093_SB0902enr

 
SB902 Enrolled                       LRB093 07276 NHT 07435 b

 1        AN ACT relating to schools.

 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 adding Section
 5    2-3.131 as follows:

 6        (105 ILCS 5/2-3.131 new)
 7        Sec. 2-3.131.  K-3 class size reduction grant program.  A
 8    class size reduction grant program is  hereby  created.   The
 9    program  shall  be  implemented and administered by the State
10    Board  of  Education,   which   shall   award   grants   from
11    appropriations  made  for  purposes of this Section to school
12    districts that meet the criteria established by this  Section
13    for the award of those grants.
14        Grants  shall  be  awarded  pursuant to application.  The
15    form and manner of applications  and  the  criteria  for  the
16    award  of  grants  shall  be prescribed by the State Board of
17    Education.  However, the  grant  criteria  as  so  prescribed
18    shall  provide  that:  (i) for the 2004-2005 school year, the
19    2005-2006 school year, the 2006-2007  school  year,  and  the
20    2007-2008  school  year,  only  those schools that are on the
21    State Board of Education Early Academic Warning List  or  the
22    academic  watch  list  under  Section  2-3.25d  that maintain
23    grades kindergarten through 3 shall be  grant  eligible;  and
24    (ii)  for the 2008-2009 school year and each year thereafter,
25    all schools that maintain grades kindergarten through 3 shall
26    be grant eligible.
27        Grants awarded to eligible  schools  under  this  Section
28    shall  be used and applied by the schools to defray the costs
29    and expenses of operating  and  maintaining  classes  with  a
30    class  size of no more than 20 pupils in kindergarten for the
31    2004-2005 school year, in kindergarten and  first  grade  for
 
SB902 Enrolled              -2-      LRB093 07276 NHT 07435 b
 1    the  2005-2006  school  year,  in  kindergarten and first and
 2    second grades for the 2006-2007 school year,  and  in  grades
 3    kindergarten through 3 for the 2007-2008 school year and each
 4    year thereafter.
 5        The  State  Board  of  Education  shall  adopt any rules,
 6    consistent with the requirements of this  Section,  that  are
 7    necessary  to  implement  and  administer  the K-3 class size
 8    reduction grant program.

 9        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
10    becoming law.