Public Act 096-0746
 
HB0684 Enrolled LRB096 07453 NHT 17545 b

    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
2-3.148 and by changing Section 22-45 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.148 new)
    Sec. 2-3.148. Community schools.
    (a) This Section applies beginning with the 2009-2010
school year.
    (b) The General Assembly finds all of the following:
        (1) All children are capable of success.
        (2) Schools are the centers of vibrant communities.
        (3) Strong families build strong educational
    communities.
        (4) Children succeed when adults work together to
    foster positive educational outcomes.
        (5) Schools work best when families take active roles
    in the education of children.
        (6) Schools today are limited in their ability to
    dedicate time and resources to provide a wide range of
    educational opportunities to students because of the focus
    on standardized test outcomes.
        (7) By providing learning opportunities outside of
    normal school hours, including programs on life skills and
    health, students are more successful academically, more
    engaged in their communities, safer, and better prepared to
    make a successful transition from school to adulthood.
        (8) A community school is a traditional school that
    actively partners with its community to leverage existing
    resources and identify new resources to support the
    transformation of the school to provide enrichment and
    additional life skill opportunities for students, parents,
    and community members at-large. Each community school is
    unique because its programming is designed by and for the
    school staff, in partnership with parents, community
    stakeholders, and students.
        (9) Community schools currently exist in this State in
    urban, rural, and suburban communities.
        (10) Research shows that community schools have a
    powerful positive impact on students, as demonstrated by
    increased academic success, a positive change in attitudes
    toward school and learning, and decreased behavioral
    problems.
        (11) After-school and evening programs offered by
    community schools provide academic enrichment consistent
    with the Illinois Learning Standards and general school
    curriculum; an opportunity for physical fitness activities
    for students, fine arts programs, structured learning
    "play" time, and other recreational opportunities; a safe
    haven for students; and work supports for working families.
        (12) Community schools are cost-effective because they
    leverage existing resources provided by local, State,
    federal, and private sources and bring programs to the
    schools, where the students are already congregated.
    Community schools have been shown to leverage between $5 to
    $8 in existing programming for every $1 spent on a
    community school.
    (c) Subject to an appropriation or the availability of
funding for such purposes, the State Board of Education shall
make grants available to fund community schools and to enhance
programs at community schools. A request-for-proposal process
must be used in awarding grants under this subsection (c).
Proposals may be submitted on behalf of a school, a school
district, or a consortium of 2 or more schools or school
districts. Proposals must be evaluated and scored on the basis
of criteria consistent with this Section and other factors
developed and adopted by the State Board of Education.
Technical assistance in grant writing must be made available to
schools, school districts, or consortia of school districts
through the State Board of Education directly or through a
resource and referral directory established and maintained by
the State Board of Education.
    (d) In order to qualify for a community school grant under
this Section, a school must, at a minimum, have the following
components:
        (1) Before and after-school programming each school
    day to meet the identified needs of students.
        (2) Weekend programming.
        (3) At least 4 weeks of summer programming.
        (4) A local advisory group comprised of school
    leadership, parents, and community stakeholders that
    establishes school-specific programming goals, assesses
    program needs, and oversees the process of implementing
    expanded programming.
        (5) A program director or resource coordinator who is
    responsible for establishing a local advisory group,
    assessing the needs of students and community members,
    identifying programs to meet those needs, developing the
    before and after-school, weekend, and summer programming
    and overseeing the implementation of programming to ensure
    high quality, efficiency, and robust participation.
        (6) Programming that includes academic excellence
    aligned with the Illinois Learning Standards, life skills,
    healthy minds and bodies, parental support, and community
    engagement and that promotes staying in school and
    non-violent behavior and non-violent conflict resolution.
        (7) Maintenance of attendance records in all
    programming components.
        (8) Maintenance of measurable data showing annual
    participation and the impact of programming on the
    participating children and adults.
        (9) Documentation of true collaboration between the
    school and community stakeholders, including local
    governmental units, civic organizations, families,
    businesses, and social service providers.
        (10) A non-discrimination policy ensuring that the
    community school does not condition participation upon
    race, ethnic origin, religion, sex, or disability.
 
    (105 ILCS 5/22-45)
    Sec. 22-45. Illinois P-20 Council.
    (a) The General Assembly finds that preparing Illinoisans
for success in school and the workplace requires a continuum of
quality education from preschool through graduate school. This
State needs a framework to guide education policy and integrate
education at every level. A statewide coordinating council to
study and make recommendations concerning education at all
levels can avoid fragmentation of policies, promote improved
teaching and learning, and continue to cultivate and
demonstrate strong accountability and efficiency. Establishing
an Illinois P-20 Council will develop a statewide agenda that
will move the State towards the common goals of improving
academic achievement, increasing college access and success,
improving use of existing data and measurements, developing
improved accountability, fostering innovative approaches to
education, promoting lifelong learning, easing the transition
to college, and reducing remediation. A pre-kindergarten
through grade 20 agenda will strengthen this State's economic
competitiveness by producing a highly-skilled workforce. In
addition, lifelong learning plans will enhance this State's
ability to leverage funding.
    (b) There is created the Illinois P-20 Council. The
Illinois P-20 Council shall include all of the following
members:
        (1) The Governor or his or designee, to serve as
    chairperson.
        (2) Four members of the General Assembly, one appointed
    by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one
    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
    Representatives, one appointed by the President of the
    Senate, and one appointed by the Minority Leader of the
    Senate.
        (3) Six at-large members appointed by the Governor as
    follows, with 2 members being from the City of Chicago, 2
    members being from Lake County, McHenry County, Kane
    County, DuPage County, Will County, or that part of Cook
    County outside of the City of Chicago, and 2 members being
    from the remainder of the State:
            (A) one representative of civic leaders;
            (B) one representative of local government;
            (C) one representative of trade unions;
            (D) one representative of nonprofit organizations
        or foundations;
            (E) one representative of parents' organizations;
        and
            (F) one education research expert.
        (4) Five members appointed by statewide business
    organizations and business trade associations.
        (5) Six members appointed by statewide professional
    organizations and associations representing
    pre-kindergarten through grade 20 teachers, community
    college faculty, and public university faculty.
        (6) Two members appointed by associations representing
    local school administrators and school board members. One
    of these members must be a special education administrator.
        (7) One member representing community colleges,
    appointed by the Illinois Council of Community College
    Presidents.
        (8) One member representing 4-year independent
    colleges and universities, appointed by a statewide
    organization representing private institutions of higher
    learning.
        (9) One member representing public 4-year
    universities, appointed jointly by the university
    presidents and chancellors.
        (10) Ex-officio members as follows:
            (A) The State Superintendent of Education or his or
        her designee.
            (B) The Executive Director of the Board of Higher
        Education or his or her designee.
            (C) The President and Chief Executive Officer of
        the Illinois Community College Board or his or her
        designee.
            (D) The Executive Director of the Illinois Student
        Assistance Commission or his or her designee.
            (E) The Co-chairpersons of the Illinois Workforce
        Investment Board or their designee.
            (F) The Director of Commerce and Economic
        Opportunity or his or her designee.
            (G) The Chairperson of the Illinois Early Learning
        Council or his or her designee.
            (H) The President of the Illinois Mathematics and
        Science Academy or his or her designee.
            (I) The president of an association representing
        educators of adult learners or his or her designee.
Ex-officio members shall have no vote on the Illinois P-20
Council.
    Appointed members shall serve for staggered terms expiring
on July 1 of the first, second, or third calendar year
following their appointments or until their successors are
appointed and have qualified. Staggered terms shall be
determined by lot at the organizing meeting of the Illinois
P-20 Council.
    Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as original
appointments, and any member so appointed shall serve during
the remainder of the term for which the vacancy occurred.
    (c) The Illinois P-20 Council shall be funded through State
appropriations to support staff activities, research,
data-collection, and dissemination. The Illinois P-20 Council
shall be staffed by the Office of the Governor, in coordination
with relevant State agencies, boards, and commissions. The
Illinois Education Research Council shall provide research and
coordinate research collection activities for the Illinois
P-20 Council.
    (d) The Illinois P-20 Council shall have all of the
following duties:
        (1) To make recommendations to do all of the following:
            (A) Coordinate pre-kindergarten through grade 20
        (graduate school) education in this State through
        working at the intersections of educational systems to
        promote collaborative infrastructure.
            (B) Coordinate and leverage strategies, actions,
        legislation, policies, and resources of all
        stakeholders to support fundamental and lasting
        improvement in this State's public schools, community
        colleges, and universities.
            (C) Better align the high school curriculum with
        postsecondary expectations.
            (D) Better align assessments across all levels of
        education.
            (E) Reduce the need for students entering
        institutions of higher education to take remedial
        courses.
            (F) Smooth the transition from high school to
        college.
            (G) Improve high school and college graduation
        rates.
            (H) Improve the rigor and relevance of academic
        standards for college and workforce readiness.
            (I) Better align college and university teaching
        programs with the needs of Illinois schools.
        (2) To advise the Governor, the General Assembly, the
    State's education and higher education agencies, and the
    State's workforce and economic development boards and
    agencies on policies related to lifelong learning for
    Illinois students and families.
        (3) To articulate a framework for systemic educational
    improvement and innovation that will enable every student
    to meet or exceed Illinois learning standards and be
    well-prepared to succeed in the workforce and community.
        (4) To provide an estimated fiscal impact for
    implementation of all Council recommendations.
    (e) The chairperson of the Illinois P-20 Council may
authorize the creation of working groups focusing on areas of
interest to Illinois educational and workforce development,
including without limitation the following areas:
        (1) Preparation, recruitment, and certification of
    highly qualified teachers.
        (2) Mentoring and induction of highly qualified
    teachers.
        (3) The diversity of highly qualified teachers.
        (4) Funding for highly qualified teachers, including
    developing a strategic and collaborative plan to seek
    federal and private grants to support initiatives
    targeting teacher preparation and its impact on student
    achievement.
        (5) Highly effective administrators.
        (6) Illinois birth through age 3 education,
    pre-kindergarten, and early childhood education.
        (7) The assessment, alignment, outreach, and network
    of college and workforce readiness efforts.
        (8) Alternative routes to college access.
        (9) Research data and accountability.
        (10) Community schools, community participation, and
    other innovative approaches to education that foster
    community partnerships.
    The chairperson of the Illinois P-20 Council may designate
Council members to serve as working group chairpersons. Working
groups may invite organizations and individuals representing
pre-kindergarten through grade 20 interests to participate in
discussions, data collection, and dissemination.
(Source: P.A. 95-626, eff. 6-1-08; 95-996, eff. 10-3-08.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.