HB4832 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB094 17562 NHT 52858 b

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB4832

Introduced 01/19/06, by Rep. Robert F. Flider

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Community Education Act to support community service education programs, which educate students about the value of civic involvement through actual school-sponsored involvement in their communities. Creates the Community Education Program, administered by the State Board of Education. Allows a school district to establish a community education program. With respect to a school district community education program, contains provisions concerning local input, a Director of Community Education, the non-duplication of programs, community education consortiums, partnership agreements, funding, and grants. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Community Education Act.

Section 5. Policy. Community service education programs educate students about the value of civic involvement through actual school-sponsored involvement in their communities. Students, citizens, civic groups, businesses, and community organizations benefit from community service education programs by developing strong partnerships that enhance the value of schools and quality of life in communities. Community service education programs build stronger schools, stronger communities, and a positive environment.

In many communities, the school district is the economic engine that provides jobs, economic stability, and prosperity. Community service education programs enable more school districts and communities to prosper economically while promoting good citizenship. School districts that offer community service education programs enjoy a significant return on their investment. Hence, the policy of the State of Illinois is to support such programs by providing incentives to encourage school districts to offer community service education programs.

Section 10. Community Education Program. There is created the Community Education Program, administered by the State Board of Education, in cooperation with school districts. Participation in this program is voluntary. The following items may serve as best practices to be considered by school districts opting to implement the program:

(1) The program contains provisions and standards conducive to the establishment of community, business, and education partnerships that give use to lasting relationships between school districts and partners that are mutually beneficial.

(2) The program provides greater community access to school facilities and programs to promote increased achievement by children.

(3) The program makes school facilities available for citizen use.

(4) The program organizes local residents to assess local conditions, set priorities, identify program needs, and participate in program planning and development.

(5) The program identifies and utilizes resources within the community or those that impact on the community.

(6) The program assists in the initiation of new and improved programs in an effort to improve opportunities for all residents of the community.

(7) The program provides effective youth training programs and employment counseling in schools, as well as paid work experience linking the schools with the private sector.

(8) The program provides student involvement in community service learning activities, organizations, and intergenerational programs.

(9) The program provides volunteer programs to bring parents, business personnel, community agency representatives, retirees, and other students into the classroom as participants in the teaching of students.

(10) The program provides supplemental or additional programs for junior high school and high school age youth that may consist of enrichment, individual, and supplemental activities, as well as recreational, cultural, and vocational programs.

(11) The program provides programs to meet the individual needs of all people who reside in the school district being served.

Nothing set forth in items (7) through (11) shall be constituted as either requiring or permitting the Community Education Program to have any program or programs serving the same purpose or purposes as those elsewhere specifically provided for in the School Code.

The Community Education Program shall avoid duplication of existing programs operated by other entities in whole or in part within a school district. The Community Education Program shall provide for the involvement of the residents of a school district in ascertaining the identity of local problems and in ascertaining the community resources available for dealing with these problems.

Section 25. Establishment of community education program by school district. A school district may establish and operate a community education program in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

Section 60. Local input. Each school board shall establish a process to obtain input into the development and operation of its community education program by members who represent various service organizations, churches, public schools, units of local government, businesses and professions, public and private agencies serving youth, families, or senior citizens, municipal governments, townships, libraries, park, recreation, or forest preserve districts located in whole or in part within the school district, and any other group or groups participating in the school district's community education program.

Section 65. Director of Community Education. Each school district maintaining a community education program shall employ or appoint a Director of Community Education. The Director shall be responsible for all aspects of the school district's community education program. An individual employed solely as a Director of Community Education need not hold a teaching or administrative certificate from the State of Illinois.

Section 75. Non-duplication of programs. A school district must strive to ensure that its community education program does not duplicate services offered by other entities or school programs.

Section 80. Community education consortiums. Any school district authorized to conduct a community education program pursuant to the provisions of this Act may enter into an agreement with other school districts to form a consortium for the purpose of offering a consolidated community education program.

Section 85. Partnership agreements. A school district community education program shall have the power to enter into agreements with any other public or private entity or entities for the furnishing of any component of its community education program. These agreements may provide for payments from the school district's community education fund to other entities as contributions to the expenses of the program or programs covered by these agreements.

Section 90. Funding. A school district maintaining a community education program is authorized to receive money from the State, as grants that are subject to appropriation, and other public and private sources for the support of its program or any component thereof and to expend this money pursuant to the provisions of this Act, subject to the terms and conditions under which the money is received. A not-for-profit organization may be established in support of the program, in accordance with the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986, and may seek tax exemption for the organization from the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Revenue. Subject to guidelines approved by the school board, the school district is also authorized to charge and collect fees from persons voluntarily participating in a specific community education program. The school board shall also have the authority to designate funds to be used for community education purposes.

Section 92. Grants. Subject to the availability of funds for the specific purpose of making grants for community education, the State Board of Education is authorized to make grants to school districts operating community education programs that meet the standards set forth in this Act and any rules adopted by the State Board of Education.

Section 500. Rules. The State Board of Education may adopt any rules that are necessary to implement and administer this Act.

Section 999. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.