Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB2966

Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to analyze the use of grant fund requests for a consolidation analysis or consolidation expenses in relation to the School District Reorganization Feasibility Studies. Requires the State Board to create a list of overlapping or bordering school districts with the most similar operating tax rates and percentage of adequacy funding per pupil. Requires the State Board to communicate to the superintendents and school boards of those school districts on the list that the State Board's analysis makes the school district a good candidate for the grant funds. Requires the school board to hold a public hearing to review the State Board's written communication and decide whether to apply for the grant funds. Requires the State Board to report to the General Assembly as to whether the school districts on the list applied for the grant funds, whether a grant was awarded, and what, if any, State Board action was taken in response to the grant-funded consolidation analysis. Requires the State Board to also provide to interested school districts a list of neutral parties to conduct an independent consolidation analysis with the grant funds.

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. Authorizes the State Board of Education to award grants to school districts in the State for the purpose of incentivizing those districts to conduct reorganization feasibility studies. Provides that, to be eligible for a grant under these provisions, the board of the school district that is applying for the grant shall (i) negotiate a proposed agreement to secure the services of a third-party consultant who will conduct the reorganization feasibility study; (ii) adopt a resolution that is signed by the board president of the district and calls for the initiation of a school district reorganization feasibility study in accordance with the terms of the proposed agreement and any rules adopted by the State Board of Education; and (iii) submit the completed agreement form, the signed board resolution, and such other information as the State Board of Education may, by administrative rule, require, to the regional office of education or the executive director of the intermediate service center for the district for approval. Provides that, upon receipt of a complete application from a district, the regional office of education or the executive director of the intermediate service center shall either (i) approve the agreement and send the agreement to the State Board of Education or (ii) disapprove the agreement and return the agreement to the district with a letter of explanation. Authorizes the State Board of Education to award grants under these provisions to districts for which it receives an approved agreement. Requires the State Board of Education to annually notify each school district in the State of the availability of grant funds and to provide with that notice specified information. Provides that, every 2 years, each board that receives a notice may include the question of whether to pursue this grant funding as an action item on the agenda at one of its meetings. Authorizes the State Board of Education to provide a school district up to the maximum reimbursement amount set by the State Board of Education, for the purpose of covering all or part of the costs borne by the school district to conduct a reorganization feasibility study. Directs the State Board of Education, in awarding these grants, to prioritize districts that are contiguous with one another, districts that have similar property tax rates, districts with similar per-pupil adequacy funding, and, beginning in State fiscal year 2030, other districts that have been identified as priority districts by the State Board of Education pursuant to rules it adopts. Prohibits a school district from being awarded a grant under these provisions in any 2 consecutive award cycles. Allows the State Board of Education to adopt any rules it deems necessary to implement and administer this program of grant funding, including, but not limited to, rules establishing the criteria that must be met by the third-party consultants who will perform the feasibility studies, rules describing minimum criteria to be included in agreements executed with the third-party consultants who will perform the feasibility studies described in this Section, and, beginning in State fiscal year 2030, rules identifying additional types of school districts to be prioritized for grant funding under these provisions. Directs the State Board of Education, in State fiscal year 2035, and every 5 years thereafter, to reevaluate and, if necessary, amend the rules identifying additional types of school districts to be prioritized for grant funding. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

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