Public Act 099-0643
 
HB5566 EnrolledLRB099 18228 NHT 42598 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 changing Section 
22-45 as follows:
 
    (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 her 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 Executive Director 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. 
        (11) Tuition, financial aid, and other issues related 
    to keeping postsecondary education affordable for Illinois 
    residents. 
    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. 98-463, eff. 8-16-13; 98-719, eff. 1-1-15.)