101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB1741

 

Introduced 2/15/2019, by Sen. John G. Mulroe

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/14-7.02  from Ch. 122, par. 14-7.02

    Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that an application for initial approval as a nonpublic special education facility shall be approved by the State Board of Education within 60 days after receipt of the application if the applicant has otherwise complied with the State Board's requirements for approval. Effective immediately.


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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 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
514-7.02 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/14-7.02)  (from Ch. 122, par. 14-7.02)
7    Sec. 14-7.02. Children attending private schools, public
8out-of-state schools, public school residential facilities or
9private special education facilities. The General Assembly
10recognizes that non-public schools or special education
11facilities provide an important service in the educational
12system in Illinois.
13    If because of his or her disability the special education
14program of a district is unable to meet the needs of a child
15and the child attends a non-public school or special education
16facility, a public out-of-state school or a special education
17facility owned and operated by a county government unit that
18provides special educational services required by the child and
19is in compliance with the appropriate rules and regulations of
20the State Superintendent of Education, the school district in
21which the child is a resident shall pay the actual cost of
22tuition for special education and related services provided
23during the regular school term and during the summer school

 

 

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1term if the child's educational needs so require, excluding
2room, board and transportation costs charged the child by that
3non-public school or special education facility, public
4out-of-state school or county special education facility, or
5$4,500 per year, whichever is less, and shall provide him any
6necessary transportation. "Nonpublic special education
7facility" shall include a residential facility, within or
8without the State of Illinois, which provides special education
9and related services to meet the needs of the child by
10utilizing private schools or public schools, whether located on
11the site or off the site of the residential facility.
12    The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and
13regulations for determining when placement in a private special
14education facility is appropriate. Such rules and regulations
15shall take into account the various types of services needed by
16a child and the availability of such services to the particular
17child in the public school. In developing these rules and
18regulations the State Board of Education shall consult with the
19Advisory Council on Education of Children with Disabilities and
20hold public hearings to secure recommendations from parents,
21school personnel, and others concerned about this matter.
22    The State Board of Education shall also promulgate rules
23and regulations for transportation to and from a residential
24school. Transportation to and from home to a residential school
25more than once each school term shall be subject to prior
26approval by the State Superintendent in accordance with the

 

 

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1rules and regulations of the State Board.
2    A school district making tuition payments pursuant to this
3Section is eligible for reimbursement from the State for the
4amount of such payments actually made in excess of the district
5per capita tuition charge for students not receiving special
6education services. Such reimbursement shall be approved in
7accordance with Section 14-12.01 and each district shall file
8its claims, computed in accordance with rules prescribed by the
9State Board of Education, on forms prescribed by the State
10Superintendent of Education. Data used as a basis of
11reimbursement claims shall be for the preceding regular school
12term and summer school term. Each school district shall
13transmit its claims to the State Board of Education on or
14before August 15. The State Board of Education, before
15approving any such claims, shall determine their accuracy and
16whether they are based upon services and facilities provided
17under approved programs. Upon approval the State Board shall
18cause vouchers to be prepared showing the amount due for
19payment of reimbursement claims to school districts, for
20transmittal to the State Comptroller on the 30th day of
21September, December, and March, respectively, and the final
22voucher, no later than June 20. If the money appropriated by
23the General Assembly for such purpose for any year is
24insufficient, it shall be apportioned on the basis of the
25claims approved.
26    No child shall be placed in a special education program

 

 

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1pursuant to this Section if the tuition cost for special
2education and related services increases more than 10 percent
3over the tuition cost for the previous school year or exceeds
4$4,500 per year unless such costs have been approved by the
5Illinois Purchased Care Review Board. The Illinois Purchased
6Care Review Board shall consist of the following persons, or
7their designees: the Directors of Children and Family Services,
8Public Health, Public Aid, and the Governor's Office of
9Management and Budget; the Secretary of Human Services; the
10State Superintendent of Education; and such other persons as
11the Governor may designate. The Review Board shall also consist
12of one non-voting member who is an administrator of a private,
13nonpublic, special education school. The Review Board shall
14establish rules and regulations for its determination of
15allowable costs and payments made by local school districts for
16special education, room and board, and other related services
17provided by non-public schools or special education facilities
18and shall establish uniform standards and criteria which it
19shall follow. The Review Board shall approve the usual and
20customary rate or rates of a special education program that (i)
21is offered by an out-of-state, non-public provider of
22integrated autism specific educational and autism specific
23residential services, (ii) offers 2 or more levels of
24residential care, including at least one locked facility, and
25(iii) serves 12 or fewer Illinois students.
26    In determining rates based on allowable costs, the Review

 

 

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1Board shall consider any wage increases awarded by the General
2Assembly to front line personnel defined as direct support
3persons, aides, front-line supervisors, qualified intellectual
4disabilities professionals, nurses, and non-administrative
5support staff working in service settings in community-based
6settings within the State and adjust customary rates or rates
7of a special education program to be equitable to the wage
8increase awarded to similar staff positions in a community
9residential setting. Any wage increase awarded by the General
10Assembly to front line personnel defined as direct support
11persons, aides, front-line supervisors, qualified intellectual
12disabilities professionals, nurses, and non-administrative
13support staff working in community-based settings within the
14State shall also be a basis for any facility covered by this
15Section to appeal its rate before the Review Board under the
16process defined in Title 89, Part 900, Section 340 of the
17Illinois Administrative Code. Illinois Administrative Code
18Title 89, Part 900, Section 342 shall be updated to recognize
19wage increases awarded to community-based settings to be a
20basis for appeal.
21    The Review Board shall establish uniform definitions and
22criteria for accounting separately by special education, room
23and board and other related services costs. The Board shall
24also establish guidelines for the coordination of services and
25financial assistance provided by all State agencies to assure
26that no otherwise qualified child with a disability receiving

 

 

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1services under Article 14 shall be excluded from participation
2in, be denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination
3under any program or activity provided by any State agency.
4    The Review Board shall review the costs for special
5education and related services provided by non-public schools
6or special education facilities and shall approve or disapprove
7such facilities in accordance with the rules and regulations
8established by it with respect to allowable costs.
9    The State Board of Education shall provide administrative
10and staff support for the Review Board as deemed reasonable by
11the State Superintendent of Education. This support shall not
12include travel expenses or other compensation for any Review
13Board member other than the State Superintendent of Education.
14    The Review Board shall seek the advice of the Advisory
15Council on Education of Children with Disabilities on the rules
16and regulations to be promulgated by it relative to providing
17special education services.
18    If a child has been placed in a program in which the actual
19per pupil costs of tuition for special education and related
20services based on program enrollment, excluding room, board and
21transportation costs, exceed $4,500 and such costs have been
22approved by the Review Board, the district shall pay such total
23costs which exceed $4,500. A district making such tuition
24payments in excess of $4,500 pursuant to this Section shall be
25responsible for an amount in excess of $4,500 equal to the
26district per capita tuition charge and shall be eligible for

 

 

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1reimbursement from the State for the amount of such payments
2actually made in excess of the districts per capita tuition
3charge for students not receiving special education services.
4    If a child has been placed in an approved individual
5program and the tuition costs including room and board costs
6have been approved by the Review Board, then such room and
7board costs shall be paid by the appropriate State agency
8subject to the provisions of Section 14-8.01 of this Act. Room
9and board costs not provided by a State agency other than the
10State Board of Education shall be provided by the State Board
11of Education on a current basis. In no event, however, shall
12the State's liability for funding of these tuition costs begin
13until after the legal obligations of third party payors have
14been subtracted from such costs. If the money appropriated by
15the General Assembly for such purpose for any year is
16insufficient, it shall be apportioned on the basis of the
17claims approved. Each district shall submit estimated claims to
18the State Superintendent of Education. Upon approval of such
19claims, the State Superintendent of Education shall direct the
20State Comptroller to make payments on a monthly basis. The
21frequency for submitting estimated claims and the method of
22determining payment shall be prescribed in rules and
23regulations adopted by the State Board of Education. Such
24current state reimbursement shall be reduced by an amount equal
25to the proceeds which the child or child's parents are eligible
26to receive under any public or private insurance or assistance

 

 

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1program. Nothing in this Section shall be construed as
2relieving an insurer or similar third party from an otherwise
3valid obligation to provide or to pay for services provided to
4a child with a disability.
5    If it otherwise qualifies, a school district is eligible
6for the transportation reimbursement under Section 14-13.01
7and for the reimbursement of tuition payments under this
8Section whether the non-public school or special education
9facility, public out-of-state school or county special
10education facility, attended by a child who resides in that
11district and requires special educational services, is within
12or outside of the State of Illinois. However, a district is not
13eligible to claim transportation reimbursement under this
14Section unless the district certifies to the State
15Superintendent of Education that the district is unable to
16provide special educational services required by the child for
17the current school year.
18    Nothing in this Section authorizes the reimbursement of a
19school district for the amount paid for tuition of a child
20attending a non-public school or special education facility,
21public out-of-state school or county special education
22facility unless the school district certifies to the State
23Superintendent of Education that the special education program
24of that district is unable to meet the needs of that child
25because of his disability and the State Superintendent of
26Education finds that the school district is in substantial

 

 

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1compliance with Section 14-4.01. However, if a child is
2unilaterally placed by a State agency or any court in a
3non-public school or special education facility, public
4out-of-state school, or county special education facility, a
5school district shall not be required to certify to the State
6Superintendent of Education, for the purpose of tuition
7reimbursement, that the special education program of that
8district is unable to meet the needs of a child because of his
9or her disability.
10    Any educational or related services provided, pursuant to
11this Section in a non-public school or special education
12facility or a special education facility owned and operated by
13a county government unit shall be at no cost to the parent or
14guardian of the child. However, current law and practices
15relative to contributions by parents or guardians for costs
16other than educational or related services are not affected by
17this amendatory Act of 1978.
18    Reimbursement for children attending public school
19residential facilities shall be made in accordance with the
20provisions of this Section.
21    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any school
22district receiving a payment under this Section or under
23Section 14-7.02b, 14-13.01, or 29-5 of this Code may classify
24all or a portion of the funds that it receives in a particular
25fiscal year or from general State aid pursuant to Section
2618-8.05 of this Code as funds received in connection with any

 

 

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1funding program for which it is entitled to receive funds from
2the State in that fiscal year (including, without limitation,
3any funding program referenced in this Section), regardless of
4the source or timing of the receipt. The district may not
5classify more funds as funds received in connection with the
6funding program than the district is entitled to receive in
7that fiscal year for that program. Any classification by a
8district must be made by a resolution of its board of
9education. The resolution must identify the amount of any
10payments or general State aid to be classified under this
11paragraph and must specify the funding program to which the
12funds are to be treated as received in connection therewith.
13This resolution is controlling as to the classification of
14funds referenced therein. A certified copy of the resolution
15must be sent to the State Superintendent of Education. The
16resolution shall still take effect even though a copy of the
17resolution has not been sent to the State Superintendent of
18Education in a timely manner. No classification under this
19paragraph by a district shall affect the total amount or timing
20of money the district is entitled to receive under this Code.
21No classification under this paragraph by a district shall in
22any way relieve the district from or affect any requirements
23that otherwise would apply with respect to that funding
24program, including any accounting of funds by source, reporting
25expenditures by original source and purpose, reporting
26requirements, or requirements of providing services.

 

 

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1    An application for initial approval as a nonpublic special
2education facility under this Section shall be approved by the
3State Board of Education within 60 days after receipt of the
4application if the applicant has otherwise complied with the
5State Board's requirements for approval.
6(Source: P.A. 99-78, eff. 7-20-15; 99-143, eff. 7-27-15;
7100-587, eff. 6-4-18.)
 
8    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
9becoming law.