Rep. André Thapedi

Filed: 4/18/2018

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4495

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 4495 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Vocational Academy Opportunity Act.
 
6    Section 5. Definition. In this Act, "Board" means the Board
7of Trustees created by this Act.
 
8    Section 10. Establishment, funding, and, location.
9    (a) There are initially created 2 vocational academies, one
10located in Cook County and the other in St. Clair County, which
11shall be residential institutions. Each academy shall be
12located within 5 linear miles of a major interstate in a
13community where the average income of a household of 3 people
14is no greater than 100% of the federal poverty level. The land
15value of the community in which the academy is located may not

 

 

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1exceed $7.50 per square foot.
2    (b) Each academy shall be a State agency, funded by State
3appropriations, private contributions, and endowments. Minimal
4fees for residential students may be charged. Each academy may
5admit those students who have completed the academic equivalent
6of the 9th grade and shall offer a program of secondary
7coursework that is appropriate for students in the 10th, 11th
8and 12th grades and that offers courses that meet the
9prerequisites to receiving a high school diploma under Section
1027-22 of the School Code. Admission shall be determined by
11competitive examination.
12    (c) In order to be eligible for State appropriations, each
13academy shall submit to the Board of Higher Education no later
14than the 1st day of October of each year its budget proposal
15for the operation and capital needs of the academy for its next
16fiscal year.
 
17    Section 15. Board of Trustees. The academies shall be
18governed by a single Board of Trustees for the collective
19operation and oversight of the academies, which shall consist
20of the following members:
21        (1) ex officio nonvoting members who shall be: the
22    State Superintendent of Education, the Executive Director
23    of the Illinois Community College Board, the Executive
24    Director of the Board of Higher Education, and the
25    superintendent of schools of the school district where each

 

 

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1    campus is located;
2        (2) three Representatives of secondary education,
3    appointed by the State Superintendent of Education;
4        (3) the two mayors of the municipalities where the
5    academies are to be located;
6        (4) the President of the American Federation of Labor
7    and Congress of Industrial Organizations, or his or her
8    designee; and
9        (5) two members representative of the general public,
10    appointed by the Governor.
11    With the exception of the initial appointments, the members
12terms of office shall be for 6 years. At the first meeting,
13members shall draw lots for appointments of 2, 4, or 6 year
14initial terms. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired
15portion of the terms by appointment of the officer who
16appointed the person causing such vacancy. The initial terms
17shall commence upon appointment and upon expiration of a term,
18the member shall continue serving until a successor is
19appointed. The Board shall select a chair from among its
20members who shall serve a 2-year term as chair. Members shall
21receive no salary but shall be reimbursed for all ordinary and
22necessary expenses incurred in performing their duties as
23members of the Board.
 
24    Section 20. Powers of the Board. The Board of Trustees is
25authorized to:

 

 

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1        (1) Accept donations, bequests, or other forms of
2    financial assistance for educational purposes from any
3    public or private person or agency and comply with rules
4    and regulations governing grants from the federal
5    government or from any other person or agency, which are
6    not in contravention of the Illinois Constitution or the
7    laws of the State of Illinois.
8        (2) Purchase equipment and make improvements to
9    facilities necessary for the use of the academies, in
10    accordance with applicable law.
11        (3) Adopt, amend, or repeal rules, regulations, and
12    policies necessary for the conduct of the business of the
13    Board.
14        (4) Award certificates and issue diplomas for
15    successful completion of programs of study requirement
16    provided that a high school diploma may be issued if the
17    student has, minimally, satisfied the requirement of
18    Section 27-22 of the School Code.
19        (5) Enter into agreements with institutions of higher
20    education for dual credit in accordance with the
21    requirements of the Dual Credit Quality Act.
22        (6) Select a Director who shall be the chief
23    administrative officer of the academies and who shall
24    administer the rules, regulations, and policies adopted by
25    the Board of the Trustees under this Section. The Director
26    shall also be the chief administrative officer of the Board

 

 

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1    and shall be responsible for all of the Board's
2    administrative functions, duties, and needs.
3        (7) Determine faculty and staff positions necessary
4    for the efficient operation of the academies and select
5    personnel for the positions.
6        (8) Prepare and adopt an annual budget necessary for
7    the continued operation of the academies.
8        (9) Enter into contracts and agreements which have been
9    recommended by the Director, to the extent that funds are
10    specifically appropriated for that purpose, with other
11    public agencies with respect to cooperative enterprises
12    and undertakings related to or associated with an
13    educational purpose or program affecting education in an
14    academy. This shall not preclude the Board from entering
15    into other contracts and agreements that it may deem
16    necessary to carry out its duties and functions.
17        (10) Perform other functions as are necessary to the
18    supervision and control of those phases of education under
19    its supervision and control.
20        (11) Delegate to the Director any administrative
21    powers and duties as it deems appropriate to aid the
22    Director in the efficient administration of his or her
23    responsibility for the implementation of the policies of
24    the Board.
25        (12) Adopt rules, regulations, and policies necessary
26    for the efficient operation of an academy.

 

 

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1        (13) Establish criteria to be used in determining
2    eligibility of applicants for enrollment in an academy. The
3    criteria shall ensure adequate geographic, sexual, and
4    ethnic representation.
5        (14) Determine subjects and extracurricular activities
6    to be offered by an academy.
7        (15) Pay salaries and expenses, including, but not
8    limited to, facilities, equipment, and supplies of the
9    faculty and staff of an academy out of funds appropriated
10    or otherwise made available for the operating and
11    administrative expenses of the Board and an academy.
12        (16) Exercise budgetary responsibility and allocate
13    for expenditure by an academy and programs under its
14    jurisdiction and all moneys appropriated or otherwise made
15    available for purposes of the Board and of the academy.
16        (17) Prescribe and select for use in an academy free
17    school books and other materials of instruction for
18    children enrolled in the academy and programs under its
19    jurisdiction for which the General Assembly provides
20    funds.
21        (18) Prepare and adopt or approve programs of study and
22    rules, bylaws, and regulations for the conduct of students
23    and for the government of the school and programs under its
24    jurisdiction.
25        (19) Employ personnel as may be needed, establish
26    policies governing their employment and dismissal, and fix

 

 

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1    the amount of their compensation. In the employment,
2    establishment of policies, and fixing of compensation, the
3    Board may make no discrimination on account of sex, race,
4    creed, color, or national origin.
 
5    Section 25. Academy property. Each academy shall be
6empowered to lease or purchase real and personal property on
7commercially reasonable terms for the use by the academy. Any
8leases or purchases of real or personal property, and any
9disposition of the property, by an academy shall be in
10compliance with the provisions of the Civil Administrative Code
11of Illinois and the State Property Control Act. Personal
12property acquired for use by an academy shall be inventoried
13and disposed of in accordance with the State Property Control
14Act.
 
15    Section 30. Indemnification. Each academy, the Board, and
16its employees shall be represented and indemnified in certain
17civil law suits in accordance with the State Employee
18Indemnification Act. An academy or its officers or employees
19and the Board may not participate in the creation of any
20corporation, joint venture, partnership, association, or other
21organizational entity which exercises, expands, or enhances
22the powers, duties, or responsibilities of the academy, unless
23specifically authorized by the General Assembly. This Section
24does not restrict an academy from creating any organization

 

 

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1entity that is within or a part of the academy.".