Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB3492
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Full Text of HB3492  97th General Assembly

HB3492 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

  
  

 


 
97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB3492

 

Introduced 2/24/2011, by Rep. Michael Unes - Darlene J. Senger - Kay Hatcher - Richard Morthland

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
See Index

    Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to select and enter into a 5-year agreement with a private organization to operate and administer a board examination system that has been approved by an interstate compact on board examination systems and that includes (1) a coherent group of courses that collectively constitutes a core curriculum at the high school level; (2) a comprehensive syllabus for each course; (3) appropriate instructional and teaching materials for each course; (4) high quality examinations that are closely aligned with the course syllabus; (5) professional scoring of examinations; and (6) teacher education that is designed to train teachers to properly teach those courses. Sets forth the duties of the private organization and the State Board. Requires the private organization to develop the Prairie State diploma. Allows school districts and charter schools to choose to offer a Prairie State diploma beginning in the 2013-2014 school year; allows the Prairie State diploma to be awarded at the end of grade 10 or during or at the end of grade 11 or 12; and requires students who elect to pursue a Prairie State diploma to participate in the board examination system. Makes related changes in Sections concerning recognition standards, State assessments, school board powers, and required high school courses.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
52-3.25a, 2-3.64, and 27-22 and by adding Sections 10-20.53 and
634-18.45 and Article 27B as follows:
 
7    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.25a)  (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25a)
8    Sec. 2-3.25a. "School district" defined; additional
9standards.
10    (a) For the purposes of this Section and Sections 3.25b,
113.25c, 3.25d, 3.25e, and 3.25f of this Code, "school district"
12includes other public entities responsible for administering
13public schools, such as cooperatives, joint agreements,
14charter schools, special charter districts, regional offices
15of education, local agencies, and the Department of Human
16Services.
17    (b) In addition to the standards established pursuant to
18Section 2-3.25, the State Board of Education shall develop
19recognition standards for student performance and school
20improvement in all public schools operated by school districts.
21The indicators to determine adequate yearly progress shall be
22limited to the State assessment of student performance in
23reading and mathematics, student attendance rates at the

 

 

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1elementary school level, graduation rates at the high school
2level, and participation rates on student assessments. The
3standards shall be designed to permit the measurement of
4student performance and school improvement by schools and
5school districts compared to student performance and school
6improvement for the preceding academic years. The State Board
7of Education shall determine appropriate modifications to the
8standards for schools that participate in the board examination
9system prescribed in Article 27B of this Code.
10(Source: P.A. 96-734, eff. 8-25-09.)
 
11    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.64)  (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.64)
12    Sec. 2-3.64. State goals and assessment.
13    (a) Beginning in the 1998-1999 school year, the State Board
14of Education shall establish standards and periodically, in
15collaboration with local school districts, conduct studies of
16student performance in the learning areas of fine arts and
17physical development/health.
18    Beginning with the 1998-1999 school year until the
192004-2005 school year, the State Board of Education shall
20annually test: (i) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 5th, and 8th
21grades in English language arts (reading, writing, and English
22grammar) and mathematics; and (ii) all pupils enrolled in the
234th and 7th grades in the biological and physical sciences and
24the social sciences (history, geography, civics, economics,
25and government). Unless the testing required to be implemented

 

 

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1no later than the 2005-2006 school year under this subsection
2(a) is implemented for the 2004-2005 school year, for the
32004-2005 school year, the State Board of Education shall test:
4(i) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades in
5English language arts (reading and English grammar) and
6mathematics and (ii) all pupils enrolled in the 4th and 7th
7grades in the biological and physical sciences. The maximum
8time allowed for all actual testing required under this
9paragraph shall not exceed 25 hours, as allocated among the
10required tests by the State Board of Education, across all
11grades tested.
12    Beginning no later than the 2005-2006 school year, the
13State Board of Education shall annually test: (i) all pupils
14enrolled in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in
15reading and mathematics and (ii) all pupils enrolled in the 4th
16and 7th grades in the biological and physical sciences. In
17addition, the State Board of Education shall test (1) all
18pupils enrolled in the 5th and 8th grades in writing during the
192006-2007 school year; (2) all pupils enrolled in the 5th, 6th,
20and 8th grades in writing during the 2007-2008 school year; and
21(3) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 8th grades in
22writing during the 2008-2009 school year and each school year
23thereafter. After the addition of grades and change in subjects
24as delineated in this paragraph and including whatever other
25tests that may be approved from time to time no later than the
262005-2006 school year, the maximum time allowed for all State

 

 

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1testing in grades 3 through 8 shall not exceed 38 hours across
2those grades.
3    Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, the State Board
4of Education shall not test pupils under this subsection (a) in
5physical development and health, fine arts, and the social
6sciences (history, geography, civics, economics, and
7government). The State Board of Education shall not test pupils
8under this subsection (a) in writing during the 2005-2006
9school year.
10    The State Board of Education shall establish the academic
11standards that are to be applicable to pupils who are subject
12to State tests under this Section beginning with the 1998-1999
13school year. However, the State Board of Education shall not
14establish any such standards in final form without first
15providing opportunities for public participation and local
16input in the development of the final academic standards. Those
17opportunities shall include a well-publicized period of public
18comment, public hearings throughout the State, and
19opportunities to file written comments. Beginning with the
201998-99 school year and thereafter, the State tests will
21identify pupils in the 3rd grade or 5th grade who do not meet
22the State standards.
23    If, by performance on the State tests or local assessments
24or by teacher judgment, a student's performance is determined
25to be 2 or more grades below current placement, the student
26shall be provided a remediation program developed by the

 

 

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1district in consultation with a parent or guardian. Such
2remediation programs may include, but shall not be limited to,
3increased or concentrated instructional time, a remedial
4summer school program of not less than 90 hours, improved
5instructional approaches, tutorial sessions, retention in
6grade, and modifications to instructional materials. Each
7pupil for whom a remediation program is developed under this
8subsection shall be required to enroll in and attend whatever
9program the district determines is appropriate for the pupil.
10Districts may combine students in remediation programs where
11appropriate and may cooperate with other districts in the
12design and delivery of those programs. The parent or guardian
13of a student required to attend a remediation program under
14this Section shall be given written notice of that requirement
15by the school district a reasonable time prior to commencement
16of the remediation program that the student is to attend. The
17State shall be responsible for providing school districts with
18the new and additional funding, under Section 2-3.51.5 or by
19other or additional means, that is required to enable the
20districts to operate remediation programs for the pupils who
21are required to enroll in and attend those programs under this
22Section. Every individualized educational program as described
23in Article 14 shall identify if the State test or components
24thereof are appropriate for that student. The State Board of
25Education shall develop rules and regulations governing the
26administration of alternative tests prescribed within each

 

 

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1student's individualized educational program which are
2appropriate to the disability of each student.
3    All pupils who are in a State approved transitional
4bilingual education program or transitional program of
5instruction shall participate in the State tests. The time
6allotted to take the State tests, however, may be extended as
7determined by the State Board of Education by rule. Any student
8who has been enrolled in a State approved bilingual education
9program less than 3 cumulative academic years may take an
10accommodated Limited English Proficient student academic
11content assessment, as determined by the State Board of
12Education, if the student's lack of English as determined by an
13English language proficiency test would keep the student from
14understanding the regular State test. If the school district
15determines, on a case-by-case individual basis, that a Limited
16English Proficient student academic content assessment would
17likely yield more accurate and reliable information on what the
18student knows and can do, the school district may make a
19determination to assess the student using a Limited English
20Proficient student academic content assessment for a period
21that does not exceed 2 additional consecutive years, provided
22that the student has not yet reached a level of English
23language proficiency sufficient to yield valid and reliable
24information on what the student knows and can do on the regular
25State test.
26    Reasonable accommodations as prescribed by the State Board

 

 

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1of Education shall be provided for individual students in the
2testing procedure. All test procedures prescribed by the State
3Board of Education shall require: (i) that each test used for
4State and local student testing under this Section identify by
5name the pupil taking the test; (ii) that the name of the pupil
6taking the test be placed on the test at the time the test is
7taken; (iii) that the results or scores of each test taken
8under this Section by a pupil of the school district be
9reported to that district and identify by name the pupil who
10received the reported results or scores; and (iv) that the
11results or scores of each test taken under this Section be made
12available to the parents of the pupil. In addition, in each
13school year the scores attained by a student on the Prairie
14State Achievement Examination administered under subsection
15(c) of this Section and any Prairie State Achievement Awards
16received by the student shall become part of the student's
17permanent record and shall be entered on the student's
18transcript pursuant to regulations that the State Board of
19Education shall promulgate for that purpose in accordance with
20Section 3 and subsection (e) of Section 2 of the Illinois
21School Student Records Act. Beginning with the 1998-1999 school
22year and in every school year thereafter, scores received by
23students on the State assessment tests administered in grades 3
24through 8 shall be placed into students' temporary records.
25    The State Board of Education shall establish a period of
26time, to be referred to as the State test window, in each

 

 

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1school year for which State testing shall occur to meet the
2objectives of this Section. However, if the schools of a
3district are closed and classes are not scheduled during any
4week that is established by the State Board of Education as the
5State test window, the school district may (at the discretion
6of the State Board of Education) move its State test window one
7week earlier or one week later than the established State test
8window, so long as the school district gives the State Board of
9Education written notice of its intention to deviate from the
10established schedule by December 1 of the school year in which
11falls the State test window established by the State Board of
12Education for the testing.
13    (a-5) All tests administered pursuant to this Section shall
14be academically based. For the purposes of this Section
15"academically based tests" shall mean tests consisting of
16questions and answers that are measurable and quantifiable to
17measure the knowledge, skill, and ability of students in the
18subject matters covered by tests. The scoring of academically
19based tests shall be reliable, valid, unbiased and shall meet
20the guidelines for test development and use prescribed by the
21American Psychological Association, the National Council of
22Measurement and Evaluation, and the American Educational
23Research Association. Academically based tests shall not
24include assessments or evaluations of attitudes, values, or
25beliefs, or testing of personality, self-esteem, or
26self-concept. Nothing in this amendatory Act is intended, nor

 

 

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1shall it be construed, to nullify, supersede, or contradict the
2legislative intent on academic testing expressed during the
3passage of HB 1005/P.A. 90-296. Nothing in this Section is
4intended, nor shall it be construed, to nullify, supersede, or
5contradict the legislative intent on academic testing
6expressed in the preamble of this amendatory Act of the 93rd
7General Assembly.
8    The State Board of Education shall monitor the use of short
9answer questions in the math and reading assessments or in
10other assessments in order to demonstrate that the use of short
11answer questions results in a statistically significant
12improvement in student achievement as measured on the State
13assessments for math and reading or on other State assessments
14and is justifiable in terms of cost and student performance.
15    (b) It shall be the policy of the State to encourage school
16districts to continuously test pupil proficiency in the
17fundamental learning areas in order to: (i) provide timely
18information on individual students' performance relative to
19State standards that is adequate to guide instructional
20strategies; (ii) improve future instruction; and (iii)
21complement the information provided by the State testing system
22described in this Section. To assist school districts in
23testing pupil proficiency in reading in the primary grades, the
24State Board shall make optional reading inventories for
25diagnostic purposes available to each school district that
26requests such assistance. Districts that administer the

 

 

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1reading inventories may develop remediation programs for
2students who perform in the bottom half of the student
3population. Those remediation programs may be funded by moneys
4provided under the School Safety and Educational Improvement
5Block Grant Program established under Section 2-3.51.5.
6    (c) Beginning with the 2000-2001 school year, each school
7district that operates a high school program for students in
8grades 9 through 12 shall annually administer the Prairie State
9Achievement Examination established under this subsection to
10its students as set forth below. The Prairie State Achievement
11Examination shall be developed by the State Board of Education
12to measure student performance in the academic areas of
13reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social sciences.
14Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, however, the State
15Board of Education shall not test a student in the social
16sciences (history, geography, civics, economics, and
17government) as part of the Prairie State Achievement
18Examination unless the student is retaking the Prairie State
19Achievement Examination in the fall of 2004. In addition, the
20State Board of Education shall not test a student in writing as
21part of the Prairie State Achievement Examination during the
222005-2006 school year. The State Board of Education shall
23establish the academic standards that are to apply in measuring
24student performance on the Prairie State Achievement
25Examination including the minimum examination score in each
26area that will qualify a student to receive a Prairie State

 

 

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1Achievement Award from the State in recognition of the
2student's excellent performance. Each school district that is
3subject to the requirements of this subsection (c) shall afford
4all students one opportunity to take the Prairie State
5Achievement Examination beginning as late as practical during
6the spring semester of grade 11, but in no event before March
71. The State Board of Education shall annually notify districts
8of the weeks during which this test administration shall be
9required to occur. Every individualized educational program as
10described in Article 14 shall identify if the Prairie State
11Achievement Examination or components thereof are appropriate
12for that student. Each student, exclusive of a student whose
13individualized educational program developed under Article 14
14identifies the Prairie State Achievement Examination as
15inappropriate for the student, shall be required to take the
16examination in grade 11. For each academic area the State Board
17of Education shall establish the score that qualifies for the
18Prairie State Achievement Award on that portion of the
19examination. Districts shall inform their students of the
20timelines and procedures applicable to their participation in
21every yearly administration of the Prairie State Achievement
22Examination. Students receiving special education services
23whose individualized educational programs identify the Prairie
24State Achievement Examination as inappropriate for them
25nevertheless shall have the option of taking the examination,
26which shall be administered to those students in accordance

 

 

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1with standards adopted by the State Board of Education to
2accommodate the respective disabilities of those students. A
3student who successfully completes all other applicable high
4school graduation requirements but fails to receive a score on
5the Prairie State Achievement Examination that qualifies the
6student for receipt of a Prairie State Achievement Award shall
7nevertheless qualify for the receipt of a regular high school
8diploma. In no case, however, shall a student receive a regular
9high school diploma without taking the Prairie State
10Achievement Examination, unless the student is exempted from
11taking the Prairie State Achievement Examination under this
12subsection (c) because (i) the student's individualized
13educational program developed under Article 14 of this Code
14identifies the Prairie State Achievement Examination as
15inappropriate for the student, (ii) the student is exempt due
16to the student's lack of English language proficiency under
17subsection (a) of this Section, (iii) the student is enrolled
18in a program of Adult and Continuing Education as defined in
19the Adult Education Act, (iv) the school district is not
20required to test the individual student for purposes of
21accountability under federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
22requirements, or (v) the student is otherwise identified by the
23State Board of Education through rules as being exempt from the
24assessment.
25    For the purpose of receiving a Prairie State Achievement
26Award, a score as determined by the State Board of Education on

 

 

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1a board examination prescribed in Article 27B of this Code may
2be substituted for scores on the Prairie State Achievement
3Examination if a pupil who is in grade 12 has previously taken
4the board examination and has not achieved the minimum score
5required to earn a Prairie State diploma.
6    (d) Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year, all schools
7in this State that are part of the sample drawn by the National
8Center for Education Statistics, in collaboration with their
9school districts and the State Board of Education, shall
10administer the biennial State academic assessments of 4th and
118th grade reading and mathematics under the National Assessment
12of Educational Progress carried out under Section 411(b)(2) of
13the National Education Statistics Act of 1994 (20 U.S.C. 9010)
14if the Secretary of Education pays the costs of administering
15the assessments.
16    (e) Beginning no later than the 2005-2006 school year,
17subject to available federal funds to this State for the
18purpose of student assessment, the State Board of Education
19shall provide additional tests and assessment resources that
20may be used by school districts for local diagnostic purposes.
21These tests and resources shall include without limitation
22additional high school writing, physical development and
23health, and fine arts assessments. The State Board of Education
24shall annually distribute a listing of these additional tests
25and resources, using funds available from appropriations made
26for student assessment purposes.

 

 

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1    (f) For the assessment and accountability purposes of this
2Section, "all pupils" includes those pupils enrolled in a
3public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school,
4or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or
5board of control, a charter school operating in compliance with
6the Charter Schools Law, a school operated by a regional office
7of education under Section 13A-3 of this Code, or a public
8school administered by a local public agency or the Department
9of Human Services.
10(Source: P.A. 96-430, eff. 8-13-09; 96-1000, eff. 7-2-10.)
 
11    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.53 new)
12    Sec. 10-20.53. Board examination system. A school board may
13contract with the private organization that is approved by the
14State Board of Education pursuant to Section 27B-15 of this
15Code to provide approved board examination systems for the
16schools in the school district.
17    If a school district decides not to participate in the
18board examination system prescribed in Article 27B of this
19Code, pupils enrolled in that school district may earn a
20Prairie State diploma by obtaining a passing score on the same
21board examinations.
 
22    (105 ILCS 5/27-22)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-22)
23    Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses.
24    (a) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,

 

 

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1each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 1984-1985 school year
2through the 2004-2005 school year must, in addition to other
3course requirements, successfully complete the following
4courses:
5        (1) three years of language arts;
6        (2) two years of mathematics, one of which may be
7    related to computer technology;
8        (3) one year of science;
9        (4) two years of social studies, of which at least one
10    year must be history of the United States or a combination
11    of history of the United States and American government;
12    and
13        (5) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
14    foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
15    Sign Language or (D) vocational education.
16    (b) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
17each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2005-2006 school year
18must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully
19complete all of the following courses:
20        (1) Three years of language arts.
21        (2) Three years of mathematics.
22        (3) One year of science.
23        (4) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
24    year must be history of the United States or a combination
25    of history of the United States and American government.
26        (5) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)

 

 

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1    foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
2    Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.
3    (c) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
4each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2006-2007 school year
5must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully
6complete all of the following courses:
7        (1) Three years of language arts.
8        (2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of
9    which must be English and the other of which may be English
10    or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive
11    courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other
12    graduation requirements.
13        (3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
14    Algebra I and one of which must include geometry content.
15        (4) One year of science.
16        (5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
17    year must be history of the United States or a combination
18    of history of the United States and American government.
19        (6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
20    foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
21    Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.
22    (d) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
23each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2007-2008 school year
24must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully
25complete all of the following courses:
26        (1) Three years of language arts.

 

 

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1        (2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of
2    which must be English and the other of which may be English
3    or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive
4    courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other
5    graduation requirements.
6        (3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
7    Algebra I and one of which must include geometry content.
8        (4) Two years of science.
9        (5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
10    year must be history of the United States or a combination
11    of history of the United States and American government.
12        (6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
13    foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
14    Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.
15    (e) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
16each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2008-2009 school year
17or a subsequent school year must, in addition to other course
18requirements, successfully complete all of the following
19courses:
20        (1) Four years of language arts.
21        (2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of
22    which must be English and the other of which may be English
23    or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive
24    courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other
25    graduation requirements.
26        (3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be

 

 

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1    Algebra I and one of which must include geometry content.
2        (4) Two years of science.
3        (5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
4    year must be history of the United States or a combination
5    of history of the United States and American government.
6        (6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
7    foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
8    Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.
9    (f) The State Board of Education shall develop and inform
10school districts of standards for writing-intensive
11coursework.
12    (g) This amendatory Act of 1983 does not apply to pupils
13entering the 9th grade in 1983-1984 school year and prior
14school years or to students with disabilities whose course of
15study is determined by an individualized education program.
16    This amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly does not
17apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2004-2005 school
18year or a prior school year or to students with disabilities
19whose course of study is determined by an individualized
20education program.
21    (h) The provisions of this Section are subject to the
22provisions of Section 27-22.05.
23    (i) Pupils who earn a Prairie State diploma pursuant to
24Article 27B of this Code are exempt from the requirements
25prescribed in this Section. Pupils who earn a Prairie State
26diploma are entitled to all of the rights and privileges of

 

 

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1persons who graduate with a high school diploma issued pursuant
2to this Section, including access to postsecondary
3scholarships and other forms of student financial aid and
4access to all forms of postsecondary education.
5Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a pupil who
6earns a Prairie State diploma may elect to remain in high
7school through grade 12. A pupil who earns a Prairie State
8diploma and who elects not to pursue one of the options
9prescribed in Section 27B-20 of this Code may only be
10readmitted to that high school or another high school in this
11State pursuant to policies adopted by the school district of
12readmission.
13(Source: P.A. 94-676, eff. 8-24-05.)
 
14    (105 ILCS 5/Art. 27B heading new)
15
ARTICLE 27B. BOARD EXAMINATION SYSTEM

 
16    (105 ILCS 5/27B-5 new)
17    Sec. 27B-5. Declaration of purpose and policy. The
18legislature declares and finds all of the following:
19        (1) It is in the interest of this State to greatly
20    increase the proportion of students who enter high school
21    and who subsequently leave those high schools with the
22    skills needed to compete effectively in a global economy
23    that provides world class wages only to workers with world
24    class skills.

 

 

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1        (2) It is in the interest of students in this State,
2    their families, and schools to provide a college and work
3    readiness assessment to students.
4        (3) The purpose of this Article is to greatly increase
5    the proportion of students in this State who leave high
6    school with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in
7    college in a way that does not significantly increase the
8    cost of high school.
 
9    (105 ILCS 5/27B-10 new)
10    Sec. 27B-10. Definitions. In this Article, unless the
11context otherwise requires:
12    "Approved board examination system" means a board
13examination system that has been approved by an interstate
14compact on board examination systems.
15    "Board examination system" means a complete instructional
16system that includes all of the following components:
17        (1) A coherent group of courses that collectively
18    constitutes a core curriculum at the high school level.
19        (2) A comprehensive syllabus for each course.
20        (3) Appropriate instructional and teaching materials
21    for each course.
22        (4) High quality examinations that are closely aligned
23    with the course syllabus.
24        (5) Professional scoring of examinations.
25        (6) Teacher education that is designed to train

 

 

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1    teachers to properly teach those courses.
2    "Prairie State diploma" means a high school diploma that is
3offered to any student who demonstrates readiness for college
4level mathematics and English according to standards
5prescribed by an interstate compact on board examination
6systems, who has passing grades on an additional set of
7required approved board examinations in core academic courses
8as determined by the State Board of Education, including the
9arts, history, and science, and who successfully completes a
10course in economics.
11    "Readiness for college level mathematics and English"
12means that a student has the English and mathematics skills and
13knowledge needed to succeed in college level courses that count
14toward a degree or certificate without taking remedial or
15developmental coursework.
 
16    (105 ILCS 5/27B-15 new)
17    Sec. 27B-15. Board examination system; private contractor;
18duties.
19    (a) The State Board of Education shall select and enter
20into a 5-year agreement with a private organization to operate
21and administer the board examination system prescribed in this
22Article.
23    (b) The private organization selected by the State Board of
24Education shall do all of the following:
25        (1) Identify, select, and contract with a national

 

 

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1    organization that is devoted to issues concerning
2    education and the economy and that is selected by the State
3    Board of Education to provide technical services to develop
4    and maintain an interstate system of approved board
5    examination systems.
6        (2) Provide data and other information to a national
7    organization that is devoted to issues concerning
8    education and the economy and that is selected by the State
9    Board of Education to provide technical services the
10    national organization deems necessary to set appropriate
11    performance standards for the students in this State. The
12    State Board of Education shall provide data and other
13    information to the private organization.
14        (3) Conduct technical studies required by the State
15    Board of Education to compare the scores on approved board
16    examinations by the students in this State to scores on the
17    Prairie State Achievement Examination and other measures
18    deemed necessary to ensure the efficacy of the approved
19    board examinations. The private organization may contract
20    with other entities that are selected by the State Board of
21    Education for the purpose of conducting technical studies.
22        (4) In cooperation with the State Superintendent of
23    Education and the State Board of Education, solicit moneys
24    from all lawful private and public sources, including
25    federal moneys, to offset the costs of instruction provided
26    to students under this Article.

 

 

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1        (5) Exercise general supervision over the
2    implementation of the approved board examination systems
3    in this State for the duration of the 5-year contract.
4    These examination systems shall meet the following
5    criteria:
6            (A) Appear on a list of approved board examination
7        systems selected by the interstate compact.
8            (B) Be periodically modified to reflect core
9        standards selected by an interstate compact on board
10        examination systems.
11            (C) Have common passing scores that are prescribed
12        by an interstate compact on board examination systems
13        and that are set to the level of literacy required to
14        succeed in college level courses offered by public
15        community colleges in this State that count toward a
16        degree or certificate without taking remedial or
17        developmental coursework. The private organization, on
18        approval of the State Board of Education and with input
19        from representatives from school districts, charter
20        schools, public community colleges, and universities
21        in this State, shall designate 2 individuals to
22        represent this State in an interstate compact on board
23        examination systems to prescribe the common passing
24        scores prescribed in this item (C).
25        (6) Prepare an annual report for the State Board of
26    Education, which shall be forwarded to the General Assembly

 

 

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1    and the Governor, on the progress made toward the goals
2    established in this Article and provide copies to the
3    Secretary of State. Participating schools and the State
4    Board of Education shall provide data to the private
5    organization as needed in order to complete the annual
6    report.
7        (7) Identify, select, and represent this State on the
8    national governing body of an interstate compact on board
9    examination systems, as approved by the State Board of
10    Education, to enable states to collaborate in the following
11    areas:
12            (A) The selection of board examination systems for
13        use in those states.
14            (B) Providing technical assistance required to
15        implement the board examination systems effectively in
16        those states for the use of those examinations.
17            (C) Entering into contracts with board examination
18        system providers or with a national organization that
19        is devoted to issues concerning education and the
20        economy to develop new or improved board examination
21        systems.
22        (8) Select this State's representatives in an
23    interstate compact on board examination systems in
24    accordance with policies prescribed by that interstate
25    compact.
26    (c) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to carry

 

 

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1out the purposes of this Section and shall select college and
2career readiness examinations that are available to pupils in
3grade 8, including those pupils who intend to participate in
4the board examinations system in high school. The examinations
5shall be selected to provide data to pupils, their families,
6and schools regarding the pupil's level of preparation for
7entry into a college and career readiness pathway in high
8school.
9    (d) Pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of
10Education, the State Board of Education shall develop a system
11to track the academic progress of pupils who participate in the
12board examination system.
 
13    (105 ILCS 5/27B-20 new)
14    Sec. 27B-20. Prairie State diploma.
15    (a) The private organization selected pursuant to Section
1627B-15 of this Code shall develop the Prairie State diploma, to
17be approved and adopted by the State Board of Education. School
18districts and charter schools in this State may choose to offer
19a Prairie State diploma beginning in the 2013-2014 school year.
20A high school student who is enrolled in a school district or
21charter school that offers a Prairie State diploma may choose
22to pursue a Prairie State diploma.
23    (b) The Prairie State diploma may be awarded at the end of
24grade 10 or during or at the end of grade 11 or 12 to students
25who meet the criteria. Students who elect to pursue a Prairie

 

 

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1State diploma shall participate in a board examination system
2that consists of internationally benchmarked instructional
3programs of study chosen by an interstate compact on board
4examination systems.
5    (c) Students who earn a Prairie State diploma shall have
6multiple pathways available to them and may do the following:
7        (1) Enroll the following fall semester in a public
8    community college in this State. Public community colleges
9    in this State shall admit students who obtain a Prairie
10    State diploma and who otherwise meet the qualifications for
11    admission without requiring those students to enroll in
12    remedial courses. The school district or charter school
13    from which the student earned the Prairie State diploma
14    shall include that student in the school district's or
15    charter school's student count and shall continue to
16    receive per pupil funding for a student who earns a Prairie
17    State diploma until that student would otherwise have
18    graduated at the end of grade 12, as long as that student
19    is enrolled in approved postsecondary studies at that
20    school district or charter school. The school district or
21    charter school shall reimburse the community college
22    district for the amount of operating full-time student
23    equivalency moneys that the community college district
24    would be entitled to receive if the student was enrolled as
25    a full-time equivalent student in a community college
26    district. If the student attends community college on a

 

 

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1    community college campus, the school district or charter
2    school shall reimburse the community college district for
3    the amount of operating and capital outlay full-time
4    student equivalency moneys. For the purposes of this
5    subdivision (1), the amount of operating full-time student
6    equivalency moneys shall be equivalent to the average
7    appropriation per full-time student equivalent for all
8    community college districts. Fifty percent of the
9    remaining balance of the per pupil funding shall be used
10    for teacher and pupil incentives, including scholarship
11    programs, and 50% shall be used for maintenance and
12    operations, including capital. The remaining balance of
13    the per pupil funding for teacher and pupil incentives,
14    including scholarship programs, shall be used to offset the
15    costs of board examinations and to provide customized
16    programs of assistance for students who do not pass the
17    board examinations. A student who earns a Prairie State
18    diploma may enroll in community college courses offered on
19    a public community college campus or a public high school
20    campus or both. Notwithstanding any other law to the
21    contrary, community college districts may not classify a
22    student who remains in high school pursuant to this
23    subdivision (1) as a full-time equivalent student.
24    Students who take courses on high school campuses pursuant
25    to this subdivision (1) are eligible to participate in
26    extracurricular activities, including interscholastic

 

 

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1    sports, through the end of grade 12.
2        (2) Remain in high school and enroll in additional
3    advanced preparation board examination programs that are
4    designed to prepare those students for admission to high
5    quality, postsecondary institutions that offer
6    baccalaureate degree programs. These board examination
7    programs shall be selected from a list approved by an
8    interstate compact for board examination systems. The
9    school district or charter school from which the student
10    earned the Prairie State diploma shall include that student
11    in the school district's or charter school's student count
12    and shall continue to receive per pupil funding for a
13    student who earns a Prairie State diploma until that
14    student would otherwise have graduated at the end of grade
15    12, as long as that student is enrolled in approved
16    advanced preparation board examination programs at that
17    school district or charter school. Students who elect to
18    remain in high school pursuant to this subdivision (2) are
19    eligible to participate in extracurricular activities,
20    including interscholastic sports, through the end of grade
21    12.
22        (3) Enroll in a full-time career and technical
23    education program offered on a public community college
24    campus or a public high school campus or both. Students who
25    elect to remain in high school pursuant to this subdivision
26    (3) are eligible to participate in extracurricular

 

 

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1    activities, including interscholastic sports, through the
2    end of grade 12. The school district or charter school from
3    which the student earned the Prairie State diploma shall
4    include that student in the school district's or charter
5    school's student count and shall continue to receive per
6    pupil funding for a student who earns a Prairie State
7    diploma until that student would otherwise have graduated
8    at the end of grade 12, as long as that student is enrolled
9    in an approved full-time career and technical education
10    program.
11        (4) Return to a traditional academic program without
12    completing the next level of board examination systems
13    curriculum.
14    (d) Students who pursue but do not earn a Prairie State
15diploma at the end of grade 10 or 11 shall receive a customized
16program of assistance during the next school year that
17addresses areas in which the student demonstrated deficiencies
18in the approved board examinations. These students may retake
19the board examinations at the next available examination
20administration. Students may choose to return to a traditional
21academic program without completing the board examination
22system curriculum.
23    (e) The private organization selected pursuant to Section
2427B-15 of this Code shall develop detailed requirements for
25students to earn the Prairie State diploma, as approved and
26adopted by the State Board of Education, that include at least

 

 

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1the following:
2        (1) Demonstrated skills and knowledge in English and
3    mathematical literacy to be successful in college level
4    courses offered by the public community colleges in this
5    State that count toward a degree or certificate without
6    taking remedial or developmental coursework, as determined
7    by an interstate compact on board examination systems.
8        (2) Satisfactory grades on approved board examinations
9    in subjects determined to be necessary to prepare a student
10    to enter public community college without remedial or
11    developmental coursework and that do not include
12    coursework required exclusively for entry into an
13    institution that awards baccalaureate degrees.
 
14    (105 ILCS 5/34-18.45 new)
15    Sec. 34-18.45. Board examination system. The board may
16contract with the private organization that is approved by the
17State Board of Education pursuant to Section 27B-15 of this
18Code to provide approved board examination systems for the
19schools in the school district.
20    If the school district decides not to participate in the
21board examination system prescribed in Article 27B of this
22Code, pupils enrolled in the school district may earn a Prairie
23State diploma by obtaining a passing score on the same board
24examinations.

 

 

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1 INDEX
2 Statutes amended in order of appearance
3    105 ILCS 5/2-3.25afrom Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25a
4    105 ILCS 5/2-3.64from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.64
5    105 ILCS 5/10-20.53 new
6    105 ILCS 5/27-22from Ch. 122, par. 27-22
7    105 ILCS 5/Art. 27B
8    heading new
9    105 ILCS 5/27B-5 new
10    105 ILCS 5/27B-10 new
11    105 ILCS 5/27B-15 new
12    105 ILCS 5/27B-20 new
13    105 ILCS 5/34-18.45 new