Sen. Michael Bond

Filed: 3/17/2009

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 613

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 613 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4     "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Children's Low-cost Laptop Act.
 
6     Section 5. Policy and purpose. The General Assembly finds
7 that the decreasing cost of computer technology makes it
8 possible today to equip more children than ever before with
9 21st century learning tools. The dramatic expansion of low-cost
10 computing options and the worldwide reliance on computer
11 technology for commerce, education, information, and social
12 interaction makes it ever more important to introduce computing
13 skills to students at an early age. Accordingly, the State
14 Board of Education shall establish a pilot project whereby
15 schools will provide a low-cost laptop computer to each
16 student, teacher, and relevant administrator in a

 

 

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1 participating school and implement the use of educational
2 software and computer skills training in order to improve
3 academic achievement and the progress measures listed in
4 subsection (a) of Section 20 in this Act.
 
5     Section 10. Definitions. In this Act:
6     "Primary school" means any school with students in third,
7 fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth grade.
8     "Low-cost laptop" means a portable personal computer
9 suitable for use among primary school-aged children, under $400
10 in initial cost.
11     "State Board" means the State Board of Education.
 
12     Section 15. Pilot project; Children's Low-cost Laptop
13 Fund.
14     (a) Subject to an appropriation made specifically for this
15 purpose, the State Board shall provide for the administration
16 of a low-cost laptop pilot project. The pilot project shall be
17 for a period of at least 2 years. In administering the pilot
18 project, the State Board shall:
19         (1) select participating primary schools;
20         (2) coordinate a statewide grant program for selected
21     schools to purchase and distribute laptop computers and
22     other technologies;
23         (3) define the conditions for the distribution and use
24     of grant funding;

 

 

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1         (4) monitor project implementation; and
2         (5) evaluate the project.
3     (b) The State Board may also use, for the purposes of the
4 pilot project, any public or private gift, grant, or donation
5 deposited into the State Board of Education Special Purpose
6 Trust Fund under Section 2-3.127a of the School Code. Pilot
7 project funds must be used for the following:
8         (1) to purchase low-cost laptop computers;
9         (2) for network infrastructure to support wireless
10     access points, cables, and routers;
11         (3) for replacements for any of the following low-cost
12     laptop components: batteries, power cords, or other
13     software and hardware;
14         (4) for professional development and technical support
15     for participating teachers; for the purposes of this item
16     (4), "professional development" means the training of
17     certified teaching professionals in the integration of
18     low-cost laptop computers into the classroom curriculum;
19         (5) to support necessary staff positions at the State
20     Board; and
21         (6) to evaluate the pilot program's effectiveness.
22     The State Board may not allocate more than $100 million for
23 the pilot project. The pilot project must be implemented as
24 long as funds are available under this Section to support the
25 participation of at least 3 schools.
 

 

 

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1     Section 20. Program participation requirements. A school
2 may apply to the State Board to establish a low-cost laptop
3 pilot project grant for the entire school or for a particular
4 grade or classroom or classrooms.
5     The State Board shall select up to 300 schools to
6 participate in the pilot project. At least one-third of the
7 participating students shall be located in the City of Chicago;
8 at least one-third shall be located in the area that makes up
9 the counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, and that
10 portion of Cook County that is located outside of the City of
11 Chicago; and at least one-third shall be located in the
12 remainder of the State.
13     The State Board shall select the participating schools for
14 the pilot project based on need. In selecting participants, the
15 State Board shall consider each school's:
16         (1) free and reduced lunch eligible student
17     population;
18         (2) access to educational technology resources; and
19         (3) performance on standardized tests required by the
20     State Board.
 
21     Section 25. Reporting.
22     (a) The school board of each participating school shall
23 send an annual progress report to the State Board no later than
24 September 1 of each year that the school is participating in
25 the pilot project. The report must include the project's effect

 

 

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1 on:
2         (1) performance on standardized tests required by the
3     State Board;
4         (2) school costs;
5         (3) attendance rates;
6         (4) teacher performance and retention;
7         (5) parental involvement in education;
8         (6) community support for the school; and
9         (7) student technology proficiency.
10     (b) With guidance from the State Board, each participating
11 school shall determine how the low-cost laptops are purchased,
12 assigned, maintained, and retained.
 
13     Section 30. Repeal. This Act is repealed on August 31,
14 2012.
 
15     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
16 becoming law.".