093_SB1952

 
                                     LRB093 08902 RCE 09134 b

 1        AN ACT relating to education.

 2        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 3    represented in the General Assembly:

 4        Section  5.  The  School  Code  is  amended  by  changing
 5    Section 2-3.71 as follows:

 6        (105 ILCS 5/2-3.71) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.71)
 7        Sec.   2-3.71.   Grants  for  preschool  educational  and
 8    related model research-training  programs.
 9        (a)  Preschool program.
10             (1)  The State Board of  Education  shall  implement
11        and  administer  a  grant program under the provisions of
12        this subsection  (a) which shall  consist  of  grants  to
13        public  school districts to conduct preschool educational
14        programs for children ages 3 to 5 which include a  parent
15        education  component.  A  public  school  district  which
16        receives  grants  under  this  subsection may subcontract
17        with a  private  school,  not-for-profit  corporation  or
18        other   governmental   agency   to  conduct  a  preschool
19        educational program.  Except  as  otherwise  provided  in
20        paragraphs  (2)  and (3) of this subsection, all teachers
21        of such programs shall (i) hold early childhood  teaching
22        certificates  issued  under  Article  21,  or  (ii)  hold
23        elementary  certificates  issued  under  Article  21 with
24        kindergarten or  preschool  experience,   or  (iii)  hold
25        baccalaureate  degrees in child development, or (iv) meet
26        the requirements for supervising a day care center  under
27        the Child Care Act of 1969, as amended.
28             (2)  After  December  31,  1989,  any  persons newly
29        hired to teach in the program authorized pursuant to this
30        subsection shall hold the certification required pursuant
31        to subparagraphs (i), (ii) or (iii) of paragraph  (1)  of
 
                            -2-      LRB093 08902 RCE 09134 b
 1        this subsection.
 2             (3)  After  July 1, 1998, any teacher in the program
 3        authorized  by  this  subsection  shall  hold  an   early
 4        childhood teaching certificate.
 5             (4)  The  State Board of Education shall provide the
 6        primary source of funding through appropriations for this
 7        program.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b),
 8        such funds  shall  be  distributed  for  the  benefit  of
 9        children   who   because  of  their  home  and  community
10        environment  are  subject  to  such  language,  cultural,
11        economic and  like  disadvantages  that  they  have  been
12        determined  as  a result of screening procedures to be at
13        risk of  academic  failure.   Such  screening  procedures
14        shall be based on criteria established by the State Board
15        of Education.
16             (5)  The  State Board of Education shall develop and
17        provide evaluation tools, including  tests,  that  school
18        districts   may  use  to  evaluate  children  for  school
19        readiness prior to age 5.  The State Board  of  Education
20        shall require school districts to obtain consent from the
21        parents  or  guardians of children before any evaluations
22        are  conducted.   The  State  Board  of  Education  shall
23        encourage  local  school  districts   to   evaluate   the
24        population  of  preschool children in their districts and
25        provide preschool programs, pursuant to this  subsection,
26        where appropriate.
27             (6)  The  State  Board  of Education shall report to
28        the General Assembly by July 1, 1989 and  every  3  years
29        thereafter,  on  the results and progress of students who
30        were  enrolled   in   preschool   educational   programs,
31        including  an assessment of which programs have been most
32        successful   in   promoting   academic   excellence   and
33        alleviating  academic  failure.   The  State   Board   of
34        Education  shall  assess  the  academic  progress  of all
 
                            -3-      LRB093 08902 RCE 09134 b
 1        students who have been enrolled in preschool  educational
 2        programs.
 3        (b)  Up  to  5%  of the amounts annually appropriated for
 4    purposes of preschool educational programs under this Section
 5    may be used by the State Board of  Education  for  grants  to
 6    school  districts  and  public  and  private  institutions of
 7    higher education to establish and implement coordinated model
 8    programs which include both a  research  component  in  early
 9    childhood development and psychology and a personnel training
10    component  in  preferred  teaching methodologies in effective
11    preschool educational programs. The State Board of  Education
12    shall  by rule establish criteria for the content, objectives
13    and manner of implementing model programs which  may  qualify
14    for  grant  awards  under  this subsection. Such criteria may
15    include considerations of the ability  of  a  proposed  model
16    program  to serve children from preschool and early childhood
17    age groupings, including children therefrom who  are  or  may
18    not  be  at  risk,  and  of the ability of the proposed model
19    program to incorporate program  site  student  teaching,  for
20    early  childhood  certification  purposes,  of  the  children
21    actually  served  by  the  model  program. The State Board of
22    Education shall establish standards within its rules for  the
23    form  of  grant  applications submitted under this subsection
24    and for evaluating those applications against the  qualifying
25    criteria established as provided in this subsection for model
26    program content, objectives and implementation.
27    (Source:   P.A.  86-316;  86-400;  86-1028;  87-141;  87-515;
28    87-895.)