95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB1787


 
Introduced 2/23/2007, by Rep. Michael K. Smith
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 		














105 ILCS 5/2-3.51a









    Amends the School Code.  Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the Continued Reading Improvement Block Grant
Program.
















LRB095 10141 NHT 30355 b

















 


 


A BILL FOR









 











HB1787

LRB095 10141 NHT 30355 b






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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 
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2-3.51a as follows:
 



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    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.51a)



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    Sec. 2-3.51a. Continued Reading Improvement Block Grant

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Program.  To improve the
the reading and study skills of 
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children from seventh
through twelfth grade in school 
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districts.  The State Board of Education
is authorized to 
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administer a Continued Reading Improvement Block
Grant 
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Program.  As used in this Section, "school district" includes

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those schools designated as laboratory schools.

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    (a) Funds for the Continued Reading Improvement Block Grant

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Program shall be distributed to school districts on the 
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following basis:
70% of moneys shall be awarded on the prior 
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year's best 3 months
average daily attendance and 30% shall be 
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distributed on the number of
economically disadvantaged 
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(E.C.I.A. Chapter I) pupils in the district,
provided that the 
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State Board may distribute an amount not to exceed
2% of the 
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moneys appropriated for the Continued Reading Improvement

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Block Grant Program for the purpose of providing teacher 
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training and
re-training in the teaching of reading.  Program 
 


 






HB1787
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funds shall be
distributed to school districts in 2 semi-annual 
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installments, one
payment on or before October 30 and one 
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payment prior to April 30 of
each year.  The State Board shall 
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adopt any rules necessary for the
implementation of this 
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program.

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    (b) Continued Reading Improvement Block Grant Program 
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funds
shall be used by school districts in the following manner 
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to support students
in grades 7 through 12
who are reading 
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significantly below grade level:


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        (1) to continue direct reading instruction for grades 7

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    through 12, focusing on the application of reading skills 
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    for understanding
informational text;


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        (2) to focus on
and to commit time and resources to the

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    reading of rich literature;


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        (3) to conduct intense vocabulary, spelling, and 
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    related
writing programs that promote better understanding 
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    of
language and words;


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        (4) to provide professional development based on 
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    scientifically based
research and best
practices and 
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    delivered by providers approved by the State Board of 
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    Education;
and


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        (5) to increase the availability of reading 
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    specialists and
teacher aides trained in research-based 
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    reading intervention or improvement
practices or both.

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    (c) Continued Reading Improvement Block Grant Program 
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funds
shall be made available to each eligible school district 
 


 






HB1787
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submitting an
approved application developed by the State 
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Board, beginning with the
2003-2004 school year.  Applications 
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shall include a proposed
assessment method or methods for 
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measuring student reading skills.
Such methods may include the 
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reading portion of State tests.  At the end
of each school year 
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the district shall report assessment results to the
State 
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Board.  Districts not demonstrating performance progress using 
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an
approved assessment method shall not be eligible for funding 
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in the third
or subsequent years until such progress is 
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established.

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    (d) The State Superintendent of Education, in cooperation 
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with the
school districts participating in the program, shall 
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annually report to the
leadership of the General Assembly on 
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the results of the Continued
Reading Improvement Block Grant 
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Program and the progress being made
on improving the reading 
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skills of students in grades 7 through 12.

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    (e) Grants under the Continued Reading Improvement Block 
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Grant
Program shall be awarded provided there is an 
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appropriation for the
program, and funding levels for each 
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district shall be prorated according
to the amount of the 
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appropriation.  Funding for the program established
under 
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Section 2-3.51 of this Code shall not be reduced in order to 
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fund
the Continued Reading Improvement Block Grant Program.

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(Source: P.A. 93-53, eff. 7-1-03.)