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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, In its legislative declaration, the Charter
3Schools Law states that the purpose of charter schools in this
4State is to improve pupil learning, increase learning
5opportunities for all children, with special emphasis on
6expanding options for at-risk pupils, encourage innovation,
7parental engagement, community involvement, and expanded
8public school options, create new professional opportunities
9for teachers, and hold charter schools accountable; and
 
10    WHEREAS, The vast majority of students enrolled in charter
11schools across this State come from low-income families and are
12minorities, potentially making charter schools a key component
13in the effort to close the achievement gaps that persist; and
 
14    WHEREAS, In authorizing Public Act 100-465, the General
15Assembly created a new evidence-based funding system to provide
16all students in the State of Illinois with a high quality
17education; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Public Act 100-465 includes a goal to reduce, with
19a goal of eliminating, the achievement gap between at-risk and
20non-at-risk students by raising the performance of at-risk
21students while not reducing standards; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Charter schools authorized by the State Charter
2School Commission are supported by State funds otherwise due to
3the local school district; therefore, be it
 
4    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
5HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
6SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Task Force on the Funding of
7Commission-authorized Charter Schools is created to:
8         (1)Examine the current funding provision in the
9    Charter Schools Law for the purpose of ensuring funding
10    equity, including but not limited to the range of funding
11    available to commission-authorized charter schools and the
12    source of the funds;
13         (2)Examine the current funding provisions in the
14    Charter Schools Law and their impact on the local school
15    district following the evidence-based funding provisions
16    of Public Act 100-465 in light of the legislative purpose
17    and intent behind that legislation;
18         (3)Review the effect of the commission-authorized
19    charter schools on the students served by the charter, the
20    students in the home school district, and the home school
21    district's budget, with a focus upon the expansion in
22    facilities, operations, and personnel costs associated
23    with the creation of the charter school; and
24         (4)Examine the role of the local school district in
25    the renewal process for the commission-authorized charter

 

 

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1    schools; and be it further
 
2    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall consist of the
3following members, who shall serve without compensation:
4        (1) One member appointed by the Speaker of the House of
5    Representatives;
6        (2) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
7    House of Representatives;
8        (3) One member appointed by the President of the
9    Senate;
10        (4) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
11    Senate;
12        (5) The State Superintendent of Education or his or her
13    designee;
14        (6) The Superintendent/Chief Executive Officer or his
15    or her designee of each school district currently having a
16    commission-authorized charter school;
17        (7) One member, appointed by the Governor, upon the
18    recommendation of the chief executive officer or his or her
19    designee of each commission-authorized charter school,
20    except that, where multiple such charter schools operate
21    within a single district, a single representative shall
22    appointed;
23        (8) One member appointed by the Governor, upon the
24    recommendation of an organization representing teachers in
25    a school district in a city having a population exceeding

 

 

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1    500,000;
2        (9) One member appointed by the Governor, upon the
3    recommendation of the largest statewide organization
4    representing teachers;
5        (10) One member appointed by the Governor, upon the
6    recommendation of the second-largest statewide
7    organization representing teachers;
8        (11) One member appointed by the Governor, upon the
9    recommendation of a statewide organization representing
10    charter schools in the State;
11        (12) One member appointed by the Governor, upon the
12    recommendation of the largest statewide association
13    representing school boards;
14        (13) One member appointed by the Governor, upon the
15    recommendation of the largest statewide association
16    representing school administrators;
17        (14) One member appointed by the Governor, upon the
18    recommendation of the largest statewide association
19    representing school business officials; and
20        (15) One member appointed by the Governor, who shall be
21    a current or former commissioner of the State Charter
22    School Commission; and be it further
 
23    RESOLVED, That the members of the Task Force shall be
24appointed within 30 days after the adoption of this resolution
25and shall begin meeting no later than 30 days after the

 

 

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1appointments are finalized; in the event that the appointments
2by the Governor are not made within 30 days after the adoption
3of this resolution, the State Superintendent of Education shall
4make such appointments within 15 days after the appointment
5deadline; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That the members of the Task Force shall elect a
7chairperson from among their membership, and the Illinois State
8Board of Education shall provide administrative support; and be
9it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall issue a report making
11recommendations on any changes to State laws with regard to
12charter school funding on or before February 15, 2020 and upon
13the filing of its report is dissolved; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
15delivered to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the
16President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the House, the
17Minority Leader of the Senate, the Governor, the State
18Superintendent of Education, and the Chief Executive Officer of
19City of Chicago School District 299.