95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
SB2686

 

Introduced 2/15/2008, by Sen. Emil Jones, Jr.

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/2-3.71   from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.71

    Amends the School Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning grants for preschool education programs.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1     AN ACT concerning education.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
5 2-3.71 as follows:
 
6     (105 ILCS 5/2-3.71)  (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.71)
7     Sec. 2-3.71. Grants for preschool educational programs.
8     (a) Preschool program.
9         (1) The The State Board of Education shall implement
10     and administer a grant program under the provisions of this
11     subsection which shall consist of grants to public school
12     districts and other eligible entities, as defined by the
13     State Board of Education, to conduct voluntary preschool
14     educational programs for children ages 3 to 5 which include
15     a parent education component. A public school district
16     which receives grants under this subsection may
17     subcontract with other entities that are eligible to
18     conduct a preschool educational program. These grants must
19     be used to supplement, not supplant, funds received from
20     any other source.
21         (2) (Blank).
22         (3) Any teacher of preschool children in the program
23     authorized by this subsection shall hold an early childhood

 

 

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1     teaching certificate.
2         (4) This paragraph (4) applies before July 1, 2006 and
3     after June 30, 2008. The State Board of Education shall
4     provide the primary source of funding through
5     appropriations for the program. Such funds shall be
6     distributed for the benefit of children who because of
7     their home and community environment are subject to such
8     language, cultural, economic and like disadvantages that
9     they have been determined as a result of screening
10     procedures to be at risk of academic failure. Such
11     screening procedures shall be based on criteria
12     established by the State Board of Education.
13         (4.5) This paragraph (4.5) applies from July 1, 2006
14     through June 30, 2008. The State Board of Education shall
15     provide the primary source of funding through
16     appropriations for the program. Such funds shall be
17     distributed to achieve a goal of "Preschool for All
18     Children" for the benefit of all children whose families
19     choose to participate in the program. Based on available
20     appropriations, newly funded programs shall be selected
21     through a process giving first priority to qualified
22     programs serving primarily at-risk children and second
23     priority to qualified programs serving primarily children
24     with a family income of less than 4 times the poverty
25     guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by
26     the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the

 

 

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1     authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2). For purposes of this
2     paragraph (4.5), at-risk children are those who because of
3     their home and community environment are subject to such
4     language, cultural, economic and like disadvantages to
5     cause them to have been determined as a result of screening
6     procedures to be at risk of academic failure. Such
7     screening procedures shall be based on criteria
8     established by the State Board of Education.
9         On or before November 1 of each fiscal year in which
10     the General Assembly provides funding for new programs
11     under this paragraph (4.5), the State Board of Education
12     shall report to the General Assembly on what percentage of
13     new funding was provided to programs serving primarily
14     at-risk children, what percentage of new funding was
15     provided to programs serving primarily children with a
16     family income of less than 4 times the federal poverty
17     level, and what percentage of new funding was provided to
18     other programs.
19         (5) The State Board of Education shall develop and
20     provide evaluation tools, including tests, that school
21     districts and other eligible entities may use to evaluate
22     children for school readiness prior to age 5. The State
23     Board of Education shall require school districts and other
24     eligible entities to obtain consent from the parents or
25     guardians of children before any evaluations are
26     conducted. The State Board of Education shall encourage

 

 

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1     local school districts and other eligible entities to
2     evaluate the population of preschool children in their
3     communities and provide preschool programs, pursuant to
4     this subsection, where appropriate.
5         (6) The State Board of Education shall report to the
6     General Assembly by July 1, 2007 and every 3 years
7     thereafter on the results and progress of students who were
8     enrolled in preschool educational programs, including an
9     assessment of which programs have been most successful in
10     promoting academic excellence and alleviating academic
11     failure. The State Board of Education shall assess the
12     academic progress of all students who have been enrolled in
13     preschool educational programs.
14     (b) (Blank).
15 (Source: P.A. 94-506, eff. 8-8-05; 94-1054, eff. 7-25-06.)