093_SB0878sam001

 










                                     LRB093 07224 NHT 14380 a

 1                    AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 878

 2        AMENDMENT NO.     .  Amend Senate Bill 878  by  replacing
 3    everything after the enacting clause with the following:

 4        "Section  5.   The  School  Code  is  amended by changing
 5    Sections 2-3.25a, 2-3.25c, 2-3.25d, and 2-3.25f as follows:

 6        (105 ILCS 5/2-3.25a) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25a)
 7        Sec.  2-3.25a.   "School  district"  defined;  additional
 8    standards.
 9        (a)  For the purposes of this Section and Sections 3.25b,
10    3.25c,  3.25d,  3.25e,  and  3.25f  of  this  Code,   "school
11    district"  includes  other  public  entities  responsible for
12    administering public schools,  such  as  cooperatives,  joint
13    agreements,  charter  schools, regional offices of education,
14    local agencies, and the Department of Human Services.
15        (b)  In addition to the standards established pursuant to
16    Section 2-3.25, the State Board of  Education  shall  develop
17    recognition  standards  for  student  performance  and school
18    improvement  in  all  public  schools  operated   by   school
19    districts.   The indicators to assess student performance and
20    school improvement shall include but need not be  limited  to
21    the State assessment of student performance, local assessment
22    results, student attendance rates, retention rates, expulsion
 
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 1    rates, and graduation rates.  The standards shall be designed
 2    to  permit  the  measurement  of a school district to measure
 3    student  performance  and  school   improvement   by   school
 4    buildings   compared   to   student  performance  and  school
 5    improvement for the preceding academic years.
 6        The provisions of this subsection (b) Section are subject
 7    to the provisions of Section 2-3.25k.
 8    (Source: P.A. 89-398, eff. 8-20-95.)

 9        (105 ILCS 5/2-3.25c) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25c)
10        Sec. 2-3.25c.  Rewards.  The  State  Board  of  Education
11    shall  implement  a system of rewards to recognize and reward
12    schools and school districts whose students perform  at  high
13    levels or which demonstrate outstanding improvement.
14    (Source: P.A. 87-559.)

15        (105 ILCS 5/2-3.25d) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25d)
16        Sec.  2-3.25d.   Academic  early  warning and watch lists
17    list.  Those  schools  and  school  districts  that   for   2
18    consecutive  years  do  not  meet  adequate  yearly  progress
19    towards  having  all  of their students meet the standards of
20    academic  performance  measured  by  a  State  assessment  of
21    student performance, as  specified  by  the  State  Board  of
22    Education, shall be placed on the academic early warning list
23    established  by  the State Board of Education.  Those schools
24    and districts that are not meeting the standards of  academic
25    performance  measured  by  the  State  assessment  of student
26    performance as specified by the State Board of Education  may
27    be  placed on an academic watch list established by the State
28    Superintendent of Education after serving for  2  consecutive
29    years  on  the  State Board of Education Early academic early
30    warning list.  These  schools  and  districts  and  shall  be
31    subject   to  an  on-site  visitation  to  determine  whether
32    extenuating  circumstances  exist  as  to  why  a  school  or
 
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 1    district schools should not be placed on  an  academic  watch
 2    list by the State Superintendent of Education.
 3        A  school  district  that  has one or more schools on the
 4    academic early warning or watch list shall submit  a  revised
 5    School  Improvement  Plan or amendments thereto setting forth
 6    the district's expectations for removing each school  in  the
 7    district  from  the  academic early warning or watch list and
 8    for improving student performance in that  school.  A  school
 9    district  that is on the academic early warning or watch list
10    shall submit a revised School Improvement Plan or  amendments
11    thereto   setting   forth  the  district's  expectations  for
12    removing the district from  the  academic  early  warning  or
13    watch  list  and  for  improving  student performance in each
14    school.  Districts operating under Article 34 of  the  School
15    Code  may  submit  the School Improvement Plan required under
16    Section 34-2.4.  If any district submits a School Improvement
17    Plan which exceeds  2  years  in  duration,  the  Plan  shall
18    contain provisions for evaluation and determination as to the
19    improvement  of  student  performance  or  school improvement
20    after no later than 2 years. The revised  School  Improvement
21    Plan or amendments thereto shall be developed in consultation
22    with the staff of the affected school.
23        The revised School Improvement Plan for a school that has
24    not  met adequate yearly progress for 2 consecutive years and
25    is placed on the academic early warning list must be approved
26    by the school board (and the school's local school council in
27    a district operating under Article  34  of  this  Code).  The
28    revised School Improvement Plan for a school that has not met
29    adequate  yearly progress for 3 consecutive years and remains
30    on the academic early warning list must be  approved  by  the
31    school  board  (and  the  school's  local school council in a
32    district operating under Article 34 of  this  Code)  and  the
33    State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee. The
34    revised  School  Improvement  Plan for a school district that
 
                            -4-      LRB093 07224 NHT 14380 a
 1    has not met adequate yearly progress for 2 or  3  consecutive
 2    years  and  is placed on the academic early warning list must
 3    be submitted for approval  to  the  State  Superintendent  of
 4    Education   or  his  or  her  designee.  The  revised  School
 5    Improvement Plan for a school or school district that has not
 6    met adequate yearly progress for 4 consecutive years and  has
 7    been  placed on the academic watch list must be submitted for
 8    approval to the school board (and for a school in a  district
 9    operating  under  Article  34 of this Code the school's local
10    school council), the State Superintendent of Education or his
11    or her designee, and the State Board of Education.
12        All revised School Improvement Plans shall be  developed,
13    submitted,  and  approved  and  must be approved by the local
14    board of education and the school's local school council  for
15    districts  operating  under  Article  34  of the School Code.
16    Revised  School  Improvement  Plans  must  be  submitted  for
17    approval to the State Superintendent of Education pursuant to
18    rules and regulations  promulgated  by  the  State  Board  of
19    Education.  The revised School Improvement Plan shall address
20    specific,   measurable   outcomes   for   improving   student
21    performance  so  that  such  performance constitutes adequate
22    yearly progress equals  or  exceeds  standards  set  for  the
23    school  or  district  as  prescribed  by  the  State Board of
24    Education.
25        A school or district schools shall remain on the academic
26    early warning or watch list for at least  one  full  academic
27    year.   During  each  academic  year  for  which  a school or
28    district is on the academic early warning or  watch  list  it
29    shall  continue  to  be  evaluated  and assessed by the State
30    Board of Education as  to  whether  it  is  meeting  outcomes
31    identified in its revised School Improvement Plan.
32        The  provisions  of  this  Section  are  subject  to  the
33    provisions of Section 2-3.25k.
34    (Source: P.A. 89-398, eff. 8-20-95; 89-698, eff. 1-14-97.)
 
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 1        (105 ILCS 5/2-3.25f) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25f)
 2        Sec. 2-3.25f.  State interventions.
 3        (a)  School districts that fail to submit required School
 4    Improvement  Plans  or  fail to obtain approval of such plans
 5    pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of Education may
 6    have State funds withheld until such plans are submitted.
 7        School districts that fail to make reasonable efforts  to
 8    implement an approved School Improvement Plan may suffer loss
 9    of  State  funds  by  school  district, attendance center, or
10    program as the State Board of Education deems appropriate.
11        The  provisions  of  this  subsection  (a)  relating   to
12    submission  and  approval  of  School  Improvement  Plans are
13    subject to the provisions of Section 2-3.25k.
14        (b)  In  addition,  if  after  2  years   following   its
15    placement  on  the  academic  watch list a district or school
16    remains on the academic watch list or if a school  or  school
17    district  completes 2 consecutive years on the academic watch
18    list without making adequate yearly progress as specified  by
19    the  State  Board  of Education, the State Board of Education
20    shall take one of the following actions:
21             (1)  The State Board of Education may authorize  the
22        State  Superintendent of Education to remove the district
23        superintendent, chief administrative officer,  principal,
24        business official, or any other school administrator from
25        his  or  her  position.  This  subdivision (1) applies to
26        those  persons  who  sign  contracts  or  have   attained
27        contractual  continued  service on or after the effective
28        date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.
29             (2) 1.  The State Board of Education  may  authorize
30        the  State  Superintendent  of  Education  to  direct the
31        regional superintendent of schools to remove school board
32        members pursuant to Section 3-14.28 of this  Code.  Prior
33        to  such  direction  the  State  Board of Education shall
34        permit members of the local board of education to present
 
                            -6-      LRB093 07224 NHT 14380 a
 1        written  and  oral  comments  to  the  State   Board   of
 2        Education.  The  State  Board of Education may direct the
 3        State  Superintendent  of   Education   to   appoint   an
 4        Independent Authority that shall exercise such powers and
 5        duties  as may be necessary to operate a school or school
 6        district for purposes of improving pupil performance  and
 7        school   improvement.    The   State   Superintendent  of
 8        Education shall designate one member of  the  Independent
 9        Authority to serve as chairman. The Independent Authority
10        shall  serve  for a period of time specified by the State
11        Board of Education upon the recommendation of  the  State
12        Superintendent of Education.; or
13             (3)  2.  The  State  Board  of Education (A) (a) may
14        nonrecognize the school district or school,  or  (B)  (b)
15        may  authorize  the  State Superintendent of Education to
16        direct the  reassignment  of  pupils  and  administrative
17        staff.   If  a  school  district  is nonrecognized in its
18        entirety, it shall automatically be dissolved on  July  1
19        following that nonrecognition and its territory realigned
20        with another school district or districts by the regional
21        board   of   school   trustees  in  accordance  with  the
22        procedures set forth in Section 7-11 of the School  Code.
23        The  effective  date  of  the  nonrecognition of a school
24        shall be July 1 following the nonrecognition.
25    (Source: P.A. 89-398, eff. 8-20-95; 89-698, eff. 1-14-97.)

26        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
27    becoming law.".