Public Act 93-0661

SB1014 Enrolled                      LRB093 03084 NHT 03101 b

    AN ACT in relation to education.

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

    Section  5.  The School Code is amended by adding Section
2-3.25o as follows:

    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.25o new)
    Sec. 2-3.25o.  Registration and recognition of non-public
elementary and secondary schools.
    (a)  Findings.  The General Assembly finds  and  declares
(i)  that  the Constitution of the State of Illinois provides
that a "fundamental goal of the People of the  State  is  the
educational development of all persons to the limits of their
capacities"  and  (ii)  that  the  educational development of
every school student serves the public purposes of the State.
In order to ensure that all Illinois  students  and  teachers
have  the  opportunity  to  enroll and work in State-approved
educational institutions and programs,  the  State  Board  of
Education  shall  provide  for the voluntary registration and
recognition of non-public elementary and secondary schools.
    (b)  Registration.  All   non-public    elementary    and
secondary  schools  in  the State of Illinois may voluntarily
register with the State  Board  of  Education  on  an  annual
basis.  Registration  shall  be completed in conformance with
procedures  prescribed  by  the  State  Board  of  Education.
Information   required   for   registration   shall   include
assurances of compliance (i)  with  federal  and  State  laws
regarding  health  examination  and immunization, attendance,
length  of  term,  and  nondiscrimination   and   (ii)   with
applicable fire and health safety requirements.
    (c)  Recognition.  All    non-public    elementary    and
secondary  schools  in  the State of Illinois may voluntarily
seek the status of "Non-public School Recognition"  from  the
State  Board  of  Education.  This  status may be obtained by
compliance  with   administrative   guidelines   and   review
procedures as prescribed by the State Board of Education. The
guidelines  and  procedures  must  recognize that some of the
aims and  the  financial  bases  of  non-public  schools  are
different  from  public  schools and will not be identical to
those for public schools, nor will they be  more  burdensome.
The   guidelines  and  procedures  must  also  recognize  the
diversity of non-public schools and shall  not  impinge  upon
the  noneducational  relationships  between those schools and
their clientele.
    (d)  Public purposes.  The provisions of this Section are
in the public interest, for the  public  benefit,  and  serve
secular public purposes.
    (e)  Definition.  For   purposes   of   this  Section,  a
non-public school means any non-profit,  non-home-based,  and
non-public   elementary   or  secondary  school  that  is  in
compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964  and
attendance  at  which  satisfies  the requirements of Section
26-1 of this Code.

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