HB4399 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB094 15538 NHT 50737 b

94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB4399

Introduced 01/05/06, by Rep. Robert W. Churchill

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/17-1.10 new
105 ILCS 5/34-43.5 new
30 ILCS 805/8.30 new

Amends the School Code. Provides that a school district must spend at least 65% of its total operating expenditures on direct classroom expenditures and if a school district's direct classroom expenditures for the 2006-2007 school year are less than 65% of its total operating expenditures, then the district must increase its direct classroom expenditures by at least 2 percentage points per school year beginning with the 2007-2008 school year until at least 65% of the district's total operating expenditures are spent on direct classroom expenditures. Provides that a school district that is unable to meet these expenditure standards due to special circumstances may apply to the State Superintendent of Education for a one-year, renewable waiver. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections 17-1.10 and 34-43.5 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/17-1.10 new)

Sec. 17-1.10. Direct classroom expenditures.

(a) This Section applies beginning with the 2006-2007 school year.

(b) In this Section:

"Direct classroom expenditures" means the amount defined by the National Center of Educational Statistics of the United States Department of Education.

"Total operating expenditures" includes all operating expenditures incurred for the benefit of elementary and secondary education during that school year, except capital expenditures. Debt service is a nonoperating expenditure.

(c) A school district must spend at least 65% of its total operating expenditures on direct classroom expenditures. If a school district's direct classroom expenditures for the 2006-2007 school year are less than 65% of its total operating expenditures, then the district must increase its direct classroom expenditures by at least 2 percentage points per school year beginning with the 2007-2008 school year until at least 65% of the district's total operating expenditures are spent on direct classroom expenditures.

(d) At the end of each school year, the district superintendent must submit to the State Superintendent of Education a letter signed by the district superintendent certifying the percentage of the school district's total operating expenditures that were actually spent on direct classroom expenditures for that school year.

(e) A school district that is unable to meet the requirements of subsection (c) of this Section due to special circumstances may apply to the State Superintendent of Education for a one-year, renewable waiver. The waiver request must list the reasons why the district's direct classroom expenditures cannot meet the requirements of subsection (c) of this Section and describe the changes the district intends to make in the subsequent year in order to meet the requirements of subsection (c) of this Section. The State Superintendent of Education must grant or deny the waiver request within 60 days after receiving the request.

(105 ILCS 5/34-43.5 new)

Sec. 34-43.5. Direct classroom expenditures.

(a) This Section applies beginning with the 2006-2007 school year.

(b) In this Section:

"Direct classroom expenditures" means the amount defined by the National Center of Educational Statistics of the United States Department of Education.

"Total operating expenditures" includes all operating expenditures incurred for the benefit of elementary and secondary education during that school year, except capital expenditures. Debt service is a nonoperating expenditure.

(c) The school district must spend at least 65% of its total operating expenditures on direct classroom expenditures. If the school district's direct classroom expenditures for the 2006-2007 school year are less than 65% of its total operating expenditures, then the district must increase its direct classroom expenditures by at least 2 percentage points per school year beginning with the 2007-2008 school year until at least 65% of the district's total operating expenditures are spent on direct classroom expenditures.

(d) At the end of each school year, the general superintendent of schools must submit to the State Superintendent of Education a letter signed by the general superintendent of schools certifying the percentage of the school district's total operating expenditures that were actually spent on direct classroom expenditures for that school year.

(e) If the school district is unable to meet the requirements of subsection (c) of this Section due to special circumstances, then the district may apply to the State Superintendent of Education for a one-year, renewable waiver. The waiver request must list the reasons why the district's direct classroom expenditures cannot meet the requirements of subsection (c) of this Section and describe the changes the district intends to make in the subsequent year in order to meet the requirements of subsection (c) of this Section. The State Superintendent of Education must grant or deny the waiver request within 60 days after receiving the request.

Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding Section 8.30 as follows:

(30 ILCS 805/8.30 new)

Sec. 8.30. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly.

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