local school districts and other eligible entities to
    evaluate the population of preschool children in their
    communities and provide preschool programs, pursuant to
    this subsection, where appropriate.
        (6) The State Board of Education shall report to the
    General Assembly by July 1, 2007 1989 and every 3 years
    thereafter, on the results and progress of students who
    were enrolled in preschool educational programs, including
    an assessment of which programs have been most successful
    in promoting academic excellence and alleviating academic
    failure. The State Board of Education shall assess the
    academic progress of all students who have been enrolled in
    preschool educational programs.
    (b) (Blank).
(Source: P.A. 94-506, eff. 8-8-05.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
2006.