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| Public Act 097-0145 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section | ||||
27-24.2 as follows: | ||||
(105 ILCS 5/27-24.2) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-24.2) | ||||
Sec. 27-24.2. Safety education; driver education course. | ||||
Instruction shall be given in safety education in each of | ||||
grades one though 8, equivalent to one class period each week, | ||||
and any school district which maintains
grades 9 through 12 | ||||
shall offer a driver education course in any such school
which | ||||
it operates. Its curriculum shall include content dealing with | ||||
Chapters 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, | ||||
the rules adopted pursuant to those Chapters insofar as they | ||||
pertain to the operation of motor vehicles, and the portions of | ||||
the Litter Control Act relating to the operation of motor | ||||
vehicles. The course of instruction given in grades 10 through | ||||
12 shall include an emphasis on the development of knowledge, | ||||
attitudes, habits, and skills necessary for the safe operation | ||||
of motor vehicles, including motorcycles insofar as they can be | ||||
taught in the classroom, and instruction on distracted driving | ||||
as a major traffic safety issue. In addition, the course shall | ||||
include instruction on special hazards existing at and required | ||||
safety and driving precautions that must be observed at | ||
emergency situations, highway construction and maintenance | ||
zones, and railroad crossings and the approaches thereto. The | ||
course of instruction required of each eligible student at the | ||
high school level shall consist of a minimum of 30 clock hours | ||
of classroom instruction and a minimum of 6 clock hours of | ||
individual behind-the-wheel instruction in a dual control car | ||
on public roadways taught by a driver education instructor | ||
endorsed by the State Board of Education. Both the classroom | ||
instruction part and the practice driving
part of such driver | ||
education course shall be open to a resident or
non-resident | ||
student attending a non-public school in the district wherein | ||
the
course is offered. Each student attending any public or | ||
non-public high school
in the district must receive a passing | ||
grade in at least 8 courses during the
previous 2 semesters | ||
prior to enrolling in a driver education course, or the
student | ||
shall not be permitted to enroll in the course; provided that | ||
the local
superintendent of schools (with respect to a student | ||
attending a public high
school in the district) or chief school | ||
administrator (with respect to a
student attending a non-public | ||
high school in the district) may waive the
requirement if the | ||
superintendent or chief school administrator, as the case
may | ||
be, deems it to be in the best interest of the student. A | ||
student may be allowed to commence the
classroom instruction | ||
part of such driver education course prior to reaching
age 15 | ||
if such student then will be eligible to complete the entire | ||
course
within 12 months after being allowed to commence such | ||
classroom instruction. | ||
Such a course may be commenced immediately after the | ||
completion of a prior
course. Teachers of such courses shall | ||
meet the certification requirements of
this Act and regulations | ||
of the State Board as to qualifications. | ||
Subject to rules of the State Board of Education, the | ||
school district may charge a reasonable fee, not to exceed $50, | ||
to students who participate in the course, unless a student is | ||
unable to pay for such a course, in which event the fee for | ||
such a student must be waived. However, the district may | ||
increase this fee to an amount not to exceed $250 by school | ||
board resolution following a public hearing on the increase, | ||
which increased fee must be waived for students who participate | ||
in the course and are unable to pay for the course. The total | ||
amount from driver education fees and reimbursement from the | ||
State for driver education must not exceed the total cost of | ||
the driver education program in any year and must be deposited | ||
into the school district's driver education fund as a separate | ||
line item budget entry. All moneys deposited into the school | ||
district's driver education fund must be used solely for the | ||
funding of a high school driver education program approved by | ||
the State Board of Education that uses driver education | ||
instructors endorsed by the State Board of Education. | ||
(Source: P.A. 95-339, eff. 8-21-07; 96-734, eff. 8-25-09.)
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law. | ||