SB3259 EngrossedLRB097 19781 AMC 65047 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 adding Section
526-17 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/26-17 new)
7    (Section scheduled to be repealed on November 2, 2012)
8    Sec. 26-17. The Commission for High School Graduation
9Achievement and Success.
10    (a) The General Assembly recognizes that the compulsory
11school age is one piece of the education spectrum. There is a
12great need to help children succeed in school and reach high
13school graduation. The Commission for High School Graduation
14Achievement and Success is hereby created to study the issue of
15high school graduation in this State, with the goals of
16increasing educational attainment, increasing high school
17graduation rates, and ultimately improving the workforce in
18this State. The Commission is tasked to examine and evaluate
19the following:
20        (1) graduation rates in this State;
21        (2) this State's mandatory attendance age;
22        (3) alternative educational programs currently being
23    used in this State, including which are the most

 

 

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1    successful, why they are successful, and whether they can
2    be used by other school districts in this State;
3        (4) the funding structures and options for these
4    alternative programs;
5        (5) alternative educational programs being used in
6    other states and whether they would be successful in school
7    districts in this State; and
8        (6) the effect that high school graduation has upon the
9    job outlook for individuals.
10    (b) The alternative educational programs in this State that
11are to be studied by the Commission under subsection (a) of
12this Section shall include, but are not be limited to, the
13following:
14        (1) alternative schools, regional safe schools,
15    truancy alternative programs, and dual credit/dual degree
16    programs;
17        (2) the Shared Learning Infrastructure, online
18    courses, and other technology alternatives;
19        (3) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
20    (STEM) Learning Exchanges;
21        (4) the Illinois Pathways Initiative;
22        (5) Accelerating Opportunity Grants; and
23        (6) the Truants' Alternative and Optional Education
24    Program.
25    (c) The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House
26of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the

 

 

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1Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall each
2appoint one member to the Commission. The State Superintendent
3of Education shall appoint one representative from the State
4Board of Education to the Commission. The Governor shall
5appoint a chairperson of the Commission. In addition, the
6Commission shall be comprised of the following members
7appointed by the Governor within 30 days after the effective
8date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly:
9        (1) one member appointed to represent intermediate
10    service centers;
11        (2) one member appointed to represent regional offices
12    of education;
13        (3) one representative of an association representing
14    suburban school districts;
15        (4) one representative of an association representing
16    large unit school districts;
17        (5) one representative of a statewide association
18    representing school boards;
19        (6) one representative of a statewide association
20    representing principals;
21        (7) one representative of a statewide association
22    representing administrators;
23        (8) one representative of a statewide association
24    representing school business officials;
25        (9) one representative of an organization representing
26    an alternative education program;

 

 

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1        (10) one representative of a statewide association
2    representing teachers;
3        (11) one representative of a different statewide
4    association representing teachers;
5        (12) one representative of an association representing
6    urban teachers;
7        (13) one member appointed to represent parents or a
8    parent organization;
9        (14) the chairperson of the Chicago Board of Education
10    or his or her designee; and
11        (15) the chairperson of the Illinois P-20 Council or
12    his or her designee.
13Any additional members the Commission sees fit to appoint may
14be done so by the chairperson of the Commission.
15    (d) The Commission may begin to conduct business upon the
16appointment of a majority of voting members.
17    (e) The Office of the Governor, with help from the Illinois
18P-20 Council and research provided by the State Board of
19Education, shall provide administrative support to the
20Commission.
21    (f) Members of the Commission shall receive no compensation
22for their participation on the Commission.
23    (g) In addition to any other applicable laws and
24administrative rules, all aspects of the Commission shall be
25governed by the Freedom of Information Act, including
26exemptions as provided in Section 7 of the Freedom of

 

 

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1Information Act, as well as the Open Meetings Act. This Section
2shall not be construed so as to preclude other statutes from
3applying to the Commission or its activities.
4    (h) The Commission shall submit a final report of its
5findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General
6Assembly on or before November 1, 2012. The Commission may
7submit other reports as it deems appropriate.
8    (i) The Commission is abolished on November 2, 2012, and
9this Section is repealed on November 2, 2012.
 
10    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
11becoming law.