093_HB2491
LRB093 10478 NHT 10732 b
1 AN ACT concerning schools.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing
5 Section 2-3.25d as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/2-3.25d) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25d)
7 Sec. 2-3.25d. Academic watch list.
8 (a) Those schools that are not meeting the standards of
9 academic performance measured by the State assessment of
10 student performance as specified by the State Board of
11 Education may be placed on an academic watch list established
12 by the State Superintendent of Education after serving for 2
13 years on the State Board of Education Early Academic Warning
14 List and shall be subject to an on-site visitation to
15 determine whether extenuating circumstances exist as to why a
16 school or schools should not be placed on an academic watch
17 list by the State Superintendent of Education.
18 A school district that has one or more schools on the
19 academic watch list shall submit a revised School Improvement
20 Plan or amendments thereto setting forth the district's
21 expectations for removing each school in the district from
22 the academic watch list and for improving student performance
23 in that school. Districts operating under Article 34 of the
24 School Code may submit the School Improvement Plan required
25 under Section 34-2.4. If any district submits a School
26 Improvement Plan which exceeds 2 years in duration, the Plan
27 shall contain provisions for evaluation and determination as
28 to the improvement of student performance or school
29 improvement after no later than 2 years. The revised School
30 Improvement Plan or amendments thereto shall be developed in
31 consultation with the staff of the affected school and must
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1 be approved by the local board of education and the school's
2 local school council for districts operating under Article 34
3 of the School Code. Revised School Improvement Plans must be
4 submitted for approval to the State Superintendent of
5 Education pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by
6 the State Board of Education. The revised School Improvement
7 Plan shall address specific, measurable outcomes for
8 improving student performance so that such performance equals
9 or exceeds standards set for the school by the State Board of
10 Education.
11 A school or schools shall remain on the academic watch
12 list for at least one full academic year. During each
13 academic year for which a school is on the academic watch
14 list it shall continue to be evaluated and assessed by the
15 State Board of Education as to whether it is meeting outcomes
16 identified in its revised School Improvement Plan.
17 The provisions of this Section are subject to the
18 provisions of Section 2-3.25k.
19 (b) The State Board of Education shall implement and
20 administer a grant program that provides 2-year grants to
21 school districts on the academic watch list and other school
22 districts that have the lowest achieving students, as
23 determined by the State Board of Education, to be used to
24 improve student achievement. In order to receive a grant
25 under this program, a school district must establish an
26 accountability program. The accountability program must
27 involve the use of statewide testing standards and local
28 evaluation measures. A grant shall be automatically renewed
29 when achievement goals are met. The Board may adopt any
30 rules necessary to implement and administer this grant
31 program.
32 (Source: P.A. 89-398, eff. 8-20-95; 89-698, eff. 1-14-97.)
33 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
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1 becoming law.