Elementary & Secondary Education Committee

Filed: 5/24/2005

 

 


 

 


 
09400SB1493ham001 LRB094 11113 RAS 46778 a

1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1493

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1493 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4     "Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
5 2-3.25g and 5-2.1 and by adding Section 5-1b as follows:
 
6     (105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g)  (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25g)
7     Sec. 2-3.25g. Waiver or modification of mandates within the
8 School Code and administrative rules and regulations.
9     (a) In this Section:
10         "Board" means a school board or the governing board or
11     administrative district, as the case may be, for a joint
12     agreement.
13         "Eligible applicant" means a school district, joint
14     agreement made up of school districts, or regional
15     superintendent of schools on behalf of schools and programs
16     operated by the regional office of education.
17         "State Board" means the State Board of Education.
18     (b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this School
19 Code or any other law of this State to the contrary, eligible
20 applicants may petition the State Board of Education for the
21 waiver or modification of the mandates of this School Code or
22 of the administrative rules and regulations promulgated by the
23 State Board of Education. Waivers or modifications of
24 administrative rules and regulations and modifications of

 

 

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1 mandates of this School Code may be requested when an eligible
2 applicant demonstrates that it can address the intent of the
3 rule or mandate in a more effective, efficient, or economical
4 manner or when necessary to stimulate innovation or improve
5 student performance. Waivers of mandates of the School Code may
6 be requested when the waivers are necessary to stimulate
7 innovation or improve student performance. Waivers may not be
8 requested from laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to
9 special education, teacher certification, or teacher tenure
10 and seniority, or Section 5-2.1 of this Code or from compliance
11 with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110).
12     (c) Eligible applicants, as a matter of inherent managerial
13 policy, and any Independent Authority established under
14 Section 2-3.25f may submit an application for a waiver or
15 modification authorized under this Section. Each application
16 must include a written request by the eligible applicant or
17 Independent Authority and must demonstrate that the intent of
18 the mandate can be addressed in a more effective, efficient, or
19 economical manner or be based upon a specific plan for improved
20 student performance and school improvement. Any eligible
21 applicant requesting a waiver or modification for the reason
22 that intent of the mandate can be addressed in a more
23 economical manner shall include in the application a fiscal
24 analysis showing current expenditures on the mandate and
25 projected savings resulting from the waiver or modification.
26 Applications and plans developed by eligible applicants must be
27 approved by the board or regional superintendent of schools
28 applying on behalf of schools or programs operated by the
29 regional office of education following a public hearing on the
30 application and plan and the opportunity for the board or
31 regional superintendent to hear testimony from educators
32 directly involved in its implementation, parents, and
33 students. If the applicant is a school district or joint
34 agreement, the public hearing shall be held on a day other than

 

 

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1 the day on which a regular meeting of the board is held. If the
2 applicant is a school district, the public hearing must be
3 preceded by at least one published notice occurring at least 7
4 days prior to the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation
5 within the school district that sets forth the time, date,
6 place, and general subject matter of the hearing. If the
7 applicant is a joint agreement or regional superintendent, the
8 public hearing must be preceded by at least one published
9 notice (setting forth the time, date, place, and general
10 subject matter of the hearing) occurring at least 7 days prior
11 to the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in each
12 school district that is a member of the joint agreement or that
13 is served by the educational service region, provided that a
14 notice appearing in a newspaper generally circulated in more
15 than one school district shall be deemed to fulfill this
16 requirement with respect to all of the affected districts. The
17 eligible applicant must notify in writing the affected
18 exclusive collective bargaining agent and those State
19 legislators representing the eligible applicant's territory of
20 its intent to seek approval of a waiver or modification and of
21 the hearing to be held to take testimony from educators. The
22 affected exclusive collective bargaining agents shall be
23 notified of such public hearing at least 7 days prior to the
24 date of the hearing and shall be allowed to attend such public
25 hearing. The eligible applicant shall attest to compliance with
26 all of the notification and procedural requirements set forth
27 in this Section.
28     (d) A request for a waiver or modification of
29 administrative rules and regulations or for a modification of
30 mandates contained in this School Code shall be submitted to
31 the State Board of Education within 15 days after approval by
32 the board or regional superintendent of schools. The
33 application as submitted to the State Board of Education shall
34 include a description of the public hearing. Following receipt

 

 

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1 of the request, the State Board shall have 45 days to review
2 the application and request. If the State Board fails to
3 disapprove the application within that 45 day period, the
4 waiver or modification shall be deemed granted. The State Board
5 may disapprove any request if it is not based upon sound
6 educational practices, endangers the health or safety of
7 students or staff, compromises equal opportunities for
8 learning, or fails to demonstrate that the intent of the rule
9 or mandate can be addressed in a more effective, efficient, or
10 economical manner or have improved student performance as a
11 primary goal. Any request disapproved by the State Board may be
12 appealed to the General Assembly by the eligible applicant as
13 outlined in this Section.
14     A request for a waiver from mandates contained in this
15 School Code shall be submitted to the State Board within 15
16 days after approval by the board or regional superintendent of
17 schools. The application as submitted to the State Board of
18 Education shall include a description of the public hearing.
19 The description shall include, but need not be limited to, the
20 means of notice, the number of people in attendance, the number
21 of people who spoke as proponents or opponents of the waiver, a
22 brief description of their comments, and whether there were any
23 written statements submitted. The State Board shall review the
24 applications and requests for completeness and shall compile
25 the requests in reports to be filed with the General Assembly.
26 The State Board shall file reports outlining the waivers
27 requested by eligible applicants and appeals by eligible
28 applicants of requests disapproved by the State Board with the
29 Senate and the House of Representatives before each May 1 and
30 October 1. The General Assembly may disapprove the report of
31 the State Board in whole or in part within 30 calendar days
32 after each house of the General Assembly next convenes after
33 the report is filed by adoption of a resolution by a record
34 vote of the majority of members elected in each house. If the

 

 

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1 General Assembly fails to disapprove any waiver request or
2 appealed request within such 30 day period, the waiver or
3 modification shall be deemed granted. Any resolution adopted by
4 the General Assembly disapproving a report of the State Board
5 in whole or in part shall be binding on the State Board.
6     (e) An approved waiver or modification may remain in effect
7 for a period not to exceed 5 school years and may be renewed
8 upon application by the eligible applicant. However, such
9 waiver or modification may be changed within that 5-year period
10 by a board or regional superintendent of schools applying on
11 behalf of schools or programs operated by the regional office
12 of education following the procedure as set forth in this
13 Section for the initial waiver or modification request. If
14 neither the State Board of Education nor the General Assembly
15 disapproves, the change is deemed granted.
16     (f) On or before February 1, 1998, and each year
17 thereafter, the State Board of Education shall submit a
18 cumulative report summarizing all types of waivers of mandates
19 and modifications of mandates granted by the State Board or the
20 General Assembly. The report shall identify the topic of the
21 waiver along with the number and percentage of eligible
22 applicants for which the waiver has been granted. The report
23 shall also include any recommendations from the State Board
24 regarding the repeal or modification of waived mandates.
25 (Source: P.A. 93-470, eff. 8-8-03; 93-557, eff. 8-20-03;
26 93-707, eff. 7-9-04.)
 
27     (105 ILCS 5/5-1b new)
28     Sec. 5-1b. Elementary school district withdrawal and
29 transfer.
30     (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, the
31 school board of an elementary school district that is located
32 in a Class II county school unit and that, with another
33 elementary school district, has a combined fall 2004 aggregate

 

 

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1 enrollment of at least 5,000 but less than 7,000 pupils and a
2 combined boundary that is coterminous with the boundary of a
3 high school district that crosses township boundaries and is
4 subject to the jurisdiction and served by a different township
5 treasurer and trustees of schools may withdraw from the
6 jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer and the
7 trustees of schools that currently serve the elementary school
8 district and transfer and otherwise submit to the jurisdiction
9 and authority of the township treasurer and the trustees of
10 schools of another township that then serves the high school
11 district if all of the following conditions are met:
12         (1) During the same 30-day period, the school board of
13     the elementary school district that is seeking withdrawal
14     and transfer gives written notice by certified mail, return
15     receipt requested, to all of the following: (i) the
16     township treasurer and trustees of schools of the township
17     from which the district seeks to withdraw; (ii) the
18     township treasurer and trustees of schools of the township
19     to which the district seeks to transfer; (iii) each school
20     district currently subject to the jurisdiction and
21     authority of the township treasurer and trustees of schools
22     of the township from which the elementary school district
23     is seeking to withdraw; and (iv) each school district
24     currently subject to the jurisdiction and authority of the
25     township treasurer and trustees of schools of the township
26     in which the elementary school district is seeking to
27     transfer. This notice must set forth the date, time, and
28     place of a meeting of the school board of the elementary
29     school district that is seeking withdrawal and transfer, to
30     be held not more than 90 days before and not less than 60
31     days after the date on which the notice is given, at which
32     meeting the school board shall consider and vote upon a
33     resolution to withdraw from the jurisdiction and authority
34     of the township treasurer and the trustees of schools that

 

 

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1     currently serve the elementary school district and
2     transfer and otherwise submit to the jurisdiction and
3     authority of the township treasurer and the trustees of
4     schools of another township that then serves the high
5     school district. No notice given under this subdivision (1)
6     to the township treasurer and trustees of schools of a
7     township shall be deemed sufficient or in compliance with
8     the requirements of this subdivision (1) unless each
9     required notice is given within the same 30-day period.
10         (2) The school board of the elementary school district
11     that is seeking withdrawal and transfer, by the affirmative
12     vote of at least 5 members of the school board at a school
13     board meeting for which notice has been given as required
14     by subdivision (1) of this subsection (a), adopts the
15     resolution.
16         (3) The question of whether to withdraw from the
17     jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer and
18     the trustees of schools that currently serve the elementary
19     school district and transfer and otherwise submit to the
20     jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer and
21     the trustees of schools of another township that then
22     serves the high school district is submitted to the
23     electors of the elementary school district at a regular
24     election and approved by a majority of the electors voting
25     on the question. After the resolution has been adopted, the
26     school board shall certify the question to the proper
27     election authority, which must submit the question at an
28     election in accordance with the Election Code. The election
29     authority must submit the question in substantially the
30     following form:
31             Shall the school board of School District Number
32         .... be authorized to withdraw from the jurisdiction
33         and authority of the township treasurer and the
34         trustees of schools of .... Township and transfer and

 

 

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1         otherwise submit to the jurisdiction and authority of
2         the township treasurer and the trustees of schools of
3         .... Township?
4     The election authority shall record the votes as "Yes" or
5     "No". If a majority of the electors voting on the question
6     vote in the affirmative, then the school board of the
7     elementary school district may withdraw from the
8     jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer and
9     the trustees of schools that currently serve the elementary
10     school district and transfer and otherwise submit to the
11     jurisdiction and authority of the township treasurer and
12     the trustees of schools of another township that then
13     serves the high school district.
14     (b) If all of the conditions under subsection (a) of this
15 Section have been met, then the withdrawal and transfer shall
16 be effective by operation of law on July 1 of the calendar year
17 in which the election under subdivision (3) of subsection (a)
18 of this Section was held.
19     (c) Upon the effective date of the transfer of jurisdiction
20 of the township treasurer and trustees of schools to the
21 receiving township under this Section, all of the following
22 shall occur: (i) the receiving trustees of schools, in its
23 corporate capacity, shall be deemed the successor in interest
24 to the trustees of schools of the transferring township with
25 respect to the interest attributable to the school district's
26 common school lands and township loanable funds of the
27 township; (ii) all right, title, and interest attributable to
28 the school district existing or vested in the transferring
29 trustees of schools in the common school lands and township
30 loanable funds of the township and all records, moneys,
31 securities, other assets, rights of property, and causes of
32 action attributable to the school district pertaining to or
33 constituting a part of those common school lands or township
34 loanable funds attributable to the school district shall be

 

 

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1 transferred to and deemed vested by operation of law in the
2 receiving trustees of schools, which shall hold legal title to,
3 manage, and operate all common school lands and township
4 loanable funds of the township, receive the rents, issues, and
5 profits therefrom, and have and exercise with respect thereto
6 the same powers and duties set forth under this Code to be
7 exercised by trustees of schools; and (iii) whenever there is
8 vested in the transferring trustees of schools, at the time
9 that a transfer is effected under this Section, the legal title
10 to any school buildings or school sites used or occupied for
11 school purposes by an elementary school, subject to the
12 jurisdiction and authority of those trustees of schools at the
13 time that such transfer is effective, the legal title to those
14 school buildings and school sites shall be transferred by
15 operation of law to and invested in the receiving trustees of
16 schools, the same to be held, sold, exchanged, leased, or
17 otherwise transferred in accordance with applicable provisions
18 of this Code.
19     (d) In the event that it is necessary to sell or otherwise
20 dispose of any asset, investment, or security that is in the
21 name of the school district and other districts not
22 transferring from the jurisdiction of a township treasurer and
23 trustees of schools, any fees or costs incurred in such
24 disposition and any loss in value caused by the early sale or
25 disposition shall be entirely borne by the school district
26 transferring from the jurisdiction of a township treasurer and
27 trustees of schools.
28     (e) As provided under Section 2-3.25g of this Code, a
29 waiver of a mandate established under this Section may not be
30 requested.
31     (f) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2010.
 
32     (105 ILCS 5/5-2.1)  (from Ch. 122, par. 5-2.1)
33     Sec. 5-2.1. Eligible Voters: For the purposes of this

 

 

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1 Article persons who are qualified to vote in school elections
2 shall be eligible to vote for the trustees of schools who have
3 jurisdiction over the elementary school district or unit school
4 district in which the person resides.
5     If However, if the application of this Section results in
6 an elector voting for trustees of a school township in which he
7 does not reside because the elementary or unit school district
8 crosses township boundaries and has been assigned to the
9 jurisdiction of the trustees of an adjoining township, that
10 elector shall also be eligible to vote for the trustees of the
11 township within which he resides. Moreover, an elector who
12 resides in a high school district that crosses township
13 boundaries and has been assigned to the jurisdiction of the
14 trustees of an adjoining township shall be eligible to vote for
15 both the trustees of the township in which he or she resides
16 and the trustees of the township having jurisdiction over the
17 high school district in which he or she resides.
18 (Source: P.A. 85-1435.)
 
19     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
20 becoming law.".