SB2205ham003 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Tom Cross

Filed: 7/24/2004

09300SB2205ham003 LRB093 15833 NHT 52992 a

AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 2205

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 2205, AS AMENDED, by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the FY2005 Budget Implementation (Education) Act.

Section 5. Purpose. It is the purpose of this Act to make changes in State programs that are necessary to implement the Governor's FY2005 budget recommendations concerning education.

Section 10. The State Finance Act is amended by adding Sections 6z-65, 6z-66, and 6z-67 as follows:

(30 ILCS 105/6z-65 new)

Sec. 6z-65. SBE Federal Department of Education Fund. The SBE Federal Department of Education Fund is created as a federal trust fund in the State treasury. This fund is established to receive funds from the federal Department of Education, including administrative funds recovered from federal programs, for the specific purposes established by the terms and conditions of federal awards. All moneys in the SBE Federal Department of Education Fund shall be used, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, for grants and contracts to local education agencies, colleges and universities, and other State agencies and for administrative expenses of the State Board of Education.

(30 ILCS 105/6z-66 new)

Sec. 6z-66. SBE Federal Agency Services Fund. The SBE Federal Agency Services Fund is created as a federal trust fund in the State treasury. This fund is established to receive funds from all federal departments and agencies except the Departments of Education and Agriculture (including among others the Departments of Health and Human Services, Defense, and Labor and the Corporation for National and Community Service), including administrative funds recovered from federal programs, for the specific purposes established by the terms and conditions of federal awards. All moneys in the SBE Federal Agency Services Fund shall be used, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, for grants and contracts to local education agencies, colleges and universities, and other State agencies and for administrative expenses of the State Board of Education.

(30 ILCS 105/6z-67 new)

Sec. 6z-67. SBE Federal Department of Agriculture Fund. The SBE Federal Department of Agriculture Fund is created as a federal trust fund in the State treasury. This fund is established to receive funds from the federal Department of Education, including administrative funds recovered from federal programs, for the specific purposes established by the terms and conditions of federal awards. All moneys in the SBE Federal Department of Agriculture Fund shall be used, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly, for grants and contracts to local education agencies, colleges and universities, and other State agencies and for administrative expenses of the State Board of Education.

Section 15. The School Code is amended by changing Sections 2-3.64, 2-3.131, and 18-8.05 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.64) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.64)

Sec. 2-3.64. State goals and assessment.

(a) Beginning in the 1998-1999 school year, the State Board of Education shall establish standards and periodically, in collaboration with local school districts, conduct studies of student performance in the learning areas of fine arts and physical development/health.

Beginning with the 1998-1999 school year until the 2004-2005 school year 2005-2006 school year at the latest, the State Board of Education shall annually test: (i) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades in English language arts (reading, writing, and English grammar) and mathematics; and (ii) all pupils enrolled in the 4th and 7th grades in the biological and physical sciences and the social sciences (history, geography, civics, economics, and government). Unless the testing required to be implemented no later than the 2005-2006 school year under this subsection (a) is implemented for the 2004-2005 school year, for the 2004-2005 school year, the State Board of Education shall test: (i) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades in English language arts (reading and English grammar) and mathematics and (ii) all pupils enrolled in the 4th and 7th grades in the biological and physical sciences. The maximum time allowed for all actual testing required under this paragraph shall not exceed 25 hours, as allocated among the required tests by the State Board of Education, across all grades tested.

Beginning no later than the 2005-2006 school year, the State Board of Education shall annually test: (i) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in reading and mathematics and ; (ii) all pupils enrolled in 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 8th grades in writing; (iii) all pupils enrolled in the 4th and 7th grades in the biological and physical sciences; and (iv) all pupils enrolled in 5th and 8th grades in the social sciences (history, geography, economics, civics, and government). The State Board of Education shall sample student performance in the learning area of physical development and health in grades 4 and 7 through the science tests and in the learning area of fine arts in grades 5 and 8 through the social sciences tests. After the addition of subjects and grades and change in subjects as delineated in this paragraph and including whatever other tests that may be approved from time to time no later than the 2005-2006 school year, the maximum time allowed for all State testing in grades 3 through 8 shall not exceed 38 hours across those grades.

Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, the State Board of Education shall not test pupils under this subsection (a) in writing, physical development and health, fine arts, and the social sciences (history, geography, civics, economics, and government).

The State Board of Education shall establish the academic standards that are to be applicable to pupils who are subject to State tests under this Section beginning with the 1998-1999 school year. However, the State Board of Education shall not establish any such standards in final form without first providing opportunities for public participation and local input in the development of the final academic standards. Those opportunities shall include a well-publicized period of public comment, public hearings throughout the State, and opportunities to file written comments. Beginning with the 1998-99 school year and thereafter, the State tests will identify pupils in the 3rd grade or 5th grade who do not meet the State standards.

If, by performance on the State tests or local assessments or by teacher judgment, a student's performance is determined to be 2 or more grades below current placement, the student shall be provided a remediation program developed by the district in consultation with a parent or guardian. Such remediation programs may include, but shall not be limited to, increased or concentrated instructional time, a remedial summer school program of not less than 90 hours, improved instructional approaches, tutorial sessions, retention in grade, and modifications to instructional materials. Each pupil for whom a remediation program is developed under this subsection shall be required to enroll in and attend whatever program the district determines is appropriate for the pupil. Districts may combine students in remediation programs where appropriate and may cooperate with other districts in the design and delivery of those programs. The parent or guardian of a student required to attend a remediation program under this Section shall be given written notice of that requirement by the school district a reasonable time prior to commencement of the remediation program that the student is to attend. The State shall be responsible for providing school districts with the new and additional funding, under Section 2-3.51.5 or by other or additional means, that is required to enable the districts to operate remediation programs for the pupils who are required to enroll in and attend those programs under this Section. Every individualized educational program as described in Article 14 shall identify if the State test or components thereof are appropriate for that student. The State Board of Education shall develop rules and regulations governing the administration of alternative tests prescribed within each student's individualized educational program which are appropriate to the disability of each student.

All pupils who are in a State approved transitional bilingual education program or transitional program of instruction shall participate in the State tests. Any student who has been enrolled in a State approved bilingual education program less than 3 cumulative academic years may take an accommodated State test, to be known as the Illinois Measure of Annual Growth in English (IMAGE), if the student's lack of English as determined by an English language proficiency test would keep the student from understanding the regular State test. If the school district determines, on a case-by-case individual basis, that IMAGE would likely yield more accurate and reliable information on what the student knows and can do, the school district may make a determination to assess the student using IMAGE for a period that does not exceed 2 additional consecutive years, provided that the student has not yet reached a level of English language proficiency sufficient to yield valid and reliable information on what the student knows and can do on the regular State test.

Reasonable accommodations as prescribed by the State Board of Education shall be provided for individual students in the testing procedure. All test procedures prescribed by the State Board of Education shall require: (i) that each test used for State and local student testing under this Section identify by name the pupil taking the test; (ii) that the name of the pupil taking the test be placed on the test at the time the test is taken; (iii) that the results or scores of each test taken under this Section by a pupil of the school district be reported to that district and identify by name the pupil who received the reported results or scores; and (iv) that the results or scores of each test taken under this Section be made available to the parents of the pupil. In addition, in each school year the highest scores attained by a student on the Prairie State Achievement Examination administered under subsection (c) of this Section and any Prairie State Achievement Awards received by the student shall become part of the student's permanent record and shall be entered on the student's transcript pursuant to regulations that the State Board of Education shall promulgate for that purpose in accordance with Section 3 and subsection (e) of Section 2 of the Illinois School Student Records Act. Beginning with the 1998-1999 school year and in every school year thereafter, scores received by students on the State assessment tests administered in grades 3 through 8 shall be placed into students' temporary records.

The State Board of Education shall establish a period of time, to be referred to as the State test window, in each school year for which State testing shall occur to meet the objectives of this Section. However, if the schools of a district are closed and classes are not scheduled during any week that is established by the State Board of Education as the State test window, the school district may (at the discretion of the State Board of Education) move its State test window one week earlier or one week later than the established State test window, so long as the school district gives the State Board of Education written notice of its intention to deviate from the established schedule by December 1 of the school year in which falls the State test window established by the State Board of Education for the testing.

(a-5) All tests administered pursuant to this Section shall be academically based. For the purposes of this Section "academically based tests" shall mean tests consisting of questions and answers that are measurable and quantifiable to measure the knowledge, skill, and ability of students in the subject matters covered by tests. The scoring of academically based tests shall be reliable, valid, unbiased and shall meet the guidelines for test development and use prescribed by the American Psychological Association, the National Council of Measurement and Evaluation, and the American Educational Research Association. Academically based tests shall not include assessments or evaluations of attitudes, values, or beliefs, or testing of personality, self-esteem, or self-concept. Nothing in this amendatory Act is intended, nor shall it be construed, to nullify, supersede, or contradict the legislative intent on academic testing expressed during the passage of HB 1005/P.A. 90-296. Nothing in this Section is intended, nor shall it be construed, to nullify, supersede, or contradict the legislative intent on academic testing expressed in the preamble of this amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly.

The State Board of Education shall monitor the use of short answer questions in the math and reading assessments or in other assessments in order to demonstrate that the use of short answer questions results in a statistically significant improvement in student achievement as measured on the State assessments for math and reading or on other State assessments and is justifiable in terms of cost and student performance.

(b) It shall be the policy of the State to encourage school districts to continuously test pupil proficiency in the fundamental learning areas in order to: (i) provide timely information on individual students' performance relative to State standards that is adequate to guide instructional strategies; (ii) improve future instruction; and (iii) complement the information provided by the State testing system described in this Section. Each district's school improvement plan must address specific activities the district intends to implement to assist pupils who by teacher judgment and test results as prescribed in subsection (a) of this Section demonstrate that they are not meeting State standards or local objectives. Such activities may include, but shall not be limited to, summer school, extended school day, special homework, tutorial sessions, modified instructional materials, other modifications in the instructional program, reduced class size or retention in grade. To assist school districts in testing pupil proficiency in reading in the primary grades, the State Board shall make optional reading inventories for diagnostic purposes available to each school district that requests such assistance. Districts that administer the reading inventories may develop remediation programs for students who perform in the bottom half of the student population. Those remediation programs may be funded by moneys provided under the School Safety and Educational Improvement Block Grant Program established under Section 2-3.51.5. Nothing in this Section shall prevent school districts from implementing testing and remediation policies for grades not required under this Section.

(c) Beginning with the 2000-2001 school year, each school district that operates a high school program for students in grades 9 through 12 shall annually administer the Prairie State Achievement Examination established under this subsection to its students as set forth below. The Prairie State Achievement Examination shall be developed by the State Board of Education to measure student performance in the academic areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social sciences. Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, however, the State Board of Education shall not test a student in writing and the social sciences (history, geography, civics, economics, and government) as part of the Prairie State Achievement Examination unless the student is retaking the Prairie State Achievement Examination in the fall of 2004. The State Board of Education shall establish the academic standards that are to apply in measuring student performance on the Prairie State Achievement Examination including the minimum examination score in each area that will qualify a student to receive a Prairie State Achievement Award from the State in recognition of the student's excellent performance. Each school district that is subject to the requirements of this subsection (c) shall afford all students 2 opportunities to take the Prairie State Achievement Examination beginning as late as practical during the second semester of grade 11, but in no event before March 1. The State Board of Education shall annually notify districts of the weeks during which these test administrations shall be required to occur. Every individualized educational program as described in Article 14 shall identify if the Prairie State Achievement Examination or components thereof are appropriate for that student. Each student, exclusive of a student whose individualized educational program developed under Article 14 identifies the Prairie State Achievement Examination as inappropriate for the student, shall be required to take the examination in grade 11. For each academic area the State Board of Education shall establish the score that qualifies for the Prairie State Achievement Award on that portion of the examination. Any student who fails to earn a qualifying score for a Prairie State Achievement Award in any one or more of the academic areas on the initial test administration or who wishes to improve his or her score on any portion of the examination shall be permitted to retake such portion or portions of the examination during grade 12. Districts shall inform their students of the timelines and procedures applicable to their participation in every yearly administration of the Prairie State Achievement Examination. Students receiving special education services whose individualized educational programs identify the Prairie State Achievement Examination as inappropriate for them nevertheless shall have the option of taking the examination, which shall be administered to those students in accordance with standards adopted by the State Board of Education to accommodate the respective disabilities of those students. A student who successfully completes all other applicable high school graduation requirements but fails to receive a score on the Prairie State Achievement Examination that qualifies the student for receipt of a Prairie State Achievement Award shall nevertheless qualify for the receipt of a regular high school diploma.

(d) Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year, all schools in this State that are part of the sample drawn by the National Center for Education Statistics, in collaboration with their school districts and the State Board of Education, shall administer the biennial State academic assessments of 4th and 8th grade reading and mathematics under the National Assessment of Educational Progress carried out under Section m11(b)(2) of the National Education Statistics Act of 1994 (20 U.S.C. 9010) if the Secretary of Education pays the costs of administering the assessments.

(e) Beginning no later than the 2005-2006 school year, subject to available federal funds to this State for the purpose of student assessment, the State Board of Education shall provide additional tests and assessment resources that may be used by school districts for local diagnostic purposes. These tests and resources shall include without limitation additional high school writing, physical development and health, and fine arts assessments. The State Board of Education shall annually distribute a listing of these additional tests and resources, using funds available from appropriations made for student assessment purposes.

(f) For the assessment and accountability purposes of this Section, "all pupils" includes those pupils enrolled in a public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school, or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or board of control, a charter school operating in compliance with the Charter Schools Law, a school operated by a regional office of education under Section 13A-3 of this Code, or a public school administered by a local public agency or the Department of Human Services.

(Source: P.A. 92-604, eff. 7-1-02; 93-426, eff. 8-5-03.)

(105 ILCS 5/2-3.131)

Sec. 2-3.131. FY2004 Transitional assistance payments.

(a) If the amount that the State Board of Education will pay to a school district from fiscal year 2004 appropriations, as estimated by the State Board of Education on April 1, 2004, is less than the amount that the State Board of Education paid to the school district from fiscal year 2003 appropriations, then, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall make a fiscal year 2004 transitional assistance payment to the school district in an amount equal to the difference between the estimated amount to be paid from fiscal year 2004 appropriations and the amount paid from fiscal year 2003 appropriations.

(b) If the amount that the State Board of Education will pay to a school district from fiscal year 2005 appropriations, as estimated by the State Board of Education on April 1, 2005, is less than the amount that the State Board of Education paid to the school district from fiscal year 2004 appropriations, then the State Board of Education shall make a fiscal year 2005 transitional assistance payment to the school district in an amount equal to the difference between the estimated amount to be paid from fiscal year 2005 appropriations and the amount paid from fiscal year 2004 appropriations.

(Source: P.A. 93-21, eff. 7-1-03.)

(105 ILCS 5/18-8.05)

Sec. 18-8.05. Basis for apportionment of general State financial aid and supplemental general State aid to the common schools for the 1998-1999 and subsequent school years.

(A) General Provisions.

(1) The provisions of this Section apply to the 1998-1999 and subsequent school years. The system of general State financial aid provided for in this Section is designed to assure that, through a combination of State financial aid and required local resources, the financial support provided each pupil in Average Daily Attendance equals or exceeds a prescribed per pupil Foundation Level. This formula approach imputes a level of per pupil Available Local Resources and provides for the basis to calculate a per pupil level of general State financial aid that, when added to Available Local Resources, equals or exceeds the Foundation Level. The amount of per pupil general State financial aid for school districts, in general, varies in inverse relation to Available Local Resources. Per pupil amounts are based upon each school district's Average Daily Attendance as that term is defined in this Section.

(2) In addition to general State financial aid, school districts with specified levels or concentrations of pupils from low income households are eligible to receive supplemental general State financial aid grants as provided pursuant to subsection (H). The supplemental State aid grants provided for school districts under subsection (H) shall be appropriated for distribution to school districts as part of the same line item in which the general State financial aid of school districts is appropriated under this Section.

(3) To receive financial assistance under this Section, school districts are required to file claims with the State Board of Education, subject to the following requirements:

(a) Any school district which fails for any given school year to maintain school as required by law, or to maintain a recognized school is not eligible to file for such school year any claim upon the Common School Fund. In case of nonrecognition of one or more attendance centers in a school district otherwise operating recognized schools, the claim of the district shall be reduced in the proportion which the Average Daily Attendance in the attendance center or centers bear to the Average Daily Attendance in the school district. A "recognized school" means any public school which meets the standards as established for recognition by the State Board of Education. A school district or attendance center not having recognition status at the end of a school term is entitled to receive State aid payments due upon a legal claim which was filed while it was recognized.

(b) School district claims filed under this Section are subject to Sections 18-9, 18-10, and 18-12, except as otherwise provided in this Section.

(c) If a school district operates a full year school under Section 10-19.1, the general State aid to the school district shall be determined by the State Board of Education in accordance with this Section as near as may be applicable.

(d) (Blank).

(4) Except as provided in subsections (H) and (L), the board of any district receiving any of the grants provided for in this Section may apply those funds to any fund so received for which that board is authorized to make expenditures by law.

School districts are not required to exert a minimum Operating Tax Rate in order to qualify for assistance under this Section.

(5) As used in this Section the following terms, when capitalized, shall have the meaning ascribed herein:

(a) "Average Daily Attendance": A count of pupil attendance in school, averaged as provided for in subsection (C) and utilized in deriving per pupil financial support levels.

(b) "Available Local Resources": A computation of local financial support, calculated on the basis of Average Daily Attendance and derived as provided pursuant to subsection (D).

(c) "Corporate Personal Property Replacement Taxes": Funds paid to local school districts pursuant to "An Act in relation to the abolition of ad valorem personal property tax and the replacement of revenues lost thereby, and amending and repealing certain Acts and parts of Acts in connection therewith", certified August 14, 1979, as amended (Public Act 81-1st S.S.-1).

(d) "Foundation Level": A prescribed level of per pupil financial support as provided for in subsection (B).

(e) "Operating Tax Rate": All school district property taxes extended for all purposes, except Bond and Interest, Summer School, Rent, Capital Improvement, and Vocational Education Building purposes.

(B) Foundation Level.

(1) The Foundation Level is a figure established by the State representing the minimum level of per pupil financial support that should be available to provide for the basic education of each pupil in Average Daily Attendance. As set forth in this Section, each school district is assumed to exert a sufficient local taxing effort such that, in combination with the aggregate of general State financial aid provided the district, an aggregate of State and local resources are available to meet the basic education needs of pupils in the district.

(2) For the 1998-1999 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $4,225. For the 1999-2000 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $4,325. For the 2000-2001 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $4,425. (3) For the 2001-2002 school year and 2002-2003 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $4,560. For the 2003-2004 school year, the Foundation Level of support is $4,810.

(3) (4) For the 2004-2005 2003-2004 school year and each school year thereafter, the Foundation Level of support is $4,964 $4,810 or such greater amount as may be established by law by the General Assembly.

(C) Average Daily Attendance.

(1) For purposes of calculating general State aid pursuant to subsection (E), an Average Daily Attendance figure shall be utilized. The Average Daily Attendance figure for formula calculation purposes shall be the monthly average of the actual number of pupils in attendance of each school district, as further averaged for the best 3 months of pupil attendance for each school district. In compiling the figures for the number of pupils in attendance, school districts and the State Board of Education shall, for purposes of general State aid funding, conform attendance figures to the requirements of subsection (F).

(2) The Average Daily Attendance figures utilized in subsection (E) shall be the requisite attendance data for the school year immediately preceding the school year for which general State aid is being calculated or the average of the attendance data for the 3 preceding school years, whichever is greater. The Average Daily Attendance figures utilized in subsection (H) shall be the requisite attendance data for the school year immediately preceding the school year for which general State aid is being calculated.

(D) Available Local Resources.

(1) For purposes of calculating general State aid pursuant to subsection (E), a representation of Available Local Resources per pupil, as that term is defined and determined in this subsection, shall be utilized. Available Local Resources per pupil shall include a calculated dollar amount representing local school district revenues from local property taxes and from Corporate Personal Property Replacement Taxes, expressed on the basis of pupils in Average Daily Attendance.

(2) In determining a school district's revenue from local property taxes, the State Board of Education shall utilize the equalized assessed valuation of all taxable property of each school district as of September 30 of the previous year. The equalized assessed valuation utilized shall be obtained and determined as provided in subsection (G).

(3) For school districts maintaining grades kindergarten through 12, local property tax revenues per pupil shall be calculated as the product of the applicable equalized assessed valuation for the district multiplied by 3.00%, and divided by the district's Average Daily Attendance figure. For school districts maintaining grades kindergarten through 8, local property tax revenues per pupil shall be calculated as the product of the applicable equalized assessed valuation for the district multiplied by 2.30%, and divided by the district's Average Daily Attendance figure. For school districts maintaining grades 9 through 12, local property tax revenues per pupil shall be the applicable equalized assessed valuation of the district multiplied by 1.05%, and divided by the district's Average Daily Attendance figure.

(4) The Corporate Personal Property Replacement Taxes paid to each school district during the calendar year 2 years before the calendar year in which a school year begins, divided by the Average Daily Attendance figure for that district, shall be added to the local property tax revenues per pupil as derived by the application of the immediately preceding paragraph (3). The sum of these per pupil figures for each school district shall constitute Available Local Resources as that term is utilized in subsection (E) in the calculation of general State aid.

(E) Computation of General State Aid.

(1) For each school year, the amount of general State aid allotted to a school district shall be computed by the State Board of Education as provided in this subsection.

(2) For any school district for which Available Local Resources per pupil is less than the product of 0.93 times the Foundation Level, general State aid for that district shall be calculated as an amount equal to the Foundation Level minus Available Local Resources, multiplied by the Average Daily Attendance of the school district.

(3) For any school district for which Available Local Resources per pupil is equal to or greater than the product of 0.93 times the Foundation Level and less than the product of 1.75 times the Foundation Level, the general State aid per pupil shall be a decimal proportion of the Foundation Level derived using a linear algorithm. Under this linear algorithm, the calculated general State aid per pupil shall decline in direct linear fashion from 0.07 times the Foundation Level for a school district with Available Local Resources equal to the product of 0.93 times the Foundation Level, to 0.05 times the Foundation Level for a school district with Available Local Resources equal to the product of 1.75 times the Foundation Level. The allocation of general State aid for school districts subject to this paragraph 3 shall be the calculated general State aid per pupil figure multiplied by the Average Daily Attendance of the school district.

(4) For any school district for which Available Local Resources per pupil equals or exceeds the product of 1.75 times the Foundation Level, the general State aid for the school district shall be calculated as the product of $218 multiplied by the Average Daily Attendance of the school district.

(5) The amount of general State aid allocated to a school district for the 1999-2000 school year meeting the requirements set forth in paragraph (4) of subsection (G) shall be increased by an amount equal to the general State aid that would have been received by the district for the 1998-1999 school year by utilizing the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation as calculated in paragraph (4) of subsection (G) less the general State aid allotted for the 1998-1999 school year. This amount shall be deemed a one time increase, and shall not affect any future general State aid allocations.

(F) Compilation of Average Daily Attendance.

(1) Each school district shall, by July 1 of each year, submit to the State Board of Education, on forms prescribed by the State Board of Education, attendance figures for the school year that began in the preceding calendar year. The attendance information so transmitted shall identify the average daily attendance figures for each month of the school year. Beginning with the general State aid claim form for the 2002-2003 school year, districts shall calculate Average Daily Attendance as provided in subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) of this paragraph (1).

(a) In districts that do not hold year-round classes, days of attendance in August shall be added to the month of September and any days of attendance in June shall be added to the month of May.

(b) In districts in which all buildings hold year-round classes, days of attendance in July and August shall be added to the month of September and any days of attendance in June shall be added to the month of May.

(c) In districts in which some buildings, but not all, hold year-round classes, for the non-year-round buildings, days of attendance in August shall be added to the month of September and any days of attendance in June shall be added to the month of May. The average daily attendance for the year-round buildings shall be computed as provided in subdivision (b) of this paragraph (1). To calculate the Average Daily Attendance for the district, the average daily attendance for the year-round buildings shall be multiplied by the days in session for the non-year-round buildings for each month and added to the monthly attendance of the non-year-round buildings.

Except as otherwise provided in this Section, days of attendance by pupils shall be counted only for sessions of not less than 5 clock hours of school work per day under direct supervision of: (i) teachers, or (ii) non-teaching personnel or volunteer personnel when engaging in non-teaching duties and supervising in those instances specified in subsection (a) of Section 10-22.34 and paragraph 10 of Section 34-18, with pupils of legal school age and in kindergarten and grades 1 through 12.

Days of attendance by tuition pupils shall be accredited only to the districts that pay the tuition to a recognized school.

(2) Days of attendance by pupils of less than 5 clock hours of school shall be subject to the following provisions in the compilation of Average Daily Attendance.

(a) Pupils regularly enrolled in a public school for only a part of the school day may be counted on the basis of 1/6 day for every class hour of instruction of 40 minutes or more attended pursuant to such enrollment, unless a pupil is enrolled in a block-schedule format of 80 minutes or more of instruction, in which case the pupil may be counted on the basis of the proportion of minutes of school work completed each day to the minimum number of minutes that school work is required to be held that day.

(b) Days of attendance may be less than 5 clock hours on the opening and closing of the school term, and upon the first day of pupil attendance, if preceded by a day or days utilized as an institute or teachers' workshop.

(c) A session of 4 or more clock hours may be counted as a day of attendance upon certification by the regional superintendent, and approved by the State Superintendent of Education to the extent that the district has been forced to use daily multiple sessions.

(d) A session of 3 or more clock hours may be counted as a day of attendance (1) when the remainder of the school day or at least 2 hours in the evening of that day is utilized for an in-service training program for teachers, up to a maximum of 5 days per school year of which a maximum of 4 days of such 5 days may be used for parent-teacher conferences, provided a district conducts an in-service training program for teachers which has been approved by the State Superintendent of Education; or, in lieu of 4 such days, 2 full days may be used, in which event each such day may be counted as a day of attendance; and (2) when days in addition to those provided in item (1) are scheduled by a school pursuant to its school improvement plan adopted under Article 34 or its revised or amended school improvement plan adopted under Article 2, provided that (i) such sessions of 3 or more clock hours are scheduled to occur at regular intervals, (ii) the remainder of the school days in which such sessions occur are utilized for in-service training programs or other staff development activities for teachers, and (iii) a sufficient number of minutes of school work under the direct supervision of teachers are added to the school days between such regularly scheduled sessions to accumulate not less than the number of minutes by which such sessions of 3 or more clock hours fall short of 5 clock hours. Any full days used for the purposes of this paragraph shall not be considered for computing average daily attendance. Days scheduled for in-service training programs, staff development activities, or parent-teacher conferences may be scheduled separately for different grade levels and different attendance centers of the district.

(e) A session of not less than one clock hour of teaching hospitalized or homebound pupils on-site or by telephone to the classroom may be counted as 1/2 day of attendance, however these pupils must receive 4 or more clock hours of instruction to be counted for a full day of attendance.

(f) A session of at least 4 clock hours may be counted as a day of attendance for first grade pupils, and pupils in full day kindergartens, and a session of 2 or more hours may be counted as 1/2 day of attendance by pupils in kindergartens which provide only 1/2 day of attendance.

(g) For children with disabilities who are below the age of 6 years and who cannot attend 2 or more clock hours because of their disability or immaturity, a session of not less than one clock hour may be counted as 1/2 day of attendance; however for such children whose educational needs so require a session of 4 or more clock hours may be counted as a full day of attendance.

(h) A recognized kindergarten which provides for only 1/2 day of attendance by each pupil shall not have more than 1/2 day of attendance counted in any one day. However, kindergartens may count 2 1/2 days of attendance in any 5 consecutive school days. When a pupil attends such a kindergarten for 2 half days on any one school day, the pupil shall have the following day as a day absent from school, unless the school district obtains permission in writing from the State Superintendent of Education. Attendance at kindergartens which provide for a full day of attendance by each pupil shall be counted the same as attendance by first grade pupils. Only the first year of attendance in one kindergarten shall be counted, except in case of children who entered the kindergarten in their fifth year whose educational development requires a second year of kindergarten as determined under the rules and regulations of the State Board of Education.

(G) Equalized Assessed Valuation Data.

(1) For purposes of the calculation of Available Local Resources required pursuant to subsection (D), the State Board of Education shall secure from the Department of Revenue the value as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue of all taxable property of every school district, together with (i) the applicable tax rate used in extending taxes for the funds of the district as of September 30 of the previous year and (ii) the limiting rate for all school districts subject to property tax extension limitations as imposed under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.

This equalized assessed valuation, as adjusted further by the requirements of this subsection, shall be utilized in the calculation of Available Local Resources.

(2) The equalized assessed valuation in paragraph (1) shall be adjusted, as applicable, in the following manner:

(a) For the purposes of calculating State aid under this Section, with respect to any part of a school district within a redevelopment project area in respect to which a municipality has adopted tax increment allocation financing pursuant to the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act, Sections 11-74.4-1 through 11-74.4-11 of the Illinois Municipal Code or the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law, Sections 11-74.6-1 through 11-74.6-50 of the Illinois Municipal Code, no part of the current equalized assessed valuation of real property located in any such project area which is attributable to an increase above the total initial equalized assessed valuation of such property shall be used as part of the equalized assessed valuation of the district, until such time as all redevelopment project costs have been paid, as provided in Section 11-74.4-8 of the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act or in Section 11-74.6-35 of the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law. For the purpose of the equalized assessed valuation of the district, the total initial equalized assessed valuation or the current equalized assessed valuation, whichever is lower, shall be used until such time as all redevelopment project costs have been paid.

(b) The real property equalized assessed valuation for a school district shall be adjusted by subtracting from the real property value as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue for the district an amount computed by dividing the amount of any abatement of taxes under Section 18-170 of the Property Tax Code by 3.00% for a district maintaining grades kindergarten through 12, by 2.30% for a district maintaining grades kindergarten through 8, or by 1.05% for a district maintaining grades 9 through 12 and adjusted by an amount computed by dividing the amount of any abatement of taxes under subsection (a) of Section 18-165 of the Property Tax Code by the same percentage rates for district type as specified in this subparagraph (b).

(3) For the 1999-2000 school year and each school year thereafter, if a school district meets all of the criteria of this subsection (G)(3), the school district's Available Local Resources shall be calculated under subsection (D) using the district's Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation as calculated under this subsection (G)(3).

For purposes of this subsection (G)(3) the following terms shall have the following meanings:

"Budget Year": The school year for which general State aid is calculated and awarded under subsection (E).

"Base Tax Year": The property tax levy year used to calculate the Budget Year allocation of general State aid.

"Preceding Tax Year": The property tax levy year immediately preceding the Base Tax Year.

"Base Tax Year's Tax Extension": The product of the equalized assessed valuation utilized by the County Clerk in the Base Tax Year multiplied by the limiting rate as calculated by the County Clerk and defined in the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.

"Preceding Tax Year's Tax Extension": The product of the equalized assessed valuation utilized by the County Clerk in the Preceding Tax Year multiplied by the Operating Tax Rate as defined in subsection (A).

"Extension Limitation Ratio": A numerical ratio, certified by the County Clerk, in which the numerator is the Base Tax Year's Tax Extension and the denominator is the Preceding Tax Year's Tax Extension.

"Operating Tax Rate": The operating tax rate as defined in subsection (A).

If a school district is subject to property tax extension limitations as imposed under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law, the State Board of Education shall calculate the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation of that district. For the 1999-2000 school year, the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation of a school district as calculated by the State Board of Education shall be equal to the product of the district's 1996 Equalized Assessed Valuation and the district's Extension Limitation Ratio. For the 2000-2001 school year and each school year thereafter, the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation of a school district as calculated by the State Board of Education shall be equal to the product of the Equalized Assessed Valuation last used in the calculation of general State aid and the district's Extension Limitation Ratio. If the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation of a school district as calculated under this subsection (G)(3) is less than the district's equalized assessed valuation as calculated pursuant to subsections (G)(1) and (G)(2), then for purposes of calculating the district's general State aid for the Budget Year pursuant to subsection (E), that Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation shall be utilized to calculate the district's Available Local Resources under subsection (D).

(4) For the purposes of calculating general State aid for the 1999-2000 school year only, if a school district experienced a triennial reassessment on the equalized assessed valuation used in calculating its general State financial aid apportionment for the 1998-1999 school year, the State Board of Education shall calculate the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation that would have been used to calculate the district's 1998-1999 general State aid. This amount shall equal the product of the equalized assessed valuation used to calculate general State aid for the 1997-1998 school year and the district's Extension Limitation Ratio. If the Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation of the school district as calculated under this paragraph (4) is less than the district's equalized assessed valuation utilized in calculating the district's 1998-1999 general State aid allocation, then for purposes of calculating the district's general State aid pursuant to paragraph (5) of subsection (E), that Extension Limitation Equalized Assessed Valuation shall be utilized to calculate the district's Available Local Resources.

(5) For school districts having a majority of their equalized assessed valuation in any county except Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, or Will, if the amount of general State aid allocated to the school district for the 1999-2000 school year under the provisions of subsection (E), (H), and (J) of this Section is less than the amount of general State aid allocated to the district for the 1998-1999 school year under these subsections, then the general State aid of the district for the 1999-2000 school year only shall be increased by the difference between these amounts. The total payments made under this paragraph (5) shall not exceed $14,000,000. Claims shall be prorated if they exceed $14,000,000.

(H) Supplemental General State Aid.

(1) In addition to the general State aid a school district is allotted pursuant to subsection (E), qualifying school districts shall receive a grant, paid in conjunction with a district's payments of general State aid, for supplemental general State aid based upon the concentration level of children from low-income households within the school district. Supplemental State aid grants provided for school districts under this subsection shall be appropriated for distribution to school districts as part of the same line item in which the general State financial aid of school districts is appropriated under this Section. If the appropriation in any fiscal year for general State aid and supplemental general State aid is insufficient to pay the amounts required under the general State aid and supplemental general State aid calculations, then the State Board of Education shall ensure that each school district receives the full amount due for general State aid and the remainder of the appropriation shall be used for supplemental general State aid, which the State Board of Education shall calculate and pay to eligible districts on a prorated basis.

(1.5) This paragraph (1.5) applies only to those school years preceding the 2003-2004 school year. For purposes of this subsection (H), the term "Low-Income Concentration Level" shall be the low-income eligible pupil count from the most recently available federal census divided by the Average Daily Attendance of the school district. If, however, (i) the percentage decrease from the 2 most recent federal censuses in the low-income eligible pupil count of a high school district with fewer than 400 students exceeds by 75% or more the percentage change in the total low-income eligible pupil count of contiguous elementary school districts, whose boundaries are coterminous with the high school district, or (ii) a high school district within 2 counties and serving 5 elementary school districts, whose boundaries are coterminous with the high school district, has a percentage decrease from the 2 most recent federal censuses in the low-income eligible pupil count and there is a percentage increase in the total low-income eligible pupil count of a majority of the elementary school districts in excess of 50% from the 2 most recent federal censuses, then the high school district's low-income eligible pupil count from the earlier federal census shall be the number used as the low-income eligible pupil count for the high school district, for purposes of this subsection (H). The changes made to this paragraph (1) by Public Act 92-28 shall apply to supplemental general State aid grants for school years preceding the 2003-2004 school year that are paid in fiscal year 1999 or thereafter and to any State aid payments made in fiscal year 1994 through fiscal year 1998 pursuant to subsection 1(n) of Section 18-8 of this Code (which was repealed on July 1, 1998), and any high school district that is affected by Public Act 92-28 is entitled to a recomputation of its supplemental general State aid grant or State aid paid in any of those fiscal years. This recomputation shall not be affected by any other funding.

(1.10) This paragraph (1.10) applies to the 2003-2004 school year and each school year thereafter. For purposes of this subsection (H), the term "Low-Income Concentration Level" shall, for each fiscal year, be the low-income eligible pupil count as of July 1 of the immediately preceding fiscal year (as determined by the Department of Human Services based on the number of pupils who are eligible for at least one of the following low income programs: Medicaid, KidCare, TANF, or Food Stamps, excluding pupils who are eligible for services provided by the Department of Children and Family Services, averaged over the 2 immediately preceding fiscal years for fiscal year 2004 and over the 3 immediately preceding fiscal years for each fiscal year thereafter) divided by the Average Daily Attendance of the school district.

(2) Supplemental general State aid pursuant to this subsection (H) shall be provided as follows for the 1998-1999, 1999-2000, and 2000-2001 school years only:

(a) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of at least 20% and less than 35%, the grant for any school year shall be $800 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(b) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of at least 35% and less than 50%, the grant for the 1998-1999 school year shall be $1,100 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(c) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of at least 50% and less than 60%, the grant for the 1998-99 school year shall be $1,500 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(d) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of 60% or more, the grant for the 1998-99 school year shall be $1,900 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(e) For the 1999-2000 school year, the per pupil amount specified in subparagraphs (b), (c), and (d) immediately above shall be increased to $1,243, $1,600, and $2,000, respectively.

(f) For the 2000-2001 school year, the per pupil amounts specified in subparagraphs (b), (c), and (d) immediately above shall be $1,273, $1,640, and $2,050, respectively.

(2.5) Supplemental general State aid pursuant to this subsection (H) shall be provided as follows for the 2002-2003 school year:

(a) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of less than 10%, the grant for each school year shall be $355 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(b) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of at least 10% and less than 20%, the grant for each school year shall be $675 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(c) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of at least 20% and less than 35%, the grant for each school year shall be $1,330 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(d) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of at least 35% and less than 50%, the grant for each school year shall be $1,362 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(e) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of at least 50% and less than 60%, the grant for each school year shall be $1,680 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(f) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of 60% or more, the grant for each school year shall be $2,080 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(2.10) Except as otherwise provided, supplemental general State aid pursuant to this subsection (H) shall be provided as follows for the 2003-2004 school year and each school year thereafter:

(a) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level of 15% or less, the grant for each school year shall be $355 multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

(b) For any school district with a Low Income Concentration Level greater than 15%, the grant for each school year shall be $294.25 added to the product of $2,700 and the square of the Low Income Concentration Level, all multiplied by the low income eligible pupil count.

For the 2003-2004 school year and 2004-2005 school year only, the grant shall be no less than the grant for the 2002-2003 school year. For the 2005-2006 2004-2005 school year only, the grant shall be no less than the grant for the 2002-2003 school year multiplied by 0.66. For the 2006-2007 2005-2006 school year only, the grant shall be no less than the grant for the 2002-2003 school year multiplied by 0.33.

For the 2003-2004 school year only, the grant shall be no greater than the grant received during the 2002-2003 school year added to the product of 0.25 multiplied by the difference between the grant amount calculated under subsection (a) or (b) of this paragraph (2.10), whichever is applicable, and the grant received during the 2002-2003 school year. For the 2004-2005 school year only, the grant shall be no greater than the grant received during the 2002-2003 school year added to the product of 0.50 multiplied by the difference between the grant amount calculated under subsection (a) or (b) of this paragraph (2.10), whichever is applicable, and the grant received during the 2002-2003 school year. For the 2005-2006 school year only, the grant shall be no greater than the grant received during the 2002-2003 school year added to the product of 0.75 multiplied by the difference between the grant amount calculated under subsection (a) or (b) of this paragraph (2.10), whichever is applicable, and the grant received during the 2002-2003 school year.

(3) School districts with an Average Daily Attendance of more than 1,000 and less than 50,000 that qualify for supplemental general State aid pursuant to this subsection shall submit a plan to the State Board of Education prior to October 30 of each year for the use of the funds resulting from this grant of supplemental general State aid for the improvement of instruction in which priority is given to meeting the education needs of disadvantaged children. Such plan shall be submitted in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education.

(4) School districts with an Average Daily Attendance of 50,000 or more that qualify for supplemental general State aid pursuant to this subsection shall be required to distribute from funds available pursuant to this Section, no less than $261,000,000 in accordance with the following requirements:

(a) The required amounts shall be distributed to the attendance centers within the district in proportion to the number of pupils enrolled at each attendance center who are eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunches or breakfasts under the federal Child Nutrition Act of 1966 and under the National School Lunch Act during the immediately preceding school year.

(b) The distribution of these portions of supplemental and general State aid among attendance centers according to these requirements shall not be compensated for or contravened by adjustments of the total of other funds appropriated to any attendance centers, and the Board of Education shall utilize funding from one or several sources in order to fully implement this provision annually prior to the opening of school.

(c) Each attendance center shall be provided by the school district a distribution of noncategorical funds and other categorical funds to which an attendance center is entitled under law in order that the general State aid and supplemental general State aid provided by application of this subsection supplements rather than supplants the noncategorical funds and other categorical funds provided by the school district to the attendance centers.

(d) Any funds made available under this subsection that by reason of the provisions of this subsection are not required to be allocated and provided to attendance centers may be used and appropriated by the board of the district for any lawful school purpose.

(e) Funds received by an attendance center pursuant to this subsection shall be used by the attendance center at the discretion of the principal and local school council for programs to improve educational opportunities at qualifying schools through the following programs and services: early childhood education, reduced class size or improved adult to student classroom ratio, enrichment programs, remedial assistance, attendance improvement, and other educationally beneficial expenditures which supplement the regular and basic programs as determined by the State Board of Education. Funds provided shall not be expended for any political or lobbying purposes as defined by board rule.

(f) Each district subject to the provisions of this subdivision (H)(4) shall submit an acceptable plan to meet the educational needs of disadvantaged children, in compliance with the requirements of this paragraph, to the State Board of Education prior to July 15 of each year. This plan shall be consistent with the decisions of local school councils concerning the school expenditure plans developed in accordance with part 4 of Section 34-2.3. The State Board shall approve or reject the plan within 60 days after its submission. If the plan is rejected, the district shall give written notice of intent to modify the plan within 15 days of the notification of rejection and then submit a modified plan within 30 days after the date of the written notice of intent to modify. Districts may amend approved plans pursuant to rules promulgated by the State Board of Education.

Upon notification by the State Board of Education that the district has not submitted a plan prior to July 15 or a modified plan within the time period specified herein, the State aid funds affected by that plan or modified plan shall be withheld by the State Board of Education until a plan or modified plan is submitted.

If the district fails to distribute State aid to attendance centers in accordance with an approved plan, the plan for the following year shall allocate funds, in addition to the funds otherwise required by this subsection, to those attendance centers which were underfunded during the previous year in amounts equal to such underfunding.

For purposes of determining compliance with this subsection in relation to the requirements of attendance center funding, each district subject to the provisions of this subsection shall submit as a separate document by December 1 of each year a report of expenditure data for the prior year in addition to any modification of its current plan. If it is determined that there has been a failure to comply with the expenditure provisions of this subsection regarding contravention or supplanting, the State Superintendent of Education shall, within 60 days of receipt of the report, notify the district and any affected local school council. The district shall within 45 days of receipt of that notification inform the State Superintendent of Education of the remedial or corrective action to be taken, whether by amendment of the current plan, if feasible, or by adjustment in the plan for the following year. Failure to provide the expenditure report or the notification of remedial or corrective action in a timely manner shall result in a withholding of the affected funds.

The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this subsection. No funds shall be released under this subdivision (H)(4) to any district that has not submitted a plan that has been approved by the State Board of Education.

(I) General State Aid for Newly Configured School Districts.

(1) For a new school district formed by combining property included totally within 2 or more previously existing school districts, for its first year of existence the general State aid and supplemental general State aid calculated under this Section shall be computed for the new district and for the previously existing districts for which property is totally included within the new district. If the computation on the basis of the previously existing districts is greater, a supplementary payment equal to the difference shall be made for the first 4 years of existence of the new district.

(2) For a school district which annexes all of the territory of one or more entire other school districts, for the first year during which the change of boundaries attributable to such annexation becomes effective for all purposes as determined under Section 7-9 or 7A-8, the general State aid and supplemental general State aid calculated under this Section shall be computed for the annexing district as constituted after the annexation and for the annexing and each annexed district as constituted prior to the annexation; and if the computation on the basis of the annexing and annexed districts as constituted prior to the annexation is greater, a supplementary payment equal to the difference shall be made for the first 4 years of existence of the annexing school district as constituted upon such annexation.

(3) For 2 or more school districts which annex all of the territory of one or more entire other school districts, and for 2 or more community unit districts which result upon the division (pursuant to petition under Section 11A-2) of one or more other unit school districts into 2 or more parts and which together include all of the parts into which such other unit school district or districts are so divided, for the first year during which the change of boundaries attributable to such annexation or division becomes effective for all purposes as determined under Section 7-9 or 11A-10, as the case may be, the general State aid and supplemental general State aid calculated under this Section shall be computed for each annexing or resulting district as constituted after the annexation or division and for each annexing and annexed district, or for each resulting and divided district, as constituted prior to the annexation or division; and if the aggregate of the general State aid and supplemental general State aid as so computed for the annexing or resulting districts as constituted after the annexation or division is less than the aggregate of the general State aid and supplemental general State aid as so computed for the annexing and annexed districts, or for the resulting and divided districts, as constituted prior to the annexation or division, then a supplementary payment equal to the difference shall be made and allocated between or among the annexing or resulting districts, as constituted upon such annexation or division, for the first 4 years of their existence. The total difference payment shall be allocated between or among the annexing or resulting districts in the same ratio as the pupil enrollment from that portion of the annexed or divided district or districts which is annexed to or included in each such annexing or resulting district bears to the total pupil enrollment from the entire annexed or divided district or districts, as such pupil enrollment is determined for the school year last ending prior to the date when the change of boundaries attributable to the annexation or division becomes effective for all purposes. The amount of the total difference payment and the amount thereof to be allocated to the annexing or resulting districts shall be computed by the State Board of Education on the basis of pupil enrollment and other data which shall be certified to the State Board of Education, on forms which it shall provide for that purpose, by the regional superintendent of schools for each educational service region in which the annexing and annexed districts, or resulting and divided districts are located.

(3.5) Claims for financial assistance under this subsection (I) shall not be recomputed except as expressly provided under this Section.

(4) Any supplementary payment made under this subsection (I) shall be treated as separate from all other payments made pursuant to this Section.

(J) Supplementary Grants in Aid.

(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, the amount of the aggregate general State aid in combination with supplemental general State aid under this Section for which each school district is eligible shall be no less than the amount of the aggregate general State aid entitlement that was received by the district under Section 18-8 (exclusive of amounts received under subsections 5(p) and 5(p-5) of that Section) for the 1997-98 school year, pursuant to the provisions of that Section as it was then in effect. If a school district qualifies to receive a supplementary payment made under this subsection (J), the amount of the aggregate general State aid in combination with supplemental general State aid under this Section which that district is eligible to receive for each school year shall be no less than the amount of the aggregate general State aid entitlement that was received by the district under Section 18-8 (exclusive of amounts received under subsections 5(p) and 5(p-5) of that Section) for the 1997-1998 school year, pursuant to the provisions of that Section as it was then in effect.

(2) If, as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection (J), a school district is to receive aggregate general State aid in combination with supplemental general State aid under this Section for the 1998-99 school year and any subsequent school year that in any such school year is less than the amount of the aggregate general State aid entitlement that the district received for the 1997-98 school year, the school district shall also receive, from a separate appropriation made for purposes of this subsection (J), a supplementary payment that is equal to the amount of the difference in the aggregate State aid figures as described in paragraph (1).

(3) (Blank).

(K) Grants to Laboratory and Alternative Schools.

In calculating the amount to be paid to the governing board of a public university that operates a laboratory school under this Section or to any alternative school that is operated by a regional superintendent of schools, the State Board of Education shall require by rule such reporting requirements as it deems necessary.

As used in this Section, "laboratory school" means a public school which is created and operated by a public university and approved by the State Board of Education. The governing board of a public university which receives funds from the State Board under this subsection (K) may not increase the number of students enrolled in its laboratory school from a single district, if that district is already sending 50 or more students, except under a mutual agreement between the school board of a student's district of residence and the university which operates the laboratory school. A laboratory school may not have more than 1,000 students, excluding students with disabilities in a special education program.

As used in this Section, "alternative school" means a public school which is created and operated by a Regional Superintendent of Schools and approved by the State Board of Education. Such alternative schools may offer courses of instruction for which credit is given in regular school programs, courses to prepare students for the high school equivalency testing program or vocational and occupational training. A regional superintendent of schools may contract with a school district or a public community college district to operate an alternative school. An alternative school serving more than one educational service region may be established by the regional superintendents of schools of the affected educational service regions. An alternative school serving more than one educational service region may be operated under such terms as the regional superintendents of schools of those educational service regions may agree.

Each laboratory and alternative school shall file, on forms provided by the State Superintendent of Education, an annual State aid claim which states the Average Daily Attendance of the school's students by month. The best 3 months' Average Daily Attendance shall be computed for each school. The general State aid entitlement shall be computed by multiplying the applicable Average Daily Attendance by the Foundation Level as determined under this Section.

(L) Payments, Additional Grants in Aid and Other Requirements.

(1) For a school district operating under the financial supervision of an Authority created under Article 34A, the general State aid otherwise payable to that district under this Section, but not the supplemental general State aid, shall be reduced by an amount equal to the budget for the operations of the Authority as certified by the Authority to the State Board of Education, and an amount equal to such reduction shall be paid to the Authority created for such district for its operating expenses in the manner provided in Section 18-11. The remainder of general State school aid for any such district shall be paid in accordance with Article 34A when that Article provides for a disposition other than that provided by this Article.

(2) (Blank).

(3) Summer school. Summer school payments shall be made as provided in Section 18-4.3.

(M) Education Funding Advisory Board.

The Education Funding Advisory Board, hereinafter in this subsection (M) referred to as the "Board", is hereby created. The Board shall consist of 5 members who are appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The members appointed shall include representatives of education, business, and the general public. One of the members so appointed shall be designated by the Governor at the time the appointment is made as the chairperson of the Board. The initial members of the Board may be appointed any time after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997. The regular term of each member of the Board shall be for 4 years from the third Monday of January of the year in which the term of the member's appointment is to commence, except that of the 5 initial members appointed to serve on the Board, the member who is appointed as the chairperson shall serve for a term that commences on the date of his or her appointment and expires on the third Monday of January, 2002, and the remaining 4 members, by lots drawn at the first meeting of the Board that is held after all 5 members are appointed, shall determine 2 of their number to serve for terms that commence on the date of their respective appointments and expire on the third Monday of January, 2001, and 2 of their number to serve for terms that commence on the date of their respective appointments and expire on the third Monday of January, 2000. All members appointed to serve on the Board shall serve until their respective successors are appointed and confirmed. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments. If a vacancy in membership occurs at a time when the Senate is not in session, the Governor shall make a temporary appointment until the next meeting of the Senate, when he or she shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a person to fill that membership for the unexpired term. If the Senate is not in session when the initial appointments are made, those appointments shall be made as in the case of vacancies.

The Education Funding Advisory Board shall be deemed established, and the initial members appointed by the Governor to serve as members of the Board shall take office, on the date that the Governor makes his or her appointment of the fifth initial member of the Board, whether those initial members are then serving pursuant to appointment and confirmation or pursuant to temporary appointments that are made by the Governor as in the case of vacancies.

The State Board of Education shall provide such staff assistance to the Education Funding Advisory Board as is reasonably required for the proper performance by the Board of its responsibilities.

For school years after the 2000-2001 school year, the Education Funding Advisory Board, in consultation with the State Board of Education, shall make recommendations as provided in this subsection (M) to the General Assembly for the foundation level under subdivision (B)(3) of this Section and for the supplemental general State aid grant level under subsection (H) of this Section for districts with high concentrations of children from poverty. The recommended foundation level shall be determined based on a methodology which incorporates the basic education expenditures of low-spending schools exhibiting high academic performance. The Education Funding Advisory Board shall make such recommendations to the General Assembly on January 1 of odd numbered years, beginning January 1, 2001.

(N) (Blank).

(O) References.

(1) References in other laws to the various subdivisions of Section 18-8 as that Section existed before its repeal and replacement by this Section 18-8.05 shall be deemed to refer to the corresponding provisions of this Section 18-8.05, to the extent that those references remain applicable.

(2) References in other laws to State Chapter 1 funds shall be deemed to refer to the supplemental general State aid provided under subsection (H) of this Section.

(P) This amendatory Act of the 93rd General Assembly and House Bill 4266 of the 93rd General Assembly make inconsistent changes to this Section. If House Bill 4266 becomes law, then under Section 6 of the Statute on Statutes there is an irreconcilable conflict between House Bill 4266 and this amendatory Act. This amendatory Act, being the last acted upon, is controlling. The text of this amendatory Act is the law regardless of the text of House Bill 4266.

(Source: P.A. 92-16, eff. 6-28-01; 92-28, eff. 7-1-01; 92-29, eff. 7-1-01; 92-269, eff. 8-7-01; 92-604, eff. 7-1-02; 92-636, eff. 7-11-02; 92-651, eff. 7-11-02; 93-21, eff. 7-1-03.)

Section 20. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act is amended by changing Section 45 as follows:

(110 ILCS 947/45)

Sec. 45. Illinois National Guard grant program.

(a) As used in this Section:

"State controlled university or community college" means those institutions under the administration of the Chicago State University Board of Trustees, the Eastern Illinois University Board of Trustees, the Governors State University Board of Trustees, the Illinois State University Board of Trustees, the Northeastern Illinois University Board of Trustees, the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees, the Western Illinois University Board of Trustees, Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees, University of Illinois Board of Trustees, or the Illinois Community College Board.

"Tuition and fees" shall not include expenses for any sectarian or denominational instruction, the construction or maintenance of sectarian or denominational facilities, or any other sectarian or denominational purposes or activity.

"Fees" means matriculation, graduation, activity, term, or incidental fees. Exemption shall not be granted from any other fees, including book rental, service, laboratory, supply, and union building fees, hospital and medical insurance fees, and any fees established for the operation and maintenance of buildings, the income of which is pledged to the payment of interest and principal on bonds issued by the governing board of any university or community college.

(b) Any enlisted person or any company grade officer, including warrant officers, First and Second Lieutenants, and Captains in the Army and Air National Guard, who has served at least one year in the Illinois National Guard and who possesses all necessary entrance requirements shall, upon application and proper proof, be awarded a grant to the State-controlled university or community college of his or her choice, consisting of exemption from tuition and fees for not more than the equivalent of 4 years of full-time enrollment in relation to his or her course of study at that State controlled university or community college while he or she is a member of the Illinois National Guard. If the recipient of any grant awarded under this Section ceases to be a member of the Illinois National Guard while enrolled in a course of study under that grant, the grant shall be terminated as of the date membership in the Illinois National Guard ended, and the recipient shall be permitted to complete the school term in which he or she is then enrolled only upon payment of tuition and other fees allocable to the part of the term then remaining. If the recipient of the grant fails to complete his or her military service obligations or requirements for satisfactory participation, the Department of Military Affairs shall require the recipient to repay the amount of the grant received, prorated according to the fraction of the service obligation not completed, and, if applicable, reasonable collection fees. The Department of Military Affairs may adopt rules relating to its collection activities for repayment of the grant under this Section. Unsatisfactory participation shall be defined by rules adopted by the Department of Military Affairs. Repayments shall be deposited in the National Guard Grant Fund. The National Guard Grant Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. All money in the National Guard Grant Fund shall be used, subject to appropriation, by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission Department of Military Affairs for the purposes of this Section.

A grant awarded under this Section shall be considered an entitlement which the State-controlled university or community college in which the holder is enrolled shall honor without any condition other than the holder's maintenance of minimum grade levels and a satisfactory student loan repayment record pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 20 of this Act.

(c) Subject to a separate appropriation for such purposes, the Commission may reimburse the State-controlled university or community college for grants authorized by this Section.

(Source: P.A. 92-589, eff. 7-1-02.)

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