HB4289 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB099 14181 NHT 38266 b

99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
HB4289

Introduced , by Rep. André M. Thapedi

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/34-1	from Ch. 122, par. 34-1
105 ILCS 5/34-3	from Ch. 122, par. 34-3
105 ILCS 5/34-3.3
105 ILCS 5/34-13.1

Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that, within 30 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the terms of all members of the Chicago Board of Education holding office on that date are abolished and the Mayor of the City of Chicago shall appoint, with the approval of the City Council, a 5-member Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees. Provides that the Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees and its members shall serve until June 30, 2019 or the appointment of a new Chicago Board of Education, whichever is later. Requires the approval of the City Council for appointments to the Chicago Board of Education, and requires (instead of permits) the Board to appoint a student member. Makes related changes. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

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

Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections 34-1, 34-3, 34-3.3, and 34-13.1 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/34-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 34-1)

Sec. 34-1. Application of Article article; Definitions. This Article applies only to cities having a population exceeding 500,000.

"Trustees", when used in this Article, means the Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees created by this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly 1995 and serving as the governing board of the school district organized under this Article beginning with its appointment on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly 1995 and continuing until June 30, 2019 1999 or the appointment of a new Chicago Board of Education as provided in Section 34-3, whichever is later.

"Board", or "board of education" when used in this Article, means: (i) the Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees for the period that begins with the appointment of the Trustees and that ends on the later of June 30, 2019 1999 or the appointment of a new Chicago Board of Education as provided in Section 34-3; and (ii) the new Chicago Board of Education from and after June 30, 2019 1999 or from and after its appointment as provided in Section 34-3, whichever is later.

Except during the period that begins with the appointment of the Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly 1995 and that ends on the later of June 30, 2019 1999 or the appointment of a new Chicago Board of Education as provided in Section 34-3: (i) the school district organized under this Article may be subject to further limitations imposed under Article 34A; and (ii) the provisions of Article 34A prevail over the other provisions of this Act, including the provisions of this Article, to the extent of any conflict.

(Source: P.A. 89-15, eff. 5-30-95.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 34-3)

Sec. 34-3. Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees; new Chicago Board of Education; members; term; vacancies.

(a) Within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly 1995, the terms of all members of the Chicago Board of Education holding office on that date are abolished and the Mayor shall appoint, with without the consent or approval of the City Council, a 5 member Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees which shall take office upon the appointment of the fifth member. The Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees and its members shall serve until, and the terms of all members of the Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees shall expire on, June 30, 2019 1999 or upon the appointment of a new Chicago Board of Education as provided in subsection (b), whichever is later. Any vacancy in the membership of the Trustees shall be filled through appointment by the Mayor, with without the consent or approval of the City Council, for the unexpired term. One of the members appointed by the Mayor to the Trustees shall be designated by the Mayor to serve as President of the Trustees. The Mayor shall appoint a full-time, compensated chief executive officer, and his or her compensation as such chief executive officer shall be determined by the Mayor. The Mayor, at his or her discretion, may appoint the President to serve simultaneously as the chief executive officer.

(b) Within 30 days before the expiration of the terms of the members of the Chicago Reform Board of Trustees as provided in subsection (a), a new Chicago Board of Education consisting of 7 members shall be appointed by the Mayor to take office on the later of July 1, 2019 1999 or the appointment of the seventh member. Three of the members initially so appointed under this subsection shall serve for terms ending June 30, 2022 2002, 4 of the members initially so appointed under this subsection shall serve for terms ending June 30, 2023 2003, and each member initially so appointed shall continue to hold office until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. Thereafter at the expiration of the term of any member a successor shall be appointed by the Mayor and shall hold office for a term of 4 years, from July 1 of the year in which the term commences and until a successor is appointed and qualified. Any vacancy in the membership of the Chicago Board of Education shall be filled through appointment by the Mayor for the unexpired term. All appointments No appointment to membership on the Chicago Board of Education that are is made by the Mayor under this subsection shall require the approval of the City Council, whether the appointment is made for a full term or to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term on the Board. The board shall elect annually from its number a president and vice-president, in such manner and at such time as the board determines by its rules. The officers so elected shall each perform the duties imposed upon their respective office by the rules of the board, provided that (i) the president shall preside at meetings of the board and vote as any other member but have no power of veto, and (ii) the vice president shall perform the duties of the president if that office is vacant or the president is absent or unable to act. The secretary of the Board shall be selected by the Board and shall be an employee of the Board rather than a member of the Board, notwithstanding subsection (d) of Section 34-3.3. The duties of the secretary shall be imposed by the rules of the Board.

(c) The board shall may appoint a student to the board to serve in an advisory capacity. The student member shall serve for a term as determined by the board. The board may not grant the student member any voting privileges, but shall consider the student member as an advisor. The student member may not participate in or attend any executive session of the board.

(Source: P.A. 94-231, eff. 7-14-05.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-3.3)

Sec. 34-3.3. Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees; powers and duties; chief operating, fiscal, educational, and purchasing officers. The General Assembly finds that an education crisis exists in the Chicago Public Schools and that a 5-member Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees shall be established for a 4 year period to bring educational and financial stability to the system. The Trustees and their chief executive officer are empowered and directed to: (i) increase the quality of educational services in the Chicago Public Schools; (ii) reduce the cost of non-educational services and implement cost-saving measures including the privatization of services where deemed appropriate; (iii) develop a long-term financial plan that to the maximum extent possible reflects a balanced budget for each year; (iv) streamline and strengthen the management of the system, including a responsible school-based budgeting process, in order to refocus resources on student achievement; (v) ensure ongoing academic improvement in schools through the establishment of an Academic Accountability Council and a strong school improvement and recognition process; (vi) enact policies and procedures that ensure the system runs in an ethical as well as efficient manner; (vii) establish within 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly 1995, develop, and implement a process for the selection of a local school council advisory board for the Trustees in which those individuals active on Local School Councils serve an advisory role to the Trustees; (viii) establish any organizational structures, including regional offices, that it deems necessary to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the system; and (ix) provide for such other local school council advisory bodies as the Trustees deem appropriate to function in an advisory capacity to any other organizations or offices established by the Trustees under clause (viii) of this Section.

(a) Unless otherwise provided in this Article, the Trustees shall have all powers and duties exercised and performed by the Chicago Board of Education at the time the terms of its members are abolished as provided in subsection (a) of Section 34-3.

(b) The Mayor shall appoint a chief executive officer who shall be a person of recognized administrative ability and management experience, who shall be responsible for the management of the system, and who shall have all other powers and duties of the general superintendent as set forth in this Article 34. The chief executive officer shall make recommendations to the Trustees with respect to contracts, policies, and procedures.

(c) The chief executive officer shall appoint, with the approval of the Trustees, a chief operating officer, a chief fiscal officer, a chief educational officer, and a chief purchasing officer to serve until June 30, 2019 1999. These officers shall be assigned duties and responsibilities by the chief executive officer. The chief operating officer, the chief fiscal officer, the chief educational officer, and the chief purchasing officer may be granted authority to hire a specific number of employees to assist in meeting immediate responsibilities. The chief executive officer may remove any officer, subject to the approval of the Trustees. Conditions of employment for such personnel shall not be subject to the provisions of Section 34-85.

(d) Upon the expiration on June 30, 2019 1999 of the terms of office of the chief executive, operating, fiscal, educational, and purchasing officers appointed under this Section and the appointment of a new Chicago Board of Education under subsection (b) of Section 34-3, the board may retain, reorganize, or abolish any or all of those offices and appoint qualified successors to fill any of those offices that it does not abolish.

(e) The Trustees shall report to the State Superintendent of Education with respect to its performance, the nature of the reforms which it has instituted, the effect those reforms have had in the operation of the central administrative office and in the performance of pupils, staff, and members of the local school councils at the several attendance centers within the district, and such other matters as the Trustees deem necessary to help assure continuing improvement in the public school system of the district. The reports shall be public documents and shall be made annually, beginning with the school year that commences in 2015 1995 and concluding in the school year beginning in 2019 1999.

(Source: P.A. 89-15, eff. 5-30-95.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-13.1)

Sec. 34-13.1. Inspector General.

(a) The Inspector General and his or her office in existence on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly 1995 shall be transferred to the jurisdiction of the board upon appointment of the Chicago School Reform Board of Trustees. The Inspector General shall have the authority to conduct investigations into allegations of or incidents of waste, fraud, and financial mismanagement in public education within the jurisdiction of the board by a local school council member or an employee, contractor, or member of the board or involving school projects managed or handled by the Public Building Commission. The Inspector General shall make recommendations to the board about the investigations. The Inspector General in office on the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1996 shall serve for a term expiring on June 30, 1998. His or her successors in office shall each be appointed by the Mayor, without the consent or approval of the City Council, for 4 year terms expiring on June 30th of an even numbered year. If the Inspector General leaves office or if a vacancy in that office otherwise occurs, the Mayor shall appoint, without the consent or approval of the City Council, a successor to serve under this Section for the remainder of the unexpired term. The Inspector General shall be independent of the operations of the board and the School Finance Authority, and shall perform other duties requested by the board.

(b) The Inspector General shall have access to all information and personnel necessary to perform the duties of the office. If the Inspector General determines that a possible criminal act has been committed or that special expertise is required in the investigation, he or she shall immediately notify the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County State's Attorney. All investigations conducted by the Inspector General shall be conducted in a manner that ensures the preservation of evidence for use in criminal prosecutions.

(c) At all times the Inspector General shall be granted access to any building or facility that is owned, operated, or leased by the board, the Public Building Commission, or the city in trust and for the use and benefit of the schools of the district.

(d) The Inspector General shall have the power to subpoena witnesses and compel the production of books and papers pertinent to an investigation authorized by this Code. Any person who (1) fails to appear in response to a subpoena; (2) fails to answer any question; (3) fails to produce any books or papers pertinent to an investigation under this Code; or (4) knowingly gives false testimony during an investigation under this Code, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

(e) The Inspector General shall provide to the board and the Illinois General Assembly a summary of reports and investigations made under this Section for the previous fiscal year no later than January 1 of each year, except that the Inspector General shall provide the summary of reports and investigations made under this Section for the period commencing July 1, 1998 and ending April 30, 1999 no later than May 1, 1999. The summaries shall detail the final disposition of those recommendations. The summaries shall not contain any confidential or identifying information concerning the subjects of the reports and investigations. The summaries shall also include detailed recommended administrative actions and matters for consideration by the General Assembly.

(f) (Blank).

(g) (Blank).

(Source: P.A. 89-15, eff. 5-30-95; 89-698, eff. 1-14-97.)

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