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1 | AN ACT concerning education.
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2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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4 | Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | 27A-7.10 as follows: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | (105 ILCS 5/27A-7.10) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Sec. 27A-7.10. Authorizer powers and duties; immunity; | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | principles and standards. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | (a) Authorizers are responsible for executing, in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | accordance with this Article, all of the following powers and | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | duties: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | (1) Soliciting and evaluating charter applications. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | (2) Approving quality charter applications that meet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | identified educational needs and promote a diversity of | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | educational choices. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | (3) Declining to approve weak or inadequate charter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | applications. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | (4) Negotiating and executing sound charter contracts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | with each approved charter school. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | (5) Monitoring, in accordance with charter contract | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | terms, the performance and legal compliance of charter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | schools. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | (6) Determining whether each charter contract merits |
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1 | renewal, nonrenewal, or revocation. | ||||||
2 | (b) An authorizing entity may delegate its duties to | ||||||
3 | officers, employees, and contractors. | ||||||
4 | (c) Regulation by authorizers is limited to the powers and | ||||||
5 | duties set forth in subsection (a) of this Section and must be | ||||||
6 | consistent with the spirit and intent of this Article. | ||||||
7 | (d) An authorizing entity, members of the local school | ||||||
8 | board, or the Commission, in their official capacity, and | ||||||
9 | employees of an authorizer are immune from civil and criminal | ||||||
10 | liability with respect to all activities related to a charter | ||||||
11 | school that they authorize, except for willful or wanton | ||||||
12 | misconduct. | ||||||
13 | (e) The Commission and all local school boards that have a | ||||||
14 | charter school operating are required to develop and maintain | ||||||
15 | chartering policies and practices consistent with recognized | ||||||
16 | principles and standards for quality charter authorizing in all | ||||||
17 | major areas of authorizing responsibility, including all of the | ||||||
18 | following: | ||||||
19 | (1) Organizational capacity and infrastructure. | ||||||
20 | (2) Soliciting and evaluating charter applications. | ||||||
21 | (3) Performance contracting. | ||||||
22 | (4) Ongoing charter school oversight and evaluation. | ||||||
23 | (5) Charter renewal decision-making. | ||||||
24 | Authorizers shall carry out all their duties under this | ||||||
25 | Article in a manner consistent with nationally recognized | ||||||
26 | principles and standards and with the spirit and intent of this |
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1 | Article.
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2 | (f) In any city having a population exceeding 500,000, a | ||||||
3 | 4-year university may serve as the authorizer for a multi-site | ||||||
4 | charter school devoted exclusively to re-enrolled high school | ||||||
5 | dropouts, in which case the university shall be deemed to mean | ||||||
6 | the local school board with respect to the provisions of this | ||||||
7 | Article concerning authorization of a charter school. | ||||||
8 | (Source: P.A. 97-152, eff. 7-20-11.)
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