Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB2007

LRB104 10197 LNS 20269 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB2007

Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. Javier L. Cervantes

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/14A-38 new

Amends the School Code. Allows any school or school district that maintains any of grades 9 through 12 to implement an advance academic studies ambassadors program with the following goals: (1) to improve the enrollment of students in advanced academic programs within the school or district; (2) to improve the retention and academic success of students enrolled in advanced academic programs within the school or district; (3) to provide students information, leadership opportunities, and foster a sense of community among the student body; and (4) to promote the importance and awareness of advanced academic programs offered at the school or school district to enrolled students and their families. Provides that the State Board of Education shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to schools and school districts that submit a grant application to the State Board requesting funds to implement an advance academic studies ambassadors program. Allows the State Board to adopt any rules necessary for the implementation of the provisions.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

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

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 14A-38 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/14A-38 new)

Sec. 14A-38. Advance academic studies ambassadors program.

(a) As used in this Section, "advance academic studies ambassadors program" means a program established by a school or school district that maintains any of grades 9 through 12 that recruits currently enrolled students who have successfully passed an advanced academic programs, as defined under Section 14A-17, to assist school staff with recruitment of other current students into advance academic programs and the promotion of advanced academic programs to students enrolled in the school and their families.

(b) Any school or school district that maintains any of grades 9 through 12 may implement an advance academic studies ambassadors program as defined by this Section. The program's goals may include:

(1) to improve the enrollment of students in advanced academic programs within the school or district;

(2) to improve the retention and academic success of students enrolled in advanced academic programs within the school or district;

(3) to provide students information, leadership opportunities, and foster a sense of community among the student body; and

(4) to promote the importance and awareness of advanced academic programs offered at the school or school district to enrolled students and their families.

(c) Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to schools and school districts that submit a grant application to the State Board of Education requesting funds to implement an advance academic studies ambassadors program under this Section who meet the following criteria:

(1) the school or school district maintains any of the grades 9 through 12; and

(2) the school or school district's overall performance in the previous academic year in the 5% of Title I-eligible schools statewide under Part A (Title I) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, or in the previous academic year had a graduation rate of 67% or below.

(d) The State Board of Education shall annually disseminate a request for applications for grants under this Section to schools and school districts that maintain any of grades 9 through 12. Grant applications shall be accepted on an annual basis. The State Board of Education shall establish procedures for submitting requests for grants and issuing funds to approved applicants. The State Board of Education shall endeavor to prioritize grant awards to schools and school districts with discrepancies in participation and pass rates of advanced academic programs and accelerated placement among different student demographic groups.

(e) The application for grants under this Section must include the following information:

(1) the grades that the school or school district serves;

(2) the summative designation off the school or school district;

(3) the number and percentage of students, disaggregated by demographic group, that participate in and successfully pass advanced academic programs and accelerated programs in the most recent academic year this data is available;

(4) the amount of funds the school or school district is requiting to implement and administer the advance academic studies ambassadors program; and

(5) a spending plan detailing how the school or school district will use the grant funds.

(f) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules necessary for the implementation of this Section.