09600SR0560 Enrolled

LRB096 16036 MJR 31284 r





  
1

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 560

  
 
2
    WHEREAS, A recent analysis shows that more than half of all 
3
Illinois children suspended from public schools are 
4
African-American, even though they represent less than 
5
one-fifth of the enrollment; and
  
 
6
    WHEREAS, Expulsion rates also disproportionally hit 
7
African-American students, causing them to miss more classroom 
8
instruction time, which leads to increased rates of dropouts, 
9
joblessness, and incarceration; and
  
 
10
    WHEREAS, In the last decade, suspensions of 
11
African-American students have escalated by 75% while those of 
12
white students have dropped more than 5%; white students are 
13
expelled 16% more often than they were 10 years ago, but 
14
African-American students are expelled 56% more often; and
  
 
15
    WHEREAS, Caucasian students make up nearly three-fifths of 
16
public school enrollment, yet in the most recent data, they 
17
account for one-third or fewer of both suspensions and 
18
expulsions; therefore, be it
  
 
19
    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL 
20
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Task Force on 
21
Eliminating Racial Bias in Suspensions and Expulsions be 
 


 






09600SR0560 Enrolled
- 2 -
LRB096 16036 MJR 31284 r




1
convened, consisting of 15 members, who shall serve without 
2
compensation, as follows:
3
        (1) one member appointed by the Governor, who shall 
4
    serve as chair;
5
        (2) one member appointed by the President
of the 
6
    Senate;
7
        (3) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House
of 
8
    Representatives;
9
        (4) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the 
10
    Senate;
11
        (5) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the 
12
    House
of Representatives;
13
        (6) one member appointed by the Chairperson of the 
14
    Illinois State Board of Education;
15
        (7) one member appointed by the Governor upon the 
16
    recommendation of an association representing school 
17
    boards;
18
        (8) one member appointed by the Governor upon the 
19
    recommendation of the Chicago Board of Education;
20
        (9) one member appointed by the Governor upon the 
21
    recommendation of an organization representing teachers;
22
        (10) one member appointed by the Governor upon the 
23
    recommendation of a different organization representing 
24
    teachers;
25
        (11) one member appointed by the Governor upon the 
26
    recommendation of an association representing regional 
 


 






09600SR0560 Enrolled
- 3 -
LRB096 16036 MJR 31284 r




1
    superintendents, who shall have expertise in administering 
2
    a regional safe school program; and
  
3
        (12) one member appointed by the Governor upon the 
4
    recommendation of an organization representing collar 
5
    county school districts;
6
        (13) one member appointed by the Governor upon the 
7
    recommendation of an organization representing suburban 
8
    school districts;
9
        (14) one member appointed by the Governor upon the 
10
    recommendation of an organization representing large unit 
11
    school districts; and
12
        (15) one member appointed by the Governor upon the 
13
    recommendation of an organization representing parents and 
14
    teachers; and be it further
 
15
    RESOLVED, That  the Task Force shall examine the causes of 
16
the racial gap in suspension and expulsion rates, consider the 
17
long-term implications of the inequity, and issue a report to 
18
the General Assembly by May 1, 2010 that makes recommendations 
19
for removing bias from the suspension and expulsion processes; 
20
and be it further
  
 
21
    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be dissolved upon 
22
filing its report with the General Assembly.