SB3259eng 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB3259 Engrossed LRB097 19781 AMC 65047 b

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 26-17 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/26-17 new)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on November 2, 2012)

Sec. 26-17. The Commission for High School Graduation Achievement and Success.

(a) The General Assembly recognizes that the compulsory school age is one piece of the education spectrum. There is a great need to help children succeed in school and reach high school graduation. The Commission for High School Graduation Achievement and Success is hereby created to study the issue of high school graduation in this State, with the goals of increasing educational attainment, increasing high school graduation rates, and ultimately improving the workforce in this State. The Commission is tasked to examine and evaluate the following:

(1) graduation rates in this State;

(2) this State's mandatory attendance age;

(3) alternative educational programs currently being used in this State, including which are the most successful, why they are successful, and whether they can be used by other school districts in this State;

(4) the funding structures and options for these alternative programs;

(5) alternative educational programs being used in other states and whether they would be successful in school districts in this State; and

(6) the effect that high school graduation has upon the job outlook for individuals.

(b) The alternative educational programs in this State that are to be studied by the Commission under subsection (a) of this Section shall include, but are not be limited to, the following:

(1) alternative schools, regional safe schools, truancy alternative programs, and dual credit/dual degree programs;

(2) the Shared Learning Infrastructure, online courses, and other technology alternatives;

(3) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Learning Exchanges;

(4) the Illinois Pathways Initiative;

(5) Accelerating Opportunity Grants; and

(6) the Truants' Alternative and Optional Education Program.

(c) The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall each appoint one member to the Commission. The State Superintendent of Education shall appoint one representative from the State Board of Education to the Commission. The Governor shall appoint a chairperson of the Commission. In addition, the Commission shall be comprised of the following members appointed by the Governor within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly:

(1) one member appointed to represent intermediate service centers;

(2) one member appointed to represent regional offices of education;

(3) one representative of an association representing suburban school districts;

(4) one representative of an association representing large unit school districts;

(5) one representative of a statewide association representing school boards;

(6) one representative of a statewide association representing principals;

(7) one representative of a statewide association representing administrators;

(8) one representative of a statewide association representing school business officials;

(9) one representative of an organization representing an alternative education program;

(10) one representative of a statewide association representing teachers;

(11) one representative of a different statewide association representing teachers;

(12) one representative of an association representing urban teachers;

(13) one member appointed to represent parents or a parent organization;

(14) the chairperson of the Chicago Board of Education or his or her designee; and

(15) the chairperson of the Illinois P-20 Council or his or her designee. Any additional members the Commission sees fit to appoint may be done so by the chairperson of the Commission.

(d) The Commission may begin to conduct business upon the appointment of a majority of voting members.

(e) The Office of the Governor, with help from the Illinois P-20 Council and research provided by the State Board of Education, shall provide administrative support to the Commission.

(f) Members of the Commission shall receive no compensation for their participation on the Commission.

(g) In addition to any other applicable laws and administrative rules, all aspects of the Commission shall be governed by the Freedom of Information Act, including exemptions as provided in Section 7 of the Freedom of Information Act, as well as the Open Meetings Act. This Section shall not be construed so as to preclude other statutes from applying to the Commission or its activities.

(h) The Commission shall submit a final report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before November 1, 2012. The Commission may submit other reports as it deems appropriate.

(i) The Commission is abolished on November 2, 2012, and this Section is repealed on November 2, 2012.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.