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91_SB0648enr
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1 AN ACT concerning charter schools, amending named Acts.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
5 Section 5.490 as follows:
6 (30 ILCS 105/5.490 new)
7 Sec. 5.490. The Charter Schools Revolving Loan Fund.
8 Section 10. The School Code is amended by changing
9 Sections 27A-4, 27A-5, 27A-6, 27A-8, 27A-9, 27A-11, 27A-12,
10 and 29-4 and adding Sections 27A-6.5 and 27A-11.5 as follows:
11 (105 ILCS 5/27A-4)
12 Sec. 27A-4. General Provisions.
13 (a) The General Assembly does not intend to alter or
14 amend the provisions of any court-ordered desegregation plan
15 in effect for any school district. A charter school shall be
16 subject to all federal and State laws and constitutional
17 provisions prohibiting discrimination on the basis of
18 disability, race, creed, color, gender, national origin,
19 religion, ancestry, marital status, or need for special
20 education services.
21 (b) The total number of charter schools operating under
22 this Article at any one time shall not exceed 45. Not more
23 than that 15 charter schools shall operate at any one time in
24 any city having a population exceeding 500,000; not more than
25 15 charter schools shall operate at any one time in the
26 counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, and that
27 portion of Cook County that is located outside a city having
28 a population exceeding 500,000; and not more than 15 charter
29 schools shall operate at any one time in the remainder of the
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1 State.
2 For purposes of implementing this Section, the State
3 Board shall assign a number to each charter submission it
4 receives under Section 27A-6 for its review and
5 certification, based on the chronological order in which the
6 submission is received by it. The State Board shall promptly
7 notify local school boards when the maximum numbers of
8 certified charter schools authorized to operate have been
9 reached.
10 (c) No charter shall be granted under this Article that
11 would convert any existing private, parochial, or non-public
12 school to a charter school.
13 (d) Enrollment in a charter school shall be open to any
14 pupil who resides within the geographic boundaries of the
15 area served by the local school board. However, no more than
16 50% of the number of resident pupils enrolled in any one
17 grade in a school district with only a single attendance
18 center covering that grade may be enrolled in a charter
19 school at one time.
20 (e) Nothing in this Article shall prevent 2 or more
21 local school boards from jointly issuing a charter to a
22 single shared charter school, provided that all of the
23 provisions of this Article are met as to those local school
24 boards.
25 (f) No local school board shall require any employee of
26 the school district to be employed in a charter school.
27 (g) No local school board shall require any pupil
28 residing within the geographic boundary of its district to
29 enroll in a charter school.
30 (h) If there are more eligible applicants for enrollment
31 in a charter school than there are spaces available,
32 successful applicants shall be selected by lottery. However,
33 priority shall be given to siblings of pupils enrolled in the
34 charter school and to pupils who were enrolled in the charter
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1 school the previous school year, unless expelled for cause.
2 Dual enrollment at both a charter school and a public school
3 or non-public school shall not be allowed. A pupil who is
4 suspended or expelled from a charter school shall be deemed
5 to be suspended or expelled from the public schools of the
6 school district in which the pupil resides.
7 (i) (Blank). No charter school established under this
8 Article may be authorized to open prior to the school year
9 beginning in the fall of 1996.
10 (Source: P.A. 89-450, eff. 4-10-96; revised 2-24-98.)
11 (105 ILCS 5/27A-5)
12 Sec. 27A-5. Charter school; legal entity; requirements.
13 (a) A charter school shall be a public, nonsectarian,
14 nonreligious, non-home based, and non-profit school. A
15 charter school shall be organized and operated as a nonprofit
16 corporation or other discrete, legal, nonprofit entity
17 authorized under the laws of the State of Illinois.
18 (b) A charter school may be established under this
19 Article by creating a new school or by converting an existing
20 public school or attendance center to charter school status.
21 (c) A charter school shall be administered and governed
22 by its board of directors or other governing body in the
23 manner provided in its charter. The governing body of a
24 charter school shall be subject to the Freedom of Information
25 Act and the Open Meetings Act.
26 (d) A charter school shall comply with all applicable
27 health and safety requirements applicable to public schools
28 under the laws of the State of Illinois.
29 (e) Except as otherwise provided in the School Code, a
30 charter school shall not charge tuition; provided that a
31 charter school may charge reasonable fees for textbooks,
32 instructional materials, and student activities.
33 (f) A charter school shall be responsible for the
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1 management and operation of its fiscal affairs including, but
2 not limited to, the preparation of its budget. An audit of
3 each charter school's finances shall be conducted annually by
4 an outside, independent contractor retained by the charter
5 school.
6 (g) A charter school shall comply with all provisions of
7 this Article and its charter. A charter school is exempt
8 from all other State laws and regulations in the School Code
9 governing public schools and local school board policies,
10 except the following:
11 (1) Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of the School Code
12 regarding criminal background investigations of
13 applicants for employment;
14 (2) Sections 24-24 and 34-84A of the School Code
15 regarding discipline of students;
16 (3) The Local Governmental and Governmental
17 Employees Tort Immunity Act;
18 (4) Section 108.75 of the General Not For Profit
19 Corporation Act of 1986 regarding indemnification of
20 officers, directors, employees, and agents;
21 (5) The Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act;
22 and
23 (6) The Illinois School Student Records Act; and.
24 (7) Section 10-17a of the School Code regarding
25 school report cards.
26 (h) A charter school may negotiate and contract with a
27 school district, the governing body of a State college or
28 university or public community college, or any other public
29 or for-profit or nonprofit private entity for: (i) the use of
30 a school building and grounds or any other real property or
31 facilities that the charter school desires to use or convert
32 for use as a charter school site, (ii) the operation and
33 maintenance thereof, and (iii) the provision of any service,
34 activity, or undertaking that the charter school is required
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1 to perform in order to carry out the terms of its charter.
2 Except as provided in subsection (i) of this Section, a
3 school district may charge a charter school reasonable rent
4 for the use of the district's buildings, grounds, and
5 facilities. Any services for which a charter school
6 contracts with a school district shall be provided by the
7 district at cost. Any services for which a charter school
8 contracts with a local school board or with the governing
9 body of a State college or university or public community
10 college shall be provided by the public entity at cost.
11 (i) In no event shall a charter school that is
12 established by converting an existing school or attendance
13 center to charter school status be required to pay rent for
14 space that is deemed available, as negotiated and provided in
15 the charter agreement, in school district facilities.
16 However, all other costs for the operation and maintenance of
17 school district facilities that are used by the charter
18 school shall be subject to negotiation between the charter
19 school and the local school board and shall be set forth in
20 the charter.
21 (j) A charter school may limit student enrollment by age
22 or grade level.
23 (Source: P.A. 89-450, eff. 4-10-96.)
24 (105 ILCS 5/27A-6)
25 Sec. 27A-6. Contract contents; applicability of laws and
26 regulations.
27 (a) A certified charter shall constitute a binding
28 contract and agreement between the charter school and a local
29 school board under the terms of which the local school board
30 authorizes the governing body of the charter school to
31 operate the charter school on the terms specified in the
32 contract.
33 (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article,
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1 the certified charter may not waive or release the charter
2 school from the State goals, standards, and assessments
3 established pursuant to Section 2-3.64.
4 (c) Subject to the provisions of subsection (e), a
5 material revision to a previously certified contract or a
6 renewal shall be made with the approval of both the local
7 school board and the governing body of the charter school.
8 (c-5) The proposed contract shall include a provision on
9 how both parties will address minor violations of the
10 contract.
11 (d) The proposed contract between the governing body of
12 a proposed charter school and the local school board as
13 described in Section 27A-7 must be submitted to and certified
14 by the State Board before it can take effect. If the State
15 Board recommends that the proposed contract be modified for
16 consistency with this Article before it can be certified, the
17 modifications must be consented to by both the governing body
18 of the charter school and the local school board, and
19 resubmitted to the State Board for its certification. If the
20 proposed contract is resubmitted in a form that is not
21 consistent with this Article, the State Board may refuse to
22 certify the charter.
23 The State Board shall assign a number to each submission
24 or resubmission in chronological order of receipt, and shall
25 determine whether the proposed contract is consistent with
26 the provisions of this Article. If the proposed contract
27 complies, the State Board shall so certify.
28 (e) No material revision to a previously certified
29 contract or a renewal shall be effective unless and until the
30 State Board certifies that the revision or renewal is
31 consistent with the provisions of this Article.
32 (Source: P.A. 89-450, eff. 4-10-96.)
33 (105 ILCS 5/27A-6.5 new)
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1 Sec. 27A-6.5. Charter school referendum.
2 (a) No charter shall be approved under this Section that
3 would convert any existing private, parochial, or non-public
4 school to a charter school or whose proposal has not been
5 certified by the State Board.
6 (b) A local school board shall, whenever petitioned to
7 do so by 5% or more of the voters of a school district or
8 districts identified in a charter school proposal, order
9 submitted to the voters thereof at a regularly scheduled
10 election the question of whether a new charter school shall
11 be established, which proposal has been certified by the
12 State Board to be in compliance with the provisions of this
13 Article, and the secretary shall certify the proposition to
14 the proper election authorities for submission in accordance
15 with the general election law. The proposition shall be in
16 substantially the following form:
17 "FOR the establishment of (name of proposed charter
18 school) under charter school proposal (charter school
19 proposal number).
20 AGAINST the establishment of (name of proposed
21 charter school) under charter school proposal (charter
22 school proposal number)".
23 (c) Before circulating a petition to submit the question
24 of whether to establish a charter school to the voters under
25 subsection (b) of this Section, the governing body of a
26 proposed charter school that desires to establish a new
27 charter school by referendum shall submit the charter school
28 proposal to the State Board in the form of a proposed
29 contract to be entered into between the State Board and the
30 governing body of the proposed charter school, as provided
31 under Section 27A-6, together with written notice of the
32 intent to have a new charter school established by
33 referendum. The contract shall comply with the provisions of
34 this Article.
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1 If the State Board finds that the proposed contract
2 complies with the provisions of this Article, it shall
3 immediately certify that the proposed contract complies with
4 the provisions of this Article and direct the local school
5 board to notify the proper election authorities that the
6 question of whether to establish a new charter school shall
7 be submitted for referendum.
8 (d) If the State Board finds that the proposal fails to
9 comply with the provisions of this Article, it shall refuse
10 to certify the proposal and provide written explanation,
11 detailing its reasons for refusal, to the local school board
12 and to the individuals or organizations submitting the
13 proposal. The State Board shall also notify the local school
14 board and the individuals or organizations submitting the
15 proposal that the proposal may be amended and resubmitted
16 under the same provisions required for an original
17 submission.
18 (e) If a majority of the votes cast upon the proposition
19 in each school district designated in the charter school
20 proposal is in favor of establishing a charter school, the
21 local school board shall notify the State Board of the
22 passage of the proposition in favor of establishing a charter
23 school and the State Board shall approve the charter within 7
24 days after the State Board of Elections has certified that a
25 majority of the votes cast upon the proposition is in favor
26 of establishing a charter school. The State Board shall be
27 the chartering entity for charter schools established by
28 referendum under this Section.
29 (105 ILCS 5/27A-8)
30 Sec. 27A-8. Evaluation of charter proposals.
31 (a) This Section does not apply to a charter school
32 established by referendum under Section 27A-6.5. In
33 evaluating any charter school proposal submitted to it, the
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1 local school board shall give preference to proposals that:
2 (1) demonstrate a high level of local pupil,
3 parental, community, business, and school personnel
4 support;
5 (2) set rigorous levels of expected pupil
6 achievement and demonstrate feasible plans for attaining
7 those levels of achievement; and
8 (3) are designed to enroll and serve a substantial
9 proportion of at-risk children; provided that nothing in
10 the Charter Schools Law shall be construed as intended to
11 limit the establishment of charter schools to those that
12 serve a substantial portion of at-risk children or to in
13 any manner restrict, limit, or discourage the
14 establishment of charter schools that enroll and serve
15 other pupil populations under a nonexclusive,
16 nondiscriminatory admissions policy.
17 (b) In the case of a proposal to establish a charter
18 school by converting an existing public school or attendance
19 center to charter school status, evidence that the proposed
20 formation of the charter school has received majority support
21 from certified teachers and from parents and guardians in the
22 school or attendance center affected by the proposed charter,
23 and, if applicable, from a local school council, shall be
24 demonstrated by a petition in support of the charter school
25 signed by certified teachers and a petition in support of the
26 charter school signed by parents and guardians and, if
27 applicable, by a vote of the local school council held at a
28 public meeting. In the case of all other proposals to
29 establish a charter school, evidence of sufficient support to
30 fill the number of pupil seats set forth in the proposal may
31 be demonstrated by a petition in support of the charter
32 school signed by parents and guardians of students eligible
33 to attend the charter school. In all cases, the individuals,
34 organizations, or entities who initiate the proposal to
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1 establish a charter school may elect, in lieu of including
2 any petition referred to in this subsection as a part of the
3 proposal submitted to the local school board, to demonstrate
4 that the charter school has received the support referred to
5 in this subsection by other evidence and information
6 presented at the public meeting that the local school board
7 is required to convene under this Section.
8 (c) Within 45 days of receipt of a charter school
9 proposal, the local school board shall convene a public
10 meeting to obtain information to assist the board in its
11 decision to grant or deny the charter school proposal.
12 (d) Notice of the public meeting required by this
13 Section shall be published in a community newspaper published
14 in the school district in which the proposed charter is
15 located and, if there is no such newspaper, then in a
16 newspaper published in the county and having circulation in
17 the school district. The notices shall be published not more
18 than 10 days nor less than 5 days before the meeting and
19 shall state that information regarding a charter school
20 proposal will be heard at the meeting. Copies of the notice
21 shall also be posted at appropriate locations in the school
22 or attendance center proposed to be established as a charter
23 school, the public schools in the school district, and the
24 local school board office.
25 (e) Within 30 days of the public meeting, the local
26 school board shall vote, in a public meeting, to either grant
27 or deny the charter school proposal.
28 (f) Within 7 days of the public meeting required under
29 subsection (e), the local school board shall file a report
30 with the State Board granting or denying the proposal. Within
31 14 days of receipt of the local school board's report, the
32 State Board shall determine whether the approved charter
33 proposal is consistent with the provisions of this Article
34 and, if the approved proposal complies, certify the proposal
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1 pursuant to Section 27A-6.
2 (Source: P.A. 89-450, eff. 4-10-96; 90-548, eff. 1-1-98.)
3 (105 ILCS 5/27A-9)
4 Sec. 27A-9. Term of charter; renewal.
5 (a) A charter may be granted for a period not less than
6 5 3 and not more than 10 5 school years. A charter may be
7 renewed in incremental periods not to exceed 5 school years.
8 (b) A charter school renewal proposal submitted to the
9 local school board or State Board, as the chartering entity,
10 shall contain:
11 (1) A report on the progress of the charter school
12 in achieving the goals, objectives, pupil performance
13 standards, content standards, and other terms of the
14 initial approved charter proposal; and
15 (2) A financial statement that discloses the costs
16 of administration, instruction, and other spending
17 categories for the charter school that is understandable
18 to the general public and that will allow comparison of
19 those costs to other schools or other comparable
20 organizations, in a format required by the State Board.
21 (c) A charter may be revoked or not renewed if the local
22 school board or State Board, as the chartering entity,
23 clearly demonstrates that the charter school did any of the
24 following, or otherwise failed to comply with the
25 requirements of this law:
26 (1) Committed a material violation of any of the
27 conditions, standards, or procedures set forth in the
28 charter.
29 (2) Failed to meet or make reasonable progress
30 toward achievement of the content standards or pupil
31 performance standards identified in the charter.
32 (3) Failed to meet generally accepted standards of
33 fiscal management.
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1 (4) Violated any provision of law from which the
2 charter school was not exempted.
3 (d) (Blank).
4 (e) Notice of a local school board's decision to deny,
5 revoke or not to renew a charter shall be provided to the
6 State Board. The State Board may reverse a local board's
7 decision if the State Board finds that the charter school or
8 charter school proposal (i) is in compliance with this
9 Article, and (ii) is in the best interests of the students it
10 is designed to serve. The State Board may condition the
11 granting of an appeal on the acceptance by the charter school
12 of funding in an amount less than that requested in the
13 proposal submitted to the local school board. Final decisions
14 of the State Board shall be subject to judicial review under
15 the Administrative Review Law.
16 (f) Notwithstanding other provisions of this Article, if
17 the State Board on appeal reverses a local board's decision
18 or if a charter school is approved by referendum, the State
19 Board shall act as the authorized chartering entity for the
20 charter school. The State Board shall approve and certify
21 the charter and shall perform all functions under this
22 Article otherwise performed by the local school board. The
23 State Board shall report the aggregate number of charter
24 school pupils resident in a school district to that district
25 and shall notify the district of the amount of funding to be
26 paid by the State Board to the charter school enrolling such
27 students. The State Board shall withhold from funds
28 otherwise due the district the funds authorized by this
29 Article to be paid to the charter school and shall pay such
30 amounts to the charter school.
31 (Source: P.A. 89-450, eff. 4-10-96; 90-548, eff. 1-1-98.)
32 (105 ILCS 5/27A-11)
33 Sec. 27A-11. Local financing.
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1 (a) For purposes of the School Code, pupils enrolled in
2 a charter school shall be included in the pupil enrollment of
3 the school district within which the pupil resides. Each
4 charter school (i) shall determine the school district in
5 which each pupil who is enrolled in the charter school
6 resides, (ii) shall report the aggregate number of pupils
7 resident of a school district who are enrolled in the charter
8 school to the school district in which those pupils reside,
9 and (iii) shall maintain accurate records of daily attendance
10 that shall be deemed sufficient to file claims under Section
11 18-8 notwithstanding any other requirements of that Section
12 regarding hours of instruction and teacher certification.
13 (b) Except for a charter school established by
14 referendum under Section 27A-6.5, as part of a charter school
15 contract, the charter school and the local school board shall
16 agree on funding and any services to be provided by the
17 school district to the charter school. Agreed funding that a
18 charter school is to receive from the local school board for
19 a school year shall be paid in equal quarterly installments
20 with the payment of the installment for the first quarter
21 being made not later than July 1, unless the charter
22 establishes a different payment schedule.
23 All services centrally or otherwise provided by the
24 school district including, but not limited to, rent, food
25 services, custodial services, maintenance, curriculum, media
26 services, libraries, transportation, and warehousing shall be
27 subject to negotiation between a charter school and the local
28 school board and paid for out of the revenues negotiated
29 pursuant to this subsection (b); provided that the local
30 school board shall not attempt, by negotiation or otherwise,
31 to obligate a charter school to provide pupil transportation
32 for pupils for whom a district is not required to provide
33 transportation under the criteria set forth in subsection
34 (a)(13) of Section 27A-7.
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1 In no event shall the funding be less than 75% or more
2 than 125% of the school district's per capita student tuition
3 multiplied by the number of students residing in the district
4 who are enrolled in the charter school.
5 It is the intent of the General Assembly that funding and
6 service agreements under this subsection (b) shall be neither
7 a financial incentive nor a financial disincentive to the
8 establishment of a charter school.
9 The charter school may set and collect reasonable fees.
10 Fees collected from students enrolled at a charter school
11 shall be retained by the charter school.
12 (c) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of this Section, the
13 proportionate share of State and federal resources generated
14 by students with disabilities or staff serving them shall be
15 directed to charter schools enrolling those students by their
16 school districts or administrative units. The proportionate
17 share of moneys generated under other federal or State
18 categorical aid programs shall be directed to charter schools
19 serving students eligible for that aid.
20 (d)(1) The governing body of a charter school is
21 authorized to accept gifts, donations, or grants of any kind
22 made to the charter school and to expend or use gifts,
23 donations, or grants in accordance with the conditions
24 prescribed by the donor; however, a gift, donation, or grant
25 may not be accepted by the governing body if it is subject to
26 any condition contrary to applicable law or contrary to the
27 terms of the contract between the charter school and the
28 local school board. Charter schools shall be encouraged to
29 solicit and utilize community volunteer speakers and other
30 instructional resources when providing instruction on the
31 Holocaust and other historical events.
32 (2) From amounts appropriated to the State Board for
33 purposes of this subsection (d)(2), the State Board may make
34 loans to charter schools established under this Article to be
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1 used by those schools to defer their start-up costs of
2 acquiring textbooks and laboratory and other equipment
3 required for student instruction. Any such loan shall be made
4 to a charter school at the inception of the term of its
5 charter, under terms established by the State Board, and
6 shall be repaid by the charter school over the term of its
7 charter. A local school board is not responsible for the
8 repayment of the loan.
9 (e) (Blank). No later than January 1, 1997, the State
10 Board shall issue a report to the General Assembly and the
11 Governor describing the charter schools certified under this
12 Article, their geographic locations, their areas of focus,
13 and the numbers of school children served by them.
14 (f) The State Board shall provide technical assistance
15 to persons and groups preparing or revising charter
16 applications.
17 (g) At the non-renewal or revocation of its charter,
18 each charter school shall refund to the local board of
19 education all unspent funds.
20 (h) A charter school is authorized to incur temporary,
21 short term debt to pay operating expenses in anticipation of
22 receipt of funds from the local school board.
23 (Source: P.A. 89-450, eff. 4-10-96; 90-548, eff. 1-1-98;
24 90-757, eff. 8-14-98.)
25 (105 ILCS 5/27A-11.5 new)
26 Sec. 27A-11.5. State financing. The State Board of
27 Education shall make the following funds available to school
28 districts and charter schools:
29 (1) From a separate appropriation made to the State
30 Board for purposes of this subdivision (1), the State
31 Board shall make transition impact aid available to
32 school districts that approve a new charter school or
33 that have funds withheld by the State Board to fund a new
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1 charter school that is chartered by the State Board. The
2 amount of the aid shall equal 90% of the per capita
3 funding paid to the charter school during the first year
4 of its initial charter term, 65% of the per capita
5 funding paid to the charter school during the second year
6 of its initial term, and 35% of the per capita funding
7 paid to the charter school during the third year of its
8 initial term. This transition impact aid shall be paid
9 to the local school board in equal quarterly
10 installments, with the payment of the installment for the
11 first quarter being made by August 1st immediately
12 preceding the first, second, and third years of the
13 initial term. The district shall file an application for
14 this aid with the State Board in a format designated by
15 the State Board. If the appropriation is insufficient in
16 any year to pay all approved claims, the impact aid shall
17 be prorated. Transition impact aid shall be paid
18 beginning in the 1999-2000 school year for charter
19 schools that are in the first, second, or third year of
20 their initial term. If House Bill 230 of the 91st
21 General Assembly becomes law, transition impact aid shall
22 not be paid for any charter school that is proposed and
23 created by one or more boards of education, as authorized
24 under the provisions of House Bill 230 of the 91st
25 General Assembly.
26 (2) From a separate appropriation made for the
27 purpose of this subdivision (2), the State Board shall
28 make grants to charter schools to pay their start-up
29 costs of acquiring educational materials and supplies,
30 textbooks, furniture, and other equipment needed during
31 their initial term. The State Board shall annually
32 establish the time and manner of application for these
33 grants, which shall not exceed $250 per student enrolled
34 in the charter school.
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1 (3) The Charter Schools Revolving Loan Fund is
2 created as a special fund in the State treasury. Federal
3 funds, such other funds as may be made available for
4 costs associated with the establishment of charter
5 schools in Illinois, and amounts repaid by charter
6 schools that have received a loan from the Charter
7 Schools Revolving Loan Fund shall be deposited into the
8 Charter Schools Revolving Loan Fund, and the moneys in
9 the Charter Schools Revolving Loan Fund shall be
10 appropriated to the State Board and used to provide
11 interest-free loans to charter schools. These funds
12 shall be used to pay start-up costs of acquiring
13 educational materials and supplies, textbooks, furniture,
14 and other equipment needed in the initial term of the
15 charter school and for acquiring and remodeling a
16 suitable physical plant, within the initial term of the
17 charter school. Loans shall be limited to one loan per
18 charter school and shall not exceed $250 per student
19 enrolled in the charter school. A loan shall be repaid
20 by the end of the initial term of the charter school.
21 The State Board may deduct amounts necessary to repay the
22 loan from funds due to the charter school or may require
23 that the local school board that authorized the charter
24 school deduct such amounts from funds due the charter
25 school and remit these amounts to the State Board,
26 provided that the local school board shall not be
27 responsible for repayment of the loan. The State Board
28 may use up to 3% of the appropriation to contract with a
29 non-profit entity to administer the loan program.
30 (4) A charter school may apply for and receive,
31 subject to the same restrictions applicable to school
32 districts, any grant administered by the State Board that
33 is available for school districts.
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1 (105 ILCS 5/27A-12)
2 Sec. 27A-12. Evaluation; annual report. The State Board
3 shall compile annual evaluations of charter schools received
4 from local school boards and shall prepare an annual report
5 on charter schools. The State Board shall review information
6 regarding the regulations and policies from which charter
7 schools were released to determine if the exemption assisted
8 or impeded the charter schools in meeting their stated goals
9 and objectives. Each annual report shall include suggested
10 changes in State law necessary to strengthen or change
11 charter schools.
12 On or before the second Wednesday of January, 1998, and
13 on or before the second Wednesday of January of each
14 subsequent calendar year, the State Board shall issue a
15 report to the General Assembly and the Governor on its
16 findings for the school year ending in the preceding calendar
17 year.
18 In preparing the annual report required by this Section,
19 the State Board (i) shall compare the performance of charter
20 school pupils with the performance of ethnically and
21 economically comparable groups of pupils in other public
22 schools who are enrolled in academically comparable courses,
23 (ii) shall review information regarding the regulations and
24 policies from which charter schools were released to
25 determine if the exemptions assisted or impeded the charter
26 schools in meeting their stated goals and objectives, and
27 (iii) shall include suggested changes in State law necessary
28 to strengthen charter schools.
29 In addition, the State Board shall undertake and report
30 on periodic evaluations of charter schools that include
31 evaluations of student academic achievement, the extent to
32 which charter schools are accomplishing their missions and
33 goals, the sufficiency of funding for charter schools, and
34 the need for changes in the approval process for charter
SB648 Enrolled -19- LRB9105854NTsb
1 schools.
2 (Source: P.A. 89-450, eff. 4-10-96.)
3 (105 ILCS 5/29-4) (from Ch. 122, par. 29-4)
4 Sec. 29-4. Pupils attending a charter school or nonpublic
5 other than a public school. The school board of any school
6 district that provides any school bus or conveyance for
7 transporting pupils to and from the public schools shall
8 afford transportation, without cost, for children who attend
9 a charter school or any school other than a public school,
10 who reside at least 1 1/2 miles from the school attended, and
11 who reside on or along the highway constituting the regular
12 route of such public school bus or conveyance, such
13 transportation to extend from some point on the regular route
14 nearest or most easily accessible to their homes to and from
15 the school attended, or to or from a point on such regular
16 route which is nearest or most easily accessible to the
17 school attended by such children. Nothing herein shall be
18 construed to prevent high school districts from transporting
19 public or non-public elementary school pupils on a regular
20 route where deemed appropriate. The elementary district in
21 which such pupils reside shall enter into a contractual
22 agreement with the high school district providing the
23 service, make payments accordingly, and make claims to the
24 State in the amount of such contractual payments. The person
25 in charge of any charter school or school other than a public
26 school shall certify on a form to be provided by the State
27 Superintendent of Education, the names and addresses of
28 pupils transported and when such pupils were in attendance at
29 the school. If any such children reside within 1 1/2 miles
30 from the school attended, the school board shall afford such
31 transportation to such children on the same basis as it
32 provides transportation for its own pupils residing within
33 that distance from the school attended.
SB648 Enrolled -20- LRB9105854NTsb
1 Nothing herein shall be construed to preclude a school
2 district from operating separate regular bus routes, subject
3 to the limitations of this Section, for the benefit of
4 children who attend a charter school or any school other than
5 a public school where the operation of such routes is safer,
6 more economical and more efficient than if such school
7 district were precluded from operating separate regular bus
8 routes.
9 If a school district is required by this Section to
10 afford transportation without cost for any child who is not a
11 resident of the district, the school district providing such
12 transportation is entitled to reimbursement from the school
13 district in which the child resides for the cost of
14 furnishing that transportation, including a reasonable
15 allowance for depreciation on each vehicle so used. The
16 school district where the child resides shall reimburse the
17 district providing the transportation for such costs, by the
18 10th of each month or on such less frequent schedule as may
19 be agreed to by the 2 school districts.
20 (Source: P.A. 81-1050.)
21 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
22 becoming law.
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