Public Act 096-0843
 
HB0725 Re-Enrolled LRB096 04615 NHT 14672 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    WHEREAS, The General Assembly finds and declares the
following:
        (a) Illinois has over one million deaf and hard of
    hearing residents;
        (b) American Sign Language (ASL) is a fully-developed,
    visual-gestural language with distinct grammar, syntax,
    and symbols and is one of hundreds of signed languages in
    the world;
        (c) The American deaf community is a group of citizens
    who are members of a unique culture who share ASL as their
    common language; and
        (d) High school graduation requirements under Section
    27-22 of the School Code require students to take one year
    of music, art, vocational education, or a foreign language,
    which includes ASL; and
 
    WHEREAS, The General Assembly hereby also declares the
purpose and intent of this amendatory Act to be as follows:
        (a) To recognize ASL as the language of the American
    deaf community; and
        (b) To authorize and encourage public and independent
    schools, including post-secondary schools, to offer ASL as
    a course of study and to accept ASL credits as
    foreign-language credits; therefore
 
    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 Sections
10-20.46 and 34-18.37 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.46 new)
    Sec. 10-20.46. American Sign Language courses. School
boards are encouraged to implement American Sign Language
courses into school foreign language curricula.
 
    (105 ILCS 5/34-18.37 new)
    Sec. 34-18.37. American Sign Language courses. The school
board is encouraged to implement American Sign Language courses
into school foreign language curricula.
 
    Section 10. The University of Illinois Act is amended by
changing Section 8 and by adding Section 45 as follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 305/8)  (from Ch. 144, par. 29)
    Sec. 8. Admissions.
    (a) No student shall be admitted to instruction in any of
the departments of the University who shall not have attained
to the age of fifteen (15) years, and who shall not previously
undergo a satisfactory examination in each of the branches
ordinarily taught in the common schools of the state.
    (b) In addition, commencing in the fall of 1993, no new
student shall then or thereafter be admitted to instruction in
any of the departments or colleges of the University unless
such student also has satisfactorily completed:
        (1) at least 15 units of high school coursework from
    the following 5 categories:
            (A) 4 years of English (emphasizing written and
        oral communications and literature), of which up to 2
        years may be collegiate level instruction;
            (B) 3 years of social studies (emphasizing history
        and government);
            (C) 3 years of mathematics (introductory through
        advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry, or
        fundamentals of computer programming);
            (D) 3 years of science (laboratory sciences); and
            (E) 2 years of electives in foreign language, which
        may be deemed to include American Sign Language, music,
        vocational education or art;
        (2) except that institutions may admit individual
    applicants if the institution determines through
    assessment or through evaluation based on learning
    outcomes of the coursework taken, including vocational
    education courses and courses taken in a charter school
    established under Article 27A of the School Code, that the
    applicant demonstrates knowledge and skills substantially
    equivalent to the knowledge and skills expected to be
    acquired in the high school courses required for admission.
    The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois shall
    not discriminate in the University's admissions process
    against an applicant for admission because of the
    applicant's enrollment in a charter school established
    under Article 27A of the School Code. Institutions may also
    admit 1) applicants who did not have an opportunity to
    complete the minimum college preparatory curriculum in
    high school, and 2) educationally disadvantaged applicants
    who are admitted to the formal organized special assistance
    programs that are tailored to the needs of such students,
    providing that in either case, the institution
    incorporates in the applicant's baccalaureate curriculum
    courses or other academic activities that compensate for
    course deficiencies; and
        (3) except that up to 3 of the 15 units of coursework
    required by paragraph (1) of this subsection may be
    distributed by deducting no more than one unit each from
    the categories of social studies, mathematics, sciences
    and electives and completing those 3 units in any of the 5
    categories of coursework described in paragraph (1).
    (c) When allocating funds, local boards of education shall
recognize their obligation to their students to offer the
coursework required by subsection (b).
    (d) A student who has graduated from high school and has
scored within the University's accepted range on the ACT or SAT
shall not be required to take the high school level General
Educational Development (GED) Test as a prerequisite to
admission.
(Source: P.A. 91-374, eff. 7-30-99.)
 
    (110 ILCS 305/45 new)
    Sec. 45. American Sign Language courses. The University may
award academic credit for the successful completion of any
American Sign Language course offered or approved by the
University, which may be applied toward the satisfaction of the
foreign language requirements of the University, except for
those requirements related to the content of a student's
academic major.
 
    Section 15. The Southern Illinois University Management
Act is amended by changing Section 8e and by adding Section 30
as follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 520/8e)  (from Ch. 144, par. 658e)
    Sec. 8e. Admissions.
    (a) Commencing in the fall of 1993, no new student shall
then or thereafter be admitted to instruction in any of the
departments or colleges of the University unless such student
also has satisfactorily completed:
        (1) at least 15 units of high school coursework from
    the following 5 categories:
            (A) 4 years of English (emphasizing written and
        oral communications and literature), of which up to 2
        years may be collegiate level instruction;
            (B) 3 years of social studies (emphasizing history
        and government);
            (C) 3 years of mathematics (introductory through
        advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry, or
        fundamentals of computer programming);
            (D) 3 years of science (laboratory sciences); and
            (E) 2 years of electives in foreign language, which
        may be deemed to include American Sign Language, music,
        vocational education or art;
        (2) except that institutions may admit individual
    applicants if the institution determines through
    assessment or through evaluation based on learning
    outcomes of the coursework taken, including vocational
    education courses and courses taken in a charter school
    established under Article 27A of the School Code, that the
    applicant demonstrates knowledge and skills substantially
    equivalent to the knowledge and skills expected to be
    acquired in the high school courses required for admission.
    The Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University shall
    not discriminate in the University's admissions process
    against an applicant for admission because of the
    applicant's enrollment in a charter school established
    under Article 27A of the School Code. Institutions may also
    admit 1) applicants who did not have an opportunity to
    complete the minimum college preparatory curriculum in
    high school, and 2) educationally disadvantaged applicants
    who are admitted to the formal organized special assistance
    programs that are tailored to the needs of such students,
    providing that in either case, the institution
    incorporates in the applicant's baccalaureate curriculum
    courses or other academic activities that compensate for
    course deficiencies; and
        (3) except that up to 3 of 15 units of coursework
    required by paragraph (1) of this subsection may be
    distributed by deducting no more than one unit each from
    the categories of social studies, mathematics, sciences
    and electives and completing those 3 units in any of the 5
    categories of coursework described in paragraph (1).
    (b) When allocating funds, local boards of education shall
recognize their obligation to their students to offer the
coursework required by subsection (a).
    (c) A student who has graduated from high school and has
scored within the University's accepted range on the ACT or SAT
shall not be required to take the high school level General
Educational Development (GED) Test as a prerequisite to
admission.
(Source: P.A. 91-374, eff. 7-30-99.)
 
    (110 ILCS 520/30 new)
    Sec. 30. American Sign Language courses. The University may
award academic credit for the successful completion of any
American Sign Language course offered or approved by the
University, which may be applied toward the satisfaction of the
foreign language requirements of the University, except for
those requirements related to the content of a student's
academic major.
 
    Section 20. The Chicago State University Law is amended by
changing Section 5-85 and by adding Section 5-140 as follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 660/5-85)
    Sec. 5-85. Admission requirements.
    (a) No new student shall be admitted to instruction in any
of the departments or colleges of the Chicago State University
unless such student also has satisfactorily completed:
        (1) at least 15 units of high school coursework from
    the following 5 categories:
            (A) 4 years of English (emphasizing written and
        oral communications and literature), of which up to 2
        years may be collegiate level instruction;
            (B) 3 years of social studies (emphasizing history
        and government);
            (C) 3 years of mathematics (introductory through
        advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry, or
        fundamentals of computer programming);
            (D) 3 years of science (laboratory sciences); and
            (E) 2 years of electives in foreign language, which
        may be deemed to include American Sign Language, music,
        vocational education or art;
        (2) except that Chicago State University may admit
    individual applicants if it determines through assessment
    or through evaluation based on learning outcomes of the
    coursework taken, including vocational education courses
    and courses taken in a charter school established under
    Article 27A of the School Code, that the applicant
    demonstrates knowledge and skills substantially equivalent
    to the knowledge and skills expected to be acquired in the
    high school courses required for admission. The Board of
    Trustees of Chicago State University shall not
    discriminate in the University's admissions process
    against an applicant for admission because of the
    applicant's enrollment in a charter school established
    under Article 27A of the School Code. Chicago State
    University may also admit (i) applicants who did not have
    an opportunity to complete the minimum college preparatory
    curriculum in high school, and (ii) educationally
    disadvantaged applicants who are admitted to the formal
    organized special assistance programs that are tailored to
    the needs of such students, providing that in either case,
    the institution incorporates in the applicant's
    baccalaureate curriculum courses or other academic
    activities that compensate for course deficiencies; and
        (3) except that up to 3 of 15 units of coursework
    required by paragraph (1) of this subsection may be
    distributed by deducting no more than one unit each from
    the categories of social studies, mathematics, sciences
    and electives and completing those 3 units in any of the 5
    categories of coursework described in paragraph (1).
    (b) When allocating funds, local boards of education shall
recognize their obligation to their students to offer the
coursework required by subsection (a).
    (c) A student who has graduated from high school and has
scored within the University's accepted range on the ACT or SAT
shall not be required to take the high school level General
Educational Development (GED) Test as a prerequisite to
admission.
(Source: P.A. 91-374, eff. 7-30-99.)
 
    (110 ILCS 660/5-140 new)
    Sec. 5-140. American Sign Language courses. The University
may award academic credit for the successful completion of any
American Sign Language course offered or approved by the
University, which may be applied toward the satisfaction of the
foreign language requirements of the University, except for
those requirements related to the content of a student's
academic major.
 
    Section 25. The Eastern Illinois University Law is amended
by changing Section 10-85 and by adding Section 10-140 as
follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 665/10-85)
    Sec. 10-85. Admission requirements.
    (a) No new student shall be admitted to instruction in any
of the departments or colleges of the Eastern Illinois
University unless such student also has satisfactorily
completed:
        (1) at least 15 units of high school coursework from
    the following 5 categories:
            (A) 4 years of English (emphasizing written and
        oral communications and literature), of which up to 2
        years may be collegiate level instruction;
            (B) 3 years of social studies (emphasizing history
        and government);
            (C) 3 years of mathematics (introductory through
        advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry, or
        fundamentals of computer programming);
            (D) 3 years of science (laboratory sciences); and
            (E) 2 years of electives in foreign language, which
        may be deemed to include American Sign Language, music,
        vocational education or art;
        (2) except that Eastern Illinois University may admit
    individual applicants if it determines through assessment
    or through evaluation based on learning outcomes of the
    coursework taken, including vocational education courses
    and courses taken in a charter school established under
    Article 27A of the School Code, that the applicant
    demonstrates knowledge and skills substantially equivalent
    to the knowledge and skills expected to be acquired in the
    high school courses required for admission. The Board of
    Trustees of Eastern Illinois University shall not
    discriminate in the University's admissions process
    against an applicant for admission because of the
    applicant's enrollment in a charter school established
    under Article 27A of the School Code. Eastern Illinois
    University may also admit (i) applicants who did not have
    an opportunity to complete the minimum college preparatory
    curriculum in high school, and (ii) educationally
    disadvantaged applicants who are admitted to the formal
    organized special assistance programs that are tailored to
    the needs of such students, providing that in either case,
    the institution incorporates in the applicant's
    baccalaureate curriculum courses or other academic
    activities that compensate for course deficiencies; and
        (3) except that up to 3 of 15 units of coursework
    required by paragraph (1) of this subsection may be
    distributed by deducting no more than one unit each from
    the categories of social studies, mathematics, sciences
    and electives and completing those 3 units in any of the 5
    categories of coursework described in paragraph (1).
    (b) When allocating funds, local boards of education shall
recognize their obligation to their students to offer the
coursework required by subsection (a).
    (c) A student who has graduated from high school and has
scored within the University's accepted range on the ACT or SAT
shall not be required to take the high school level General
Educational Development (GED) Test as a prerequisite to
admission.
(Source: P.A. 91-374, eff. 7-30-99.)
 
    (110 ILCS 665/10-140 new)
    Sec. 10-140. American Sign Language courses. The
University may award academic credit for the successful
completion of any American Sign Language course offered or
approved by the University, which may be applied toward the
satisfaction of the foreign language requirements of the
University, except for those requirements related to the
content of a student's academic major.
 
    Section 30. The Governors State University Law is amended
by changing Section 15-85 and by adding Section 15-140 as
follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 670/15-85)
    Sec. 15-85. Admission requirements.
    (a) No new student shall be admitted to instruction in any
of the departments or colleges of the Governors State
University unless such student also has satisfactorily
completed:
        (1) at least 15 units of high school coursework from
    the following 5 categories:
            (A) 4 years of English (emphasizing written and
        oral communications and literature), of which up to 2
        years may be collegiate level instruction;
            (B) 3 years of social studies (emphasizing history
        and government);
            (C) 3 years of mathematics (introductory through
        advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry, or
        fundamentals of computer programming);
            (D) 3 years of science (laboratory sciences); and
            (E) 2 years of electives in foreign language, which
        may be deemed to include American Sign Language, music,
        vocational education or art;
        (2) except that Governors State University may admit
    individual applicants if it determines through assessment
    or through evaluation based on learning outcomes of the
    coursework taken, including vocational education courses
    and courses taken in a charter school established under
    Article 27A of the School Code, that the applicant
    demonstrates knowledge and skills substantially equivalent
    to the knowledge and skills expected to be acquired in the
    high school courses required for admission. The Board of
    Trustees of Governors State University shall not
    discriminate in the University's admissions process
    against an applicant for admission because of the
    applicant's enrollment in a charter school established
    under Article 27A of the School Code. Governors State
    University may also admit (i) applicants who did not have
    an opportunity to complete the minimum college preparatory
    curriculum in high school, and (ii) educationally
    disadvantaged applicants who are admitted to the formal
    organized special assistance programs that are tailored to
    the needs of such students, providing that in either case,
    the institution incorporates in the applicant's
    baccalaureate curriculum courses or other academic
    activities that compensate for course deficiencies; and
        (3) except that up to 3 of 15 units of coursework
    required by paragraph (1) of this subsection may be
    distributed by deducting no more than one unit each from
    the categories of social studies, mathematics, sciences
    and electives and completing those 3 units in any of the 5
    categories of coursework described in paragraph (1).
    (b) When allocating funds, local boards of education shall
recognize their obligation to their students to offer the
coursework required by subsection (a).
    (c) A student who has graduated from high school and has
scored within the University's accepted range on the ACT or SAT
shall not be required to take the high school level General
Educational Development (GED) Test as a prerequisite to
admission.
(Source: P.A. 91-374, eff. 7-30-99.)
 
    (110 ILCS 670/15-140 new)
    Sec. 15-140. American Sign Language courses. The
University may award academic credit for the successful
completion of any American Sign Language course offered or
approved by the University, which may be applied toward the
satisfaction of the foreign language requirements of the
University, except for those requirements related to the
content of a student's academic major.
 
    Section 35. The Illinois State University Law is amended by
changing Section 20-85 and by adding Section 20-145 as follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 675/20-85)
    Sec. 20-85. Admission requirements.
    (a) No new student shall be admitted to instruction in any
of the departments or colleges of the Illinois State University
unless such student also has satisfactorily completed:
        (1) at least 15 units of high school coursework from
    the following 5 categories:
            (A) 4 years of English (emphasizing written and
        oral communications and literature), of which up to 2
        years may be collegiate level instruction;
            (B) 3 years of social studies (emphasizing history
        and government);
            (C) 3 years of mathematics (introductory through
        advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry, or
        fundamentals of computer programming);
            (D) 3 years of science (laboratory sciences); and
            (E) 2 years of electives in foreign language, which
        may be deemed to include American Sign Language, music,
        vocational education or art;
        (2) except that Illinois State University may admit
    individual applicants if it determines through assessment
    or through evaluation based on learning outcomes of the
    coursework taken, including vocational education courses
    and courses taken in a charter school established under
    Article 27A of the School Code, that the applicant
    demonstrates knowledge and skills substantially equivalent
    to the knowledge and skills expected to be acquired in the
    high school courses required for admission. The Board of
    Trustees of Illinois State University shall not
    discriminate in the University's admissions process
    against an applicant for admission because of the
    applicant's enrollment in a charter school established
    under Article 27A of the School Code. Illinois State
    University may also admit (i) applicants who did not have
    an opportunity to complete the minimum college preparatory
    curriculum in high school, and (ii) educationally
    disadvantaged applicants who are admitted to the formal
    organized special assistance programs that are tailored to
    the needs of such students, providing that in either case,
    the institution incorporates in the applicant's
    baccalaureate curriculum courses or other academic
    activities that compensate for course deficiencies; and
        (3) except that up to 3 of 15 units of coursework
    required by paragraph (1) of this subsection may be
    distributed by deducting no more than one unit each from
    the categories of social studies, mathematics, sciences
    and electives and completing those 3 units in any of the 5
    categories of coursework described in paragraph (1).
    (b) When allocating funds, local boards of education shall
recognize their obligation to their students to offer the
coursework required by subsection (a).
    (c) A student who has graduated from high school and has
scored within the University's accepted range on the ACT or SAT
shall not be required to take the high school level General
Educational Development (GED) Test as a prerequisite to
admission.
(Source: P.A. 91-374, eff. 7-30-99.)
 
    (110 ILCS 675/20-145 new)
    Sec. 20-145. American Sign Language courses. The
University may award academic credit for the successful
completion of any American Sign Language course offered or
approved by the University, which may be applied toward the
satisfaction of the foreign language requirements of the
University, except for those requirements related to the
content of a student's academic major.
 
    Section 40. The Northeastern Illinois University Law is
amended by changing Section 25-85 and by adding Section 25-140
as follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 680/25-85)
    Sec. 25-85. Admission requirements.
    (a) No new student shall be admitted to instruction in any
of the departments or colleges of the Northeastern Illinois
University unless such student also has satisfactorily
completed:
        (1) at least 15 units of high school coursework from
    the following 5 categories:
            (A) 4 years of English (emphasizing written and
        oral communications and literature), of which up to 2
        years may be collegiate level instruction;
            (B) 3 years of social studies (emphasizing history
        and government);
            (C) 3 years of mathematics (introductory through
        advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry, or
        fundamentals of computer programming);
            (D) 3 years of science (laboratory sciences); and
            (E) 2 years of electives in foreign language, which
        may be deemed to include American Sign Language, music,
        vocational education or art;
        (2) except that Northeastern Illinois University may
    admit individual applicants if it determines through
    assessment or through evaluation based on learning
    outcomes of the coursework taken, including vocational
    education courses and courses taken in a charter school
    established under Article 27A of the School Code, that the
    applicant demonstrates knowledge and skills substantially
    equivalent to the knowledge and skills expected to be
    acquired in the high school courses required for admission.
    The Board of Trustees of Northeastern Illinois University
    shall not discriminate in the University's admissions
    process against an applicant for admission because of the
    applicant's enrollment in a charter school established
    under Article 27A of the School Code. Northeastern Illinois
    University may also admit (i) applicants who did not have
    an opportunity to complete the minimum college preparatory
    curriculum in high school, and (ii) educationally
    disadvantaged applicants who are admitted to the formal
    organized special assistance programs that are tailored to
    the needs of such students, providing that in either case,
    the institution incorporates in the applicant's
    baccalaureate curriculum courses or other academic
    activities that compensate for course deficiencies; and
        (3) except that up to 3 of 15 units of coursework
    required by paragraph (1) of this subsection may be
    distributed by deducting no more than one unit each from
    the categories of social studies, mathematics, sciences
    and electives and completing those 3 units in any of the 5
    categories of coursework described in paragraph (1).
    (b) When allocating funds, local boards of education shall
recognize their obligation to their students to offer the
coursework required by subsection (a).
    (c) A student who has graduated from high school and has
scored within the University's accepted range on the ACT or SAT
shall not be required to take the high school level General
Educational Development (GED) Test as a prerequisite to
admission.
(Source: P.A. 91-374, eff. 7-30-99.)
 
    (110 ILCS 680/25-140 new)
    Sec. 25-140. American Sign Language courses. The
University may award academic credit for the successful
completion of any American Sign Language course offered or
approved by the University, which may be applied toward the
satisfaction of the foreign language requirements of the
University, except for those requirements related to the
content of a student's academic major.
 
    Section 45. The Northern Illinois University Law is amended
by changing Section 30-85 and by adding Section 30-150 as
follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 685/30-85)
    Sec. 30-85. Admission requirements.
    (a) No new student shall be admitted to instruction in any
of the departments or colleges of the Northern Illinois
University unless such student also has satisfactorily
completed:
        (1) at least 15 units of high school coursework from
    the following 5 categories:
            (A) 4 years of English (emphasizing written and
        oral communications and literature), of which up to 2
        years may be collegiate level instruction;
            (B) 3 years of social studies (emphasizing history
        and government);
            (C) 3 years of mathematics (introductory through
        advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry, or
        fundamentals of computer programming);
            (D) 3 years of science (laboratory sciences); and
            (E) 2 years of electives in foreign language, which
        may be deemed to include American Sign Language, music,
        vocational education or art;
        (2) except that Northern Illinois University may admit
    individual applicants if it determines through assessment
    or through evaluation based on learning outcomes of the
    coursework taken, including vocational education courses
    and courses taken in a charter school established under
    Article 27A of the School Code, that the applicant
    demonstrates knowledge and skills substantially equivalent
    to the knowledge and skills expected to be acquired in the
    high school courses required for admission. The Board of
    Trustees of Northern Illinois University shall not
    discriminate in the University's admissions process
    against an applicant for admission because of the
    applicant's enrollment in a charter school established
    under Article 27A of the School Code. Northern Illinois
    University may also admit (i) applicants who did not have
    an opportunity to complete the minimum college preparatory
    curriculum in high school, and (ii) educationally
    disadvantaged applicants who are admitted to the formal
    organized special assistance programs that are tailored to
    the needs of such students, providing that in either case,
    the institution incorporates in the applicant's
    baccalaureate curriculum courses or other academic
    activities that compensate for course deficiencies; and
        (3) except that up to 3 of 15 units of coursework
    required by paragraph (1) of this subsection may be
    distributed by deducting no more than one unit each from
    the categories of social studies, mathematics, sciences
    and electives and completing those 3 units in any of the 5
    categories of coursework described in paragraph (1).
    (b) When allocating funds, local boards of education shall
recognize their obligation to their students to offer the
coursework required by subsection (a).
    (c) A student who has graduated from high school and has
scored within the University's accepted range on the ACT or SAT
shall not be required to take the high school level General
Educational Development (GED) Test as a prerequisite to
admission.
(Source: P.A. 91-374, eff. 7-30-99.)
 
    (110 ILCS 685/30-150 new)
    Sec. 30-150. American Sign Language courses. The
University may award academic credit for the successful
completion of any American Sign Language course offered or
approved by the University, which may be applied toward the
satisfaction of the foreign language requirements of the
University, except for those requirements related to the
content of a student's academic major.
 
    Section 50. The Western Illinois University Law is amended
by changing Section 35-85 and by adding Section 35-145 as
follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 690/35-85)
    Sec. 35-85. Admission requirements.
    (a) No new student shall be admitted to instruction in any
of the departments or colleges of the Western Illinois
University unless such student also has satisfactorily
completed:
        (1) at least 15 units of high school coursework from
    the following 5 categories:
            (A) 4 years of English (emphasizing written and
        oral communications and literature), of which up to 2
        years may be collegiate level instruction;
            (B) 3 years of social studies (emphasizing history
        and government);
            (C) 3 years of mathematics (introductory through
        advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry, or
        fundamentals of computer programming);
            (D) 3 years of science (laboratory sciences); and
            (E) 2 years of electives in foreign language, which
        may be deemed to include American Sign Language, music,
        vocational education or art;
        (2) except that Western Illinois University may admit
    individual applicants if it determines through assessment
    or through evaluation based on learning outcomes of the
    coursework taken, including vocational education courses
    and courses taken in a charter school established under
    Article 27A of the School Code, that the applicant
    demonstrates knowledge and skills substantially equivalent
    to the knowledge and skills expected to be acquired in the
    high school courses required for admission. The Board of
    Trustees of Western Illinois University shall not
    discriminate in the University's admissions process
    against an applicant for admission because of the
    applicant's enrollment in a charter school established
    under Article 27A of the School Code. Western Illinois
    University may also admit (i) applicants who did not have
    an opportunity to complete the minimum college preparatory
    curriculum in high school, and (ii) educationally
    disadvantaged applicants who are admitted to the formal
    organized special assistance programs that are tailored to
    the needs of such students, providing that in either case,
    the institution incorporates in the applicant's
    baccalaureate curriculum courses or other academic
    activities that compensate for course deficiencies; and
        (3) except that up to 3 of 15 units of coursework
    required by paragraph (1) of this subsection may be
    distributed by deducting no more than one unit each from
    the categories of social studies, mathematics, sciences
    and electives and completing those 3 units in any of the 5
    categories of coursework described in paragraph (1).
    (b) When allocating funds, local boards of education shall
recognize their obligation to their students to offer the
coursework required by subsection (a).
    (c) A student who has graduated from high school and has
scored within the University's accepted range on the ACT or SAT
shall not be required to take the high school level General
Educational Development (GED) Test as a prerequisite to
admission.
(Source: P.A. 91-374, eff. 7-30-99.)
 
    (110 ILCS 690/35-145 new)
    Sec. 35-145. American Sign Language courses. The
University may award academic credit for the successful
completion of any American Sign Language course offered or
approved by the University, which may be applied toward the
satisfaction of the foreign language requirements of the
University, except for those requirements related to the
content of a student's academic major.
 
    Section 55. The Public Community College Act is amended by
adding Section 3-29.4 as follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 805/3-29.4 new)
    Sec. 3-29.4. American Sign Language courses. To adopt
regulations for the awarding of academic credit for the
successful completion of any American Sign Language course
offered or approved by a community college, which may be
applied toward the satisfaction of any foreign language
requirements of the community college, except for those
requirements related to the content of a student's academic
major.
 
    Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding
Section 8.33 as follows:
 
    (30 ILCS 805/8.33 new)
    Sec. 8.33. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8
of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the
implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of
the 96th General Assembly.