105 ILCS 5/ School Code.

(105 ILCS 5/14C-12) (from Ch. 122, par. 14C-12)

Sec. 14C-12. Account of expenditures; Cost report; Reimbursement. Each school district with at least one English learner shall keep an accurate, detailed and separate account of all monies paid out by it for the programs in transitional bilingual education required or permitted by this Article, including transportation costs, and shall annually report thereon for the school year ending June 30 indicating the average per pupil expenditure. Through fiscal year 2017, each school district shall be reimbursed for the amount by which such costs exceed the average per pupil expenditure by such school district for the education of children of comparable age who are not in any special education program. No funding shall be provided to school districts under this Section after fiscal year 2017. In fiscal year 2018 and each fiscal year thereafter, all funding received by a school district from the State pursuant to Section 18-8.15 of this Code that is attributable to instructions, supports, and interventions for English learner pupils must be used for programs and services authorized under this Article. At least 60% of transitional bilingual education funding received from the State must be used for the instructional costs of programs and services authorized under this Article.

Applications for preapproval for costs of transitional bilingual education programs must be submitted to the State Superintendent of Education at least 60 days before a transitional bilingual education program is started, unless a justifiable exception is granted by the State Superintendent of Education. Applications shall set forth a plan for transitional bilingual education established and maintained in accordance with this Article.

Through fiscal year 2017, reimbursement claims for transitional bilingual education programs shall be made as follows:

Each school district shall claim reimbursement on a current basis for the first 3 quarters of the fiscal year and file a final adjusted claim for the school year ended June 30 preceding computed in accordance with rules prescribed by the State Superintendent's Office. The State Superintendent of Education before approving any such claims shall determine their accuracy and whether they are based upon services and facilities provided under approved programs. Upon approval he shall transmit to the Comptroller the vouchers showing the amounts due for school district reimbursement claims. Upon receipt of the final adjusted claims the State Superintendent of Education shall make a final determination of the accuracy of such claims. If the money appropriated by the General Assembly for such purpose for any year is insufficient, it shall be apportioned on the basis of the claims approved.

Failure on the part of the school district to prepare and certify the final adjusted claims due under this Section may constitute a forfeiture by the school district of its right to be reimbursed by the State under this Section.

(Source: P.A. 100-465, eff. 8-31-17.)

(105 ILCS 5/14C-13) (from Ch. 122, par. 14C-13)

Sec. 14C-13. Advisory Council.

(a) There is created an Advisory Council on Bilingual Education, consisting of 17 members appointed by the State Superintendent of Education and selected, as nearly as possible, on the basis of experience in or knowledge of the various programs of bilingual education. The Council shall advise the State Superintendent on policy and rules pertaining to bilingual education. The Council shall establish such sub-committees as it deems appropriate to review bilingual education issues including but not limited to certification, finance and special education.

Initial appointees shall serve terms determined by lot as follows: 6 for one year, 6 for 2 years and 5 for 3 years. Successors shall serve 3-year terms. Members annually shall select a chairman from among their number. Members shall receive no compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

By no later than December 1, 2011, the Council shall submit a report to the State Superintendent of Education, the Governor, and the General Assembly addressing, at a minimum, the following questions:

(1) whether and how the 20 child per attendance center minimum in Section 14C-3 of this Code should be modified;

(2) whether and how educator certification requirements in this Article 14C and applicable State Board of Education rules should be modified;

(3) whether and how bilingual education requirements in this Article 14C and applicable State Board of Education rules should be modified to address differences between elementary and secondary schools; and

(4) whether and how to allow school districts to administer alternative bilingual education programs instead of transitional bilingual education programs.

By no later than January 1, 2013, the Council shall submit a report to the State Superintendent of Education, the Governor, and the General Assembly addressing, at a minimum, the following questions:

(i) whether and how bilingual education programs should be modified to be more flexible and achieve a higher success rate among Hispanic students in the classroom and on State assessments;

(ii) whether and how bilingual education programs should be modified to increase parental involvement including the use of parent academies;

(iii) whether and how bilingual education programs should be modified to increase cultural competency through a cultural competency program among bilingual teaching staff; and

(iv) whether and how the bilingual parent advisory committees within school districts can be supported in order to increase the opportunities for parents to effectively express their views concerning the planning, operation, and evaluation of bilingual education programs.

Within one year of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, the Council shall deliver a report to the General Assembly on how to incentivize dual language instruction in schools. The report shall include: (i) expanding dual language programs and instruction, (ii) developing a strategic plan for scaling dual language programs, (iii) possible public-private partnerships to expand dual language programs, (iv) potential funding mechanisms and models, including how to leverage the use of existing State and federal resources and how to sustain funding for dual language programs, (v) how to build the supply of qualified teachers for dual language programs, including potential partnerships with private or nonprofit teacher preparation or development programs and college teacher preparation programs, potential alternative certification routes, exchange programs with other countries, and financial incentives, and (vi) standards for measuring student progress in dual language programs.

(b) For the purpose of this Section:

"Parent academies" means a series of parent development opportunities delivered throughout the school year to increase parents' ability to successfully navigate the education system and monitor their children's education. Parent academies are specifically designed for parents of students who are enrolled in any of the English Language Learner programs and are to be provided after work hours in the parents' native language. At a minimum, parent academies shall allow participants to do the following:

(1) understand and use their children's standardized tests to effectively advocate for their children's academic success;

(2) learn home strategies to increase their children's reading proficiency;

(3) promote homework completion as a successful daily routine;

(4) establish a positive and productive connection with their children's schools and teachers; and

(5) build the character traits that lead to academic success, such as responsibility, persistence, a hard-work ethic, and the ability to delay gratification.

"Cultural competency program" means a staff development opportunity to increase the school staffs' ability to meet the social, emotional, and academic needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students and, at a minimum, allows participants to do the following:

(i) discuss the impact that our constantly changing, highly technological and globalist society is having on Illinois' public education system;

(ii) analyze international, national, State, county, district, and local students' performance data and the achievement gaps that persistently exist between groups;

(iii) realize the benefits and challenges of reaching proficiency in cultural competency;

(iv) engage in conversations that lead to self-awareness and greater insight regarding diversity; and

(v) learn strategies for building student-teacher relationships and making instruction more comprehensible and relevant for all students.

(Source: P.A. 103-362, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/Art. 15 heading) ARTICLE 15. COMMON SCHOOL LANDS

(105 ILCS 5/15-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-1)

Sec. 15-1. Lands constituting.

Section 16 in every township, the sections and parts of sections granted in lieu of all or part of such section, shall be held as common school lands.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-2)

Sec. 15-2. Place of transacting business. All the business of a township relating to common school lands shall be transacted in the county which contains all or the greater portion of such lands.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-3)

Sec. 15-3. Leases-Pooling agreements-Railroad rights of way and depot grounds.

The township land commissioners or trustees of schools in townships in which Section 16, or lands granted in lieu thereof, remain unsold, or which have title to any other school lands or real estate, may lease them for an annual cash rent or for an annual grain rent or a combination of cash and grain rent, or may lease them for drilling for oil and gas upon a royalty basis. The lease shall be made by the president and the clerk, under the direction of the township land commissioners or trustees of schools, with the lessee or lessees, shall be in writing, shall be filed with the records of the board, and a copy shall be transmitted to the county superintendent. In case of default in the payment of rent the township land commissioners or trustees shall at once proceed to collect it as may be provided by law for the collection of rents by landlords. No lease under the provisions of this Act shall be for a longer period than 5 years except when lands are leased for the purpose of having permanent improvements made thereon, as in cities and villages, and except when leased for oil and gas development and drilling. The township land commissioners or trustees of schools which have title to any school real estate or lands, whether the lands or real estate are being used by any school district for school purposes or not, may lease such real estate or lands, or any part thereof, for drilling for oil and gas upon such terms as may be agreed upon. Where such a lease is made for drilling for oil and gas, the township land commissioners or trustees of schools may also enter into pooling agreements with the owners of adjacent lands so that the township land commissioners or trustees of schools will participate in royalties in proportion to their acreage ownership as to all oil produced from any of the lands in the pooling agreements. This section does not apply to cities having a population of over one hundred thousand inhabitants.

The township land commissioners or trustees of schools of any township may sell and convey to any railroad company a right of way across any school lands of the township, and necessary depot grounds.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-4) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-4)

Sec. 15-4. (Repealed).

(Source: Laws 1965, p. 3739. Repealed by P.A. 89-159, eff. 1-1-96.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-5) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-5)

Sec. 15-5. Penalty for trespass.

Every trespasser upon common school lands is guilty of a petty offense and shall be fined 3 times the amount of the injury occasioned by the trespass.

(Source: P.A. 77-2267.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-6) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-6)

Sec. 15-6. Disposition of penalties and fines. All penalties and fines collected under the provisions of Sections 15-4 and 15-5 shall be paid to the school treasurer and added to the principal of the township fund.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-7) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-7)

Sec. 15-7. Sale of common school lands - Petition - Referendum. When the inhabitants of any township desire the sale of the common school lands thereof they shall present to the county superintendent of the county in which the school lands of the township, or the greater part thereof lie, a petition for their sale. The petition shall be signed by at least two-thirds of the voters of the township in the presence of at least 2 adult citizens of the township, after the meaning and purpose thereof have been explained, and an affidavit must be affixed thereto by the citizens witnessing the signing, which affidavit shall state the number of inhabitants of the township 18 years of age and over, and the petition so verified shall be delivered to the regional superintendent for his action thereon. In townships having a population of more than 10,000 inhabitants, the petition shall be signed by at least 1/10 of the voters thereof and be delivered to the regional superintendent. Upon the filing of any such petition with the regional superintendent he shall treat the petition in the manner provided by the general election law, and shall certify the proposition to the proper election authorities for submission to the voters of the township at a regular scheduled election the proposition to sell common school lands of the township. In addition to the requirements of the general election law the notice may be in the following form: REFERENDUM FOR SALE OF COMMON SCHOOL LANDS Notice is hereby given that on.... the.... day of...., 1...., a referendum will be held at.... for the purpose of voting "for" or "against" the proposition to sell common school lands of the township, to-wit: (here insert description of the lands). The polls will be opened at.... and closed at.... o'clock,.... M. Regional Superintendent If two-thirds of the votes upon the proposition are in favor of the sale, the county superintendent shall act thereon. No section shall be sold in any township containing fewer than 200 inhabitants. Common school lands in fractional townships may be sold when the number of acres are in, or above, a ratio of 200 to 640 but not before, provided, that where the lands sought to be sold are swamp or overflow lands, and are located in a township containing less than 200 inhabitants, a petition signed by at least two-thirds of the voters in the township shall be sufficient to cause the regional superintendent to act thereon. All other proceedings shall be the same as provided in this section. This section does not prohibit the transfer of school land belonging to a city in trust for the use of schools under the provisions of "An Act in relation to the transfer of real estate owned by municipalities", approved July 2, 1925, as amended, when the board of education of a city having a population exceeding 100,000 inhabitants desires to convey such land to the city comprising the school district of such board of education; and in case of such transfer the limitations as to the size of the lot or tract of land that may be conveyed contained in Sections 15-9 through 15-12, shall not apply.

(Source: P.A. 81-1489.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-8) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-8)

Sec. 15-8. Fractional townships united to adjacent township.

Any fractional township not having the requisite number of inhabitants to petition for the sale of school lands, which has not heretofore been united with any township for school purposes, and which does not contain a sufficient number of inhabitants to maintain a free school, is hereby attached for school purposes to the adjacent congressional township having the longest territorial line bordering on such fractional township, and all the provisions of this Article shall apply to such united townships the same as though they were 1 township.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)