HB4755 Engrossed

LRB096 16498 MJR 31768 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 Education for Homeless Children Act is 
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amended  by adding Section 1-50 as follows:
 
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    (105 ILCS 45/1-50  new)
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    Sec. 1-50. Education of Homeless Children and Youth State
     
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Grant Program.
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    (a) It is the purpose and intent of this Section to

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establish a State grant program that parallels and supplements,

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but operates independently of, the federal grant program

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allocating funds for assistance under Subtitle B of Title VII

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of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 
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U.S.C. 11431
et seq.) and to establish a State grant program to 
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support
school districts throughout this State in facilitating 
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the
enrollment, attendance, and success of homeless children 
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and
youth.
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    (b) Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education

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shall award competitive grants under an Education of Homeless

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Children and Youth State Grant Program to applicant school

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districts in accordance with this Section. Services provided by

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school districts through the use of grant funds may not replace

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the regular academic program and must be designed to expand

 


 






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upon or improve services provided for homeless students as part

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of the school's regular academic program.
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    (c) A school district that desires to receive a grant under

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this Section shall submit an application to the State Board of

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Education at such time, in such manner, and containing or

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accompanied by such information as the State Board of Education

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may reasonably require.
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    (d) Grants must be awarded on the basis of the need of the

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school district for assistance under this Section and the

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quality of the applications submitted.
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        (1) In determining need under this subsection (d), the
    
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    State Board of Education may consider the number of
    
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    homeless children and youths enrolled in preschool,
    
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    elementary school, and secondary school within the school
    
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    district and shall consider the needs of such children and
    
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    youths and the ability of the district to meet such needs.
    
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    The State Board of Education may also consider the
    
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    following:
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            (A) The extent to which the proposed use of funds
        
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        will facilitate the enrollment, retention, and
        
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        educational success of homeless children and youths.
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            (B) The extent to which the application (i)
        
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        reflects coordination with other local and State
        
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        agencies that serve homeless children and youths and
        
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        (ii) describes how the applicant will meet the
        
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        requirements of this Act and the federal
        
 


 






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        McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance
        
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        Improvements Act of 2001.
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            (C) The extent to which the applicant exhibits  in
        
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        the application and in current practice a commitment to
        
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        education for all homeless children and youths.
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            (D) Such other criteria as the State Board
        
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        determines is appropriate.
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        (2) In determining the quality of applications under
    
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    this subsection (d), the State Board of Education shall
    
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    consider the following:
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            (A) The applicant's assessment of needs and the
        
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        likelihood that the services presented in the
        
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        application will meet such needs.
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            (B) The types, intensity, and coordination of the
        
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        services to be provided.
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            (C) The involvement of parents or guardians of
        
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        homeless children or youths in the education of these
        
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        children.
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            (D) The extent to which homeless children and
        
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        youths are effectively integrated within the regular
        
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        education program.
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            (E) The quality of the applicant's evaluation plan
        
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        for the services.
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            (F) The extent to which services provided will be
        
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        coordinated with other services available to homeless
        
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        children and youths and their families.
 


 






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            (G) Such other measures as the State Board
        
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        considers indicative of high-quality services, such
        as 
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        the extent to which the school district will provide
        
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        case management or related services to unaccompanied
        
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        youths.
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    (e) Grants awarded under this Section shall be for terms

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not to exceed 3 years, but are subject to annual appropriation 
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for
the Education of Homeless Children and Youth State Grant 
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Program. School districts shall use funds awarded under this 
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Section only for those activities set forth in Section 723(d) 
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of Subtitle B of Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
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Assistance Act of 1987 (42 U.S.C. 11433(d)).
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    (f) The State Board of Education may use up to 5% of the






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funds appropriated for the purposes of this Section for


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administrative costs, including the hiring of positions for the


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implementation and administration of the grant program,


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provided that if no appropriation is made to the State Board of 
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Education

for a given fiscal year for the purposes of the grant 
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program,

then the State Board of Education is not required to 
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make any expenditures

in support of the program during that 
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fiscal year.