HJ0006 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0006 LRB097 07041 NHT 47134 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Studies have shown that school districts operate more efficiently with a set ideal enrollment of students, whether it is deconsolidating large districts or consolidating small districts; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois currently has 869 public school districts, the third most school districts in the nation next to California and Texas; and

WHEREAS, City of Chicago School District 299 has an enrollment of 404,589 students and 611 schools in one district; and

WHEREAS, There are 82 school districts in the State of Illinois with an enrollment of less than 200 students; and

WHEREAS, During this time of fiscal crisis, school district reorganization has the potential to save valuable State dollars and use that money more effectively; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the School District Realignment and Consolidation Task Force within the State Board of Education; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force is charged with examining the number of school districts in this State, the optimal amount of enrollment for a school district, where consolidation and realignment would be beneficial, reducing the money spent on duplication of efforts, improving the education of students by having less obstacles between qualified teachers and their students, and lowering the property tax burden; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force shall be comprised of the following members, all of whom shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for that purpose:

(1) members appointed by the State Board of Education;

(2) a representative appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(3) a representative appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;

(4) a representative appointed by the President of the Senate;

(5) a representative appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

(6) a representative of a statewide professional teachers' organization appointed by the head of that organization;

(7) a representative of a different statewide professional teachers' organization appointed by the head of that organization;

(8) a representative of a statewide organization that represents school boards appointed by the head of that organization;

(9) a representative of a statewide organization representing principals appointed by the head of that organization;

(10) a representative of City of Chicago School District 299 appointed by the general superintendent of schools;

(11) a representative of an association representing school business officials appointed by the head of that association;

(12) a representative of an association representing school administrators appointed by the head of that association;

(13) a representative from an organization representing large unit school districts appointed by the head of that organization;

(14) a representative from the Chicago Board of Education appointed by the Chicago Board of Education; and

(15) a representative from an organization representing administrators of special education appointed by the head of that organization; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the members of the task force shall be reimbursed for their travel expenses from appropriations to the State Board of Education available for that purpose and subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education shall provide administrative and other support to the task force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the task force shall hold public hearings and shall report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before July 1, 2012; and that upon filing its report the task force is dissolved.