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92nd General Assembly

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Public Act 92-0604

SB1983 Enrolled                                LRB9216031NTpk

    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
Sections  2-3.64,  10-17a,  14C-4,  and  18-8.05  and  adding
Sections 10-21.3a and 34-18.23 as follows:

    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.64) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.64)
    Sec. 2-3.64.  State goals and assessment.
    (a)  Beginning in the 1998-1999 school  year,  the  State
Board    of   Education   shall   establish   standards   and
periodically, in collaboration with local  school  districts,
conduct  studies of student performance in the learning areas
of fine arts and physical development/health.  Beginning with
the 1998-1999 school year, the State Board of Education shall
annually test: (i) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd,  5th,  and
8th  grades  in  English language arts (reading, writing, and
English  grammar)  and  mathematics;  and  (ii)  all   pupils
enrolled  in  the  4th  and  7th grades in the biological and
physical  sciences  and   the   social   sciences   (history,
geography,  civics,  economics,  and  government).  The State
Board of Education shall  establish  the  academic  standards
that  are to be applicable to pupils who are subject to State
tests under this Section beginning with the 1998-1999  school
year.   However,  the  State  Board  of  Education  shall not
establish any such standards  in  final  form  without  first
providing  opportunities  for  public participation and local
input in the development of  the  final  academic  standards.
Those opportunities shall include a well-publicized period of
public  comment,  public  hearings  throughout the State, and
opportunities to file written comments.  Beginning  with  the
1998-99  school  year  and  thereafter,  the State tests will
identify pupils in the 3rd grade or 5th grade who do not meet
the State standards.  If, by performance on the  State  tests
or  local  assessments  or  by  teacher judgment, a student's
performance is determined  to  be  2  or  more  grades  below
current   placement,   the   student   shall  be  provided  a
remediation program developed by the district in consultation
with a parent or  guardian.  Such  remediation  programs  may
include,   but   shall   not  be  limited  to,  increased  or
concentrated instructional time,  a  remedial  summer  school
program  of  not  less  than 90 hours, improved instructional
approaches,  tutorial  sessions,  retention  in  grade,   and
modifications  to  instructional  materials.   Each pupil for
whom a remediation program is developed under this subsection
shall be required to enroll in and  attend  whatever  program
the   district  determines  is  appropriate  for  the  pupil.
Districts may combine students in remediation programs  where
appropriate  and  may  cooperate  with other districts in the
design  and  delivery  of  those  programs.   The  parent  or
guardian of  a  student  required  to  attend  a  remediation
program  under  this Section shall be given written notice of
that requirement by the school  district  a  reasonable  time
prior  to  commencement  of  the remediation program that the
student is to attend.  The State  shall  be  responsible  for
providing  school  districts  with  the  new  and  additional
funding,  under  Section  2-3.51.5  or by other or additional
means, that is required to enable the  districts  to  operate
remediation  programs  for  the  pupils  who  are required to
enroll in and  attend  those  programs  under  this  Section.
Every  individualized  educational  program  as  described in
Article 14 shall identify if the  State  test  or  components
thereof  are  appropriate for that student.  For those pupils
for whom the  State  tests  or  components  thereof  are  not
appropriate, the State Board of Education shall develop rules
and  regulations  governing the administration of alternative
tests  prescribed  within   each   student's   individualized
educational  program  which are appropriate to the disability
of each student.  All pupils who  are  in  a  State  approved
transitional  bilingual  education  program  or  transitional
program  of instruction shall participate in the State tests.
Any student  who  has  been  enrolled  in  a  State  approved
bilingual  education program less than 3 academic years shall
be exempted if the student's lack of English as determined by
an English language proficiency test would keep  the  student
from  understanding  the  test,  and  that student's district
shall have an alternative test  program  in  place  for  that
student.   The  State Board of Education shall appoint a task
force of concerned parents, teachers,  school  administrators
and   other  professionals  to  assist  in  identifying  such
alternative tests.  Reasonable accommodations  as  prescribed
by  the  State  Board  of  Education  shall  be  provided for
individual students  in  the  testing  procedure.   All  test
procedures  prescribed  by the State Board of Education shall
require: (i) that each test used for State and local  student
testing  under this Section identify by name the pupil taking
the test; (ii) that the name of the pupil taking the test  be
placed  on the test at the time the test is taken; (iii) that
the results or scores of each test taken under  this  Section
by  a  pupil  of  the  school  district  be  reported to that
district and identify by name  the  pupil  who  received  the
reported  results  or  scores;  and  (iv) that the results or
scores  of  each  test  taken  under  this  Section  be  made
available  to  the  parents  of  the  pupil.   In   addition,
beginning  with  the 2000-2001 school year and in each school
year thereafter, the highest scores  and  performance  levels
attained  by  a  student  on  the  Prairie  State Achievement
Examination administered under subsection (c) of this Section
shall become part of the student's permanent record and shall
be  entered  on  the   student's   transcript   pursuant   to
regulations   that   the   State  Board  of  Education  shall
promulgate for that purpose in accordance with Section 3  and
subsection  (e)  of  Section 2 of the Illinois School Student
Records Act.  Beginning with the 1998-1999 school year and in
every school year thereafter, scores received by students  on
the State assessment tests administered in grades 3 through 8
shall  be placed into students' temporary records.  The State
Board of Education shall establish a  common  month  in  each
school  year  for which State testing shall occur to meet the
objectives of this Section.  However, if  the  schools  of  a
district  are closed and classes are not scheduled during any
week that is established by the State Board of  Education  as
the  week  of the month when State testing under this Section
shall occur, the school district may administer the  required
State  testing  at  any time up to 2 weeks following the week
established by the State Board of Education for the  testing,
so  long  as  the  school  district  gives the State Board of
Education written notice of its intention to deviate from the
established schedule by December 1  of  the  school  year  in
which  falls  the  week  established  by  the  State Board of
Education for the testing.  The maximum time allowed for  all
actual  testing  required  under  this  subsection during the
school year shall not exceed 25 hours as allocated among  the
required tests by the State Board of Education.
    (a-5)  All  tests  administered  pursuant to this Section
shall be  academically  based.   For  the  purposes  of  this
Section   "academically   based   tests"   shall  mean  tests
consisting of questions and answers that are  measurable  and
quantifiable  to measure the knowledge, skill, and ability of
students in  the  subject  matters  covered  by  tests.   The
scoring of academically based tests shall be reliable, valid,
unbiased  and  shall meet the guidelines for test development
and use prescribed by the American Psychological Association,
the National Council of Measurement and Evaluation,  and  the
American Educational Research Association. Academically based
tests   shall  not  include  assessments  or  evaluations  of
attitudes, values, or beliefs,  or  testing  of  personality,
self-esteem,  or self-concept. Nothing in this amendatory Act
is  intended,  nor  shall  it  be  construed,   to   nullify,
supersede,  or  contradict the legislative intent on academic
testing expressed during the passage of HB 1005/P.A. 90-296.
    Beginning in the 1998-1999 school year, the  State  Board
of  Education  may,  on  a  pilot basis, include in the State
assessments in reading and math at each grade level tested no
more than 2 short answer questions, where  students  have  to
respond   in   brief   to   questions   or  prompts  or  show
computations, rather than select from alternatives  that  are
presented.   In  the first year that such questions are used,
scores on the short answer questions shall not be reported on
an individual student basis but shall be aggregated for  each
school  building  in which the tests are given.  State-level,
school, and district scores shall be reported both  with  and
without the results of the short answer questions so that the
effect  of  short  answer  questions  is clearly discernible.
Beginning in the second year of this pilot program, scores on
the short answer questions  shall  be  reported  both  on  an
individual  student  basis  and on a school building basis in
order  to  monitor  the  effects  of  teacher  training   and
curriculum improvements on score results.
    The  State  Board of Education shall not continue the use
of  short  answer  questions  in   the   math   and   reading
assessments,  or  extend  the  use of such questions to other
State assessments, unless  this  pilot  project  demonstrates
that   the  use  of  short  answer  questions  results  in  a
statistically significant improvement in student  achievement
as measured on the State assessments for math and reading and
is justifiable in terms of cost and student performance.
    (b)  It  shall  be  the  policy of the State to encourage
school districts to continuously test  pupil  proficiency  in
the  fundamental  learning  areas  in  order to:  (i) provide
timely  information  on  individual   students'   performance
relative  to  State  standards  that  is  adequate  to  guide
instructional  strategies;  (ii)  improve future instruction;
and (iii) complement the information provided  by  the  State
testing  system  described  in this Section.  Each district's
school improvement plan must address specific activities  the
district intends to implement to assist pupils who by teacher
judgment  and test results as prescribed in subsection (a) of
this Section demonstrate that  they  are  not  meeting  State
standards  or  local objectives. Such activities may include,
but shall not be limited to, summer school,  extended  school
day,    special   homework,   tutorial   sessions,   modified
instructional   materials,   other   modifications   in   the
instructional program, reduced class  size  or  retention  in
grade.    To   assist   school  districts  in  testing  pupil
proficiency in reading in the primary grades, the State Board
shall  make  optional  reading  inventories  for   diagnostic
purposes available to each school district that requests such
assistance.     Districts   that   administer   the   reading
inventories may develop remediation programs for students who
perform in the bottom half of the student population.   Those
remediation  programs  may be funded by moneys provided under
the School Safety and  Educational  Improvement  Block  Grant
Program  established under Section 2-3.51.5.  Nothing in this
Section shall  prevent  school  districts  from  implementing
testing  and  remediation  policies  for  grades not required
under this Section.
    (c)  Beginning  with  the  2000-2001  school  year,  each
school district that  operates  a  high  school  program  for
students in grades 9 through 12 shall annually administer the
Prairie  State Achievement Examination established under this
subsection to its students as set forth below.   The  Prairie
State Achievement Examination shall be developed by the State
Board  of  Education  to  measure  student performance in the
academic areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and
social  sciences.   The  State  Board  of   Education   shall
establish  the  academic  standards  that  are  to  apply  in
measuring   student   performance   on   the   Prairie  State
Achievement Examination  including  the  minimum  examination
score  in  each area that will qualify a student to receive a
Prairie State Achievement Award from the State in recognition
of the student's excellent performance.  Each school district
that is subject to the requirements of  this  subsection  (c)
shall afford all students 2 opportunities to take the Prairie
State  Achievement Examination beginning as late as practical
during the second semester of  grade  11,  but  in  no  event
before  March 1.  The State Board of Education shall annually
notify  districts  of  the  weeks  during  which  these  test
administrations  shall   be   required   to   occur.    Every
individualized educational program as described in Article 14
shall  identify  if the Prairie State Achievement Examination
or components thereof are appropriate for that student.  Each
student,   exclusive   of   a  student  whose  individualized
educational program developed under Article 14 identifies the
Prairie State Achievement Examination  as  inappropriate  for
the  student,  shall  be  required to take the examination in
grade  11.   For  each  academic  area  the  State  Board  of
Education shall establish the score that  qualifies  for  the
Prairie  State  Achievement  Award  on  that  portion  of the
examination.  Any student who  fails  to  earn  a  qualifying
score  for  a  Prairie  State Achievement Award in any one or
more of the academic areas on the initial test administration
or who wishes to improve his or her score on any  portion  of
the  examination shall be permitted to retake such portion or
portions of the examination during grade 12.  Districts shall
inform  their  students  of  the  timelines  and   procedures
applicable   to   their   participation   in   every   yearly
administration  of the Prairie State Achievement Examination.
Students   receiving   special   education   services   whose
individualized  educational  programs  identify  the  Prairie
State  Achievement  Examination  as  inappropriate  for  them
nevertheless shall have the option of taking the examination,
which shall be administered to those students  in  accordance
with  standards  adopted   by the State Board of Education to
accommodate the respective disabilities of those students.  A
student who successfully completes all other applicable  high
school  graduation  requirements but fails to receive a score
on the Prairie State Achievement Examination  that  qualifies
the  student for receipt of a Prairie State Achievement Award
shall nevertheless qualify for the receipt of a regular  high
school diploma.
    (d)  Beginning   with  the  2002-2003  school  year,  all
schools in this State that are part of the  sample  drawn  by
the    National   Center   for   Education   Statistics,   in
collaboration with their school districts and the State Board
of Education, shall administer the  biennial  State  academic
assessments  of  4th  and  8th  grade reading and mathematics
under the National Assessment of Educational Progress carried
out  under  Section  411(b)(2)  of  the  National   Education
Statistics  Act  of 1994 (20 U.S.C. 9010) if the Secretary of
Education pays the costs of administering the assessments.
(Source:  P.A. 90-566, eff.  1-2-98;  90-789,  eff.  8-14-98;
91-283, eff. 7-29-99.)

    (105 ILCS 5/10-17a) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-17a)
    Sec. 10-17a.  Better schools accountability.
    (1)  Policy  and  Purpose.  It shall be the policy of the
State of Illinois that each school district  in  this  State,
including  special charter districts and districts subject to
the provisions  of  Article  34,  shall  submit  to  parents,
taxpayers   of  such  district,  the  Governor,  the  General
Assembly, and the State Board of Education  a  school  report
card  assessing  the performance of its schools and students.
The report card shall  be  an  index  of  school  performance
measured  against  statewide  and  local  standards  and will
provide information to make prior year comparisons and to set
future year targets through the school improvement plan.
    (2)  Reporting Requirements.  Each school district  shall
prepare  a  report card in accordance with the guidelines set
forth in this Section which describes the performance of  its
students by school attendance centers and by district and the
district's  use  of  financial  resources.   Such report card
shall be presented at a regular school board meeting  subject
to  applicable  notice  requirements,  posted  on  the school
district's Internet web site, if the  district  maintains  an
Internet  web  site,  and  such  report  cards  shall be made
available to a newspaper of general circulation  serving  the
district,  and,  upon request, shall be sent home to a parent
(unless the district does not maintain an Internet web  site,
in  which  case the report card shall be sent home to parents
without request)  parents.  If the district posts the  report
card  on  its  Internet  web  site, the district shall send a
written notice home to parents stating (i)  that  the  report
card  is  available  on the web site, (ii) the address of the
web site, (iii) that a printed copy of the report  card  will
be  sent  to  parents  upon  request,  and (iv) the telephone
number that parents may call to request a printed copy of the
report card.  In addition, each school district shall  submit
the  completed  report  card  to the office of the district's
Regional Superintendent which shall make copies available  to
any individuals requesting them.
    The report card shall be completed and disseminated prior
to  October  31  in  each school year.  The report card shall
contain,  but  not  be  limited  to,  actual   local   school
attendance   center,   school  district  and  statewide  data
indicating the present performance of the school,  the  State
norms  and  the  areas for planned improvement for the school
and school district.
    (3) (a)  The report  card  shall  include  the  following
applicable  indicators  of  attendance  center, district, and
statewide  student  performance:  percent  of  students   who
exceed,  meet,  or  do  not meet standards established by the
State  Board  of  Education  pursuant  to  Section   2-3.25a;
composite  and subtest means on nationally normed achievement
tests for college bound students; student  attendance  rates;
chronic  truancy  rate;  dropout  rate;  graduation rate; and
student mobility, turnover shown as a  percent  of  transfers
out and a percent of transfers in.
    (b)  The   report   card   shall  include  the  following
descriptions for the school, district,  and  State:   average
class  size;  amount  of time per day devoted to mathematics,
science, English and social science at  primary,  middle  and
junior  high  school  grade levels; number of students taking
the Prairie State Achievement  Examination  under  subsection
(c)  of  Section  2-3.64,  the  number  of those students who
received a score of  excellent,  and  the  average  score  by
school  of  students  taking  the  examination; pupil-teacher
ratio; pupil-administrator ratio; operating  expenditure  per
pupil;  district  expenditure  by fund; average administrator
salary; and average teacher salary.
    (c)  The report card shall include applicable  indicators
of  parental  involvement  in  each  attendance  center.  The
parental involvement  component  of  the  report  card  shall
include the percentage of students whose parents or guardians
have  had  one  or  more personal contacts with the students'
teachers during the  school  year  concerning  the  students'
education,   and  such  other  information,  commentary,  and
suggestions as the school district desires.  For the purposes
of this paragraph, "personal contact" includes,  but  is  not
limited  to,  parent-teacher  conferences, parental visits to
school, school visits to home, telephone  conversations,  and
written  correspondence.   The parental involvement component
shall  not  single  out  or  identify  individual   students,
parents, or guardians by name.
    (d)  The  report card form shall be prepared by the State
Board of Education and provided to school  districts  by  the
most efficient, economic, and appropriate means.
(Source: P.A. 89-610, eff. 8-6-96.)

    (105 ILCS 5/10-21.3a new)
    Sec.  10-21.3a.  Transfer  of students. Each school board
shall establish and implement a policy governing the transfer
of a student from one attendance center to another within the
school district upon the request of the student's  parent  or
guardian. Any request by a parent or guardian to transfer his
or her child from one attendance center to another within the
school  district  pursuant  to  Section  1116  of the federal
Elementary and Secondary Education Act  of  1965  (20  U.S.C.
Sec.  6317)  must  be  made  no  later than 30 days after the
parent or guardian receives notice of the right  to  transfer
pursuant  to  that  law. A student may not transfer to any of
the  following  attendance  centers,  except  by  change   in
residence  if  the  policy  authorizes  enrollment  based  on
residence  in  an  attendance  area or unless approved by the
board on an individual basis:
         (1)  An attendance  center  that  exceeds  or  as  a
    result  of  the  transfer  would  exceed  its  attendance
    capacity.
         (2)  An  attendance  center  for which the board has
    established  academic  criteria  for  enrollment  if  the
    student does not meet the  criteria,  provided  that  the
    transfer  must  be  permitted if the attendance center is
    the only attendance center serving  the  student's  grade
    that  has  not  been  identified  for school improvement,
    corrective action, or restructuring under Section 1116 of
    the federal Elementary and  Secondary  Education  Act  of
    1965 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6317).
         (3)  Any  attendance  center  if  the transfer would
    prevent the school district from meeting its  obligations
    under  a  State  or  federal law, court order, or consent
    decree applicable to the school district.

    (105 ILCS 5/14C-4) (from Ch. 122, par. 14C-4)
    Sec. 14C-4. Notice  of  enrollment;  content;  rights  of
parents.
    No  later  than  30  10  days  after the beginning of the
school year or 14 days after the enrollment of any child in a
program in transitional bilingual education during the middle
of a school year, the school  district  in  which  the  child
resides shall notify by mail the parents or legal guardian of
the child of the fact that their child has been enrolled in a
program in transitional bilingual education. The notice shall
contain  all  of  the  following  information  in  a  simple,
nontechnical language:
         (1)  The  reasons  why  the child has been placed in
    and needs the services of the program.
         (2)  The child's level of English  proficiency,  how
    this level was assessed, and the child's current level of
    academic achievement.
         (3)  description   of   The   purposes,   method  of
    instruction used in the program and  in  other  available
    offerings  of  the  district,  including  how the program
    differs  from   those   other   offerings   in   content,
    instructional  goals,  and  the use of English and native
    language instruction.
         (4)  How  the  program  will  meet  the  educational
    strengths and needs of the child.
         (5)  How the  program  will  specifically  help  the
    child  to  learn English and to meet academic achievement
    standards for grade promotion and graduation.
         (6)  The specific exit requirements for the program,
    the expected rate of transition from the program into the
    regular curriculum, and the expected graduation rate  for
    children  in the program if the program is offered at the
    secondary level.
         (7)  How the program meets  the  objectives  of  the
    child's   individual   educational   program   (IEP),  if
    applicable.
         (8)  The right of the parents to decline  to  enroll
    the  child in the program or to choose another program or
    method of instruction, if available.
         (9)  The right of the  parents  to  have  the  child
    immediately removed from the program upon request.
         (10)  and  content of the program in which the child
    is enrolled and shall inform the parents that  they  have
    The  right of the parents to visit transitional bilingual
    education classes in which their child is enrolled and to
    come to the school for a conference to explain the nature
    of transitional bilingual education.  Said  notice  shall
    further  inform  the  parents that they have the absolute
    right, if they so wish, to withdraw their  child  from  a
    program in transitional bilingual education in the manner
    as hereinafter provided.
    The  notice  shall  be  in  writing in English and in the
language of which  the  child  of  the  parents  so  notified
possesses a primary speaking ability.
    Any  parent whose child has been enrolled in a program in
transitional bilingual  education  shall  have  the  absolute
right,  either  at  the  time of the original notification of
enrollment or at the close of  any  semester  thereafter,  to
immediately withdraw his child from said program by providing
written  notice  of  such desire to the school authorities of
the school in which his child is enrolled or  to  the  school
district  in  which  his  child  resides;  provided  that  no
withdrawal  shall be permitted unless such parent is informed
in a conference with school district officials of the  nature
of the program.
(Source: P.A. 78-727.)

    (105 ILCS 5/18-8.05)
    Sec.  18-8.05.  Basis  for apportionment of general State
financial aid and  supplemental  general  State  aid  to  the
common schools for the 1998-1999 and subsequent school years.

(A)  General Provisions.
    (1)  The   provisions   of  this  Section  apply  to  the
1998-1999 and subsequent school years.  The system of general
State financial aid provided for in this Section is  designed
to  assure that, through a combination of State financial aid
and required local resources, the financial support  provided
each  pupil  in  Average Daily Attendance equals or exceeds a
prescribed per pupil Foundation Level.  This formula approach
imputes a level of per pupil Available  Local  Resources  and
provides  for  the  basis  to  calculate a per pupil level of
general State financial aid that,  when  added  to  Available
Local Resources, equals or exceeds the Foundation Level.  The
amount  of  per  pupil general State financial aid for school
districts,  in  general,  varies  in  inverse   relation   to
Available  Local Resources.  Per pupil amounts are based upon
each school district's Average Daily Attendance as that  term
is defined in this Section.
    (2)  In  addition  to general State financial aid, school
districts with specified levels or concentrations  of  pupils
from   low   income   households   are  eligible  to  receive
supplemental general State financial aid grants  as  provided
pursuant to subsection (H). The supplemental State aid grants
provided  for  school districts under subsection (H) shall be
appropriated for distribution to school districts as part  of
the  same  line item in which the general State financial aid
of school districts is appropriated under this Section.
    (3)  To receive financial assistance under this  Section,
school  districts  are required to file claims with the State
Board of Education, subject to the following requirements:
         (a)  Any school district which fails for  any  given
    school  year to maintain school as required by law, or to
    maintain a recognized school is not eligible to file  for
    such  school  year any claim upon the Common School Fund.
    In case of  nonrecognition  of  one  or  more  attendance
    centers   in   a   school  district  otherwise  operating
    recognized schools, the claim of the  district  shall  be
    reduced   in  the  proportion  which  the  Average  Daily
    Attendance in the attendance center or  centers  bear  to
    the  Average  Daily Attendance in the school district.  A
    "recognized school" means any public school  which  meets
    the standards as established for recognition by the State
    Board  of  Education.   A  school  district or attendance
    center not having recognition status  at  the  end  of  a
    school term is entitled to receive State aid payments due
    upon   a  legal  claim  which  was  filed  while  it  was
    recognized.
         (b)  School district claims filed under this Section
    are subject to Sections 18-9, 18-10, and 18-12, except as
    otherwise provided in this Section.
         (c)  If a  school  district  operates  a  full  year
    school  under  Section  10-19.1, the general State aid to
    the school district shall  be  determined  by  the  State
    Board  of  Education  in  accordance with this Section as
    near as may be applicable.
         (d)  (Blank).
    (4)  Except as provided in subsections (H) and  (L),  the
board  of  any  district receiving any of the grants provided
for in this Section may apply those  funds  to  any  fund  so
received   for   which  that  board  is  authorized  to  make
expenditures by law.
    School districts are not  required  to  exert  a  minimum
Operating  Tax  Rate in order to qualify for assistance under
this Section.
    (5)  As used in this Section the  following  terms,  when
capitalized, shall have the meaning ascribed herein:
         (a)  "Average  Daily  Attendance":  A count of pupil
    attendance  in  school,  averaged  as  provided  for   in
    subsection   (C)  and  utilized  in  deriving  per  pupil
    financial support levels.
         (b)  "Available Local Resources":  A computation  of
    local  financial  support,  calculated  on  the  basis of
    Average Daily Attendance and derived as provided pursuant
    to subsection (D).
         (c)  "Corporate   Personal   Property    Replacement
    Taxes":  Funds paid to local school districts pursuant to
    "An  Act  in  relation  to  the  abolition  of ad valorem
    personal property tax and  the  replacement  of  revenues
    lost thereby, and amending and repealing certain Acts and
    parts  of Acts in connection therewith", certified August
    14, 1979, as amended (Public Act 81-1st S.S.-1).
         (d)  "Foundation Level":  A prescribed level of  per
    pupil  financial  support  as  provided for in subsection
    (B).
         (e)  "Operating  Tax  Rate":   All  school  district
    property taxes extended for all purposes, except Bond and
    Interest, Summer School, Rent, Capital  Improvement,  and
    Vocational Education Building purposes.

(B)  Foundation Level.
    (1)  The  Foundation Level is a figure established by the
State representing the minimum level of per  pupil  financial
support  that  should  be  available to provide for the basic
education of each pupil in Average Daily Attendance.  As  set
forth  in  this  Section,  each school district is assumed to
exert  a  sufficient  local  taxing  effort  such  that,   in
combination with the aggregate of general State financial aid
provided  the  district,  an  aggregate  of  State  and local
resources are available to meet the basic education needs  of
pupils in the district.
    (2)  For  the 1998-1999 school year, the Foundation Level
of support is $4,225.  For the  1999-2000  school  year,  the
Foundation  Level  of  support  is $4,325.  For the 2000-2001
school year, the Foundation Level of support is $4,425.
    (3)  For the 2001-2002 school year and each  school  year
thereafter, the Foundation Level of support is $4,560 or such
greater  amount  as  may be established by law by the General
Assembly.

(C)  Average Daily Attendance.
    (1)  For  purposes  of  calculating  general  State   aid
pursuant  to  subsection  (E),  an  Average  Daily Attendance
figure shall  be  utilized.   The  Average  Daily  Attendance
figure  for formula calculation purposes shall be the monthly
average of the actual number of pupils in attendance of  each
school district, as further averaged for the best 3 months of
pupil  attendance for each school district.  In compiling the
figures for  the  number  of  pupils  in  attendance,  school
districts  and  the  State  Board  of  Education  shall,  for
purposes  of  general  State  aid funding, conform attendance
figures to the requirements of subsection (F).
    (2)  The Average Daily  Attendance  figures  utilized  in
subsection (E) shall be the requisite attendance data for the
school  year  immediately preceding the school year for which
general State aid is being calculated or the average  of  the
attendance  data  for the 3 preceding school years, whichever
is greater.  The Average Daily Attendance figures utilized in
subsection (H) shall be the requisite attendance data for the
school year immediately preceding the school year  for  which
general State aid is being calculated.

(D)  Available Local Resources.
    (1)  For   purposes  of  calculating  general  State  aid
pursuant to subsection (E),  a  representation  of  Available
Local  Resources  per  pupil,  as  that  term  is defined and
determined in this subsection, shall be utilized.   Available
Local  Resources  per pupil shall include a calculated dollar
amount representing local school district revenues from local
property  taxes  and   from   Corporate   Personal   Property
Replacement  Taxes,  expressed  on  the  basis  of  pupils in
Average Daily Attendance.
    (2)  In determining  a  school  district's  revenue  from
local  property  taxes,  the  State  Board of Education shall
utilize the  equalized  assessed  valuation  of  all  taxable
property  of  each  school district as of September 30 of the
previous year.  The  equalized  assessed  valuation  utilized
shall  be  obtained  and determined as provided in subsection
(G).
    (3)  For school districts maintaining grades kindergarten
through 12, local property tax revenues per  pupil  shall  be
calculated   as  the  product  of  the  applicable  equalized
assessed valuation for the district multiplied by 3.00%,  and
divided  by  the  district's Average Daily Attendance figure.
For school districts maintaining grades kindergarten  through
8,  local property tax revenues per pupil shall be calculated
as the product of the applicable equalized assessed valuation
for the district multiplied by  2.30%,  and  divided  by  the
district's  Average  Daily  Attendance  figure.   For  school
districts maintaining grades 9 through 12, local property tax
revenues per pupil shall be the applicable equalized assessed
valuation of the district multiplied by 1.05%, and divided by
the district's Average Daily Attendance figure.
    (4)  The  Corporate  Personal  Property Replacement Taxes
paid to each school district during the calendar year 2 years
before the calendar year  in  which  a  school  year  begins,
divided  by  the  Average  Daily  Attendance  figure for that
district, shall be added to the local property  tax  revenues
per  pupil  as  derived by the application of the immediately
preceding paragraph (3).  The sum of these per pupil  figures
for  each  school  district  shall constitute Available Local
Resources as that term is utilized in subsection (E)  in  the
calculation of general State aid.

(E)  Computation of General State Aid.
    (1)  For  each  school  year, the amount of general State
aid allotted to a school district shall be  computed  by  the
State Board of Education as provided in this subsection.
    (2)  For  any  school  district for which Available Local
Resources per pupil is less than the product  of  0.93  times
the  Foundation  Level,  general  State aid for that district
shall be calculated as an  amount  equal  to  the  Foundation
Level  minus  Available  Local  Resources,  multiplied by the
Average Daily Attendance of the school district.
    (3)  For any school district for  which  Available  Local
Resources  per  pupil is equal to or greater than the product
of 0.93 times the Foundation Level and less than the  product
of 1.75 times the Foundation Level, the general State aid per
pupil  shall  be a decimal proportion of the Foundation Level
derived  using  a  linear  algorithm.   Under   this   linear
algorithm,  the  calculated general State aid per pupil shall
decline  in  direct  linear  fashion  from  0.07  times   the
Foundation  Level  for a school district with Available Local
Resources equal to the product of 0.93 times  the  Foundation
Level,  to  0.05  times  the  Foundation  Level  for a school
district with Available Local Resources equal to the  product
of  1.75  times  the  Foundation  Level.   The  allocation of
general State  aid  for  school  districts  subject  to  this
paragraph  3  shall  be  the calculated general State aid per
pupil figure multiplied by the Average  Daily  Attendance  of
the school district.
    (4)  For  any  school  district for which Available Local
Resources per pupil equals or exceeds  the  product  of  1.75
times  the  Foundation  Level,  the general State aid for the
school district shall be calculated as the  product  of  $218
multiplied  by  the  Average  Daily  Attendance of the school
district.
    (5)  The amount of  general  State  aid  allocated  to  a
school  district  for  the  1999-2000 school year meeting the
requirements set forth in paragraph  (4)  of  subsection  (G)
shall  be  increased  by an amount equal to the general State
aid that would have been received by  the  district  for  the
1998-1999  school  year by utilizing the Extension Limitation
Equalized Assessed Valuation as calculated in  paragraph  (4)
of subsection (G) less the general State aid allotted for the
1998-1999  school  year.   This  amount shall be deemed a one
time increase, and shall not affect any future general  State
aid allocations.

(F)  Compilation of Average Daily Attendance.
    (1)  Each  school district shall, by July 1 of each year,
submit to the State Board of Education, on  forms  prescribed
by  the  State Board of Education, attendance figures for the
school year that began in the preceding calendar  year.   The
attendance  information  so  transmitted  shall  identify the
average daily attendance figures for each month of the school
year, except that any days of attendance in August  shall  be
added to the month of September and any days of attendance in
June shall be added to the month of May.
    Except  as  otherwise  provided  in this Section, days of
attendance by pupils shall be counted only  for  sessions  of
not  less  than  5  clock  hours of school work per day under
direct supervision of: (i)  teachers,  or  (ii)  non-teaching
personnel   or   volunteer   personnel   when   engaging   in
non-teaching   duties  and  supervising  in  those  instances
specified in subsection (a) of Section 10-22.34 and paragraph
10 of Section 34-18, with pupils of legal school age  and  in
kindergarten and grades 1 through 12.
    Days  of attendance by tuition pupils shall be accredited
only to the districts that pay the tuition  to  a  recognized
school.
    (2)  Days  of  attendance  by pupils of less than 5 clock
hours of school shall be subject to the following  provisions
in the compilation of Average Daily Attendance.
         (a)  Pupils  regularly  enrolled  in a public school
    for only a part of the school day may be counted  on  the
    basis  of  1/6 day for every class hour of instruction of
    40 minutes or more attended pursuant to such  enrollment,
    unless  a pupil is enrolled in a block-schedule format of
    80 minutes or more of  instruction,  in  which  case  the
    pupil  may  be  counted on the basis of the proportion of
    minutes of school work completed each day to the  minimum
    number of minutes that school work is required to be held
    that day.
         (b)  Days  of  attendance  may  be less than 5 clock
    hours on the opening and closing of the school term,  and
    upon  the first day of pupil attendance, if preceded by a
    day  or  days  utilized  as  an  institute  or  teachers'
    workshop.
         (c)  A session of 4  or  more  clock  hours  may  be
    counted  as a day of attendance upon certification by the
    regional  superintendent,  and  approved  by  the   State
    Superintendent  of  Education  to  the  extent  that  the
    district has been forced to use daily multiple sessions.
         (d)  A  session  of  3  or  more  clock hours may be
    counted as a day of attendance (1) when the remainder  of
    the school day or at least 2 hours in the evening of that
    day  is  utilized  for an in-service training program for
    teachers, up to a maximum of 5 days per  school  year  of
    which  a maximum of 4 days of such 5 days may be used for
    parent-teacher conferences, provided a district  conducts
    an  in-service  training  program  for teachers which has
    been approved by the State Superintendent  of  Education;
    or,  in  lieu of 4 such days, 2 full days may be used, in
    which event each such day may be  counted  as  a  day  of
    attendance;  and  (2)  when  days  in  addition  to those
    provided in item (1) are scheduled by a  school  pursuant
    to  its  school improvement plan adopted under Article 34
    or its revised or amended school improvement plan adopted
    under Article 2, provided that (i) such sessions of 3  or
    more  clock  hours  are  scheduled  to  occur  at regular
    intervals, (ii) the remainder of the school days in which
    such sessions occur are utilized for in-service  training
    programs   or  other  staff  development  activities  for
    teachers, and (iii) a sufficient  number  of  minutes  of
    school  work under the direct supervision of teachers are
    added to the school days between such regularly scheduled
    sessions to  accumulate  not  less  than  the  number  of
    minutes  by  which such sessions of 3 or more clock hours
    fall short of 5 clock hours. Any full days used  for  the
    purposes  of  this  paragraph shall not be considered for
    computing average daily attendance.  Days  scheduled  for
    in-service    training    programs,   staff   development
    activities,  or   parent-teacher   conferences   may   be
    scheduled  separately  for  different  grade  levels  and
    different attendance centers of the district.
         (e)  A  session  of  not less than one clock hour of
    teaching hospitalized or homebound pupils on-site  or  by
    telephone  to  the classroom may be counted as 1/2 day of
    attendance, however these pupils must receive 4  or  more
    clock  hours  of instruction to be counted for a full day
    of attendance.
         (f)  A session of at least  4  clock  hours  may  be
    counted  as  a  day of attendance for first grade pupils,
    and pupils in full day kindergartens, and a session of  2
    or  more hours may be counted as 1/2 day of attendance by
    pupils in kindergartens which provide  only  1/2  day  of
    attendance.
         (g)  For  children  with  disabilities who are below
    the age of 6 years and who cannot attend 2 or more  clock
    hours  because  of  their  disability  or  immaturity,  a
    session of not less than one clock hour may be counted as
    1/2  day  of  attendance; however for such children whose
    educational needs so require a session of 4 or more clock
    hours may be counted as a full day of attendance.
         (h)  A recognized kindergarten  which  provides  for
    only  1/2  day of attendance by each pupil shall not have
    more than 1/2 day of attendance counted in any  one  day.
    However, kindergartens may count 2 1/2 days of attendance
    in  any  5 consecutive school days.  When a pupil attends
    such a kindergarten for 2 half days  on  any  one  school
    day,  the  pupil  shall  have  the following day as a day
    absent from school, unless the  school  district  obtains
    permission  in  writing  from the State Superintendent of
    Education. Attendance at kindergartens which provide  for
    a  full  day of attendance by each pupil shall be counted
    the same as attendance by first grade  pupils.  Only  the
    first  year  of  attendance  in one kindergarten shall be
    counted, except in  case  of  children  who  entered  the
    kindergarten   in  their  fifth  year  whose  educational
    development requires a second  year  of  kindergarten  as
    determined  under  the rules and regulations of the State
    Board of Education.

(G)  Equalized Assessed Valuation Data.
    (1)  For purposes of the calculation of  Available  Local
Resources  required  pursuant  to  subsection  (D), the State
Board of  Education  shall  secure  from  the  Department  of
Revenue  the value as equalized or assessed by the Department
of Revenue of all taxable property of every school  district,
together  with  (i) the applicable tax rate used in extending
taxes for the funds of the district as of September 30 of the
previous year and (ii)  the  limiting  rate  for  all  school
districts  subject  to  property tax extension limitations as
imposed under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.
    This equalized assessed valuation, as adjusted further by
the requirements of this subsection, shall be utilized in the
calculation of Available Local Resources.
    (2)  The equalized assessed valuation  in  paragraph  (1)
shall be adjusted, as applicable, in the following manner:
         (a)  For the purposes of calculating State aid under
    this  Section,  with  respect  to  any  part  of a school
    district within a redevelopment project area  in  respect
    to   which  a  municipality  has  adopted  tax  increment
    allocation  financing  pursuant  to  the  Tax   Increment
    Allocation  Redevelopment Act, Sections 11-74.4-1 through
    11-74.4-11  of  the  Illinois  Municipal  Code   or   the
    Industrial  Jobs Recovery Law, Sections 11-74.6-1 through
    11-74.6-50 of the Illinois Municipal Code, no part of the
    current equalized assessed  valuation  of  real  property
    located in any such project area which is attributable to
    an  increase  above  the total initial equalized assessed
    valuation of such property shall be used as part  of  the
    equalized  assessed valuation of the district, until such
    time as all redevelopment project costs have  been  paid,
    as  provided  in  Section  11-74.4-8 of the Tax Increment
    Allocation Redevelopment Act or in Section 11-74.6-35  of
    the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law.  For the purpose of the
    equalized  assessed  valuation of the district, the total
    initial  equalized  assessed  valuation  or  the  current
    equalized assessed valuation, whichever is  lower,  shall
    be  used  until  such  time  as all redevelopment project
    costs have been paid.
         (b)  The real property equalized assessed  valuation
    for  a  school  district shall be adjusted by subtracting
    from the real property value as equalized or assessed  by
    the  Department  of  Revenue  for  the district an amount
    computed by dividing the amount of any abatement of taxes
    under Section 18-170 of the Property Tax  Code  by  3.00%
    for  a  district  maintaining grades kindergarten through
    12,  by  2.30%  for   a   district   maintaining   grades
    kindergarten  through  8,  or  by  1.05%  for  a district
    maintaining grades 9 through 12 and adjusted by an amount
    computed by dividing the amount of any abatement of taxes
    under subsection (a) of Section 18-165  of  the  Property
    Tax  Code  by the same percentage rates for district type
    as specified in this subparagraph (b).
    (3)  For the 1999-2000 school year and each  school  year
thereafter, if a school district meets all of the criteria of
this subsection (G)(3), the school district's Available Local
Resources  shall be calculated under subsection (D) using the
district's Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed  Valuation
as calculated under this subsection (G)(3).
    For  purposes  of  this  subsection  (G)(3) the following
terms shall have the following meanings:
         "Budget Year":  The school year  for  which  general
    State aid is calculated and awarded under subsection (E).
         "Base  Tax Year": The property tax levy year used to
    calculate the Budget Year  allocation  of  general  State
    aid.
         "Preceding  Tax  Year":  The  property tax levy year
    immediately preceding the Base Tax Year.
         "Base Tax Year's Tax Extension": The product of  the
    equalized assessed valuation utilized by the County Clerk
    in  the  Base Tax Year multiplied by the limiting rate as
    calculated  by  the  County  Clerk  and  defined  in  the
    Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.
         "Preceding Tax Year's Tax Extension": The product of
    the equalized assessed valuation utilized by  the  County
    Clerk  in  the  Preceding  Tax  Year  multiplied  by  the
    Operating Tax Rate as defined in subsection (A).
         "Extension  Limitation  Ratio":  A  numerical ratio,
    certified by the County Clerk, in which the numerator  is
    the  Base Tax Year's Tax Extension and the denominator is
    the Preceding Tax Year's Tax Extension.
         "Operating Tax Rate":  The  operating  tax  rate  as
    defined in subsection (A).
    If a school district is subject to property tax extension
limitations  as  imposed  under  the  Property  Tax Extension
Limitation Law, the State Board of Education shall  calculate
the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation of that
district.   For  the  1999-2000  school  year,  the Extension
Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation of a school  district
as  calculated by the State Board of Education shall be equal
to the product of  the  district's  1996  Equalized  Assessed
Valuation and the district's Extension Limitation Ratio.  For
the  2000-2001  school  year and each school year thereafter,
the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed  Valuation  of  a
school district as calculated by the State Board of Education
shall  be  equal  to  the  product  of the Equalized Assessed
Valuation last used in the calculation of general  State  aid
and   the  district's  Extension  Limitation  Ratio.  If  the
Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation of a school
district as calculated under this subsection (G)(3)  is  less
than   the   district's   equalized   assessed  valuation  as
calculated pursuant to subsections (G)(1)  and  (G)(2),  then
for  purposes of calculating the district's general State aid
for  the  Budget  Year  pursuant  to  subsection  (E),   that
Extension  Limitation  Equalized  Assessed Valuation shall be
utilized  to  calculate  the   district's   Available   Local
Resources under subsection (D).
    (4)  For  the  purposes  of calculating general State aid
for the 1999-2000 school year  only,  if  a  school  district
experienced   a   triennial  reassessment  on  the  equalized
assessed valuation used  in  calculating  its  general  State
financial  aid  apportionment  for the 1998-1999 school year,
the State Board of Education shall  calculate  the  Extension
Limitation  Equalized Assessed Valuation that would have been
used to calculate the district's 1998-1999 general State aid.
This amount shall equal the product of the equalized assessed
valuation  used  to  calculate  general  State  aid  for  the
1997-1998 school year and the district's Extension Limitation
Ratio.   If  the  Extension  Limitation  Equalized   Assessed
Valuation  of  the  school  district as calculated under this
paragraph (4) is less than the district's equalized  assessed
valuation  utilized  in  calculating the district's 1998-1999
general  State  aid  allocation,   then   for   purposes   of
calculating  the  district's  general  State  aid pursuant to
paragraph (5) of subsection (E),  that  Extension  Limitation
Equalized  Assessed  Valuation shall be utilized to calculate
the district's Available Local Resources.
    (5)  For school districts  having  a  majority  of  their
equalized  assessed  valuation  in  any  county  except Cook,
DuPage, Kane, Lake,  McHenry,  or  Will,  if  the  amount  of
general  State  aid  allocated to the school district for the
1999-2000 school year under the provisions of subsection (E),
(H), and (J) of this Section  is  less  than  the  amount  of
general State aid allocated to the district for the 1998-1999
school  year  under these subsections, then the general State
aid of the district for the 1999-2000 school year only  shall
be  increased  by  the difference between these amounts.  The
total payments made under this paragraph (5) shall not exceed
$14,000,000.   Claims  shall  be  prorated  if  they   exceed
$14,000,000.

(H)  Supplemental General State Aid.
    (1)  In  addition  to  the  general  State  aid  a school
district is allotted pursuant to subsection  (E),  qualifying
school  districts  shall receive a grant, paid in conjunction
with  a  district's  payments  of  general  State  aid,   for
supplemental  general  State aid based upon the concentration
level of  children  from  low-income  households  within  the
school  district.  Supplemental State aid grants provided for
school districts under this subsection shall be  appropriated
for distribution to school districts as part of the same line
item  in  which  the  general  State  financial aid of school
districts is appropriated under this Section. For purposes of
this subsection, the term  "Low-Income  Concentration  Level"
shall  be  the  low-income eligible pupil count from the most
recently available federal  census  divided  by  the  Average
Daily Attendance of the school district. If, however, (i) the
percentage  decrease  from the 2 most recent federal censuses
in the low-income eligible  pupil  count  of  a  high  school
district  with fewer than 400 students exceeds by 75% or more
the percentage change in the total low-income eligible  pupil
count   of  contiguous  elementary  school  districts,  whose
boundaries are coterminous with the high school district,  or
(ii)  a  high school district within 2 counties and serving 5
elementary school districts, whose boundaries are coterminous
with the high school district, has a percentage decrease from
the 2 most recent federal censuses in the low-income eligible
pupil count and there is a percentage increase in  the  total
low-income   eligible  pupil  count  of  a  majority  of  the
elementary school districts in excess of 50% from the 2  most
recent  federal  censuses,  then  the  high school district's
low-income eligible pupil  count  from  the  earlier  federal
census  shall  be  the number used as the low-income eligible
pupil count for the high school  district,  for  purposes  of
this  subsection (H).  The changes made to this paragraph (1)
by Public Act 92-28 this amendatory Act of the  92nd  General
Assembly shall apply to supplemental general State aid grants
paid  in  fiscal year 1999 and in each fiscal year thereafter
and to any State  aid  payments  made  in  fiscal  year  1994
through  fiscal  year  1998  pursuant  to  subsection 1(n) of
Section 18-8 of this Code (which  was  repealed  on  July  1,
1998),  and  any  high  school  district  that is affected by
Public Act 92-28 this amendatory  Act  of  the  92nd  General
Assembly  is  entitled to a recomputation of its supplemental
general State aid grant or State aid paid  in  any  of  those
fiscal  years.   This  recomputation shall not be affected by
any other funding.
    (2)  Supplemental general  State  aid  pursuant  to  this
subsection   (H)   shall  be  provided  as  follows  for  the
1998-1999, 1999-2000, and 2000-2001 school years only:
         (a)  For any  school  district  with  a  Low  Income
    Concentration  Level  of  at least 20% and less than 35%,
    the grant for any school year shall be $800 multiplied by
    the low income eligible pupil count.
         (b)  For any  school  district  with  a  Low  Income
    Concentration  Level  of  at least 35% and less than 50%,
    the grant for the 1998-1999 school year shall  be  $1,100
    multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.
         (c)  For  any  school  district  with  a  Low Income
    Concentration Level of at least 50% and  less  than  60%,
    the  grant  for  the  1998-99 school year shall be $1,500
    multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.
         (d)  For any  school  district  with  a  Low  Income
    Concentration  Level  of  60%  or more, the grant for the
    1998-99 school year shall be $1,900 multiplied by the low
    income eligible pupil count.
         (e)  For the 1999-2000 school year,  the  per  pupil
    amount  specified  in  subparagraphs  (b),  (c),  and (d)
    immediately above shall be increased to  $1,243,  $1,600,
    and $2,000, respectively.
         (f)  For  the  2000-2001  school year, the per pupil
    amounts specified in  subparagraphs  (b),  (c),  and  (d)
    immediately  above  shall  be $1,273, $1,640, and $2,050,
    respectively.
    (2.5)  Supplemental general State aid  pursuant  to  this
subsection (H) shall be provided as follows for the 2002-2003
2001-2002 school year and each school year thereafter:
         (a)  For  any  school  district  with  a  Low Income
    Concentration Level of less than 10%, the grant for  each
    school  year  shall  be $355 multiplied by the low income
    eligible pupil count.
         (b)  For any  school  district  with  a  Low  Income
    Concentration  Level  of  at least 10% and less than 20%,
    the grant for each school year shall be  $675  multiplied
    by the low income eligible pupil count.
         (c)  For  any  school  district  with  a  Low Income
    Concentration Level of at least 20% and  less  than  35%,
    the  grant  for  each  school year shall be $1,330 $1,190
    multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.
         (d)  For any  school  district  with  a  Low  Income
    Concentration  Level  of  at least 35% and less than 50%,
    the grant for each school year  shall  be  $1,362  $1,333
    multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.
         (e)  For  any  school  district  with  a  Low Income
    Concentration Level of at least 50% and  less  than  60%,
    the grant for each school year shall be $1,680 multiplied
    by the low income eligible pupil count.
         (f)  For  any  school  district  with  a  Low Income
    Concentration Level of 60% or more, the  grant  for  each
    school  year shall be $2,080 multiplied by the low income
    eligible pupil count.
    (3)  School districts with an Average Daily Attendance of
more than  1,000  and  less  than  50,000  that  qualify  for
supplemental  general  State  aid pursuant to this subsection
shall submit a plan to the State Board of Education prior  to
October  30  of  each year for the use of the funds resulting
from this grant of supplemental general  State  aid  for  the
improvement  of  instruction  in  which  priority is given to
meeting the education needs of disadvantaged children.   Such
plan   shall  be  submitted  in  accordance  with  rules  and
regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education.
    (4)  School districts with an Average Daily Attendance of
50,000 or more that qualify for  supplemental  general  State
aid   pursuant  to  this  subsection  shall  be  required  to
distribute from funds available pursuant to this Section,  no
less  than  $261,000,000  in  accordance  with  the following
requirements:
         (a)  The required amounts shall  be  distributed  to
    the  attendance centers within the district in proportion
    to the number  of  pupils  enrolled  at  each  attendance
    center  who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price
    lunches or breakfasts under the federal  Child  Nutrition
    Act  of  1966  and  under  the  National School Lunch Act
    during the immediately preceding school year.
         (b)  The   distribution   of   these   portions   of
    supplemental  and  general  State  aid  among  attendance
    centers according to  these  requirements  shall  not  be
    compensated  for  or  contravened  by  adjustments of the
    total of  other  funds  appropriated  to  any  attendance
    centers, and the Board of Education shall utilize funding
    from  one  or several sources in order to fully implement
    this provision annually prior to the opening of school.
         (c)  Each attendance center shall be provided by the
    school district a distribution  of  noncategorical  funds
    and other categorical funds to which an attendance center
    is entitled under law in order that the general State aid
    and   supplemental   general   State   aid   provided  by
    application of this subsection  supplements  rather  than
    supplants  the noncategorical funds and other categorical
    funds provided by the school district to  the  attendance
    centers.
         (d)  Any  funds made available under this subsection
    that by reason of the provisions of this  subsection  are
    not  required  to be allocated and provided to attendance
    centers may be used and appropriated by the board of  the
    district for any lawful school purpose.
         (e)  Funds received by an attendance center pursuant
    to this subsection shall be used by the attendance center
    at  the  discretion  of  the  principal  and local school
    council for programs to improve educational opportunities
    at qualifying schools through the following programs  and
    services:  early  childhood education, reduced class size
    or improved adult to student classroom ratio,  enrichment
    programs,  remedial  assistance,  attendance improvement,
    and other  educationally  beneficial  expenditures  which
    supplement  the  regular and basic programs as determined
    by the State Board of Education. Funds provided shall not
    be expended for any political  or  lobbying  purposes  as
    defined by board rule.
         (f)  Each district subject to the provisions of this
    subdivision  (H)(4)  shall  submit  an acceptable plan to
    meet the educational needs of disadvantaged children,  in
    compliance  with  the  requirements of this paragraph, to
    the State Board of Education prior to  July  15  of  each
    year. This plan shall be consistent with the decisions of
    local  school  councils concerning the school expenditure
    plans developed in accordance  with  part  4  of  Section
    34-2.3.  The State Board shall approve or reject the plan
    within  60  days  after  its  submission.  If the plan is
    rejected, the  district  shall  give  written  notice  of
    intent   to  modify  the  plan  within  15  days  of  the
    notification of rejection and then submit a modified plan
    within 30 days after the date of the  written  notice  of
    intent  to  modify.  Districts  may  amend approved plans
    pursuant to rules  promulgated  by  the  State  Board  of
    Education.
         Upon  notification  by  the State Board of Education
    that the district has not submitted a plan prior to  July
    15  or  a  modified plan within the time period specified
    herein, the State aid funds  affected  by  that  plan  or
    modified  plan  shall  be  withheld by the State Board of
    Education until a plan or modified plan is submitted.
         If the district fails to  distribute  State  aid  to
    attendance  centers  in accordance with an approved plan,
    the plan for the following year shall allocate funds,  in
    addition   to   the  funds  otherwise  required  by  this
    subsection,  to  those  attendance  centers  which   were
    underfunded  during the previous year in amounts equal to
    such underfunding.
         For purposes of  determining  compliance  with  this
    subsection  in relation to the requirements of attendance
    center funding, each district subject to  the  provisions
    of this subsection shall submit as a separate document by
    December  1 of each year a report of expenditure data for
    the prior year in addition to  any  modification  of  its
    current  plan.  If it is determined that there has been a
    failure to comply with the expenditure provisions of this
    subsection regarding contravention  or  supplanting,  the
    State  Superintendent  of Education shall, within 60 days
    of receipt of the report, notify  the  district  and  any
    affected local school council.  The district shall within
    45  days of receipt of that notification inform the State
    Superintendent of Education of the remedial or corrective
    action to be taken, whether  by amendment of the  current
    plan,  if  feasible, or by adjustment in the plan for the
    following  year.   Failure  to  provide  the  expenditure
    report or the  notification  of  remedial  or  corrective
    action  in  a timely manner shall result in a withholding
    of the affected funds.
         The State Board of Education shall promulgate  rules
    and  regulations  to  implement  the  provisions  of this
    subsection.   No  funds  shall  be  released  under  this
    subdivision (H)(4) to any district that has not submitted
    a plan that has been  approved  by  the  State  Board  of
    Education.

(I)  General State Aid for Newly Configured School Districts.
    (1)  For  a  new  school  district  formed  by  combining
property   included  totally  within  2  or  more  previously
existing school districts, for its first  year  of  existence
the  general  State  aid  and  supplemental general State aid
calculated under this Section shall be computed for  the  new
district  and for the previously existing districts for which
property is totally included within the new district.  If the
computation on the basis of the previously existing districts
is greater, a supplementary payment equal to  the  difference
shall  be  made for the first 4 years of existence of the new
district.
    (2)  For a school  district  which  annexes  all  of  the
territory  of  one or more entire other school districts, for
the  first  year  during  which  the  change  of   boundaries
attributable  to  such  annexation  becomes effective for all
purposes as determined under Section 7-9 or 7A-8, the general
State aid and supplemental general State aid calculated under
this Section shall be computed for the annexing  district  as
constituted  after  the  annexation  and for the annexing and
each annexed district as constituted prior to the annexation;
and if the computation on  the  basis  of  the  annexing  and
annexed  districts  as constituted prior to the annexation is
greater, a supplementary  payment  equal  to  the  difference
shall  be  made  for  the  first  4 years of existence of the
annexing school district as constituted upon such annexation.
    (3)  For 2 or more school districts which  annex  all  of
the  territory  of one or more entire other school districts,
and for 2 or more community unit districts which result  upon
the  division  (pursuant  to petition under Section 11A-2) of
one or more other unit school districts into 2 or more  parts
and  which  together include all of the parts into which such
other unit school district or districts are so  divided,  for
the   first  year  during  which  the  change  of  boundaries
attributable to such annexation or division becomes effective
for all purposes as determined under Section 7-9  or  11A-10,
as  the  case  may be, the general State aid and supplemental
general State aid calculated  under  this  Section  shall  be
computed   for   each   annexing  or  resulting  district  as
constituted after the annexation or  division  and  for  each
annexing  and  annexed  district,  or  for each resulting and
divided district, as constituted prior to the  annexation  or
division;  and  if the aggregate of the general State aid and
supplemental  general  State  aid  as  so  computed  for  the
annexing or resulting  districts  as  constituted  after  the
annexation  or  division  is  less  than the aggregate of the
general State aid and supplemental general State  aid  as  so
computed  for  the annexing and annexed districts, or for the
resulting and divided districts, as constituted prior to  the
annexation or division, then a supplementary payment equal to
the  difference  shall be made and allocated between or among
the annexing or resulting districts, as constituted upon such
annexation or division,  for  the  first  4  years  of  their
existence.   The  total difference payment shall be allocated
between or among the annexing or resulting districts  in  the
same  ratio  as the pupil enrollment from that portion of the
annexed or divided district or districts which is annexed  to
or included in each such annexing or resulting district bears
to  the  total  pupil  enrollment  from the entire annexed or
divided district or districts, as such  pupil  enrollment  is
determined  for the school year last ending prior to the date
when the change of boundaries attributable to the  annexation
or  division  becomes effective for all purposes.  The amount
of the total difference payment and the amount thereof to  be
allocated  to  the  annexing  or resulting districts shall be
computed by the State Board of  Education  on  the  basis  of
pupil  enrollment  and other data which shall be certified to
the State Board of Education, on forms which it shall provide
for that purpose, by the regional superintendent  of  schools
for each educational service region in which the annexing and
annexed  districts,  or  resulting  and divided districts are
located.
    (3.5)  Claims  for  financial   assistance   under   this
subsection  (I)  shall  not be recomputed except as expressly
provided under this Section.
    (4)  Any supplementary payment made under this subsection
(I) shall be treated as separate from all other payments made
pursuant to this Section.

(J)  Supplementary Grants in Aid.
    (1)  Notwithstanding  any  other   provisions   of   this
Section,  the  amount  of  the aggregate general State aid in
combination with supplemental general State  aid  under  this
Section  for  which each school district is eligible shall be
no less than the amount of the aggregate  general  State  aid
entitlement  that  was received by the district under Section
18-8 (exclusive of amounts received  under  subsections  5(p)
and  5(p-5)  of  that  Section)  for the 1997-98 school year,
pursuant to the provisions of that Section as it was then  in
effect.   If   a  school  district  qualifies  to  receive  a
supplementary payment made under  this  subsection  (J),  the
amount of the aggregate general State aid in combination with
supplemental  general State aid under this Section which that
district is eligible to receive for each school year shall be
no less than the amount of the aggregate  general  State  aid
entitlement  that  was received by the district under Section
18-8 (exclusive of amounts received  under  subsections  5(p)
and  5(p-5)  of  that Section) for the 1997-1998 school year,
pursuant to the provisions of that Section as it was then  in
effect.
    (2)  If,  as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection
(J), a school district is to receive aggregate general  State
aid  in combination with supplemental general State aid under
this Section for the 1998-99 school year and  any  subsequent
school  year  that  in  any such school year is less than the
amount of the aggregate general State  aid  entitlement  that
the district received for the 1997-98 school year, the school
district  shall  also  receive, from a separate appropriation
made for purposes of this  subsection  (J),  a  supplementary
payment  that is equal to the amount of the difference in the
aggregate State aid figures as described in paragraph (1).
    (3)  (Blank).

(K)  Grants to Laboratory and Alternative Schools.
    In calculating the amount to be  paid  to  the  governing
board  of  a  public  university  that  operates a laboratory
school under this Section or to any alternative  school  that
is  operated  by  a  regional  superintendent of schools, the
State Board of Education shall require by rule such reporting
requirements as it deems necessary.
    As used in this  Section,  "laboratory  school"  means  a
public  school  which  is  created  and  operated by a public
university and approved by the State Board of Education.  The
governing board of a public university which  receives  funds
from  the  State  Board  under  this  subsection  (K) may not
increase the number of students enrolled  in  its  laboratory
school  from  a  single district, if that district is already
sending 50 or more students, except under a mutual  agreement
between the school board of a student's district of residence
and  the  university which operates the laboratory school.  A
laboratory school may not  have  more  than  1,000  students,
excluding  students  with disabilities in a special education
program.
    As used in this Section,  "alternative  school"  means  a
public  school  which  is  created and operated by a Regional
Superintendent of Schools and approved by the State Board  of
Education.   Such  alternative  schools  may offer courses of
instruction for which  credit  is  given  in  regular  school
programs,  courses  to  prepare  students for the high school
equivalency testing program or  vocational  and  occupational
training.   A regional superintendent of schools may contract
with a school district or a public community college district
to  operate  an  alternative  school.   An alternative school
serving more than  one  educational  service  region  may  be
established by the regional superintendents of schools of the
affected  educational service regions.  An alternative school
serving more than  one  educational  service  region  may  be
operated  under such terms as the regional superintendents of
schools of those educational service regions may agree.
    Each laboratory and alternative  school  shall  file,  on
forms  provided  by the State Superintendent of Education, an
annual  State  aid  claim  which  states  the  Average  Daily
Attendance of the school's students by  month.   The  best  3
months'  Average  Daily Attendance shall be computed for each
school. The general State aid entitlement shall  be  computed
by multiplying the applicable Average Daily Attendance by the
Foundation Level as determined under this Section.

(L)  Payments,   Additional   Grants   in   Aid   and   Other
Requirements.
    (1)  For  a school district operating under the financial
supervision of an Authority created under  Article  34A,  the
general  State  aid  otherwise payable to that district under
this Section, but not the  supplemental  general  State  aid,
shall  be  reduced  by  an amount equal to the budget for the
operations of the Authority as certified by the Authority  to
the  State  Board  of  Education, and an amount equal to such
reduction shall be paid to the  Authority  created  for  such
district for its operating expenses in the manner provided in
Section 18-11.  The remainder of general State school aid for
any  such  district  shall be paid in accordance with Article
34A when that Article provides for a disposition  other  than
that provided by this Article.
    (2)  (Blank).
    (3)  Summer school.  Summer school payments shall be made
as provided in Section 18-4.3.

(M)  Education Funding Advisory Board.
    The Education Funding Advisory Board, hereinafter in this
subsection (M) referred to as the "Board", is hereby created.
The Board shall consist of 5 members who are appointed by the
Governor,  by  and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
The  members  appointed  shall  include  representatives   of
education,  business,  and  the  general  public.  One of the
members so appointed shall be designated by the  Governor  at
the  time  the  appointment is made as the chairperson of the
Board. The initial members of the Board may be appointed  any
time after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997.
The  regular  term of each member of the Board shall be for 4
years from the third Monday of January of the year  in  which
the  term  of the member's appointment is to commence, except
that of the 5 initial  members  appointed  to  serve  on  the
Board,  the  member who is appointed as the chairperson shall
serve for a term that commences on the date  of  his  or  her
appointment and expires on the third Monday of January, 2002,
and  the  remaining  4  members,  by  lots drawn at the first
meeting of the Board that is held after  all  5  members  are
appointed,  shall  determine  2  of their number to serve for
terms  that  commence  on  the  date  of   their   respective
appointments and expire on the third Monday of January, 2001,
and 2 of their number to serve for terms that commence on the
date of their respective appointments and expire on the third
Monday  of  January, 2000.  All members appointed to serve on
the Board shall serve until their respective  successors  are
appointed  and  confirmed.   Vacancies shall be filled in the
same manner  as  original  appointments.   If  a  vacancy  in
membership  occurs  at  a  time  when  the  Senate  is not in
session, the Governor  shall  make  a  temporary  appointment
until  the  next  meeting of the Senate, when he or she shall
appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate,  a
person  to  fill  that membership for the unexpired term.  If
the Senate is not in session when  the  initial  appointments
are  made, those appointments shall be made as in the case of
vacancies.
    The Education Funding  Advisory  Board  shall  be  deemed
established,   and  the  initial  members  appointed  by  the
Governor to serve as members of the Board shall take  office,
on the date that the Governor makes his or her appointment of
the  fifth initial member of the Board, whether those initial
members  are  then  serving  pursuant  to   appointment   and
confirmation  or  pursuant to temporary appointments that are
made by the Governor as in the case of vacancies.
    The State Board of Education  shall  provide  such  staff
assistance  to  the  Education  Funding  Advisory Board as is
reasonably required for the proper performance by  the  Board
of its responsibilities.
    For  school  years  after  the 2000-2001 school year, the
Education Funding Advisory Board, in  consultation  with  the
State  Board  of  Education,  shall  make  recommendations as
provided in this subsection (M) to the General  Assembly  for
the foundation level under subdivision (B)(3) of this Section
and  for the supplemental general State aid grant level under
subsection (H)  of  this  Section  for  districts  with  high
concentrations  of  children  from  poverty.  The recommended
foundation level shall be determined based on  a  methodology
which   incorporates  the  basic  education  expenditures  of
low-spending schools exhibiting  high  academic  performance.
The   Education   Funding  Advisory  Board  shall  make  such
recommendations to the General Assembly on January 1  of  odd
numbered years, beginning January 1, 2001.

(N)  (Blank).

(O)  References.
    (1)  References in other laws to the various subdivisions
of Section 18-8 as that Section existed before its repeal and
replacement  by this Section 18-8.05 shall be deemed to refer
to the corresponding provisions of this Section  18-8.05,  to
the extent that those references remain applicable.
    (2)  References  in  other  laws to State Chapter 1 funds
shall be deemed to refer to the  supplemental  general  State
aid provided under subsection (H) of this Section.
(Source:  P.A. 91-24, eff. 7-1-99; 91-93, eff. 7-9-99; 91-96,
eff. 7-9-99; 91-111,  eff.  7-14-99;  91-357,  eff.  7-29-99;
91-533,   eff.  8-13-99;  92-7,  eff.  6-29-01;  92-16,  eff.
6-28-01; 92-28, eff. 7-1-01; 92-29, eff. 7-1-01; 92-269, eff.
8-7-01; revised 8-7-01.)

    (105 ILCS 5/34-18.23 new)
    Sec. 34-18.23.  Transfer of  students.  The  board  shall
establish  and implement a policy governing the transfer of a
student from one attendance  center  to  another  within  the
school  district  upon the request of the student's parent or
guardian. Any request by a parent or guardian to transfer his
or her child from one attendance center to another within the
school district pursuant  to  Section  1116  of  the  federal
Elementary  and  Secondary  Education  Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
Sec. 6317) must be made no  later  than  30  days  after  the
parent  or  guardian receives notice of the right to transfer
pursuant to that law. A student may not transfer  to  any  of
the   following  attendance  centers,  except  by  change  in
residence  if  the  policy  authorizes  enrollment  based  on
residence in an attendance area or  unless  approved  by  the
board on an individual basis:
         (1)  An  attendance  center  that  exceeds  or  as a
    result  of  the  transfer  would  exceed  its  attendance
    capacity.
         (2)  An attendance center for which  the  board  has
    established  academic  criteria  for  enrollment  if  the
    student  does  not  meet  the criteria, provided that the
    transfer must be permitted if the  attendance  center  is
    the  only  attendance  center serving the student's grade
    that has not  been  identified  for  school  improvement,
    corrective action, or restructuring under Section 1116 of
    the  federal  Elementary  and  Secondary Education Act of
    1965 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6317).
         (3)  Any attendance center  if  the  transfer  would
    prevent  the school district from meeting its obligations
    under a State or federal law,  court  order,  or  consent
    decree applicable to the school district.

    Section  99.  Effective  date.   This Act takes effect on
July 1, 2002.
    Passed in the General Assembly June 02, 2002.
    Approved June 28, 2002.
    Effective July 01, 2002.

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