SB3606 EngrossedLRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

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 Sections
514-1.08 and 14-7.02 and by adding Section 14-1.08a as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/14-1.08)  (from Ch. 122, par. 14-1.08)
7    Sec. 14-1.08. Special educational facilities and services.
8"Special educational facilities and services" includes private
9special schools, separate public special education day
10schools, special classes, special housing, including
11residential facilities, special instruction, special reader
12service, braillists and typists for children with visual
13disabilities, sign language interpreters, transportation,
14maintenance, instructional material, therapy, professional
15consultant services, medical services only for diagnostic and
16evaluation purposes provided by a physician licensed to
17practice medicine in all its branches to determine a child's
18need for special education and related services, psychological
19services, school social worker services, special
20administrative services, salaries of all required special
21personnel, and other special educational services, including
22special equipment for use in the classroom, required by the
23child because of his disability if such services or special

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 2 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1equipment are approved by the State Superintendent of
2Education and the child is eligible therefor under this
3Article and the regulations of the State Board of Education.
4(Source: P.A. 89-397, eff. 8-20-95.)
 
5    (105 ILCS 5/14-1.08a new)
6    Sec. 14-1.08a. Separate public special education day
7school. "Separate public special education day school" means a
8separate special education program or facility that is
9established by a school district, public school, regional
10office of education, or special education cooperative
11exclusively to meet the needs of special education students
12who cannot be educated in the general school environment and
13that provides services comparable to a private special
14education school.
 
15    (105 ILCS 5/14-7.02)  (from Ch. 122, par. 14-7.02)
16    Sec. 14-7.02. Children attending private special education
17schools, separate public special education day schools, public
18out-of-state schools, public school residential facilities, or
19private special education facilities.
20    (a) The General Assembly recognizes that non-public
21schools or special education facilities provide an important
22service in the educational system in Illinois.
23    (b) If a student's individualized education program (IEP)
24team determines that because of his or her disability the

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 3 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1special education program of a district is unable to meet the
2needs of the child and the child attends a non-public school or
3special education facility, a public out-of-state school or a
4special education facility owned and operated by a county
5government unit that provides special educational services
6required by the child and is in compliance with the
7appropriate rules and regulations of the State Superintendent
8of Education, the school district in which the child is a
9resident shall pay the actual cost of tuition for special
10education and related services provided during the regular
11school term and during the summer school term if the child's
12educational needs so require, excluding room, board and
13transportation costs charged the child by that non-public
14school or special education facility, public out-of-state
15school or county special education facility, or $4,500 per
16year, whichever is less, and shall provide him any necessary
17transportation. "Nonpublic special education facility" shall
18include a residential facility, within or without the State of
19Illinois, which provides special education and related
20services to meet the needs of the child by utilizing private
21schools or public schools, whether located on the site or off
22the site of the residential facility. Resident district
23financial responsibility and reimbursement applies for both
24nonpublic special education facilities that are approved by
25the State Board of Education pursuant to 23 Ill. Adm. Code 401
26or other applicable laws or rules and for emergency

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 4 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1residential placements in nonpublic special education
2facilities that are not approved by the State Board of
3Education pursuant to 23 Ill. Adm. Code 401 or other
4applicable laws or rules, subject to the requirements of this
5Section.
6    (c) Prior to the placement of a child in an out-of-state
7special education residential facility, the school district
8must refer to the child or the child's parent or guardian the
9option to place the child in a special education residential
10facility located within this State, if any, that provides
11treatment and services comparable to those provided by the
12out-of-state special education residential facility. The
13school district must review annually the placement of a child
14in an out-of-state special education residential facility. As
15a part of the review, the school district must refer to the
16child or the child's parent or guardian the option to place the
17child in a comparable special education residential facility
18located within this State, if any.
19    (c-5) Before a provider that operates a nonpublic special
20education facility terminates a student's placement in that
21facility, the provider must request an IEP meeting from the
22contracting school district. If the provider elects to
23terminate the student's placement following the IEP meeting,
24the provider must give written notice to this effect to the
25parent or guardian, the contracting public school district,
26and the State Board of Education no later than 20 business days

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 5 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1before the date of termination, unless the health and safety
2of any student are endangered. The notice must include the
3detailed reasons for the termination and any actions taken to
4address the reason for the termination.
5    (d) Payments shall be made by the resident school district
6to the entity providing the educational services, whether the
7entity is the nonpublic special education facility or the
8school district wherein the facility is located, no less than
9once per quarter, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the
10parties.
11    (e) A school district may residentially place a student in
12a nonpublic special education facility providing educational
13services, but not approved by the State Board of Education
14pursuant to 23 Ill. Adm. Code 401 or other applicable laws or
15rules, provided that the State Board of Education provides an
16emergency and student-specific approval for residential
17placement. The State Board of Education shall promptly, within
1810 days after the request, approve a request for emergency and
19student-specific approval for residential placement if the
20following have been demonstrated to the State Board of
21Education:
22        (1) the facility demonstrates appropriate licensure of
23    teachers for the student population;
24        (2) the facility demonstrates age-appropriate
25    curriculum;
26        (3) the facility provides enrollment and attendance

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 6 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1    data;
2        (4) the facility demonstrates the ability to implement
3    the child's IEP; and
4        (5) the school district demonstrates that it made good
5    faith efforts to residentially place the student in an
6    approved facility, but no approved facility has accepted
7    the student or has availability for immediate residential
8    placement of the student.
9A resident school district may also submit such proof to the
10State Board of Education as may be required for its student.
11The State Board of Education may not unreasonably withhold
12approval once satisfactory proof is provided to the State
13Board.
14    (f) If an impartial due process hearing officer who is
15contracted by the State Board of Education pursuant to this
16Article orders placement of a student with a disability in a
17residential facility that is not approved by the State Board
18of Education, then, for purposes of this Section, the facility
19shall be deemed approved for placement and school district
20payments and State reimbursements shall be made accordingly.
21    (g) Emergency residential placement in a facility approved
22pursuant to subsection (e) or (f) may continue to be utilized
23so long as (i) the student's IEP team determines annually that
24such placement continues to be appropriate to meet the
25student's needs and (ii) at least every 3 years following the
26student's residential placement, the IEP team reviews

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 7 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1appropriate placements approved by the State Board of
2Education pursuant to 23 Ill. Adm. Code 401 or other
3applicable laws or rules to determine whether there are any
4approved placements that can meet the student's needs, have
5accepted the student, and have availability for placement of
6the student.
7    (h) The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules
8and regulations for determining when placement in a private
9special education facility is appropriate. Such rules and
10regulations shall take into account the various types of
11services needed by a child and the availability of such
12services to the particular child in the public school. In
13developing these rules and regulations the State Board of
14Education shall consult with the Advisory Council on Education
15of Children with Disabilities and hold public hearings to
16secure recommendations from parents, school personnel, and
17others concerned about this matter.
18    The State Board of Education shall also promulgate rules
19and regulations for transportation to and from a residential
20school. Transportation to and from home to a residential
21school more than once each school term shall be subject to
22prior approval by the State Superintendent in accordance with
23the rules and regulations of the State Board.
24    (i) A school district making tuition payments pursuant to
25this Section is eligible for reimbursement from the State for
26the amount of such payments actually made in excess of the

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 8 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1district per capita tuition charge for students not receiving
2special education services. Such reimbursement shall be
3approved in accordance with Section 14-12.01 and each district
4shall file its claims, computed in accordance with rules
5prescribed by the State Board of Education, on forms
6prescribed by the State Superintendent of Education. Data used
7as a basis of reimbursement claims shall be for the preceding
8regular school term and summer school term. Each school
9district shall transmit its claims to the State Board of
10Education on or before August 15. The State Board of
11Education, before approving any such claims, shall determine
12their accuracy and whether they are based upon services and
13facilities provided under approved programs. Upon approval the
14State Board shall cause vouchers to be prepared showing the
15amount due for payment of reimbursement claims to school
16districts, for transmittal to the State Comptroller on the
1730th day of September, December, and March, respectively, and
18the final voucher, no later than June 20. If the money
19appropriated by the General Assembly for such purpose for any
20year is insufficient, it shall be apportioned on the basis of
21the claims approved.
22    (j) No child shall be placed in a special education
23program pursuant to this Section if the tuition cost for
24special education and related services increases more than 10
25percent over the tuition cost for the previous school year or
26exceeds $4,500 per year unless such costs have been approved

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 9 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1by the Illinois Purchased Care Review Board. The Illinois
2Purchased Care Review Board shall consist of the following
3persons, or their designees: the Directors of Children and
4Family Services, Public Health, Public Aid, and the Governor's
5Office of Management and Budget; the Secretary of Human
6Services; the State Superintendent of Education; and such
7other persons as the Governor may designate. The Review Board
8shall also consist of one non-voting member who is an
9administrator of a private, nonpublic, special education
10school, one non-voting member who is an administrator of a
11separate public special education day school, and one
12non-voting member from a State agency that administers and
13provides early childhood education and care programs and
14services to children and families. The Review Board shall
15establish rules and regulations for its determination of
16allowable costs and payments made by local school districts
17for special education, room and board, and other related
18services provided by non-public schools, separate public
19special education day schools, or special education facilities
20and shall establish uniform standards and criteria which it
21shall follow. The Review Board shall approve the usual and
22customary rate or rates of a special education program that
23(i) is offered by an out-of-state, non-public provider of
24integrated autism specific educational and autism specific
25residential services, (ii) offers 2 or more levels of
26residential care, including at least one locked facility, and

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 10 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1(iii) serves 12 or fewer Illinois students.
2    (k) In determining rates based on allowable costs, the
3Review Board shall consider any wage increases awarded by the
4General Assembly to front line personnel defined as direct
5support persons, aides, front-line supervisors, qualified
6intellectual disabilities professionals, nurses, and
7non-administrative support staff working in service settings
8in community-based settings within the State and adjust
9customary rates or rates of a special education program to be
10equitable to the wage increase awarded to similar staff
11positions in a community residential setting. Any wage
12increase awarded by the General Assembly to front line
13personnel defined as direct support persons, aides, front-line
14supervisors, qualified intellectual disabilities
15professionals, nurses, and non-administrative support staff
16working in community-based settings within the State,
17including the $0.75 per hour increase contained in Public Act
18100-23 and the $0.50 per hour increase included in Public Act
19100-23, shall also be a basis for any facility covered by this
20Section to appeal its rate before the Review Board under the
21process defined in Title 89, Part 900, Section 340 of the
22Illinois Administrative Code. Illinois Administrative Code
23Title 89, Part 900, Section 342 shall be updated to recognize
24wage increases awarded to community-based settings to be a
25basis for appeal. However, any wage increase that is captured
26upon appeal from a previous year shall not be counted by the

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 11 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1Review Board as revenue for the purpose of calculating a
2facility's future rate.
3    (l) Any definition used by the Review Board in
4administrative rule or policy to define "related
5organizations" shall include any and all exceptions contained
6in federal law or regulation as it pertains to the federal
7definition of "related organizations".
8    (m) The Review Board shall establish uniform definitions
9and criteria for accounting separately by special education,
10room and board and other related services costs. The Board
11shall also establish guidelines for the coordination of
12services and financial assistance provided by all State
13agencies to assure that no otherwise qualified child with a
14disability receiving services under Article 14 shall be
15excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of or
16be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity
17provided by any State agency.
18    (n) The Review Board shall review the costs for special
19education and related services provided by non-public schools,
20separate public special education day schools, or special
21education facilities and shall approve or disapprove such
22facilities in accordance with the rules and regulations
23established by it with respect to allowable costs.
24    (o) The State Board of Education shall provide
25administrative and staff support for the Review Board as
26deemed reasonable by the State Superintendent of Education.

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 12 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1This support shall not include travel expenses or other
2compensation for any Review Board member other than the State
3Superintendent of Education.
4    (p) The Review Board shall seek the advice of the Advisory
5Council on Education of Children with Disabilities on the
6rules and regulations to be promulgated by it relative to
7providing special education services.
8    (q) If a child has been placed in a program in which the
9actual per pupil costs of tuition for special education and
10related services based on program enrollment, excluding room,
11board and transportation costs, exceed $4,500 and such costs
12have been approved by the Review Board, the district shall pay
13such total costs which exceed $4,500. A district making such
14tuition payments in excess of $4,500 pursuant to this Section
15shall be responsible for an amount in excess of $4,500 equal to
16the district per capita tuition charge and shall be eligible
17for reimbursement from the State for the amount of such
18payments actually made in excess of the district's districts
19per capita tuition charge for students not receiving special
20education services. If a child has been placed in a private
21special education school, separate public special education
22day school, or private special education facility, a district
23making tuition payments in excess of $4,500 pursuant to this
24Section shall be responsible for an amount in excess of $4,500
25equal to 2 times the district's per capita tuition charge and
26shall be eligible for reimbursement from the State for the

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 13 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1amount of such payments actually made in excess of 2 times the
2district's per capita tuition charge for students not
3receiving special education services.
4    (r) 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
18to the State Superintendent of Education. Upon approval of
19such claims, the State Superintendent of Education shall
20direct the State Comptroller to make payments on a monthly
21basis. The frequency for submitting estimated claims and the
22method of determining 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
25equal to the proceeds which the child or child's parents are
26eligible to receive under any public or private insurance or

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 14 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1assistance program. Nothing in this Section shall be construed
2as relieving an insurer or similar third party from an
3otherwise valid obligation to provide or to pay for services
4provided to a child with a disability.
5    (s) If it otherwise qualifies, a school district is
6eligible for the transportation reimbursement under Section
714-13.01 and for the reimbursement of tuition payments under
8this Section whether the non-public school or special
9education facility, public out-of-state school or county
10special education facility, attended by a child who resides in
11that district and requires special educational services, is
12within or outside of the State of Illinois. However, a
13district is not eligible to claim transportation reimbursement
14under this Section 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    (t) Nothing in this Section authorizes the reimbursement
19of a school district for the amount paid for tuition of a child
20attending a non-public school or special education facility, a
21public special education facility, a public out-of-state
22school, or a county special education facility unless the
23school district certifies to the State Superintendent of
24Education that the special education program of that district
25is unable to meet the needs of that child because of the
26child's his disability and the State Superintendent of

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 15 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1Education finds that the school district is in substantial
2compliance with Section 14-4.01. However, if a child is
3unilaterally placed by a State agency or any court in a
4non-public school or special education facility, public
5out-of-state school, or county special education facility, a
6school district shall not be required to certify to the State
7Superintendent of Education, for the purpose of tuition
8reimbursement, that the special education program of that
9district is unable to meet the needs of a child because of his
10or her disability.
11    (u) Any educational or related services provided, pursuant
12to this Section in a non-public school or special education
13facility or a special education facility owned and operated by
14a county government unit shall be at no cost to the parent or
15guardian of the child. However, current law and practices
16relative to contributions by parents or guardians for costs
17other than educational or related services are not affected by
18this amendatory Act of 1978.
19    (v) Reimbursement for children attending public school
20residential facilities shall be made in accordance with the
21provisions of this Section.
22    (w) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any school
23district receiving a payment under this Section or under
24Section 14-7.02b, 14-13.01, or 29-5 of this Code may classify
25all or a portion of the funds that it receives in a particular
26fiscal year or from general State aid pursuant to Section

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 16 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

118-8.05 of this Code as funds received in connection with any
2funding program for which it is entitled to receive funds from
3the State in that fiscal year (including, without limitation,
4any funding program referenced in this Section), regardless of
5the source or timing of the receipt. The district may not
6classify more funds as funds received in connection with the
7funding program than the district is entitled to receive in
8that fiscal year for that program. Any classification by a
9district must be made by a resolution of its board of
10education. The resolution must identify the amount of any
11payments or general State aid to be classified under this
12paragraph and must specify the funding program to which the
13funds are to be treated as received in connection therewith.
14This resolution is controlling as to the classification of
15funds referenced therein. A certified copy of the resolution
16must be sent to the State Superintendent of Education. The
17resolution shall still take effect even though a copy of the
18resolution has not been sent to the State Superintendent of
19Education in a timely manner. No classification under this
20paragraph by a district shall affect the total amount or
21timing of money the district is entitled to receive under this
22Code. No classification under this paragraph by a district
23shall in any way relieve the district from or affect any
24requirements that otherwise would apply with respect to that
25funding program, including any accounting of funds by source,
26reporting expenditures by original source and purpose,

 

 

SB3606 Engrossed- 17 -LRB103 38969 RJT 69106 b

1reporting requirements, or requirements of providing services.
2    (x) The State Board of Education may adopt such rules as
3may be necessary to implement this Section.
4(Source: P.A. 102-254, eff. 8-6-21; 102-703, eff. 4-22-22;
5103-175, eff. 6-30-23; 103-546, eff. 8-11-23; revised
68-30-23.)
 
7    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
82024.