101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB1212

 

Introduced 2/6/2019, by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act
110 ILCS 805/6-4.2

    Creates the Course Equity Act. Defines terms. Requires the State Board of Education to establish a Course Equity Program in which any public or nonpublic school student in this State may enroll in a Course Equity Program course, provided that the student has completed all applicable prerequisite course requirements. Provides that the funding structure for Course Equity Program courses must maximize access to courses for low-income students and school districts by following a specified funding structure. Provides that the initial authorization of a Course Provider and courses shall be for a one-year period and the State Board may reauthorize a Course Provider for additional periods of up to 3 years. Provides that the initial authorization of a Course Provider requires the Board to establish a course review and approval process for Course Providers that may be implemented by the Board or an entity designated by the Board. Specifies qualifications for a course to be added to the Course Equity Catalog. Requires Course Providers to annually report to the Board; specifies report requirements. Provides for the Board's responsibilities and a school district's responsibilities. Allows for rulemaking by the Board. Amends the Public Community College Act to provide that, for purposes of enrollment in a dual credit course through the Course Equity Program, a student shall, for tuition purposes, be classified as a resident of a community college district if he or she meets the criteria to be deemed an Illinois resident under the Act. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Course
5Equity Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definitions. In this Act:
7    "Board" means the State Board of Education.
8    "Course Equity Catalog" means the website and online
9catalog developed by or for the Board that provides a listing
10of all courses authorized and available to students in this
11State, includes detailed information about these courses in
12order to inform these students' enrollment decisions, and
13provides the functionality for these students to submit their
14course enrollments.
15    "Course Equity Program" means the Program created by this
16Act.
17    "Course Provider" means an entity authorized by the Board
18to offer Course Equity Program courses.
19    "Eligible funded student" means a student who is currently
20enrolled in a public school in this State and is participating
21in the Course Equity Program either (1) with permission of his
22or her school district or (2) in a course that is not available
23to the student at his or her school district and is required

 

 

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1for high school graduation or required or recommended for
2admission to a public university in this State.
 
3    Section 10. Course Equity Program.
4    (a) The Board shall establish and administer a Course
5Equity Program under this Act that preserves any existing
6contractual agreements and relationships between the Board and
7virtual course providers that are active and outstanding
8immediately before the effective date of this Act, while also
9establishing guidelines to improve equitable access to course
10offerings.
11    (b) The Board must require all Course Equity Program
12courses to align with both:
13        (1) the Illinois Learning Standards, appropriate
14    industry standards, or, for subjects without State
15    academic standards, other relevant standards; and
16        (2) Board-adopted course quality standards, which may
17    be identical to those developed by a national or
18    international organization that supports high-quality
19    online learning or may modify existing standards to create
20    Illinois-specific online course quality standards.
21    (c) The funding structure for Course Equity Program courses
22must maximize access to courses for low-income students and
23school districts by adhering to both of the following:
24        (1) Regularly calculating the actual cost of providing
25    a course to a student and creating a graduated payment

 

 

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1    structure around that amount. In calculating this cost, the
2    Course Provider may not offset the actual cost by any State
3    or school district funding. The Course Provider may
4    establish different actual costs for different courses if
5    there is an actual variance in the costs or may establish
6    several tiers of costs into which each course is assigned.
7        (2) Subject to appropriation, charging each school
8    district an amount per pupil per course enrollment equal
9    to:
10            (A) the actual cost, for school districts whose
11        Final Percent of Adequacy under Section 18-8.15 of the
12        School Code is above 100%;
13            (B) the actual cost multiplied by the percentage of
14        a school district's Final Percent of Adequacy, for
15        school districts whose Final Percent of Adequacy under
16        Section 18-8.15 of the School Code is between 90% and
17        100%; and
18            (C) the actual cost multiplied by the square of the
19        percentage of a school district's Final Percentage of
20        Adequacy, for school districts whose Final Percent of
21        Adequacy under Section 18-8.15 is less than 90%.
22    If the amount of the appropriation is insufficient to cover
23    the subsidies needed to carry out subparagraph (B) of this
24    paragraph, the Board and the Course Provider must agree on
25    a modified, equitable funding structure that remains
26    consistent with the goal of maximizing course access for

 

 

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1    low-income students and school districts.
2    For a public school student who enrolls in a Course Equity
3Program course independently or without the consent of his or
4her school and does not otherwise qualify as an eligible funded
5student, the Course Provider may establish a sliding payment
6scale that offers lower fees if the student is a low-income
7student. School districts must choose to either cover the costs
8of the fee or pass all or a portion of costs to students
9enrolled in Course Equity Program courses, provided that no
10school district may pass on the cost of the fee to a student
11who qualifies to receive free or reduced-price lunch under the
12federal Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. No
13student may be denied approval to take a Course Equity Program
14course solely because of his or her free or reduced-price lunch
15program eligibility.
16    (d) Any public or nonpublic school student in this State
17may enroll in a Course Equity Program course, provided the
18student has completed all applicable prerequisite course
19requirements; however, transcript recognition and payment by
20the school or school district is only required for eligible
21funded students. Students who are not eligible funded students
22must pay the course fees to the Course Provider.
23    (e) If a public school denies a student's request to enroll
24in a Course Equity Program course, the school must submit the
25reason for the denial to the school board, and the reason must
26be included in board materials at a public hearing.

 

 

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1    (f) A school district must recognize on a student's
2transcript each completed Course Equity Program course granted
3approval to be taken by the student.
4    (g) Each Course Provider must provide a transcript to each
5student in the Program that includes his or her course
6enrollments, course completions, and the final percentage
7grade earned in each course; however, no Course Equity Program
8provider may grant a high school diploma.
9    (h) Course Equity Program teachers must hold a valid
10Professional Educator License under the School Code.
11    (i) A public community college may serve as a Course Equity
12Provider and offer dual credit for courses that otherwise meet
13the criteria for a dual credit course to any public or
14nonpublic school student in this State who has met any required
15prerequisites. Other Course Equity Program providers may enter
16into a partnership with a public community college to offer a
17dual credit course. The course must be made available to all
18public and nonpublic school students who have met any required
19prerequisites, unless the partnership agreement explicitly
20limits the program to students within the community college
21district.
 
22    Section 15. Course Provider authorization process. The
23Board must perform all of the following:
24        (1) Establish an authorization process for Course
25    Providers that may include multiple opportunities for

 

 

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1    submission each school year.
2        (2) No later than 90 calendar days from the initial
3    submission date, authorize a Course Provider if it complies
4    with the criteria and instructional rigor required under
5    this Act.
6        (3) No later than 90 calendar days from the initial
7    submission date, provide a written explanation to a Course
8    Provider that is denied Course Provider authorization. If a
9    Course Provider is denied authorization, the Provider may
10    reapply to the Board in the future.
11        (4) Publish the process established under Section 30,
12    including any deadlines and guidelines applicable to the
13    submission and authorization process for Course Providers.
14    If the Board determines that there are insufficient funds
15available for evaluating and authorizing Course Providers and
16administering the Course Equity Program, it may charge
17applicant Course Providers a fee no greater than the amount of
18the costs to ensure that evaluation, authorization, course
19quality reviews, and administration of the Course Equity
20Program occurs.
 
21    Section 20. Course Provider authorization criteria. To be
22authorized as a Course Provider through the Course Equity
23Program, a Course Provider must do all of the following:
24        (1) Comply with all applicable anti-discrimination
25    laws and applicable State and federal student data privacy

 

 

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1    laws, including the federal Family Educational Rights and
2    Privacy Act of 1974.
3        (2) Provide an assurance that all online information
4    and resources for courses are fully accessible to students
5    of all abilities and that:
6            (A) all of the courses submitted for approval are
7        reviewed to ensure they meet legal accessibility
8        standards;
9            (B) the Course Provider has policies to ensure its
10        organizational and course websites meet accessibility
11        requirements; and
12            (C) the Course Provider has no gateway exam or test
13        in which a specific score is required to participate in
14        Course Equity Program courses beyond completion of
15        prerequisite coursework or demonstrated mastery of
16        prerequisite material. Courses targeting gifted and
17        talented students are exempt from this subparagraph.
18        (3) Demonstrate either:
19            (A) prior evidence of delivery of quality outcomes
20        for students, as demonstrated by metrics determined by
21        the Board, including, but not limited to, completion
22        rates, student level growth, proficiency, or other
23        quantifiable outcomes; or
24            (B) for an applicant applying to be a Course
25        Provider and offering a course for the first time, a
26        detailed justification, in a manner determined by the

 

 

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1        Board, of how its subject matter, instructional, or
2        technical expertise will lead to successful outcomes
3        for students.
4        (4) Ensure that instructional courses align with the
5    Illinois Learning Standards, appropriate industry
6    standards, or other relevant standards in courses without
7    State academic standards and course quality standards.
8        (5) Provide assurances that the Course Provider will
9    electronically provide, in a manner and format determined
10    by the Board, a detailed student record of enrollment,
11    performance, completion, and grading information to the
12    schools with participating students that are enrolled
13    full-time.
 
14    Section 25. Course quality review and approval. The Board
15shall establish a course review and approval process for Course
16Providers. The process may be implemented by the Board or an
17entity designated by the Board. To be approved and added to the
18Course Equity Catalog, a course must have all of the following
19qualifications:
20        (1) Be, at a minimum, equivalent in instructional rigor
21    and scope to a course that is provided in a traditional
22    classroom setting.
23        (2) Align with the Illinois Learning Standards,
24    appropriate industry standards, or other relevant
25    standards for subjects without State academic standards.

 

 

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1        (3) Possess an assessment component for determining
2    student growth and proficiency.
3        (4) Be designed and implemented consistently with
4    standards established by the Board.
 
5    Section 30. Course Provider and course monitoring and
6reauthorization.
7    (a) The initial authorization of a Course Provider and
8courses shall be for a one-year period. After the initial
9authorization period, the Board may reauthorize Course
10Providers for additional periods of up to 3 years after
11thorough review of the Course Provider's performance.
12    (b) Course Providers must annually report to the Board, in
13a manner determined by the Board, all of the following:
14        (1) Student enrollment data, including ethnic, income,
15    and gender demographics.
16        (2) Student outcomes, including student growth and
17    proficiency measures and completion rates for each course.
18        (3) Student and parental feedback on overall
19    satisfaction and quality.
20    (c) If the performance of a Course Provider does not meet
21the standards determined by the Board, the Board must do one of
22the following:
23        (1) Terminate the entity's status as a Course Provider.
24        (2) Place the Course Provider on probation and require
25    it to submit a plan for improvement. The Board shall

 

 

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1    determine the terms of the probation. The Board shall, at
2    its own discretion, determine if the Course Provider has
3    met the results required to return to good standing. If a
4    Course Provider fails to return to good standing within the
5    timeframe cited in its terms of probation, the Board must
6    terminate its status as a Course Provider.
7    (d) The Board may exclude a course provided by an
8authorized Course Provider if it determines any of the
9following:
10        (1) The course is no longer adequately aligned with
11    State academic standards.
12        (2) The course no longer provides a detailed and
13    quality curriculum and accountability plan.
14        (3) The course fails to deliver outcomes as determined
15    by the Board.
 
16    Section 35. Board responsibilities. The Board is
17responsible for all of the following:
18        (1) Publishing the criteria required under Section 25
19    for the courses that may be offered through the Course
20    Equity Program.
21        (2) Creating the Course Equity Catalog.
22        (3) Publishing a link to the Course Equity Catalog in a
23    prominent location on the Board's website, which shall
24    include a list of courses offered by Course Providers
25    available through the Course Equity Program, a detailed

 

 

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1    description of the courses, and any available parent and
2    student survey and outcome data. The data in this catalog
3    must be published online in an open format that can be
4    retrieved, downloaded, indexed, and searched by commonly
5    used web search applications. An open format is one that is
6    platform independent, machine readable, and made available
7    to the public without restrictions that would impede the
8    re-use of that information.
9        (4) Establishing and publishing a time frame or
10    specific dates by which students are able to withdraw from
11    a course provided through the Course Equity Program without
12    the student, school district, or Course Provider incurring
13    a penalty.
14        (5) Submitting an annual report on the Course Equity
15    Program to the Governor and the General Assembly. The
16    report shall, at a minimum, include all of the following
17    information:
18            (A) The annual number of students participating in
19        courses authorized under this Act and the total number
20        of courses in which students are enrolled.
21            (B) The number of authorized Course Providers.
22            (C) The number of authorized courses and the number
23        of students enrolled in each course.
24            (D) The number of courses available by subject.
25            (E) The number of students enrolled in courses by
26        subject.

 

 

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1            (F) Student outcome data reported for all students
2        and for subgroups of students, as determined by the
3        Board, by course.
 
4    Section 40. School district responsibilities. A school
5district is responsible for all of the following:
6        (1) Notifying students and parents of the availability
7    of Course Equity Program courses in correspondence that is
8    written in simple and accurate language.
9        (2) Publishing Program information and eligibility
10    guidelines on the school district's website.
11        (3) Establishing policies and procedures in which, for
12    each eligible funded student, credits earned through a
13    Course Provider appear on the student's official
14    transcript and count fully toward the requirements of any
15    approved diploma.
 
16    Section 45. Rules. The Board may adopt any rules necessary
17to implement this Act.
 
18    Section 90. The Public Community College Act is amended by
19changing Section 6-4.2 as follows:
 
20    (110 ILCS 805/6-4.2)
21    Sec. 6-4.2. In-district tuition charge. Notwithstanding
22any other provision of law or administrative rule to the

 

 

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1contrary, for tuition purposes, a student shall be classified
2as a resident of a community college district after
3establishing the 30-day residency requirement of the district
4or, for purposes of enrollment in a dual credit course through
5the Course Equity Program, upon meeting the criteria to be
6deemed an Illinois resident under Section 6-4a.
7(Source: P.A. 100-884, eff. 1-1-19.)
 
8    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
9becoming law.