99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB3252

 

Introduced , by Rep. Jeanne M Ives

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
30 ILCS 105/5.866 new
105 ILCS 5/2-3.163 new

    Amends the School Code. Creates the Illinois School Choice Program, which shall be administered by the State Board of Education. Provides that any State-recognized, non-public school wishing to enroll eligible students and be reimbursed for vouchers available under specified provisions shall notify the State Board of Education in writing of its intent. Specifies the eligibility for reimbursement of vouchers. Specifies reporting requirements for non-public schools that are participating in the Program. Contains provisions concerning the calculation of vouchers and how they may be used by parents. Contains provisions concerning the verification of the household income of participating parents. Provides that the State Board of Education shall adopt rules for implementation of the Program. Amends the State Finance Act to create the School Choice Fund as a special fund in the State treasury and provides that permitted fees collected by the State Board of Education shall be deposited into the Fund and shall be used by the State Board of Education to cover the administrative costs of the Program. Effective immediately.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

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 State Finance Act is amended by adding
5Section 5.866 as follows:
 
6    (30 ILCS 105/5.866 new)
7    Sec. 5.866. The School Choice Fund.
 
8    Section 10. The School Code is amended by adding Section
92-3.163 as follows:
 
10    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.163 new)
11    Sec. 2-3.163. Illinois School Choice Program; vouchers.
12    (a) For purposes of this Section:
13    "Eligible pupil" means a student enrolled in kindergarten
14or any of grades one through 12 who is an Illinois resident and
15who would be enrolled in a low-performing school if not
16attending a participating school.
17    "Fund" means the School Choice Fund.
18    "Low-performing school" means a public school in this State
19that enrolls students in any of grades kindergarten through 12
20and that is ranked within the lowest 10% of schools in the
21school district in terms of the percentage of students meeting

 

 

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1or exceeding standards on State assessments.
2    "Parent" means the custodian of an eligible pupil.
3    "Participating school" means a State-recognized,
4non-public school that has notified the State Board of
5Education in writing of its intent to enroll eligible students
6and be reimbursed for vouchers and that has paid any required
7fees to the State Board of Education and complied with all
8statutory and regulatory requirements for the Illinois School
9Choice Program.
10    (b) The Illinois School Choice Program is created and shall
11be administered by the State Board of Education. Any
12State-recognized, non-public school wishing to enroll eligible
13students and be reimbursed for vouchers available under this
14Section shall notify the State Board of Education in writing of
15its intent. To be eligible for reimbursement for vouchers,
16participating schools must pay a nonrefundable fee established
17by the State Board of Education by rule to be deposited into
18the Fund. The total amount of fees deposited into the Fund
19shall be in an amount sufficient to cover administrative costs
20of the program to the State Board of Education. The State Board
21of Education may require an additional fee from participating
22schools and public and private grant funds to commission
23external reviews of the performance of the Illinois School
24Choice Program.
25    (c) The State Board of Education shall require
26participating non-public schools to report the cost of tuition

 

 

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1and fees at the school, the address of each eligible pupil, and
2each eligible pupil's household income tier as described in
3items (1) through (3) of subsection (d) of this Section. The
4State Board of Education may establish additional reporting and
5auditing requirements for non-public schools for participation
6under this Section.
7    (d) Beginning in the 2015-2016 school year, any pupil in
8grades kindergarten through 12 shall be eligible for an
9educational voucher on his or her behalf if the pupil is
10enrolled at a participating school. Once an eligible pupil
11qualifies for a voucher, the pupil is entitled to a voucher for
12the remaining applicable grades taught at the participating
13school. The annual amount of the voucher shall be equal to the
14lesser of the total annual cost of tuition and fees at the
15non-public school or the following:
16        (1) the amount of the foundation level, as provided
17    under subsection (B) of Section 18-8.05 of this Code, in
18    the case of a pupil who is the member of family that has a
19    total family income that does not exceed 3 times the
20    federal poverty level;
21        (2) one-half the amount of the foundation level, as
22    provided under subsection (B) of Section 18-8.05 of this
23    Code, in the case of a pupil who is the member of family
24    that has a total family income between 3 and 4 times the
25    federal poverty level; or
26        (3) the amount of the flat grant, as provided under

 

 

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1    paragraph (4) of subsection (E) of Section 18-8.05 of this
2    Code, in the case of a pupil who is the member of a family
3    that has a total family income exceeding 4 times the
4    federal poverty level.
5    (e) The State Board of Education shall determine by rule
6the process by which parents receive vouchers. The vouchers may
7be redeemed by a parent at any participating school. Vouchers
8issued pursuant to this Section are redeemable only for a net
9reduction in tuition owed by the parent for an eligible student
10to attend a participating school. No portion of voucher funds
11may be refunded directly to parents in the form of cash or
12similar payment. If the participating school at which a voucher
13is redeemed for an eligible pupil is different from the school
14at which that eligible pupil was registered when the voucher
15was issued, then the school at which the eligible pupil is
16currently enrolled must notify the State Board of Education of
17the eligible pupil's enrollment status, family income,
18parental contact information, and student identification
19number in order to receive reimbursement for that voucher.
20    (f) Participating schools shall request documentation from
21parents of pupils participating under this Section to verify
22household income for purposes of determining the amount of the
23voucher to which each eligible pupil is entitled. Parents
24failing to provide documentation shall be disqualified from
25receiving a voucher for that school year.
26    (g) Participating schools shall certify to the State Board

 

 

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1of Education the number of vouchers received for enrolled
2pupils in each income bracket to be eligible for reimbursement.
3The State Board of Education shall reimburse the participating
4school for the total amount of the vouchers received in
5quarterly installments on or before September 30, December 30,
6March 30, and June 20 of each year.
7    (h) The School Choice Fund is created as a special fund in
8the State treasury. Fees collected pursuant to subsection (b)
9of this Section shall be deposited into the Fund and shall be
10used, subject to appropriation, by the State Board of Education
11to cover the administrative costs of the Illinois School Choice
12Program.
13    (i) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for
14implementation of this Section.
 
15    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
16becoming law.