Rep. Robin Kelly

Filed: 2/23/2006

 

 


 

 


 
09400HB5244ham002 LRB094 19147 RAS 56448 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 5244

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 5244, AS AMENDED, by
3 replacing everything after the enacting clause with the
4 following:
 
5     "Section 1. Short Title. This Act may be cited as the
6 I-Connect Computer Technology Act.
 
7     Section 5. Purpose. The General Assembly finds that in the
8 modern, knowledge-based economy of the 21st century it is
9 critical that all students have access to modern educational
10 technology. The General Assembly further finds that universal
11 access to portable computers has been found to increase student
12 assessment test scores and encourage student and parent
13 collaborations in learning. It is the duty of the State to
14 provide new ways to equalize and advance educational
15 opportunities for all students in public schools. In order to
16 meet the goal of universal access to modern educational
17 technology, the General Assembly finds it necessary to provide
18 students in public schools with access to portable computers.
 
19     Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
20     "Board" means the I-Connect Computer Technology Board.
21     "ISBE" means the Illinois State Board of Education.
22     "Low income student" means a pupil aged 3 to 17, inclusive,
23 who is (i) from a family receiving public aid, (ii) living in

 

 

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1 an institution for neglected or delinquent children, (iii)
2 being supported in a foster home with public funds, or (iv)
3 eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunches.
4     "Program" means the I-Connect Computer Technology Program.
 
5     Section 15. I-Connect Computer Technology Program.
6     (a) The Board shall, in conjunction with the Illinois State
7 Board of Education, establish and implement the I-Connect
8 Computer Technology Program, which must meet all of the
9 following standards:
10         (1) Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year and each
11     school year thereafter, each student entering 7th grade who
12     attends a public school meeting the criteria established in
13     Sections 22 and 23 of this Act shall receive a portable
14     computer. Additionally, each teacher teaching 7th grade
15     students in a classroom at a public school shall receive a
16     portable computer. Portable computers shall be delivered
17     to each school district and shall become the property of
18     the school district. School districts are responsible for
19     distributing the computers to students and for
20     establishing rules for student use of the computers. Each
21     portable computer must include software and other learning
22     technologies capable of being used in a classroom
23     environment.
24         (2) Each school taking part in the I-Connect Computer
25     Technology Program shall receive teacher technology
26     training and professional development. Teachers that take
27     part in technology training courses, seminars, or other
28     related courses of instruction may credit that time towards
29     their continuing professional development requirement,
30     pursuant to Sections 21-2 and 21-14 of the School Code.
31     Professional development provided in accordance with this
32     Act must be sufficient to ensure optimal use of software
33     and other learning technologies associated with using

 

 

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1     portable computers.
2         (3) A statewide or regional plan for external and
3     internal network and technical support must be created to
4     allow for contracts for technical support with private
5     businesses, governmental entities, colleges or
6     universities, or not-for-profit corporations.
7         (4) A set-aside funding mechanism must be established
8     to cover the costs of replacement portable computers and
9     parts. Nothing in this Section shall preclude a contract
10     with a vendor that places the financial duty on the vendor
11     to cover those costs in part or in whole.
12     (b) ISBE is authorized to enter into contracts and
13 memorandums of understanding with private parties and other
14 State agencies to carry out its functions under this Act. A
15 competitive procurement process for the selection of vendors
16 for the purchase of portable computers and related technical
17 support and professional development shall be established.
18 Each Regional Office of Education shall select one vendor that
19 has responded to the procurement process for the purchase of
20 portable computers and related technical support and
21 professional development for program recipients in its region.
 
22     Section 20. I-Connect Computer Technology Board.
23     (a) There is created the I-Connect Computer Technology
24 Board. The Board shall be comprised of 11 members as follows:
25 the Lieutenant Governor as Chair; 5 members appointed by the
26 Governor; one member appointed by the President of the Senate,
27 one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one
28 member appointed by the Speaker of the House of
29 Representatives, and one member appointed by the Minority
30 Leader of the House of Representatives; and the State
31 Superintendent of Education or his or her designee.
32     (b) Each of the Governor's appointees must have a
33 background in at least one of the following areas:

 

 

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1         (1) computer technical support;
2         (2) education administration at the grade K through 12
3     level;
4         (3) teaching 6th through 12th grade students;
5         (4) community outreach; or
6         (5) the Illinois Century Network or other means of
7     accessing the internet in schools.
8     (c) All members shall serve 4-year terms, except that
9 members appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for the
10 remainder of the vacated term. Vacancies shall be filled in the
11 same manner as the initial appointment.
12     (d) Board members shall receive no compensation other than
13 reimbursement for necessary travel expenses, which shall be
14 reimbursed by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor.
 
15     Section 22. Program participants.
16     (a) Subject to appropriation, participation for each
17 school year shall be limited to (i) no more than 2 public
18 schools in each Regional Office of Education region, (ii) no
19 more than 30 public schools in non-Chicago Cook County, and
20 (iii) no more than 30 public schools in Chicago. Nothing in
21 this Section shall be construed to limit the number of schools
22 that may apply for the Program.
23     (b) Priority shall be given to those schools where at least
24 40% of the students are low income students, as defined in
25 Section 10 of this Act.
26     (c) All participating schools must comply with requests
27 from ISBE and the Board for information relating to the annual
28 report requirement of Section 25 of this Act.
29     (d) All participating schools shall designate at least one
30 teacher or administrator who shall have the primary
31 responsibility for ensuring that computers are being used and
32 maintained.
 

 

 

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1     Section 23. Application.
2     (a) After a majority of members of the Board are appointed,
3 an application shall be developed by the Board and mailed to
4 the principal of every public school in Illinois that educates
5 7th grade students.
6     (b) The application shall, at a minimum, contain all of the
7 following:
8         (1) A deadline for returning the application for
9     entrance into the Program.
10         (2) An inquiry into the adequacy of the school's
11     infrastructure to manage the computers.
12         (3) A requirement to provide the name of the school
13     coordinator required under Section 22 of this Act.
14         (4) A requirement to provide the number of 7th graders
15     anticipated for the attendance center for the school year
16     in which the portable computers would be delivered.
 
17     Section 25. Annual Report. By no later than October 1st of
18 each year, the Board, in conjunction with ISBE, shall submit an
19 annual report to the Governor and the members of the General
20 Assembly on the progress of the I-Connect Computer Technology
21 Program. The report must include, at a minimum, all of the
22 following:
23         (1) The number of students receiving portable
24     computers.
25         (2) An accounting of all State, local, and federal
26     funds used to implement the Program.
27         (3) A projection for the cost of implementing the
28     Program in the next school year.
29         (4) If available, the identification of software
30     included on computers provided under the Program.
31         (5) The academic progress of the students using the
32     computers.
33         (6) If available, a comparison of academic progress

 

 

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1     between those students using the computers in a specific
2     curriculum and those who are not.
3         (7) If available, the quality and quantity of increased
4     student proficiency with technology.
5         (8) If available, teacher involvement and performance.
6         (9) Of those students taking the computer home, the
7     number of households in which persons other than the
8     student use the computer.
9         (10) Recommendations for Program improvement.
 
10     Section 30. I-Connect Computer Technology Fund.
11     (a) The I-Connect Computer Technology Fund is created as a
12 special fund in the State treasury. All funds deposited into
13 the I-Connect Computer Technology Fund shall be used, subject
14 to appropriation, for the purposes of this Act.
15     (b) Any funds appropriated by the General Assembly for the
16 purposes of the I-Connect Computer Technology Program, as well
17 as any gift, grant, or donation of any kind given for the
18 I-Connect Computer Technology Program from any source,
19 including from a foundation, private entity, governmental
20 entity, or institution of higher education, may be used to
21 implement the I-Connect Computer Technology Program.
 
22     Section 35. Local authority. It is the sole duty of school
23 districts, school administrators, and school teachers to make
24 decisions relating to the use of portable computers provided
25 under this Act, including determining: (i) standards for
26 allowing students to take computers off school property; (ii)
27 the courses or curriculums best suited for the computers; and
28 (iii) the use of particular software or learning technologies.
 
29     Section 40. Rules. ISBE shall adopt rules to implement and
30 administer this Act.
 

 

 

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1     Section 90. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
2 Section 5.663 as follows:
 
3     (30 ILCS 105/5.663 new)
4     Sec. 5.663. The I-Connect Computer Technology Fund.
 
5     Section 98. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding
6 Section 8.30 as follows:
 
7     (30 ILCS 805/8.30 new)
8     Sec. 8.30. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8
9 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the
10 implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of
11 the 94th General Assembly.
 
12     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
13 becoming law.".