Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford

Filed: 4/23/2012

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 3259

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 3259, AS AMENDED,
3by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the
4following:
 
5    "Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
626-17 as follows:
 
7    (105 ILCS 5/26-17 new)
8    (Section scheduled to be repealed on November 2, 2012)
9    Sec. 26-17. The Commission for High School Graduation
10Achievement and Success.
11    (a) The General Assembly recognizes that the compulsory
12school age is one piece of the education spectrum. There is a
13great need to help children succeed in school and reach high
14school graduation. The Commission for High School Graduation
15Achievement and Success is hereby created to study the issue of
16high school graduation in this State, with the goals of

 

 

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1increasing educational attainment, increasing high school
2graduation rates, and ultimately improving the workforce in
3this State. The Commission is tasked to examine and evaluate
4the following:
5        (1) graduation rates in this State;
6        (2) this State's mandatory attendance age;
7        (3) alternative educational programs currently being
8    used in this State, including which are the most
9    successful, why they are successful, and whether they can
10    be used by other school districts in this State;
11        (4) the funding structures and options for these
12    alternative programs;
13        (5) alternative educational programs being used in
14    other states and whether they would be successful in school
15    districts in this State; and
16        (6) the effect that high school graduation has upon the
17    job outlook for individuals.
18    (b) The alternative educational programs in this State that
19are to be studied by the Commission under subsection (a) of
20this Section shall include, but are not be limited to, the
21following:
22        (1) alternative schools, regional safe schools,
23    truancy alternative programs, and dual credit/dual degree
24    programs;
25        (2) the Shared Learning Infrastructure, online
26    courses, and other technology alternatives;

 

 

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1        (3) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
2    (STEM) Learning Exchanges;
3        (4) the Illinois Pathways Initiative;
4        (5) Accelerating Opportunity Grants; and
5        (6) the Truants' Alternative and Optional Education
6    Program.
7    (c) The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House
8of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the
9Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall each
10appoint one member to the Commission. The State Superintendent
11of Education shall appoint one representative from the State
12Board of Education to the Commission. The Governor shall
13appoint a chairperson of the Commission. In addition, the
14Commission shall be comprised of the following members
15appointed by the Governor within 30 days after the effective
16date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly:
17        (1) one member appointed to represent intermediate
18    service centers;
19        (2) one member appointed to represent regional offices
20    of education;
21        (3) one representative of an association representing
22    suburban school districts;
23        (4) one representative of an association representing
24    large unit school districts;
25        (5) one representative of a statewide association
26    representing school boards;

 

 

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1        (6) one representative of a statewide association
2    representing principals;
3        (7) one representative of a statewide association
4    representing administrators;
5        (8) one representative of a statewide association
6    representing school business officials;
7        (9) one representative of an organization representing
8    an alternative education program;
9        (10) one representative of a statewide association
10    representing teachers;
11        (11) one representative of a different statewide
12    association representing teachers;
13        (12) one representative of an association representing
14    urban teachers;
15        (13) one member appointed to represent parents or a
16    parent organization;
17        (14) the chairperson of the Chicago Board of Education
18    or his or her designee; and
19        (15) the chairperson of the Illinois P-20 Council or
20    his or her designee.
21Any additional members the Commission sees fit to appoint may
22be done so by the chairperson of the Commission.
23    (d) The Commission may begin to conduct business upon the
24appointment of a majority of voting members.
25    (e) The Office of the Governor, with help from the Illinois
26P-20 Council and research provided by the State Board of

 

 

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1Education, shall provide administrative support to the
2Commission.
3    (f) Members of the Commission shall receive no compensation
4for their participation on the Commission.
5    (g) In addition to any other applicable laws and
6administrative rules, all aspects of the Commission shall be
7governed by the Freedom of Information Act, including
8exemptions as provided in Section 7 of the Freedom of
9Information Act, as well as the Open Meetings Act. This Section
10shall not be construed so as to preclude other statutes from
11applying to the Commission or its activities.
12    (h) The Commission shall submit a final report of its
13findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General
14Assembly on or before November 1, 2012. The Commission may
15submit other reports as it deems appropriate.
16    (i) The Commission is abolished on November 2, 2012, and
17this Section is repealed on November 2, 2012.
 
18    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
19becoming law.".