Elementary & Secondary Education Committee

Filed: 1/12/2006

 

 


 

 


 
09400HB4310ham001 LRB094 14855 NHT 53178 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4310

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 4310 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4     "Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections
5 10-16.5, 10-16.7, and 10-16.10 as follows:
 
6     (105 ILCS 5/10-16.5 new)
7     Sec. 10-16.5. Oath of office. Each school board member,
8 before taking his or her seat on the board, shall take an oath
9 of office in substantially the following form:
10         I, (name of member or successful candidate), do
11     solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully discharge
12     the duties of the office of member of the Board of
13     Education (or Board of School Directors, as the case may
14     be) of (name of school district), in accordance with the
15     Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the
16     State of Illinois, and the laws of the State of Illinois,
17     to the best of my ability.
18         I further swear (or affirm) that:
19         I shall respect taxpayer interests by serving as a
20     faithful protector of the school district's assets;
21         I shall encourage and respect the free expression of
22     opinion by my fellow board members and others who seek a
23     hearing before the board, while respecting the privacy of
24     students and employees;

 

 

09400HB4310ham001 - 2 - LRB094 14855 NHT 53178 a

1         I shall recognize that a board member has no legal
2     authority as an individual and that decisions can be made
3     only be a majority vote at a public board meeting; and
4         I shall abide by majority decisions of the board, while
5     retaining the right to seek changes in such decisions
6     through ethical and constructive channels.
 
7     (105 ILCS 5/10-16.7 new)
8     Sec. 10-16.7. School board duties with respect to
9 superintendent. The school board shall make all employment
10 decisions pertaining to the superintendent. The school board
11 shall direct, through policy, the superintendent in his or her
12 charge of the administration of the school district, including
13 without limitation considering the recommendations of the
14 superintendent concerning the budget, building plans, the
15 locations of sites, the selection, retention, and dismissal of
16 employees, and the selection of textbooks, instructional
17 material, and courses of study. The school board shall evaluate
18 the superintendent in his or her administration of school board
19 policies and his or her stewardship of the assets of the
20 district.
 
21     (105 ILCS 5/10-16.10 new)
22     Sec. 10-16.10. Orientation program; periodic professional
23 development program.
24     (a) Within 6 months after the election or appointment of a
25 new school board member, the member must participate in an
26 orientation program approved by the regional superintendent of
27 schools of the educational service region where the school
28 district is located or an entity approved by the regional
29 superintendent. This orientation program shall focus on school
30 law, the duties of board membership, and the ethical behavior
31 of board members.
32     (b) Each member of a school board must periodically

 

 

09400HB4310ham001 - 3 - LRB094 14855 NHT 53178 a

1 participate in a professional development program conducted by
2 the regional superintendent of schools of the educational
3 service region where the school district is located or an
4 entity or program approved by the regional superintendent. The
5 professional development program shall focus on finance,
6 curriculum, policy review, board responsibilities, and
7 accountability.
8     (c) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules
9 necessary to implement this Section, subject to the approval of
10 those rules by the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.
 
11     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
12 becoming law.".