Full Text of HB0397 99th General Assembly
HB0397ham004 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY | Rep. Ron Sandack Filed: 4/20/2015
| | 09900HB0397ham004 | | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 397
| 2 | | AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 397, AS AMENDED, by | 3 | | replacing everything after the enacting clause with the | 4 | | following:
| 5 | | "Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections | 6 | | 27A-7.5, 27A-8, 27A-9, and 27A-11.5 as follows: | 7 | | (105 ILCS 5/27A-7.5) | 8 | | Sec. 27A-7.5. State Charter School Commission. | 9 | | (a) A State Charter School Commission is established as an | 10 | | independent commission with statewide chartering jurisdiction | 11 | | and authority. The Commission shall be under the State Board | 12 | | for administrative purposes only. | 13 | | (a-5) The State Board shall provide administrative support | 14 | | to the Commission as needed. | 15 | | (b) The Commission is responsible for authorizing | 16 | | high-quality charter schools throughout this State, |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 2 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | particularly schools designed to expand opportunities for | 2 | | at-risk students, consistent with the purposes of this Article. | 3 | | (c) The Commission shall consist of 9 members, appointed by | 4 | | the State Board. The State Board shall make these appointments | 5 | | from a slate of candidates proposed by the Governor, within 60 | 6 | | days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the | 7 | | 97th General Assembly with respect to the initial Commission | 8 | | members. In making the appointments, the State Board shall | 9 | | ensure statewide geographic diversity among Commission | 10 | | members. The Governor shall propose a slate of candidates to | 11 | | the State Board within 60 days after the effective date of this | 12 | | amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly and 60 days prior | 13 | | to the expiration of the term of a member thereafter. If the | 14 | | Governor fails to timely propose a slate of candidates | 15 | | according to the provisions of this subsection (c), then the | 16 | | State Board may appoint the member or members of the | 17 | | Commission. | 18 | | (d) Members appointed to the Commission shall collectively | 19 | | possess strong experience and expertise in public and nonprofit | 20 | | governance, management and finance, public school leadership, | 21 | | higher education, assessments, curriculum and instruction, and | 22 | | public education law. All members of the Commission shall have | 23 | | demonstrated understanding of and a commitment to public | 24 | | education, including without limitation charter schooling. At | 25 | | least 3 members must have past experience with urban charter | 26 | | schools. |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 3 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | (e) To establish staggered terms of office, the initial | 2 | | term of office for 3 Commission members shall be 4 years and | 3 | | thereafter shall be 4 years; the initial term of office for | 4 | | another 3 members shall be 3 years and thereafter shall be 4 | 5 | | years; and the initial term of office for the remaining 3 | 6 | | members shall be 2 years and thereafter shall be 4 years. The | 7 | | initial appointments must be made no later than October 1, | 8 | | 2011. | 9 | | (f) Whenever a vacancy on the Commission exists, the State | 10 | | Board shall appoint a member for the remaining portion of the | 11 | | term. | 12 | | (g) Subject to the State Officials and Employees Ethics | 13 | | Act, the Commission is authorized to receive and expend gifts, | 14 | | grants, and donations of any kind from any public or private | 15 | | entity to carry out the purposes of this Article, subject to | 16 | | the terms and conditions under which they are given, provided | 17 | | that all such terms and conditions are permissible under law. | 18 | | Funds received under this subsection (g) must be deposited into | 19 | | the State Charter School Commission Fund. | 20 | | The State Charter School Commission Fund is created as a | 21 | | special fund in the State treasury. All money in the Fund shall | 22 | | be used, subject to appropriation, by the State Board, acting | 23 | | on behalf and with the consent of the Commission, for | 24 | | operational and administrative costs of the Commission. | 25 | | Subject to appropriation, any funds appropriated for use by | 26 | | the State Board, acting on behalf and with the consent of the |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 4 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | Commission, may be used for the following purposes, without | 2 | | limitation: personal services, contractual services, and other | 3 | | operational and administrative costs. The State Board is | 4 | | further authorized to make expenditures with respect to any | 5 | | other amounts deposited in accordance with law into the State | 6 | | Charter School Commission Fund. | 7 | | (g-5) Funds or spending authority for the operation and | 8 | | administrative costs of the Commission shall be appropriated to | 9 | | the State Board in a separate line item. The State | 10 | | Superintendent of Education may not reduce or modify the budget | 11 | | of the Commission or use funds appropriated to the Commission | 12 | | without the approval of the Commission. | 13 | | (h) The Commission shall operate with dedicated resources | 14 | | and staff qualified to execute the day-to-day responsibilities | 15 | | of charter school authorizing in accordance with this Article. | 16 | | The Commission may employ and fix the compensation of such | 17 | | employees and technical assistants as it deems necessary to | 18 | | carry out its powers and duties under this Article, without | 19 | | regard to the requirements of any civil service or personnel | 20 | | statute; and may establish and administer standards of | 21 | | classification of all such persons with respect to their | 22 | | compensation, duties, performance, and tenure and enter into | 23 | | contracts of employment with such persons for such periods and | 24 | | on such terms as the Commission deems desirable. | 25 | | (i) Every 2 years, the Commission shall provide to the | 26 | | State Board and local school boards a report on best practices |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 5 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | in charter school authorizing, including without limitation | 2 | | evaluating applications, oversight of charters, and renewal of | 3 | | charter schools. | 4 | | (j) The Commission may charge a charter school that it | 5 | | authorizes a fee, not to exceed 3% of the revenue provided to | 6 | | the school, to cover the cost of undertaking the ongoing | 7 | | administrative responsibilities of the eligible chartering | 8 | | authority with respect to the school. This fee must be | 9 | | deposited into the State Charter School Commission Fund. | 10 | | (k) Any charter school authorized by the State Board prior | 11 | | to this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly shall have | 12 | | its authorization transferred to the Commission upon a vote of | 13 | | the State Board, which shall then become the school's | 14 | | authorizer for all purposes under this Article. However, in no | 15 | | case shall such transfer take place later than July 1, 2012. At | 16 | | this time, all of the powers, duties, assets, liabilities, | 17 | | contracts, property, records, and pending business of the State | 18 | | Board as the school's authorizer must be transferred to the | 19 | | Commission. Any charter school authorized by a local school | 20 | | board or boards may seek transfer of authorization to the | 21 | | Commission during its current term only with the approval of | 22 | | the local school board or boards. At the end of its charter | 23 | | term, a charter school authorized by a local school board or | 24 | | boards must reapply to the board or boards before it may apply | 25 | | for authorization to the Commission under the terms of this | 26 | | amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly. |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 6 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | On the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th | 2 | | General Assembly, all rules of the State Board applicable to | 3 | | matters falling within the responsibility of the Commission | 4 | | shall be applicable to the actions of the Commission. The | 5 | | Commission shall thereafter have the authority to propose to | 6 | | the State Board modifications to all rules applicable to | 7 | | matters falling within the responsibility of the Commission. | 8 | | The State Board shall retain rulemaking authority for the | 9 | | Commission, but shall work jointly with the Commission on any | 10 | | proposed modifications. Upon recommendation of proposed rule | 11 | | modifications by the Commission and pursuant to the Illinois | 12 | | Administrative Procedure Act, the State Board shall consider | 13 | | such changes within the intent of this amendatory Act of the | 14 | | 97th General Assembly and grant any and all changes consistent | 15 | | with that intent. | 16 | | (l) (Blank). The Commission shall have the responsibility | 17 | | to consider appeals under this Article immediately upon | 18 | | appointment of the initial members of the Commission under | 19 | | subsection (c) of this Section. Appeals pending at the time of | 20 | | initial appointment shall be determined by the Commission; the | 21 | | Commission may extend the time for review as necessary for | 22 | | thorough review, but in no case shall the extension exceed the | 23 | | time that would have been available had the appeal been | 24 | | submitted to the Commission on the date of appointment of its | 25 | | initial members. In any appeal filed with the Commission under | 26 | | this Article, both the applicant and the school district in |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 7 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | which the charter school plans to locate shall have the right | 2 | | to request a hearing before the Commission. If more than one | 3 | | entity requests a hearing, then the Commission may hold only | 4 | | one hearing, wherein the applicant and the school district | 5 | | shall have an equal opportunity to present their respective | 6 | | positions.
| 7 | | (Source: P.A. 97-152, eff. 7-20-11; 97-641, eff. 12-19-11; | 8 | | 97-1156, eff. 1-25-13.)
| 9 | | (105 ILCS 5/27A-8)
| 10 | | Sec. 27A-8. Evaluation of charter proposals.
| 11 | | (a) This Section does not apply to a charter school | 12 | | established by
referendum under
Section 27A-6.5.
In evaluating | 13 | | any charter
school proposal submitted to it, the local school | 14 | | board and the Commission shall give preference
to proposals | 15 | | that:
| 16 | | (1) demonstrate a high level of local pupil, parental, | 17 | | community,
business, and school personnel support;
| 18 | | (2) set rigorous levels of expected pupil achievement | 19 | | and demonstrate
feasible plans for attaining those levels | 20 | | of achievement; and
| 21 | | (3) are designed to enroll and serve a substantial | 22 | | proportion of at-risk
children; provided that nothing in | 23 | | the Charter Schools Law shall be construed
as intended to
| 24 | | limit the establishment of charter schools to those that | 25 | | serve a substantial
portion of at-risk children or to in |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 8 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | any manner restrict, limit, or discourage
the
| 2 | | establishment of charter schools that enroll and serve | 3 | | other pupil populations
under a nonexclusive, | 4 | | nondiscriminatory admissions policy.
| 5 | | (b) In the case of a proposal to establish a charter school | 6 | | by converting an
existing public school or attendance center to | 7 | | charter school status, evidence
that the proposed formation of | 8 | | the charter school has received majority support
from certified | 9 | | teachers and from parents and guardians in the school or
| 10 | | attendance center affected by the proposed charter, and, if | 11 | | applicable, from a
local school council, shall be demonstrated | 12 | | by a petition in support of the
charter school signed by | 13 | | certified teachers and a petition in support of the
charter | 14 | | school signed by parents and guardians and, if applicable, by a | 15 | | vote of
the local school council held at a public meeting. In | 16 | | the case of all other
proposals to establish a charter school, | 17 | | evidence of sufficient support to fill
the number of pupil | 18 | | seats set forth in the proposal may be
demonstrated by a
| 19 | | petition in support of the charter school signed by parents and | 20 | | guardians of
students eligible to attend the charter school.
In | 21 | | all cases, the individuals, organizations, or entities who | 22 | | initiate
the proposal to establish a charter school may elect, | 23 | | in lieu of including any
petition referred to in this | 24 | | subsection as a part of the proposal submitted to
the local | 25 | | school board or the Commission , to demonstrate that the charter | 26 | | school has
received the support referred to in this subsection |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 9 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | by other evidence and
information presented at the public | 2 | | meeting that the local school board is
required to convene | 3 | | under this Section.
| 4 | | (c) A charter school applicant must determine whether he or | 5 | | she will apply to the local school board or to the Commission. | 6 | | Within 45 days of receipt of a charter school proposal, the | 7 | | local school
board shall convene a public meeting to obtain | 8 | | information to assist the board
in its decision to grant or | 9 | | deny the charter school proposal. A local school board may | 10 | | develop its own process for receiving charter school proposals | 11 | | on an annual basis that follows the same timeframes as set | 12 | | forth in this Article. Final decisions of a local school board | 13 | | are subject to judicial review under the Administrative Review | 14 | | Law. Only after the local school board process is followed may | 15 | | a charter school applicant appeal to the Commission.
| 16 | | (d) Notice of the public meeting required by this Section | 17 | | shall be published
in a community newspaper published in the | 18 | | school district in which the proposed
charter is located and, | 19 | | if there is no such newspaper, then in a newspaper
published in | 20 | | the county and having circulation in the school district. The
| 21 | | notices shall be published not more than 10 days nor less than | 22 | | 5 days before
the meeting and shall state that information | 23 | | regarding a charter school
proposal will be heard at the | 24 | | meeting. Copies of the notice shall also be
posted at | 25 | | appropriate locations in the school or attendance center | 26 | | proposed to
be established as a charter school, the public |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 10 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | schools in the school district,
and the local school board | 2 | | office. If 45 days pass without the local school board holding | 3 | | a public meeting, then the charter applicant may submit the | 4 | | proposal to the Commission, where it must be addressed in | 5 | | accordance with the provisions set forth in subsection (g) of | 6 | | this Section.
| 7 | | (e) Within 30 days of the public meeting, the local school | 8 | | board shall vote,
in a public meeting, to either grant or deny | 9 | | the charter school proposal. If the local school board has not | 10 | | voted in a public meeting within 30 days after the public | 11 | | meeting, then the charter applicant may submit the proposal to | 12 | | the Commission, where it must be addressed in accordance with | 13 | | the provisions set forth in subsection (g) of this Section.
| 14 | | (f) Within 7 days of the public meeting required under | 15 | | subsection (e) of this Section, the
local school board shall | 16 | | file a report with the State Board
granting or denying the | 17 | | proposal.
If the local school board has approved the proposal, | 18 | | within 30 days of receipt of the local school board's
report, | 19 | | the State Board shall determine whether the approved charter
| 20 | | proposal is consistent with the
provisions of this Article and, | 21 | | if the approved proposal
complies,
certify the proposal | 22 | | pursuant to Section 27A-6.
| 23 | | (g) (Blank). If the local school board votes to deny the | 24 | | proposal, then the charter school applicant has 30 days from | 25 | | the date of that vote to submit an appeal to the Commission. In | 26 | | such instances or in those instances referenced in subsections |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 11 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | (d)and (e) of this Section, the Commission shall follow the | 2 | | same process and be subject to the same timelines for review as | 3 | | the local school board. | 4 | | (h) If a charter school applicant's proposal is denied by | 5 | | either the local school board or the Commission, the charter | 6 | | applicant must wait a year from the date of the submission to | 7 | | reapply. The Commission may approve a charter school proposal | 8 | | submitted to it in accordance with subsection (d), (e), or (i) | 9 | | of this Section The Commission may reverse a local school | 10 | | board's decision to deny a charter school proposal if the | 11 | | Commission finds that the proposal (i) is in compliance with | 12 | | this Article and (ii) is in the best interests of the students | 13 | | the charter school is designed to serve. Final decisions of the | 14 | | Commission are subject to judicial review under the | 15 | | Administrative Review Law. | 16 | | (i) In the case of a charter school proposed to be jointly | 17 | | authorized by 2 or more school districts, the local school | 18 | | boards may unanimously deny the charter school proposal with a | 19 | | statement that the local school boards are not opposed to the | 20 | | charter school, but that they yield to the Commission in light | 21 | | of the complexities of joint administration , in which case the | 22 | | charter applicant may submit the proposal to the Commission, | 23 | | where it must be addressed in accordance with the provisions | 24 | | set forth in subsection (g) of this Section . | 25 | | (Source: P.A. 96-105, eff. 7-30-09; 96-734, eff. 8-25-09; | 26 | | 96-1000, eff. 7-2-10; 97-152, eff. 7-20-11.)
|
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 12 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | (105 ILCS 5/27A-9)
| 2 | | Sec. 27A-9. Term of charter; renewal.
| 3 | | (a) A charter may be granted for a period not less than 5 | 4 | | and not
more than
10
school years. A charter may be renewed in | 5 | | incremental periods not to exceed
5
school years.
| 6 | | (b) A charter school renewal proposal submitted to the
| 7 | | local school board or the Commission, as the chartering entity,
| 8 | | shall contain:
| 9 | | (1) A report on the progress of the charter school in | 10 | | achieving the goals,
objectives, pupil performance | 11 | | standards, content standards, and other terms of
the | 12 | | initial approved charter proposal; and
| 13 | | (2) A financial statement that discloses the costs of | 14 | | administration,
instruction, and other spending categories | 15 | | for the charter school that is
understandable to the | 16 | | general public and that will allow comparison of those
| 17 | | costs to other schools or other comparable organizations, | 18 | | in a format required
by the State Board.
| 19 | | (c) A charter may be revoked
or not renewed if the local | 20 | | school board or the Commission, as the chartering
entity,
| 21 | | clearly demonstrates that the
charter school did any of the
| 22 | | following, or otherwise failed to comply with the requirements | 23 | | of this law:
| 24 | | (1) Committed a material violation of any of the | 25 | | conditions, standards, or
procedures set forth in the |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 13 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | charter.
| 2 | | (2) Failed to meet or make reasonable progress toward | 3 | | achievement of the
content standards or pupil performance | 4 | | standards identified in the charter.
| 5 | | (3) Failed to meet generally accepted standards of | 6 | | fiscal management.
| 7 | | (4) Violated any provision of law from which the | 8 | | charter school was not
exempted.
| 9 | | In the case of revocation, the local school board or the | 10 | | Commission, as the chartering entity, shall notify the charter | 11 | | school in writing of the reason why the charter is subject to | 12 | | revocation. The charter school shall submit a written plan to | 13 | | the local school board or the Commission, whichever is | 14 | | applicable, to rectify the problem. The plan shall include a | 15 | | timeline for implementation, which shall not exceed 2 years or | 16 | | the date of the charter's expiration, whichever is earlier. If | 17 | | the local school board or the Commission, as the chartering | 18 | | entity, finds that the charter school has failed to implement | 19 | | the plan of remediation and adhere to the timeline, then the | 20 | | chartering entity shall revoke the charter. Except in | 21 | | situations of an emergency where the health, safety, or | 22 | | education of the charter school's students is at risk, the | 23 | | revocation shall take place at the end of a school year. | 24 | | Nothing in this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly | 25 | | shall be construed to prohibit an implementation timetable that | 26 | | is less than 2 years in duration. |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 14 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | (d) (Blank).
| 2 | | (e) The Commission may approve an application for a charter | 3 | | submitted to it in accordance with this Article Notice of a | 4 | | local school board's decision to
deny, revoke or not to
renew a | 5 | | charter shall be provided to the Commission and the State | 6 | | Board.
The Commission may reverse a local board's
decision
if | 7 | | the Commission finds
that the charter school or charter school | 8 | | proposal (i) is in compliance with
this Article , and (ii) is in | 9 | | the best interests of the students it is designed
to serve. The | 10 | | Commission may condition approval of a charter school | 11 | | application
The Commission may condition the granting of an | 12 | | appeal on the acceptance by
the charter school of funding in an | 13 | | amount less than that requested in the
proposal submitted to | 14 | | the local school board.
Final decisions of the Commission are | 15 | | shall be subject
to judicial review under the Administrative | 16 | | Review Law.
| 17 | | (f) Notwithstanding other provisions of this Article, if | 18 | | the Commission approves an application for a charter submitted | 19 | | to it in accordance with this Article or
on appeal reverses a | 20 | | local board's decision
or if a charter school is
approved by | 21 | | referendum under Section 27A-6.5 of this Code ,
the Commission
| 22 | | shall act as the
authorized chartering entity for the charter | 23 | | school.
The Commission shall execute a
approve the charter | 24 | | agreement and shall perform all functions
under this
Article | 25 | | otherwise performed by the local school
board. The State Board | 26 | | shall determine whether the charter proposal approved by the |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 15 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | Commission is consistent with the provisions of this Article | 2 | | and, if the approved proposal complies, certify the proposal | 3 | | pursuant to this Article. The State Board shall
report the | 4 | | aggregate number of charter school pupils resident in a school
| 5 | | district to that district
and shall notify the district
of the | 6 | | amount of
funding to be paid by the State Board to the charter | 7 | | school enrolling such
students.
The Commission shall require | 8 | | the
charter school to maintain accurate records of daily | 9 | | attendance that shall be
deemed sufficient to file claims under | 10 | | Section 18-8.05 notwithstanding any
other requirements of that | 11 | | Section regarding hours of instruction and teacher
| 12 | | certification.
The State Board shall withhold from funds | 13 | | otherwise due the district
the funds authorized by this Article | 14 | | to be paid to the charter school and shall
pay such amounts to | 15 | | the charter school.
| 16 | | (g) For charter schools authorized by the Commission, the | 17 | | Commission shall quarterly certify to the State Board the | 18 | | student enrollment for each of its charter schools. | 19 | | (h) For charter schools authorized by the Commission, the | 20 | | State Board shall pay directly to a charter school any federal | 21 | | or State aid attributable to a student with a disability | 22 | | attending the school. | 23 | | (i) The Commission has no authority under subsection (e) of | 24 | | this Section to approve a charter school proposal that has been | 25 | | denied by the local school board. | 26 | | (Source: P.A. 97-152, eff. 7-20-11; 98-739, eff. 7-16-14.)
|
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 16 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | (105 ILCS 5/27A-11.5) | 2 | | Sec. 27A-11.5. State financing. The State Board of | 3 | | Education shall make
the following funds available to school | 4 | | districts and charter schools: | 5 | | (1) From a separate appropriation made to the State | 6 | | Board for purposes
of this subdivision (1), the State Board | 7 | | shall make transition impact aid
available to school | 8 | | districts that approve a new charter school or that have
| 9 | | funds withheld by the State Board to fund a new charter | 10 | | school that is
chartered by the Commission. The amount of | 11 | | the aid shall equal 90% of the per
capita funding paid to | 12 | | the charter school during the first year of its initial
| 13 | | charter term, 65% of the per capita funding paid to the | 14 | | charter school during
the second year of its initial term, | 15 | | and 35% of the per capita funding paid to
the charter | 16 | | school during the third year of its initial term. This | 17 | | transition
impact aid shall be paid to the local school | 18 | | board in equal quarterly
installments, with the payment of | 19 | | the installment for the first quarter being
made by August | 20 | | 1st immediately preceding the first, second, and third | 21 | | years of
the initial term. The district shall file an | 22 | | application for this aid with the
State Board in a format | 23 | | designated by the State Board. If the appropriation is
| 24 | | insufficient in any year to pay all approved claims, the | 25 | | impact aid shall be
prorated.
However, for fiscal year |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 17 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | 2004, the State Board of Education shall
pay approved | 2 | | claims only for charter schools with a valid charter | 3 | | granted
prior to June 1, 2003. If any funds remain after | 4 | | these claims have
been paid, then the State Board of | 5 | | Education may pay all other approved
claims on a pro rata | 6 | | basis.
Transition impact aid shall be paid beginning in the | 7 | | 1999-2000
school year for charter schools that are in the | 8 | | first, second, or third year of
their initial term. | 9 | | Transition impact aid shall not be paid for any charter
| 10 | | school that is
proposed and created by one or more boards | 11 | | of education, as authorized under
the provisions of Public | 12 | | Act 91-405. | 13 | | (2) From a separate appropriation made for the purpose | 14 | | of this subdivision
(2), the State Board shall make grants | 15 | | to charter schools to pay their start-up
costs of acquiring | 16 | | educational materials and supplies, textbooks, electronic | 17 | | textbooks and the technological equipment necessary to | 18 | | gain access to and use electronic textbooks, furniture,
and | 19 | | other equipment needed during their initial term. The State | 20 | | Board shall
annually establish the time and manner of | 21 | | application for these grants, which
shall not exceed $250 | 22 | | per student enrolled in the charter school. | 23 | | (3) The Charter Schools Revolving Loan Fund is created | 24 | | as a special
fund in the State treasury. Federal funds, | 25 | | such other funds as may be made
available for costs | 26 | | associated with the establishment of charter schools in
|
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 18 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | Illinois, and amounts repaid by charter schools that have | 2 | | received a loan from
the Charter Schools Revolving Loan | 3 | | Fund shall be deposited into the Charter
Schools Revolving | 4 | | Loan Fund, and the moneys in the Charter Schools Revolving
| 5 | | Loan Fund shall be appropriated to the State Board and used | 6 | | to provide
interest-free loans to charter schools. These | 7 | | funds shall be used to pay
start-up costs of acquiring | 8 | | educational materials and supplies, textbooks, electronic | 9 | | textbooks and the technological equipment necessary to | 10 | | gain access to and use electronic textbooks,
furniture, and | 11 | | other equipment needed in the initial term of the charter | 12 | | school
and for acquiring and remodeling a suitable physical | 13 | | plant, within the initial
term of the charter school. Loans | 14 | | shall be limited to one loan per charter
school and shall | 15 | | not exceed $250 per student enrolled in the charter school. | 16 | | A
loan shall be repaid by the end of the initial term of | 17 | | the charter school.
The State Board may deduct amounts | 18 | | necessary to repay the loan from funds due
to the charter | 19 | | school or may require that the local school board that
| 20 | | authorized the charter school deduct such amounts from | 21 | | funds due the charter
school and remit these amounts to the | 22 | | State Board, provided that the local
school board shall not | 23 | | be responsible for repayment of the loan. The State
Board | 24 | | may use up to 3% of the appropriation to contract with a | 25 | | non-profit
entity to administer the loan program. | 26 | | (4) A charter school may apply for and receive, subject |
| | | 09900HB0397ham004 | - 19 - | LRB099 05952 SXM 34097 a |
|
| 1 | | to the same
restrictions applicable to school districts, | 2 | | any grant administered by the
State Board that is available | 3 | | for school districts. | 4 | | (5) Commission-authorized charter schools shall be | 5 | | funded directly from general State aid payments in the | 6 | | amount of the number of pupils multiplied by the per capita | 7 | | tuition charge. | 8 | | (Source: P.A. 98-739, eff. 7-16-14.)
| 9 | | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | 10 | | becoming law.".
|
|