325 ILCS 3/15-25

(325 ILCS 3/15-25)

Sec. 15-25. Block grants.

(a) Through June 30, 2026, the State Board of Education shall award block grants to school districts and other entities pursuant to Section 1C-2 of the School Code.

(b) On and after July 1, 2026, the Department of Early Childhood shall award to school districts and other entities block grants as described in subsection (c). The Department of Early Childhood may adopt rules necessary to implement this Section. Block grants are subject to audit. Therefore, block grant receipts and block grant expenditures shall be recorded to the appropriate fund code.

(c) An Early Childhood Education Block Grant shall be created by combining the following programs: Preschool Education, Parental Training and Prevention Initiative. These funds shall be distributed to school districts and other entities on a competitive basis, except that the Department of Early Childhood shall award to a school district having a population exceeding 500,000 inhabitants 37% of the funds in each fiscal year. Not less than 14% of the Early Childhood Education Block Grant allocation of funds shall be used to fund programs for children ages 0-3. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2016, at least 25% of any additional Early Childhood Education Block Grant funding over and above the previous fiscal year's allocation shall be used to fund programs for children ages 0-3. Once the percentage of Early Childhood Education Block Grant funding allocated to programs for children ages 0-3 reaches 20% of the overall Early Childhood Education Block Grant allocation for a full fiscal year, thereafter in subsequent fiscal years the percentage of Early Childhood Education Block Grant funding allocated to programs for children ages 0-3 each fiscal year shall remain at least 20% of the overall Early Childhood Education Block Grant allocation. However, if, in a given fiscal year, the amount appropriated for the Early Childhood Education Block Grant is insufficient to increase the percentage of the grant to fund programs for children ages 0-3 without reducing the amount of the grant for existing providers of preschool education programs, then the percentage of the grant to fund programs for children ages 0-3 may be held steady instead of increased.

(d) A school district in a city having a population exceeding 500,000 is not required to file any application or other claim in order to receive the block grant to which it is entitled under this Section. The Department of Early Childhood shall make payments to the district of amounts due under the district's block grant on a schedule determined by the Department. A school district to which this Section applies shall report to the Department of Early Childhood on its use of the block grant in such form and detail as the Department may specify. In addition, the report must include the following description for the district, which must also be reported to the General Assembly: block grant allocation and expenditures by program; population and service levels by program; and administrative expenditures by program. The Department shall ensure that the reporting requirements for the district are the same as for all other school districts in this State. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2018, at least 25% of any additional Preschool Education, Parental Training, and Prevention Initiative program funding over and above the previous fiscal year's allocation shall be used to fund programs for children ages 0-3. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2018, funding for Preschool Education, Parental Training, and Prevention Initiative programs above the allocation for these programs in Fiscal Year 2017 must be used solely as a supplement for these programs and may not supplant funds received from other sources.

(e) Reports. School districts and other entities that receive an Early Childhood Education Block Grant shall report to the Department of Early Childhood on its use of the block grant in such form and detail as the Department may specify. In addition, the report must include the following description for the district and other entities that receive an Early Childhood Block Grant, which must also be reported to the General Assembly: block grant allocation and expenditures by program; population and service levels by program; and administrative expenditures by program.

(Source: P.A. 103-594, eff. 6-25-24.)