SJ0064 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0064 LRB100 21600 MST 38672 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, All children in Illinois are entitled to the facilities and resources needed for a high-quality education; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois charter public school law does not contain a provision for charter public school facilities funding; and

WHEREAS, Charter public schools in this State have limited access to capital funds for facilities from local or state sources, making it difficult to secure adequate and affordable facilities; and

WHEREAS, Charter public schools have confronted this problem by either paying rent to operate in a district-run facility or paying for independent facilities out of their general operating funds; and

WHEREAS, This produces inequity between charter public schools and district-run schools in terms of the proportion of funds available for direct classroom instruction; and

WHEREAS, Eleven jurisdictions (Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, and Washington D.C.) currently offer facilities support for charter public schools; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Task Force on Charter Public School Facilities is created to examine charter public school facilities issues, including the following:

(1) an analysis of the current capital funds and facilities provisions in the Illinois Charter Schools Law for the purpose of ensuring equitable access;

(2) a comparative analysis of charter public school facilities funding and access across the United States; and

(3) recommendations for ensuring that charter public schools have equitable access to safe and appropriate facilities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall consist of the following members:

(1) one member appointed by the President of the Senate;

(2) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

(3) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(4) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;

(5) the State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee;

(6) the chairperson of the State Charter School Commission or his or her designee;

(7) the chief executive officer of a school district in a city having a population exceeding 500,000 or his or her designee;

(8) one member appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of an organization representing teachers in a school district in a city having a population exceeding 500,000;

(9) one member appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of the largest statewide organization representing teachers;

(10) one member appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of a statewide organization representing charter public schools in this State;

(11) a principal of a currently operating, high-performing charter public school in this State, appointed by the State Superintendent of Education;

(12) one member appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of a statewide education policy organization that supports education policy priorities designed to provide a world-class education to all Illinois students;

(13) one member appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of the largest charter public school in this State;

(14) one member appointed by the Governor who is a representative of a community organization that operates charter public schools, upon recommendation of that community organization;

(15) one member appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of an organization representing the business community in this State;

(16) one member appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of an education advocacy group that organizes parents and supports high-quality public school options, including high-quality public charter schools;

(17) two members appointed by the Governor representing two of the ten currently operating Commission-approved charter public schools in this State, upon recommendation of the leadership of the Commission-approved charter public schools;

(18) one member appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of a large, non-profit community development financial institution (CDFI) in Illinois that provides or has provided specialized loans, real estate development, and additional forms of financial assistance to charter public schools in this State;

(19) one member appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of a union representing teachers in charter public schools; and

(20) one member appointed by the Governor who is a nationally recognized expert on charter public schools and charter facilities issues; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the members of the Task Force shall elect a chairperson from among their membership and that the State Charter School Commission shall provide administrative support; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the members of the Task Force shall be appointed within 30 days after the adoption of this resolution and shall begin meeting no later than 30 days after the appointments are finalized; in the event the appointments by the Governor are not made within 30 days after the adoption of this resolution, the State Superintendent shall make such appointments within 15 days of the appointment deadline; members shall serve without compensation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall issue a report making recommendations on any changes to State laws with regard to charter public school facilities access on or before January 1, 2019 and that the Task Force shall be dissolved upon issuance of this report; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the report filed with the General Assembly shall be filed with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives in electronic form only, in the manner that the Secretary and Clerk shall direct; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Governor, the State Superintendent of Education, the State Charter School Commission, and the Chief Executive Officer of the City of Chicago School District 299.