105 ILCS 5/ School Code.

(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.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-9) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-9)

Sec. 15-9. Notice to trustees-Subdivision of land-Plat, roads, streets and alleys.

When the petition and affidavits are delivered to the county superintendent, and the requisite number of votes are in favor of a sale, he shall notify the trustees of the township or township land commissioners, who shall immediately divide the land into tracts or lots of such form and quantity as will produce the largest sum of money, and cause a plat thereof to be made with each lot numbered and defined so that its boundaries may be forever ascertained.

In subdividing common school lands, no lot shall contain more than 80 acres and the division may be into town or village lots, with roads, streets or alleys between and through them. All such divisions are hereby declared legal and all such roads, streets and alleys are declared to be public highways.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-10) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-10)

Sec. 15-10. Value fixed-Certification of plat-Plat and certificate to govern.

After the school lands have been subdivided and platted, the trustees of schools or township land commissioners shall fix the value of each lot and certify to the correctness of the plat, stating in the certificate the value of each lot and describing it so that it may be identified. The plat and certificate shall be delivered to the county superintendent and shall govern him in advertising and selling such lands.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-11) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-11)

Sec. 15-11. Notice of sale.

Upon receipt of the plat and certificate of valuation the county superintendent shall advertise the sale of such land in lots, as divided and platted, by publishing notice thereof once each week for 3 successive weeks prior to the date of the sale in a newspaper published in the county describing the land and stating the time, place and terms of the sale, and shall be in the following form: NOTICE OF SALE Notice is hereby given that on the .... day of .... 1 ...., between the hours of 10:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M., the undersigned superintendent of schools of .... county, will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, at the .... door of the court house in ....(or on the premises), the following described real estate, the same being school lands of township No. .... range No. ...., as divided, and platted by the (township land commissioners) (trustees of schools of said township), to-wit: (here insert full and complete description of said premises). Said lands will be sold for cash in hand, with the privilege to any purchaser of borrowing from the undersigned the whole or part of the payment of his bid, for not less than 1 nor more than 5 years, upon his paying interest and giving security as required in case of a loan obtained from the township fund.

Dated this .... day of .... 1 ..... A .... B .... County Superintendent (Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-12) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-12)

Sec. 15-12. Conduct of sale.

Upon the day of sale, the county superintendent shall make sales by beginning at the lowest numbered lot and proceeding regularly to the highest numbered until they are all sold or offered. No lot shall be sold for less than its valuation. The sale may continue from day to day. Each lot shall be sold separately and offered long enough to enable any person present to bid who so desires.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-13) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-13)

Sec. 15-13. Payment of purchase price.

At the close of each day's sale the purchasers shall pay or secure the payment of the purchase money. In case of a failure to do so by 10 a. m. the succeeding day, the lot purchased shall again be offered at public sale, on the terms as before. Regardless of whether or not the sale is made the former purchaser shall be required to pay the difference between his bid and the valuation of the lot, and if he fails to make such payment, the county superintendent may forthwith institute a civil action in his name, as superintendent, for the use of the inhabitants of the township where the land lies, for the required sum; and upon making proof, shall be entitled to judgment, with costs of suit which, when collected, shall be added to the principal of the township fund.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-14) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-14)

Sec. 15-14. Unsold lands subject to sale thereafter. All lands not sold at public sale, as herein provided for, shall be subject to sale at any time hereafter, at the valuation as provided in Section 15-10, and the county superintendents shall, if possible, sell all such lands at private sale, upon the terms at which they were offered at public sale.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

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

Sec. 15-15. Valuation of unsold land. Where common school lands have been valued under Section 15-10 and have remained unsold for 2 years after having been offered for sale in conformity to this Article, the trustees of schools or township land commissioners where the lands are situated may, without any petition having been filed, vacate the valuation thereof by an order entered in Book A of the county superintendent, and make a new valuation. They shall make a new valuation in the same manner as the former, and shall deliver to the county superintendent a plat of the land at such new valuation with the order of vacation, whereupon the county superintendent shall offer the land for sale as if no former valuation has been made.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-16) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-16)

Sec. 15-16. Certificate of purchase.

Upon the completion of every sale the county superintendent shall deliver to the purchaser a certificate of purchase including the name and residence of the purchaser and the price and description of the land.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-17) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-17)

Sec. 15-17. Patents.

Every purchaser of common school lands shall be entitled to a patent from the State, conveying and assuring the title. Patents shall be issued by the Secretary of State from returns made to him by the county superintendent, township land commissioners or county board of school trustees as the case may be. They shall contain a description of the land granted and shall be in the name of and signed by the Governor, with the great seal of State affixed thereto by the Secretary of State, and shall operate to vest in the purchaser a title in fee simple. When patents are so executed the Secretary of State shall note on the list of sales the date of each patent in such manner as to perpetuate the evidence of its date and delivery and thereupon transmit it to the county superintendent of the proper county, to be by him delivered to the patentee, his heirs, or assigns, upon the return of the original certificate of purchase, which certificate, when returned, shall be filed and preserved by the county superintendent. All such patents for school lands, or certified copies thereof from any record legally made, shall, after 10 years from the date of the patent, and such sale having been acquiesced in for 10 years by the inhabitants of the township in which the land so conveyed is situated, be conclusive evidence as to the legality of the sale, and that the title to such land was, at the date of patent, legally vested in the patentee.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-18) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-18)

Sec. 15-18. Copies of lost certificates or patents.

Purchasers of common school lands, and their heirs or assigns, may obtain certified copies or certificates of purchase and patents upon filing an affidavit with the county superintendent in respect to certificates and with the Secretary of State in respect to patents, proving the loss or destruction of the originals, which copies shall have the effect of originals.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-19) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-19)

Sec. 15-19. Dedication of streets and highways.

The trustees of schools or township land commissioners may dedicate to public use for street and highway purposes as much of the unimproved common school lands as may be necessary to open or extend any street or highway which may be ordered by the municipal authorities to be opened or extended, if they are of the opinion that the benefit to accrue from the opening or extending of such street or highway will compensate for the strip so dedicated. It is unlawful for any street or other railroad company to lay tracks on any strip of the common school lands so dedicated, or use them or any part thereof for railroad or street railroad purposes, except upon the purchase or lease thereof from the proper authorities or upon payment to the school fund of the township of the value of such use or land the same as if no street or highway had been laid out thereon, to be determined by condemnation proceedings. This section does not affect existing leases or contracts for the lease or purchase of common school lands.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-20) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-20)

Sec. 15-20. Books to be kept.

The county superintendent shall keep 3 books, to be known and designated by the letters A, B, and C. In book A he shall record at length all petitions presented to him for the sale of common school lands, the plats and certificates of valuation made by or under the direction of the trustees of schools, or the township land commissioners, and the affidavits in relation to the same. In book B he shall keep an account of all sales of common school lands, including the date of sale, name of purchaser, description of land sold and the selling price. In book C he shall keep a regular account of all moneys received or paid out; from whom received, on what account, showing whether it is principal or interest, the rate of interest, and a description of the real estate taken as security; if paid out, to whom, when, and on what account, the amount of the sales and the account of each township fund to be kept separate.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-21) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-21)

Sec. 15-21. Statements to be presented.

At the regular meeting of the county board in each year the county superintendent shall present, first, a statement showing the sales of school lands made subsequent to the first regular term of the previous year, which shall be a copy of the sale book (book B); second, a statement of the amount of money received, paid, and in hand, belonging to each township or fund under his control, the statement of each fund to be separate; third, a statement copied from his loan book (book C), showing all the facts in regard to loans which are required to be stated in the loan book.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-22) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-22)

Sec. 15-22. Record of report and statement.

The county clerk shall record and preserve the report of the county superintendent made to the county board at its first regular meeting in each year relating to the sale of school lands, the amount of money received, paid, loaned out and on hand, belonging to each township fund in his control, and the statement copied from the loan book of such county superintendent, showing all the facts in regard to loans which are required to be stated in the loan book.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-23) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-23)

Sec. 15-23. Common school lands. The provisions of Sections 15-1 through 15-19, of this Article shall have no application to the sale of any of the common school lands of any township to a school district located within the township for use as a schoolhouse site, and the trustees of schools or township land commissioners in any township in which Section 16 or land granted in lieu thereof remains unsold may sell to the governing body of any such school district any tract of said common school lands where such tract has been legally selected as a schoolhouse site for said district.

Where any tract of the common school lands of the township has been legally selected as a schoolhouse site by the voters of any school district within the township, the governing body of such school district may adopt a resolution reciting the fact that the voters have legally selected such tract as a schoolhouse site, describing it, setting forth the date of the election and the fact that a majority of the voters voting at the election selected the said tract as a schoolhouse site, and requesting the trustees of schools, or township land commissioners upon payment to them of not to exceed the sum authorized by the voters to be paid for any such tract, to execute an instrument indicating that said trustees of schools or township land commissioners of the township hold title to said tract for the use and benefit of such school district. A certified copy of such resolution shall be filed with the Clerk of the trustees of schools or township land commissioners, and it shall be the duty of said trustees of schools or township land commissioners of such township upon the filing of a certified copy of such resolution with the Clerk of the trustees of schools, or township land commissioners to execute an instrument of conveyance or an instrument of declaration, indicating that they hold title to such property for the use and benefit of said school district, which shall be filed of record in the office of the recorder. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, if the school district is a school district located in a Class I county school unit, or if the school district is a school district that has withdrawn from the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees of schools of a township and the township treasurer under subsection (b) of Section 5-1, the resolution of the school board shall request the trustees of schools, township land commissioners, regional board of school trustees, or other school officials having title to the property, upon payment to them of not to exceed the sum authorized by the voters, to deliver to the school board a deed, executed by their president and their clerk or secretary, conveying good legal title to the property selected as a schoolhouse site to the school board of the school district.

(Source: P.A. 88-155.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-24) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-24)

Sec. 15-24. Management of permanent funds. The common school lands and township loanable funds in Class I counties shall be managed and operated by township land commissioners who shall receive no salary. In counties of fewer than 220,000 inhabitants, there shall be 3 land commissioners, who shall be elected in the same manner as provided for the election of school directors, who shall serve the same terms as school directors and shall be organized in the same manner as school directors. In counties having 220,000 inhabitants or more but fewer than 2,000,000 inhabitants, the members of the regional board of school trustees shall be the township land commissioners, except that township land commissioners elected in any such county prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1963 shall continue to serve until the end of the term for which they were elected. The township land commissioners shall hold title to, manage and operate all common school lands and township loanable funds of such township and receive the rents, issues and profits therefrom. Elections shall be conducted in accordance with the general election law. The land commissioners shall appoint a treasurer for a term of 2 years and fix his salary which shall not be changed during such term. The proceeds of the rents, issues and profits from such land and fund shall be promptly deposited with him upon its receipt by the land commissioners. After the payment of the necessary expenses incidental to the operation of such land and fund by orders drawn on the treasurer and signed by the president and secretary of the land commissioners, including actual expenses of the land commissioners, the net income from such land and fund including accumulated income undistributed at the effective date of this Act shall, upon an order drawn by such treasurer and signed by the president and secretary of such township land commissioners be distributed annually on or before February 1 as provided in this Act.

(Source: P.A. 86-225.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-25) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-25)

Sec. 15-25. Reports of treasurer.

The treasurer of the township land commissioners shall with respect to the common school lands and township loanable fund held by them make the reports to them required to be made by township treasurers to township school trustees, give bond as required of township treasurers, and perform the duties and exercise the powers of township treasurers.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-26) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-26)

Sec. 15-26. Liquidation of permanent fund. Upon a petition signed by at least one hundred voters of any school township filed with the regional superintendent of schools asking that the permanent funds of such township be liquidated and distributed to the schools of said township, said regional superintendent of schools shall certify the proposition to the proper election authorities for submission to the electorate at a regular scheduled election in said township the proposition to liquidate such permanent funds and distribute the proceeds thereof to the schools of the said school township. Such funds may be deposited by the district either in the educational or operations and maintenance fund, or in both in such proportion as the school board shall determine. If the said proposition receives a majority of the votes cast upon such proposition the township land commissioners shall proceed to sell the lands included in the assets of the permanent fund and liquidate the permanent funds of said school township and distribute same in the manner provided in this Article; if the average income from the permanent funds of any school township for a period of three years amounts to less than $2500 the regional board of school trustees or the township land commissioners shall proceed forthwith to liquidate such funds and sell the lands included in the assets of the permanent fund without any petition or election.

The expenses of liquidation shall be paid out of the moneys obtained from the liquidation. Upon completion of every sale of lands the township land commissioners or the regional board of school trustees, as the case may be, shall deliver to the purchaser a certificate of purchase including the name and residence of the purchaser and the price and description of the land.

(Source: P.A. 86-970.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-27) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-27)

Sec. 15-27. Audit. In the month of July of each year and at such other times as they may think necessary the township land commissioners shall cause an audit to be made by a public accountant of all funds under their jurisdiction. A certified copy of such annual audit shall be filed with the regional superintendent of schools and the State Board of Education by October 15 each year.

(Source: P.A. 81-1508.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-28) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-28)

Sec. 15-28. Township land commissioners successors to trustees of schools. The township land commissioners elected under the provisions of this Article shall be the successors to the trustees of schools elected under "An Act in relation to the establishment, operation and maintenance of public schools, providing for the transportation of and scholarships in institutions of higher learning for students of all schools, and to repeal certain acts herein named", approved March 18, 1961, as amended with respect to the common school lands and township loanable fund of the township. All rights of property of the common school lands and causes of action existing or vested in the trustees of schools elected under such Act as amended shall vest in the township land commissioners as successors in as complete a manner as they were vested in the trustees of schools elected under such Act as amended. All records, moneys, securities and other assets of the common school lands of the several school townships in the county and any obligations owing to such school townships shall be transferred by the several boards of township trustees to the township land commissioners. Such township land commissioners are empowered to receive such records and assets. All assets so received shall be credited to the respective school township from which they were received.

The township land commissioners shall designate a depositary for their treasurer in the manner provided in Section 8-7 of this Act insofar as applicable.

(Source: Laws 1967, p. 509.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-29) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-29)

Sec. 15-29. Bond.

It shall be the duty of the township land commissioners to examine the bond of its treasurer and if found to be in proper form in the proper amount with good and sufficient securities to approve same. If at any time the said township land commissioners deem it necessary it shall require its treasurer to execute a new bond but the execution of such new bond shall not affect the old bond or the liabilities of the sureties thereon.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-30) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-30)

Sec. 15-30. Liability of township land commissioners.

If the township land commissioners fail to observe the provisions of this Act in reference to the distribution of funds and property, they shall be individually and jointly liable to the district interested in a civil action to the full amount of the damages sustained by the district aggrieved.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/15-31) (from Ch. 122, par. 15-31)

Sec. 15-31. Disposition of funds upon liquidation of permanent funds. Any funds received as the result of the liquidation of the permanent funds belonging to any school township shall after the payment of the necessary expenses connected therewith be apportioned and distributed to the school districts or parts of districts of such township -- including, in the case of the liquidation of the permanent funds belonging to any school township in a Class II county school unit, any school district located in such township which theretofore withdrew from the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees of schools of that township and from the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer as provided in subsection (b) of Section 5-1 -- in which schools have been kept as required by law during the preceding year ending June 30 according to the number of pupils in average daily attendance in grades one to eight, each inclusive, and upon the completion of such liquidation and distribution and the submission of all reports required by law the office of township land commissioners and their treasurer in such township shall terminate.

(Source: P.A. 94-1105, eff. 6-1-07.)

(105 ILCS 5/Art. 15A heading) ARTICLE 15A. SCHOOL DESIGN-BUILD CONTRACTS (Source: P.A. 103-491, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/15A-1)

Sec. 15A-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the School Design-Build Authorization Law.

(Source: P.A. 103-491, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/15A-5)

Sec. 15A-5. Purpose. The purpose of this Article is to authorize school districts to use design-build processes to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of delivering public projects.

(Source: P.A. 103-491, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/15A-10)

Sec. 15A-10. Definitions. As used in this Article:

"Delivery system" means the design and construction approach used to develop and construct a project.

"Design-build" means a delivery system that provides responsibility within a single contract for the furnishing of architecture, engineering, land surveying, and related services, as required, and the labor, materials, equipment, and other construction services for the project.

"Design-build contract" means a contract for a public project under this Article between a school district and a design-build entity to furnish: architecture, engineering, land surveying, public art or interpretive exhibits, and related services, as required, and the labor, materials, equipment, and other construction services for the project.

"Design-build entity" means an individual, sole proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint venture, corporation, professional corporation, or other entity that proposes to design and construct any public project under this Article.

"Design professional" means an individual, sole proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint venture, corporation, professional corporation, or other entity that offers services under the Illinois Architecture Practice Act of 1989, the Professional Engineering Practice Act of 1989, the Structural Engineering Practice Act of 1989, or the Illinois Professional Land Surveyor Act of 1989.

"Evaluation criteria" means the requirements for the separate phases of the selection process as set forth in this Article and may include the specialized experience, technical qualifications and competence, capacity to perform, past performance, experience with similar projects, assignment of personnel to the project, and other appropriate factors.

"Proposal" means the offer to enter into a design-build contract as submitted by a design-build entity in accordance with this Article.

"Public art designer" means an individual, sole proprietorship, firm, partnership, joint venture, corporation, professional corporation, or other entity that has demonstrated experience with the design and fabrication of public art, including any media that has been planned and executed with the intention of being staged in the physical public domain outside and accessible to all or any art that is exhibited in a public space, including publicly accessible buildings, or interpretive exhibits, including communication media that is designed to engage, excite, inform, relate, or reveal the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of a topic or story being presented.

"Request for proposal" means the document used by the school district to solicit proposals for a design-build contract.

"Scope and performance criteria" means the requirements for the public project, such as the intended usage, capacity, size, scope, quality and performance standards, life-cycle costs, and other programmatic criteria that are expressed in performance-oriented and quantifiable specifications and drawings that can be reasonably inferred and are suited to allow a design-build entity to develop a proposal.

(Source: P.A. 103-491, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/15A-15)

Sec. 15A-15. Solicitation of proposals.

(a) A school district may enter into design-build contracts. In addition to the requirements set forth by the school board, if the school district elects to use the design-build delivery method, it must issue a notice of intent to receive proposals for the project at least 14 days before issuing the request for the proposal. The school district must publish the advance notice in the manner prescribed by the school board, which must include posting the advance notice online on its website. The school district may publish the notice in construction industry publications or post the notice on construction industry websites. A brief description of the proposed procurement must be included in the notice. The school district must provide a copy of the request for proposal to any party requesting a copy.

(b) The request for proposal must be prepared for each project and must contain, without limitation, the following information:

(1) The name of the school district.

(2) A preliminary schedule for the completion of the contract.

(3) The proposed budget for the project, the source of funds, and the currently available funds at the time the request for proposal is submitted.

(4) Prequalification criteria for design-build entities wishing to submit proposals. The school district must include, at a minimum, its normal qualifications, licensing, registration, and other requirements; however, nothing precludes the use of additional prequalification criteria by the school district.

(5) Material requirements of the contract, such as the proposed terms and conditions, required performance and payment bonds, insurance, and the entity's plan to comply with the utilization goals for business enterprises established in the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act and with Section 2-105 of the Illinois Human Rights Act.

(6) The performance criteria.

(7) The evaluation criteria for each phase of the solicitation. Price may not be used as a factor in the evaluation of Phase I proposals.

(8) The number of entities that will be considered for the technical and cost evaluation phase.

(c) The school district may include any other relevant information that it chooses to supply. The design-build entity may rely upon the accuracy of this documentation in the development of its proposal.

(d) The date that proposals are due must be at least 21 calendar days after the date of the issuance of the request for proposal. If the cost of the project is estimated to exceed $12,000,000, then the proposal due date must be at least 28 calendar days after the date of the issuance of the request for proposal. The school district must include in the request for proposal a minimum of 30 days to develop the Phase II submissions after the selection of entities from the Phase I evaluation is completed.

(Source: P.A. 103-491, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/15A-20)

Sec. 15A-20. Development of scope and performance criteria.

(a) The school district must develop, with the assistance of a licensed design professional or public art designer, a request for proposal, which must include scope and performance criteria. The scope and performance criteria must be in sufficient detail and contain adequate information to reasonably apprise the qualified design-build entities of the school district's overall programmatic needs and goals, including criteria, general budget parameters, schedule, and delivery requirements.

(b) Each request for proposal must also include a description of the level of design to be provided in the proposals. This description must include the scope and type of renderings, drawings, and specifications that, at a minimum, will be required by the school district to be produced by the design-build entities.

(c) The scope and performance criteria must be prepared by a design professional or public art designer who is an employee of the school district, or the school district may contract with an independent design professional or public art designer selected under the Local Government Professional Services Selection Act to provide these services.

(d) The design professional or public art designer that prepares the scope and performance criteria is prohibited from participating in any design-build entity proposal for the project.

(e) The design-build contract may be conditioned upon subsequent refinements in scope and price and may allow the school district to make modifications in the project scope without invalidating the design-build contract.

(Source: P.A. 103-491, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/15A-25)

Sec. 15A-25. Procedures for selection.

(a) The school district must use a 2-phase procedure for the selection of the successful design-build entity. Phase I of the procedure must evaluate and shortlist the design-build entities based on qualifications, and Phase II must evaluate the technical and cost proposals.

(b) The school district must include in the request for proposal the evaluating factors to be used in Phase I. These factors are in addition to any prequalification requirements of design-build entities that the school district has set forth. Each request for proposal must establish the relative importance assigned to each evaluation factor and subfactor, including any weighting of criteria to be employed by the school district. The school district must maintain a record of the evaluation scoring to be disclosed in event of a protest regarding the solicitation.

The school district must include the following criteria in every Phase I evaluation of design-build entities:

(1) experience of personnel;

(2) successful experience with similar project types;

(3) financial capability;

(4) timeliness of past performance;

(5) experience with similarly sized projects;

(6) successful reference checks of the firm;

(7) commitment to assign personnel for the duration of the project and qualifications of the entity's consultants; and

(8) ability or past performance in meeting or exhausting good faith efforts to meet the utilization goals for business enterprises established in the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act and with Section 2-105 of the Illinois Human Rights Act.

The school district may include any additional, relevant criteria in Phase I that it deems necessary for a proper qualification review.

The school district may not consider a design-build entity for evaluation or an award if the entity has any pecuniary interest in the project or has other relationships or circumstances, such as long-term leasehold, mutual performance, or development contracts with the school district, that may give the design-build entity a financial or tangible advantage over other design-build entities in the preparation, evaluation, or performance of the design-build contract or that create the appearance of impropriety. A design-build entity shall not be disqualified under this Section solely due to having previously been awarded a project or projects under any applicable public procurement law of the State. No proposal may be considered that does not include an entity's plan to comply with the requirements established in the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act, for both the design and construction areas of performance, and with Section 2-105 of the Illinois Human Rights Act.

Upon completion of the qualification evaluation, the school district must create a shortlist of the most highly qualified design-build entities. The school district, in its discretion, is not required to shortlist the maximum number of entities as identified for Phase II evaluation if no less than 2 design-build entities nor more than 6 are selected to submit Phase II proposals. If a school district receives one response to Phase I, nothing herein shall prohibit the school district from proceeding with a Phase II evaluation of the single respondent, if the school district, in its discretion, finds proceeding to be in its best interest.

The school district must notify the entities selected for the shortlist in writing. This notification must commence the period for the preparation of the Phase II technical and cost evaluations. The school district must allow sufficient time for the shortlist entities to prepare their Phase II submittals considering the scope and detail requested by the school district.

(c) The school district must include in the request for proposal the evaluating factors to be used in the technical and cost submission components of Phase II. Each request for proposal must establish, for both the technical and cost submission components of Phase II, the relative importance assigned to each evaluation factor and subfactor, including any weighting of criteria to be employed by the school district. The school district must maintain a record of the evaluation scoring to be disclosed in event of a protest regarding the solicitation.

The school district must include the following criteria in every Phase II technical evaluation of design-build entities:

(1) compliance with objectives of the project;

(2) compliance of proposed services to the request for proposal requirements;

(3) quality of products or materials proposed;

(4) quality of design parameters;

(5) design concepts;

(6) innovation in meeting the scope and performance criteria; and

(7) constructability of the proposed project.

The school district may include any additional relevant technical evaluation factors it deems necessary for proper selection.

The school district must include the following criteria in every Phase II cost evaluation: the total project cost, the construction costs, and the time of completion. The school district may include any additional relevant technical evaluation factors it deems necessary for proper selection. The total project cost criteria weighting factor may not exceed 30%.

The school district must directly employ or retain a licensed design professional or a public art designer to evaluate the technical and cost submissions to determine if the technical submissions are in accordance with generally accepted industry standards. Upon completion of the technical submissions and cost submissions evaluation, the school district may award the design-build contract to the highest overall ranked entity.

(Source: P.A. 103-491, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/15A-30)

Sec. 15A-30. Small projects. In any case in which the total overall cost of the project is estimated to be $12,000,000 or less, the school district may combine the 2-phase procedure for selection described in Section 15A-25 into one combined step if all the requirements of evaluation are performed in accordance with Section 15A-25.

(Source: P.A. 103-491, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/15A-35)

Sec. 15A-35. Submission of proposals. Proposals must be properly identified and sealed. Proposals may not be reviewed until after the deadline for submission has passed as set forth in the request for proposal.

Proposals must include a bid bond in the form and security as designated in the request for proposal. Proposals must also contain a separate sealed envelope with the cost information within the overall proposal submission. Proposals must include a list of all design professionals, public art designers, and other entities to which any work may be subcontracted during the performance of the contract.

Proposals must meet all material requirements of the request for proposal, or they may be rejected as nonresponsive. The school district may reject any and all proposals.

The drawings and specifications of the proposal may remain the property of the design-build entity.

The school district must review the proposals for compliance with the performance criteria and evaluation factors.

Proposals may be withdrawn prior to evaluation for any cause. After evaluation begins by the school district, clear and convincing evidence of error is required for withdrawal.

After a response to a request for qualifications or a request for proposal has been submitted under this Section, a design-build entity may not replace, remove, or otherwise modify any firm identified as a member of the proposer's team unless authorized to do so by the school district.

(Source: P.A. 103-491, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/15A-40)

Sec. 15A-40. Award; performance. The school district may award the contract to the highest overall ranked design-build entity. Notice of award must be made in writing. Unsuccessful design-build entities must also be notified in writing. The school district may not request a best and final offer after the receipt of proposals of all qualified design-build entities. The school district may negotiate with the selected design-build entity after the award, but prior to contract execution, for the purpose of securing better terms than originally proposed if the salient features of the request for proposal are not diminished.

A design-build entity and associated design professionals must conduct themselves in accordance with the relevant laws of this State and the related provisions of the Illinois Administrative Code.

(Source: P.A. 103-491, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/15A-45)

Sec. 15A-45. Evaluation and report. At the end of every 6-month period following the contract award, and again prior to final contract payout and closure, a selected design-build entity must detail, in a written report submitted to the school district, its efforts and success in implementing the entity's plan to comply with the utilization goals for business enterprises established in the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act and the provisions of Section 2-105 of the Illinois Human Rights Act.

(Source: P.A. 103-491, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/15A-50)

Sec. 15A-50. Exception. Nothing in this Article prevents a school district from using a qualification-based selection process for design professionals or construction managers for design-build projects.

(Source: P.A. 103-491, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/15A-90)

Sec. 15A-90. Severability. The provisions of this Article are severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.

(Source: P.A. 103-491, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/Art. 16 heading) ARTICLE 16. GIFTS--USE OF SITES--PLAYGROUNDS

(105 ILCS 5/16-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 16-1)

Sec. 16-1. Gifts - Vested in school board. Whenever any grant, gift, donation or legacy of real or personal property has been or shall be, directly or indirectly, made to or for the use of any public school district or attendance center and the deed, will or other instrument by which such grant, gift, donation, or legacy is made declares in terms or in substance that such property shall be held, managed, improved and invested or otherwise disposed of for the use and benefit of the public schools in such district or an individual attendance center, the title to such property shall be vested in the school board of such district for use in whatever manner the board shall choose and shall be held, managed, improved, invested or disposed of by such board in such manner as the board, in its discretion, sees fit; provided, however, when the person making such a grant, gift, donation, or legacy expresses in the instrument by which it was made an intention that it shall be used for a certain purpose, the school board shall promote and carry into effect such intention until the board determines in its discretion that it is no longer possible, practical or prudent to do so.

This Section does not apply in any case where the deed, will or other instrument effectively vests the title and control of such property in a trustee or grantee named in such instrument unless the trustee or grantee is incapable of taking or administering the trust, or refuses or fails to accept the trust, in which case the title and control thereof shall vest as provided in the preceding paragraph.

This Section does not validate any legacy which but for this enactment would have been invalid.

(Source: P.A. 86-171.)

(105 ILCS 5/16-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 16-2)

Sec. 16-2. Joint use of site and building. Whenever the school boards of two or more school districts have agreed upon the joint use of any school site and compensation to be paid therefor, and any such site has been selected in the manner required by law, it is lawful for such districts to use the same school site and after payment of the compensation, the trustees of schools of the township or regional board of school trustees, as the case may be, by proper instrument in writing shall declare that title to such site is held for the joint use of such districts according to the terms of such agreement, and such districts shall be further authorized to construct, maintain and use a building jointly for the benefit of the inhabitants thereof. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section:

(1) If legal title to the selected site is held in the name of the school board of a school district that has agreed to the joint use of the site with any other school districts, and if those other school districts are also districts whose school boards, under subsection (a) of Section 10-22.35B of this Code, are to hold legal title to school buildings and school sites of the district, then upon the execution of the agreement and payment of the compensation in accordance with the terms of the agreement the school boards of the districts shall be deemed to hold legal title to the site as tenants in common, and the required deed or deeds of conveyance shall be executed and delivered by the president and secretary or clerk of the school boards to reflect that legal title to the selected site is held in that manner.

(2) If one more but not all of the school boards that are party to the agreement are school boards that, under subsection (a) of Section 10-22.35B of this Code, are to hold legal title to the school buildings and school sites of the district, the interest in the selected site of each school board that is to hold legal title to the school buildings and school sites of the district shall be that of a tenant in common; and the required deed or deeds of conveyance shall be executed and delivered by the president and secretary or clerk of the trustees of schools of the township, regional board of school trustees, township land commissioners, or school boards, as the case may be, to reflect that tenancy in common interest of the appropriate school board or school boards with the trustees of schools of the township, regional board of school trustees or township land commissioners, as the case may be, in the legal title to the selected site.

(Source: P.A. 100-374, eff. 8-25-17.)

(105 ILCS 5/16-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 16-3)

Sec. 16-3. Transfer of site to purchasing district. Whenever the school board of any school district determines that any schoolhouse site with or without a building thereon is of no further use to the district and agrees with the school board of any other school district, within or adjacent to the boundaries of which the site is situated, upon the sale thereof to such district and the price to be paid therefor, and such sites are selected by the purchasing district in the manner prescribed by law, after the payment of the compensation the trustees of schools of the township, regional board of school trustees, township land commissioners, or school board having legal title to the site shall, by proper deed of conveyance or instrument in writing, convey legal title to, or transfer the use of the site to, the purchasing district in accordance with applicable provisions of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 88-155.)

(105 ILCS 5/16-4) (from Ch. 122, par. 16-4)

Sec. 16-4. Building jointly used - Sale of interest - Additions and enlargements. Whenever two school districts situated adjacent to one another or comprising the same or partly the same territory have a school site with buildings thereon, owned by one of the districts but used under agreement by both, the district owning the site and buildings may sell to the other, and the other district has the right to purchase, an equal or any other interest in the site and buildings under an agreement between the two; and upon the execution of the agreement and the acquiring the title to the interest by the purchasing district, the two districts shall be deemed to hold title to the premises as tenants in common; and thereafter the school districts, or either of them, may, under appropriate terms in the first agreement, or under a new agreement entered into by them, add to and enlarge any parts of the buildings, if deemed necessary for the uses of the districts or either of them, and by such sole or mutual expenditure of funds as may be nominated by the terms of the agreement between the districts, and the expenditures shall in no way change the individual interests of the districts in the premises unless otherwise expressly so provided by the terms of the agreement.

(Source: P.A. 81-1541.)

(105 ILCS 5/16-5) (from Ch. 122, par. 16-5)

Sec. 16-5. Agreement for joint use of property.

Prior to the third Saturday of August of any year the school board of any district which does not by itself maintain a high school may enter into an agreement with any township high school board of education or the school board of any other high school district, by which agreement grade school or high school property, real or personal, owned by or held for the use of either district within territory included in both districts may be used jointly for school purposes by both such districts in the manner provided in the agreement. If such school district has a population of 1000 or more, and if legal title to any real property affected by the agreement is not held by the school board of a school district that is party to the agreement, the agreement shall be invalid unless prior to such third Saturday of August the written consent of the trustees of schools of the township or townships, regional board of school trustees, or township land commissioners holding legal title to the property affected by the agreement is first obtained.

(Source: P.A. 88-155.)

(105 ILCS 5/16-6) (from Ch. 122, par. 16-6)

Sec. 16-6. Compensation determined under eminent domain.

Whenever any lot or parcel of land is needed by any university, college, township high school or other educational institution established and supported by this State or by a township therein, or by a school district, as a site for a building or for any educational purpose, including sites purchased under authority of Section 10-22.31b, and compensation for the lot or parcel of land cannot be agreed upon between the owners thereof and the trustees, board of education, or other corporate authority of the educational institution, or school district, the corporate authority of the educational institution or school district may have the compensation determined in the manner provided by law for the exercise of the right of eminent domain. In Class I counties and in any school district which is situated in a Class II county school unit but which no longer is subject to the jurisdiction and authority of a township treasurer or trustees of schools of a township because the district has withdrawn from the jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer and trustees of schools of the township or because those offices have been abolished as provided in subsection (b) or (c) of Section 5-1, the school board shall engage counsel, pay all expenses and institute suit without any authorization by the regional board of school trustees; and the proceedings shall be in the name of the school board for the use of the school district. But no tract of land outside the limits of any incorporated city or village and within 40 rods of the dwelling of the owner of the land shall be taken by the board of directors created in Section 10-1 of this Act without the owner's consent: provided, however, that a tract of land outside the limits of any incorporated city or village lying not less than 200 feet from the dwelling of the owner of the land which adjoins and is adjacent to a school site being used for school purposes may be taken by the board in the manner provided by law for the exercise of the right of eminent domain for the purpose of enlarging such school site for educational and recreational purposes.

(Source: P.A. 87-473; 88-155.)

(105 ILCS 5/16-7) (from Ch. 122, par. 16-7)

Sec. 16-7. Playgrounds, recreation grounds and athletic fields. Any school district organized and existing under the general law or by special charter having a population of not more than 500,000 inhabitants may acquire real estate by gift, donation, legacy, purchase or otherwise and hold it for the purpose of establishing playgrounds, recreation grounds and athletic fields, and may equip, operate and maintain such playgrounds, recreation grounds and athletic fields, the cost of such acquiring and equipping to be paid either from the proceeds of bonds issued for that purpose or out of the operations and maintenance fund, and the cost of such maintaining and operating to be paid from the educational fund, of the district. Such real estate need not be contiguous to any other school property or real estate owned by the school district.

(Source: P.A. 86-970.)