Public Act 0915 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB3819 Enrolled LRB097 13481 RPM 58001 b

Public Act 097-0915

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 changing Sections 14C-10 and 14C-13 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/14C-10) (from Ch. 122, par. 14C-10)

Sec. 14C-10. Parent and community participation.

School districts shall provide for the maximum practical involvement of parents of children in transitional bilingual education programs. Each school district shall, accordingly, establish a parent advisory committee which affords parents the opportunity effectively to express their views and which ensures that such programs are planned, operated, and evaluated with the involvement of, and in consultation with, parents of children served by the programs. Such committees shall be composed of parents of children enrolled in transitional bilingual education programs, transitional bilingual education teachers, counselors, and representatives from community groups; provided, however, that a majority of each committee shall be parents of children enrolled in the transitional bilingual education program. Once established, these committees shall autonomously carry out their affairs, including the election of officers and the establishment of internal rules, guidelines, and procedures.

(Source: P.A. 78-727.)

(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.

(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. 97-305, eff. 1-1-12.)