97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB1587

 

Introduced 2/15/2011, by Rep. Robert W. Pritchard

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/27-24.2  from Ch. 122, par. 27-24.2
105 ILCS 5/27-24.3  from Ch. 122, par. 27-24.3

    Amends the Driver Education Act of the School Code. Provides that instead of a school district providing the practice driving part of a driver education course, the district may enter into a memorandum of understanding with a private driver education provider stating the provider's ability and willingness to offer the practice driving part of the driver education course at a cost to the student equal to or less than the cost the district would incur in offering the instruction. Requires the district to submit to the State Board of Education and the State Board of Education to approve the memorandum of understanding before the district is relieved of its duty to provide behind-the-wheel instruction.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
527-24.2 and 27-24.3 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/27-24.2)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-24.2)
7    Sec. 27-24.2. Safety education; driver education course.
8Instruction shall be given in safety education in each of
9grades one though 8, equivalent to one class period each week,
10and any school district which maintains grades 9 through 12
11shall offer a driver education course in any such school which
12it operates. Its curriculum shall include content dealing with
13Chapters 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16 of the Illinois Vehicle Code,
14the rules adopted pursuant to those Chapters insofar as they
15pertain to the operation of motor vehicles, and the portions of
16the Litter Control Act relating to the operation of motor
17vehicles. The course of instruction given in grades 10 through
1812 shall include an emphasis on the development of knowledge,
19attitudes, habits, and skills necessary for the safe operation
20of motor vehicles, including motorcycles insofar as they can be
21taught in the classroom, and instruction on distracted driving
22as a major traffic safety issue. In addition, the course shall
23include instruction on special hazards existing at and required

 

 

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1safety and driving precautions that must be observed at
2emergency situations, highway construction and maintenance
3zones, and railroad crossings and the approaches thereto. The
4course of instruction required of each eligible student at the
5high school level shall consist of a minimum of 30 clock hours
6of classroom instruction and a minimum of 6 clock hours of
7individual behind-the-wheel instruction in a dual control car
8on public roadways taught by a driver education instructor
9endorsed by the State Board of Education. However, instead of
10the school district providing the behind-the-wheel
11instruction, the district may enter into a memorandum of
12understanding with a private driver education provider stating
13the provider's ability and willingness to offer the practice
14driving part of the driver education course at a cost to the
15student equal to or less than the cost the district would incur
16in offering the instruction. The district must submit to the
17State Board of Education and the State Board of Education must
18approve the memorandum of understanding before the district is
19relieved of its duty to provide behind-the-wheel instruction.
20Behind-the-wheel instruction provided by a private driver
21education provider must meet the requirements of this Code, the
22Illinois Vehicle Code, and any rules of the State Board of
23Education. Both the classroom instruction part and the practice
24driving part of a such driver education course shall be open to
25a resident or non-resident student attending a non-public
26school in the district wherein the course is offered. Each

 

 

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1student attending any public or non-public high school in the
2district must receive a passing grade in at least 8 courses
3during the previous 2 semesters prior to enrolling in a driver
4education course, or the student shall not be permitted to
5enroll in the course; provided that the local superintendent of
6schools (with respect to a student attending a public high
7school in the district) or chief school administrator (with
8respect to a student attending a non-public high school in the
9district) may waive the requirement if the superintendent or
10chief school administrator, as the case may be, deems it to be
11in the best interest of the student. A student may be allowed
12to commence the classroom instruction part of such driver
13education course prior to reaching age 15 if such student then
14will be eligible to complete the entire course within 12 months
15after being allowed to commence such classroom instruction.
16    Such a course may be commenced immediately after the
17completion of a prior course. Teachers of such courses shall
18meet the certification requirements of this Act and regulations
19of the State Board as to qualifications.
20    Subject to rules of the State Board of Education, the
21school district may charge a reasonable fee, not to exceed $50,
22to students who participate in the course, unless a student is
23unable to pay for such a course, in which event the fee for
24such a student must be waived. The total amount from driver
25education fees and reimbursement from the State for driver
26education must not exceed the total cost of the driver

 

 

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1education program in any year and must be deposited into the
2school district's driver education fund as a separate line item
3budget entry. All moneys deposited into the school district's
4driver education fund must be used solely for the funding of a
5high school driver education program approved by the State
6Board of Education that uses driver education instructors
7endorsed by the State Board of Education.
8(Source: P.A. 95-339, eff. 8-21-07; 96-734, eff. 8-25-09.)
 
9    (105 ILCS 5/27-24.3)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-24.3)
10    Sec. 27-24.3. Reimbursement. In order for the school
11district to receive reimbursement from the State as hereinafter
12provided, the driver education course offered in its schools
13shall consist of at least 30 clock hours of classroom
14instruction and, subject to modification as hereinafter
15allowed and unless a memorandum of understanding has been
16entered into with a private driver education provider under
17Section 27-24.2 of this Code, at least 6 clock hours of
18practice driving in a car having dual operating controls under
19direct individual instruction.
20(Source: P.A. 95-310, eff. 7-1-08.)