105 ILCS 5/ School Code.

(105 ILCS 5/34-85) (from Ch. 122, par. 34-85)

Sec. 34-85. Removal for cause; notice and hearing; suspension.

(a) No teacher employed by the board of education shall (after serving the probationary period specified in Section 34-84) be removed except for cause. Teachers (who have completed the probationary period specified in Section 34-84 of this Code) shall be removed for cause in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section or, at the board's option, the procedures set forth in Section 24-16.5 of this Code or such other procedures established in an agreement entered into between the board and the exclusive representative of the district's teachers under Section 34-85c of this Code for teachers (who have completed the probationary period specified in Section 34-84 of this Code) assigned to schools identified in that agreement. No principal employed by the board of education shall be removed during the term of his or her performance contract except for cause, which may include but is not limited to the principal's repeated failure to implement the school improvement plan or to comply with the provisions of the Uniform Performance Contract, including additional criteria established by the Council for inclusion in the performance contract pursuant to Section 34-2.3.

Before service of notice of charges on account of causes that may be deemed to be remediable, the teacher or principal must be given reasonable warning in writing, stating specifically the causes that, if not removed, may result in charges; however, no such written warning is required if the causes have been the subject of a remediation plan pursuant to Article 24A of this Code or if the board and the exclusive representative of the district's teachers have entered into an agreement pursuant to Section 34-85c of this Code, pursuant to an alternative system of remediation. No written warning shall be required for conduct on the part of a teacher or principal that is cruel, immoral, negligent, or criminal or that in any way causes psychological or physical harm or injury to a student, as that conduct is deemed to be irremediable. No written warning shall be required for a material breach of the uniform principal performance contract, as that conduct is deemed to be irremediable; provided that not less than 30 days before the vote of the local school council to seek the dismissal of a principal for a material breach of a uniform principal performance contract, the local school council shall specify the nature of the alleged breach in writing and provide a copy of it to the principal.

(1) To initiate dismissal proceedings against a teacher or principal, the general superintendent must first approve written charges and specifications against the teacher or principal. A local school council may direct the general superintendent to approve written charges against its principal on behalf of the Council upon the vote of 7 members of the Council. The general superintendent must approve those charges within 45 calendar days or provide a written reason for not approving those charges. A written notice of those charges, including specifications, shall be served upon the teacher or principal within 10 business days of the approval of the charges. Any written notice sent on or after July 1, 2012 shall also inform the teacher or principal of the right to request a hearing before a mutually selected hearing officer, with the cost of the hearing officer split equally between the teacher or principal and the board, or a hearing before a qualified hearing officer chosen by the general superintendent, with the cost of the hearing officer paid by the board. If the teacher or principal cannot be found upon diligent inquiry, such charges may be served upon him by mailing a copy thereof in a sealed envelope by prepaid certified mail, return receipt requested, to the teacher's or principal's last known address. A return receipt showing delivery to such address within 20 calendar days after the date of the approval of the charges shall constitute proof of service.

(2) No hearing upon the charges is required unless the teacher or principal within 17 calendar days after receiving notice requests in writing of the general superintendent that a hearing be scheduled. Pending the hearing of the charges, the general superintendent or his or her designee may suspend the teacher or principal charged without pay in accordance with rules prescribed by the board, provided that if the teacher or principal charged is not dismissed based on the charges, he or she must be made whole for lost earnings, less setoffs for mitigation.

(3) The board shall maintain a list of at least 9 qualified hearing officers who will conduct hearings on charges and specifications. The list must be developed in good faith consultation with the exclusive representative of the board's teachers and professional associations that represent the board's principals. The list may be revised on July 1st of each year or earlier as needed. To be a qualified hearing officer, the person must (i) be accredited by a national arbitration organization and have had a minimum of 5 years of experience as an arbitrator in cases involving labor and employment relations matters between employers and employees or their exclusive bargaining representatives and (ii) beginning September 1, 2012, have participated in training provided or approved by the State Board of Education for teacher dismissal hearing officers so that he or she is familiar with issues generally involved in evaluative and non-evaluative dismissals.

Within 5 business days after receiving the notice of request for a hearing, the general superintendent and the teacher or principal or their legal representatives shall alternately strike one name from the list until only one name remains. Unless waived by the teacher, the teacher or principal shall have the right to proceed first with the striking. If the teacher or principal fails to participate in the striking process, the general superintendent shall either select the hearing officer from the list developed pursuant to this paragraph (3) or select another qualified hearing officer from the master list maintained by the State Board of Education pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 24-12 of this Code.

(4) If the notice of dismissal was sent to the teacher or principal before July 1, 2012, the fees and costs for the hearing officer shall be paid by the State Board of Education. If the notice of dismissal was sent to the teacher or principal on or after July 1, 2012, the hearing officer's fees and costs must be paid as follows in this paragraph (4). The fees and permissible costs for the hearing officer shall be determined by the State Board of Education. If the hearing officer is mutually selected by the parties through alternate striking in accordance with paragraph (3) of this subsection (a), then the board and the teacher or their legal representative shall each pay 50% of the fees and costs and any supplemental allowance to which they agree. If the hearing officer is selected by the general superintendent without the participation of the teacher or principal, then the board shall pay 100% of the hearing officer fees and costs. The hearing officer shall submit for payment a billing statement to the parties that itemizes the charges and expenses and divides them in accordance with this Section.

(5) The teacher or the principal charged is required to answer the charges and specifications and aver affirmative matters in his or her defense, and the time for doing so must be set by the hearing officer. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules so that each party has a fair opportunity to present its case and to ensure that the dismissal proceeding is concluded in an expeditious manner. The rules shall address, without limitation, the teacher or principal's answer and affirmative defenses to the charges and specifications; a requirement that each party make mandatory disclosures without request to the other party and then update the disclosure no later than 10 calendar days prior to the commencement of the hearing, including a list of the names and addresses of persons who may be called as witnesses at the hearing, a summary of the facts or opinions each witness will testify to, and all other documents and materials, including information maintained electronically, relevant to its own as well as the other party's case (the hearing officer may exclude witnesses and exhibits not identified and shared, except those offered in rebuttal for which the party could not reasonably have anticipated prior to the hearing); pre-hearing discovery and preparation, including provision for written interrogatories and requests for production of documents, provided that discovery depositions are prohibited; the conduct of the hearing; the right of each party to be represented by counsel, the offer of evidence and witnesses and the cross-examination of witnesses; the authority of the hearing officer to issue subpoenas and subpoenas duces tecum, provided that the hearing officer may limit the number of witnesses to be subpoenaed in behalf of each party to no more than 7; the length of post-hearing briefs; and the form, length, and content of hearing officers' reports and recommendations to the general superintendent.

The hearing officer shall commence the hearing within 75 calendar days and conclude the hearing within 120 calendar days after being selected by the parties as the hearing officer, provided that these timelines may be modified upon the showing of good cause or mutual agreement of the parties. Good cause for the purposes of this paragraph (5) shall mean the illness or otherwise unavoidable emergency of the teacher, district representative, their legal representatives, the hearing officer, or an essential witness as indicated in each party's pre-hearing submission. In a dismissal hearing in which a witness is a student or is under the age of 18, the hearing officer must make accommodations for the witness, as provided under paragraph (5.5) of this subsection. The hearing officer shall consider and give weight to all of the teacher's evaluations written pursuant to Article 24A that are relevant to the issues in the hearing. Except as otherwise provided under paragraph (5.5) of this subsection, the teacher or principal has the privilege of being present at the hearing with counsel and of cross-examining witnesses and may offer evidence and witnesses and present defenses to the charges. Each party shall have no more than 3 days to present its case, unless extended by the hearing officer to enable a party to present adequate evidence and testimony, including due to the other party's cross-examination of the party's witnesses, for good cause or by mutual agreement of the parties. The State Board of Education shall define in rules the meaning of "day" for such purposes. All testimony at the hearing shall be taken under oath administered by the hearing officer. The hearing officer shall cause a record of the proceedings to be kept and shall employ a competent reporter to take stenographic or stenotype notes of all the testimony. The costs of the reporter's attendance and services at the hearing shall be paid by the party or parties who are paying the fees and costs of the hearing officer. Either party desiring a transcript of the hearing shall pay for the cost thereof. At the close of the hearing, the hearing officer shall direct the parties to submit post-hearing briefs no later than 21 calendar days after receipt of the transcript. Either or both parties may waive submission of briefs.

(5.5) In the case of charges involving any witness who is or was at the time of the alleged conduct a student or a person under the age of 18, the hearing officer shall make accommodations to protect a witness from being intimidated, traumatized, or re-traumatized. No alleged victim or other witness who is or was at the time of the alleged conduct a student or under the age of 18 may be compelled to testify in the physical or visual presence of a teacher or other witness. If such a witness invokes this right, then the hearing officer must provide an accommodation consistent with the invoked right and use a procedure by which each party may hear such witness' testimony. Accommodations may include, but are not limited to: (i) testimony made via a telecommunication device in a location other than the hearing room and outside the physical or visual presence of the teacher or principal and other hearing participants, but accessible to the teacher via a telecommunication device, (ii) testimony made in the hearing room but outside the physical presence of the teacher or principal and accessible to the teacher via a telecommunication device, (iii) non-public testimony, (iv) testimony made via videoconference with the cameras and microphones of the teacher turned off, or (v) pre-recorded testimony, including, but not limited to, a recording of a forensic interview conducted at an accredited Children's Advocacy Center. With all accommodations, the hearing officer shall give such testimony the same consideration as if the witness testified without the accommodation. The teacher may not directly, or through a representative, question a witness called by the school board who is or was a student or under 18 years of age at the time of the alleged conduct. The hearing officer must permit the teacher to submit all relevant questions and follow-up questions for such a witness to have the questions posed by the hearing officer. During a testimony described under this subsection, each party must be permitted to ask a witness who is a student or who is under 18 years of age all relevant questions and follow-up questions. All questions must exclude evidence of the witness' sexual behavior or predisposition, unless the evidence is offered to prove that someone other than the teacher subject to the dismissal hearing engaged in the charge at issue.

(6) The hearing officer shall within 30 calendar days from the conclusion of the hearing report to the general superintendent findings of fact and a recommendation as to whether or not the teacher or principal shall be dismissed and shall give a copy of the report to both the teacher or principal and the general superintendent. The State Board of Education shall provide by rule the form of the hearing officer's report and recommendation.

(6.5) If any hearing officer fails without good cause, specifically provided in writing to both parties and the State Board of Education, to render findings of fact and recommendation within 90 days after the closing of the record and receipt of post-hearing briefs, or if any hearing officer fails to make an accommodation pursuant to paragraph (5.5) of this subsection (a), the hearing officer shall be removed from the list of hearing officers developed pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection (a) and the master list of qualified hearing officers maintained by the State Board of Education for not more than 24 months. The parties and the State Board of Education may also take such other actions as it deems appropriate, including recovering, reducing, or withholding any fees paid or to be paid to the hearing officer. If any hearing officer repeats such failure, he or she must be permanently removed from the list of hearing officers developed described in paragraph (3) and the master list maintained by the State Board of Education and may not be selected by parties. The board shall not lose jurisdiction to discharge a teacher or principal if the hearing officer fails to render findings of fact and recommendation within the time specified in this Section.

(7) The board, within 45 days of receipt of the hearing officer's findings of fact and recommendation, shall make a decision as to whether the teacher or principal shall be dismissed from its employ. The failure of the board to strictly adhere to the timeliness contained herein shall not render it without jurisdiction to dismiss the teacher or principal. In the event that the board declines to dismiss the teacher or principal after review of a hearing officer's recommendation, the board shall set the amount of back pay and benefits to award the teacher or principal, which shall include offsets for interim earnings and failure to mitigate losses. The board shall establish procedures for the teacher's or principal's submission of evidence to it regarding lost earnings, lost benefits, mitigation, and offsets. The decision of the board is final unless reviewed in accordance with paragraph (8) of this subsection (a).

(8) The teacher may seek judicial review of the board's decision in accordance with the Administrative Review Law, which is specifically incorporated in this Section, except that the review must be initiated in the Illinois Appellate Court for the First District. In the event judicial review is instituted, any costs of preparing and filing the record of proceedings shall be paid by the party instituting the review. In the event the appellate court reverses a board decision to dismiss a teacher or principal and directs the board to pay the teacher or the principal back pay and benefits, the appellate court shall remand the matter to the board to issue an administrative decision as to the amount of back pay and benefits, which shall include a calculation of the lost earnings, lost benefits, mitigation, and offsets based on evidence submitted to the board in accordance with procedures established by the board.

(9) Any hearing convened during a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act may be convened remotely. Any hearing officer for a hearing convened during a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act may voluntarily withdraw from the hearing and another hearing officer shall be selected or appointed pursuant to this Section.

In this paragraph, "pre-hearing procedures" refers to the pre-hearing procedures under Section 51.55 of Title 23 of the Illinois Administrative Code and "hearing" refers to the hearing under Section 51.60 of Title 23 of the Illinois Administrative Code. Any teacher or principal who has been charged with engaging in acts of corporal punishment, physical abuse, grooming, or sexual misconduct and who previously paused pre-hearing procedures or a hearing pursuant to Public Act 101-643 must proceed with selection of a hearing officer or hearing date, or both, within the timeframes established by paragraphs (3) through (5) of this subsection (a), unless the timeframes are mutually waived in writing by both parties, and all timelines set forth in this Section in cases concerning corporal punishment, physical abuse, grooming, or sexual misconduct shall be reset to begin the day after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly. Any teacher or principal charged with engaging in acts of corporal punishment, physical abuse, grooming, or sexual misconduct on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly may not pause pre-hearing procedures or a hearing.

(b) Nothing in this Section affects the validity of removal for cause hearings commenced prior to June 13, 2011 (the effective date of Public Act 97-8).

The changes made by Public Act 97-8 shall apply to dismissals instituted on or after September 1, 2011 or the effective date of Public Act 97-8, whichever is later. Any dismissal instituted prior to the effective date of these changes must be carried out in accordance with the requirements of this Section prior to amendment by Public Act 97-8.

(Source: P.A. 102-708, eff. 4-22-22; 103-354, eff. 1-1-24.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-85b)

Sec. 34-85b. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 95-510, eff. 8-28-07. Repealed by P.A. 97-8, eff. 6-13-11.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-85c)

Sec. 34-85c. Alternative procedures for teacher evaluation, remediation, and removal for cause after remediation.

(a) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the board and the exclusive representative of the district's teachers are hereby authorized to enter into an agreement to establish alternative procedures for teacher evaluation, remediation, and removal for cause after remediation, including an alternative system for peer evaluation and recommendations; provided, however, that no later than September 1, 2012: (i) any alternative procedures must include provisions whereby student performance data is a significant factor in teacher evaluation and (ii) teachers are rated as "excellent", "proficient", "needs improvement" or "unsatisfactory". Pursuant exclusively to that agreement, teachers assigned to schools identified in that agreement shall be subject to an alternative performance evaluation plan and remediation procedures in lieu of the plan and procedures set forth in Article 24A of this Code and alternative removal for cause standards and procedures in lieu of the removal standards and procedures set forth in Section 34-85 of this Code. To the extent that the agreement provides a teacher with an opportunity for a hearing on removal for cause before an independent hearing officer in accordance with Section 34-85 or otherwise, the hearing officer shall be governed by the alternative performance evaluation plan, remediation procedures, and removal standards and procedures set forth in the agreement in making findings of fact and a recommendation.

(a-5) If the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act that suspends in-person instruction, the timelines connected to the commencement and completion of any remediation plan are paused. Except where the parties mutually agree otherwise and such agreement is in writing, any remediation plan that had been in place for 45 or more days prior to the suspension of in-person instruction shall resume when in-person instruction resumes; any remediation plan that had been in place for fewer than 45 days prior to the suspension of in-person instruction shall discontinue and a new remediation period will begin when in-person instruction resumes.

(a-10) No later than September 1, 2022, the school district must establish a teacher evaluation plan that ensures that each teacher in contractual continued service whose performance is rated as either "excellent" or "proficient" is evaluated at least once in the course of the 3 school years after receipt of the rating and establish an informal teacher observation plan that ensures that each teacher in contractual continued service whose performance is rated as either "excellent" or "proficient" is informally observed at least once in the course of the 2 school years after receipt of the rating.

(a-15) For the 2022-2023 school year only, if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, the school district may waive the evaluation requirement of any teacher in contractual continued service whose performance was rated as either "excellent" or "proficient" during the last school year in which the teacher was evaluated under this Section.

(b) The board and the exclusive representative of the district's teachers shall submit a certified copy of an agreement as provided under subsection (a) of this Section to the State Board of Education.

(Source: P.A. 101-643, eff. 6-18-20; 102-252, eff. 1-1-22; 102-729, eff. 5-6-22.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-85d)

Sec. 34-85d. Teacher evaluation; copies. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the school district shall provide all copies of teacher evaluations to the exclusive bargaining representative of the school district's teachers within 7 days after issuing the evaluations.

(Source: P.A. 100-682, eff. 1-1-19.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-85e)

Sec. 34-85e. COVID-19 sick leave. For purposes of this Section, "employee" means a person employed by the school district on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.

Any sick leave used by a teacher or employee during the 2021-2022 school year shall be returned to a teacher or employee who receives all doses required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as defined in Section 34-18.78 of this Code, if:

(1) the sick leave was taken because the teacher or employee was restricted from being on school district property because the teacher or employee:

(A) had a confirmed positive COVID-19 diagnosis via a molecular amplification diagnostic test, such as a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19;

(B) had a probable COVID-19 diagnosis via an antigen diagnostic test;

(C) was in close contact with a person who had a confirmed case of COVID-19 and was required to be excluded from school; or

(D) was required by the school or school district policy to be excluded from school district property due to COVID-19 symptoms; or

(2) the sick leave was taken to care for a child of the teacher or employee who was unable to attend elementary or secondary school because the child:

(A) had a confirmed positive COVID-19 diagnosis via a molecular amplification diagnostic test, such as a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for COVID-19;

(B) had a probable COVID-19 diagnosis via an antigen diagnostic test;

(C) was in close contact with a person who had a confirmed case of COVID-19 and was required to be excluded from school; or

(D) was required by the school or school district policy to be excluded from school district property due to COVID-19 symptoms.

Leave shall be returned to a teacher or employee pursuant to this Section provided that the teacher or employee has received all required doses to meet the definition of "fully vaccinated against COVID-19" under Section 34-18.78 of this Code no later than 5 weeks after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.

No school may rescind any sick leave returned to a teacher or employee on the basis of a revision to the definition of "fully vaccinated against COVID-19" by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States Department of Health and Human Services or the Department of Public Health, provided that the teacher or employee received all doses required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as defined in Section 34-18.78 of this Code, at the time the sick leave was returned to the teacher or employee.

(Source: P.A. 102-697, eff. 4-5-22.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-87)

Sec. 34-87. (Repealed).

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31. Repealed by P.A. 94-1105, eff. 6-1-07.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-88) (from Ch. 122, par. 34-88)

Sec. 34-88. District and school report cards. The board shall, in accordance with Section 10-17a of the School Code, annually present and disseminate the school district and school report cards prepared by the State Superintendent of Education.

(Source: P.A. 97-671, eff. 1-24-12.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-128) (from Ch. 122, par. 34-128)

Sec. 34-128. The Board shall provide free bus transportation for every child who is a child with a mental disability who is trainable, as defined in Article 14, who resides at a distance of one mile or more from any school to which he is assigned for attendance and who the State Board of Education determines in advance requires special transportation service in order to take advantage of special educational facilities.

The board may levy, without regard to any other legally authorized tax and in addition to such taxes, an annual tax upon all the taxable property in the school district at a rate not to exceed .005% of the value, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue, that will produce an amount not to exceed the annual cost of transportation provided in accordance with this Section. The board shall deduct from the cost of such transportation any amount reimbursed by the State under Article 14. Such levy is authorized in the year following the school year in which the transportation costs were incurred by the district.

(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15.)

(105 ILCS 5/prec. Sec. 34-200 heading)

SCHOOL ACTION AND FACILITY MASTER PLANNING(Source: P.A. 97-473, eff. 1-1-12; 97-474, eff. 8-22-11.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-200)

Sec. 34-200. Definitions. For the purposes of Sections 34-200 through 34-235 of this Article:

"Capital improvement plan" means a plan that identifies capital projects to be started or finished within the designated period, excluding projects funded by locally raised capital not exceeding $10,000.

"Community area" means a geographic area of the City of Chicago defined by the chief executive officer as part of the development of the educational facilities master plan.

"Space utilization" means the percentage achieved by dividing the school's actual enrollment by its design capacity.

"School closing" or "school closure" means the closing of a school, the effect of which is the assignment and transfer of all students enrolled at that school to one or more designated receiving schools.

"School consolidation" means the consolidation of 2 or more schools by closing one or more schools and reassigning the students to another school.

"Phase-out" means the gradual cessation of enrollment in certain grades each school year until a school closes or is consolidated with another school.

"School action" means any school closing; school consolidation; co-location; boundary change that requires reassignment of students, unless the reassignment is to a new school with an attendance area boundary and is made to relieve overcrowding; or phase-out.

(Source: P.A. 97-473, eff. 1-1-12; 97-474, eff. 8-22-11; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-205)

Sec. 34-205. Educational facility standards.

(a) By January 1, 2012, the district shall publish space utilization standards on the district's website. The standards shall include the following:

(1) the method by which design capacity is calculated, including consideration of the requirements of elementary and secondary programs, shared campuses, after school programming, the facility needs, grade and age ranges of the attending students, and use of school buildings by governmental agencies and community organizations;

(2) the method to determine efficient use of a school building based upon educational program design capacity;

(3) the rate of utilization; and

(4) the standards for overcrowding and underutilization.

(b) The chief executive officer or his or her designee shall publish a space utilization report for each school building operated by the district on the district's website by December 31 of each year.

(c) The facility performance standards provisions are as follows:

(1) On or before January 1, 2012, the chief executive officer shall propose minimum and optimal facility performance standards for thermal comfort, daylight, acoustics, indoor air quality, furniture ergonomics for students and staff, technology, life safety, ADA accessibility, plumbing and washroom access, environmental hazards, and walkability.

(2) The chief executive officer shall conduct at least one public hearing and submit the proposed educational facilities standards to each local school council and to the Chicago Public Building Commission for review and comment prior to adoption.

(3) After the chief executive officer has incorporated the input and recommendations of the public and the Chicago Public Building Commission, the chief executive officer shall issue final facility performance standards.

(4) The chief executive officer is authorized to amend the facility performance standards following the procedures in this Section.

(5) The final educational facility space utilization and performance standards shall be published on the district's Internet website.

(Source: P.A. 97-473, eff. 1-1-12; 97-474, eff. 8-22-11; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-210)

Sec. 34-210. The Educational Facility Master Plan.

(a) In accordance with the schedule set forth in this Article, the chief executive officer or his or her designee shall prepare a 10-year educational facility master plan every 5 years, with updates 2 1/2 years after the approval of the initial 10-year plan, with the first such educational facility master plan to be approved on or before October 1, 2013.

(b) The educational facility master plan shall provide community area level plans and individual school master plans with options for addressing the facility and space needs for each facility operated by the district over a 10-year period.

(c) The data, information, and analysis that shall inform the educational facility master plan shall be published on the district's Internet website and shall include the following:

(1) a description of the district's guiding educational goals and standards;

(2) a brief description of the types of instructional programs and services delivered in each school, including specific plans for special education programs, early childhood education programs, career and technical education programs, and any other programs that are space sensitive to avoid space irregularities;

(3) a description of the process, procedure, and timeline for community participation in the development of the plan;

(3.5) A description of a communications and community involvement plan for each community in the City of Chicago that includes the engagement of students, school personnel, parents, and key stakeholders throughout the community and all of the following:

(A) community action councils;

(B) local school councils or, if not present, alternative parent and community governance for that school;

(C) the Chicago Teachers Union; and

(D) all current principals.

(4) the enrollment capacity of each school and its rate of enrollment and historical and projected enrollment, and current and projected demographic information for the neighborhood surrounding the district based on census data;

(5) a report on the assessment of individual building and site conditions;

(6) a data table with historical and projected enrollment data by school by grade;

(7) community analysis, including a study of current and projected demographics, land usage, transportation plans, residential housing and commercial development, private schools, plans for water and sewage service expansion or redevelopment, and institutions of higher education;

(8) an analysis of the facility needs and requirements and a process to address critical facility capital needs of every school building, which shall be publicly available on the district's Internet website for schools and communities to have access to the information;

(9) identification of potential sources of funding for the implementation of the Educational Facility Master Plan, including financial options through tax increment financing, property tax levies for schools, and bonds that address critical facility needs; and

(10) any school building disposition, including a plan delineating the process through which citizen involvement is facilitated and establishing the criteria that is utilized in building disposition decisions, one of which shall be consideration of the impact of any proposed new use of a school building on the neighborhood in which the school building is located and how it may impact enrollment of schools in that community area.

(d) On or before May 1, 2013, the chief executive officer or his or her designee shall prepare and distribute for comment a preliminary draft of the Educational Facility Master Plan. The draft plan shall be distributed to the City of Chicago, the County of Cook, the Chicago Park District, the Chicago Housing Authority, the Chicago Transit Authority, attendance centers operated by the district, and charter schools operating within the district. Each attendance center shall make the draft plan available to the local school council at the annual organizational meeting or to an alternative advisory body and to the parents, guardians, and staff of the school. The draft plan also shall be distributed to each State Senator and State Representative with a district in the City of Chicago, to the Mayor of the City of Chicago, and to each alderperson of the City.

(e) The chief executive or his or her designee shall publish a procedure for conducting regional public hearings and submitting public comments on the draft plan and an annual capital improvement hearing that shall discuss the district's annual capital budget and that is not in conjunction with operating budget hearings.

(f) After consideration of public input on the draft plan, the chief executive officer or his or her designee shall prepare and publish a report describing the public input gathered and the process used to incorporate public input in the development of the final plan to be recommended to the Board.

(g) The chief executive officer shall present the final plan and report to the Board for final consideration and approval.

(h) The final approved Educational Facility Master Plan shall be published on the district's website.

(i) No later than July 1, 2016, and every 5 years thereafter, the chief executive officer or his or her designee shall prepare and submit for public comment a draft revised Educational Facility Master Plan following the procedures required for development of the original plan.

(j) This proposed revised plan shall reflect the progress achieved during the first 2 1/2 years of the Educational Facility Master Plan.

(k) On or before December 1, 2018, the Board shall adopt a policy to address under-enrolled schools. The policy must contain a list of potential interventions to address schools with declining enrollment, including, but not limited to, action by the district to: (i) create a request for proposals for joint use of the school with an intergovernmental rental or other outside entity rental, (ii) except for a charter school, cease any potential plans for school expansion that may negatively impact enrollment at the under-enrolled school, (iii) redraft attendance boundaries to maximize enrollment of additional students, or (iv) work with under-enrolled schools to identify opportunities to increase enrollment and lower the costs of occupancy through joint use agreements.

(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-215)

Sec. 34-215. Capital improvement plans.

(a) The district shall develop a capital needs review process and one-year and 5-year capital improvement plans.

(b) By January 1, 2012, the chief executive officer or his or her designee shall establish a capital needs review process that includes a comprehensive bi-annual assessment of the capital needs at each facility owned, leased, or operated by the district. The review process shall include development of an assessment form to be used by attendance centers to provide a school-based capital, maintenance, utility, and repair needs assessment report and recommendations aligned with the educational program and goals of the attendance center.

(c) Beginning with fiscal year 2013 and for each year thereafter, the chief executive officer shall publish a proposed one-year capital improvement plan at least 60 days prior to the end of the prior fiscal year. The proposed one-year capital improvement plan shall be posted on the district's Internet website and shall be subject to public review and comment and at least 3 public hearings. The one-year capital improvement plan shall include the following information for all capital projects for which funds are to be appropriated:

(1) description of the scope of the project;

(2) justification for the project;

(3) status of the project, including, if appropriate, percentage funded, percentage complete, and approved start and end dates;

(4) original approved cost and current approved cost for each project;

(5) the impact of the project on the district's operating budget;

(6) the name of each school and facility affected by a project;

(7) all funding sources for the project;

(8) any relationship of the project to the needs assessment submitted by the attendance center;

(9) any relationship to the district's 10-year Educational Facilities Master Plan;

(10) a description of the scope of work to be done, schedule of achieved and projected major milestones, and an explanation for any delay in meeting projected milestones; and

(11) a detailed summary of all modernization, new construction, or other capital improvements, and a process for making recommendations for modernization of existing school facilities, new school facility construction, and other school facility capital improvements planned for the next fiscal year.

(d) The chief executive officer shall present a final proposed one-year capital improvement plan to the Board for consideration.

(e) The Board shall adopt a final one-year capital improvement plan no more than 45 days after adopting the annual budget.

(f) Beginning with fiscal year 2013, the chief executive officer shall publish a proposed 5-year capital improvement plan with the proposed one-year capital improvement plan. The 5-year capital improvement plan shall include proposed capital improvements for the next 4 years and, to the extent practicable, the same information for each proposed project that is required for the one-year capital improvement plan.

(g) The 5-year capital improvement plan shall be assessed annually. An annual report shall be published explaining the differences between projected capital projects in the 5-year capital improvement plan and the capital projects authorized in the proposed one-year capital improvement plan for the following fiscal year. The 5-year plan shall be published on the district's Internet website and distributed to all principals.

(Source: P.A. 100-965, eff. 8-19-18.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-220)

Sec. 34-220. Financial transparency.

(a) For fiscal year 2012, the chief executive officer shall provide the Board with an annual capital expenditure report within 90 days after the end of the fiscal year. The report shall be published on the district's Internet website.

(b) For fiscal year 2013 and thereafter, the chief executive officer shall provide the Board with an annual capital expenditure report within 90 days after the end of the fiscal year. The report shall be published on the district's Internet website. The annual capital expenditure report shall include the following:

(1) expenditures on all facilities in which students enrolled in the district receive instruction for all capital projects on which funds were expended in that fiscal year, even if the project was not initiated or completed in the fiscal year;

(2) identification of capital projects that aligned with the school-based facility needs assessment and recommendations of school principals or were the result of other public input;

(3) the levels of appropriation actually provided to the district for capital projects in the fiscal year by the city, the State, and the federal government, with a comparison of the level of such funding against funding levels for the prior 5 years; and

(4) a summary comparison of annual capital expenses and the corresponding one-year capital improvement plan.

(c) A list of all property owned by or leased to the Board shall be published on the district's Internet website by January 1, 2012, and shall be updated annually. For each property listed, the most recent facility standards review and any capital improvement projects that are pending or planned or have been completed in the 2-year period prior to publication shall be outlined.

(d) All lease agreements in which the Board is a lessor or lessee shall be published on the district's Internet website for the duration of the lease. Temporary facility use, right of entry, and other temporary license agreements not exceeding one year in duration are not subject to this requirement.

(e) The district shall publish on the district's Internet website a summary of the lease agreements in which the Board is a lessor or lessee, including the following:

(1) a description of the leasehold;

(2) the full legal name of the parties to the agreement;

(3) the term of the agreement;

(4) the rent amount; and

(5) the party responsible for maintenance, capital improvements, utilities, and other expenses.

(Source: P.A. 97-473, eff. 1-1-12; 97-474, eff. 8-22-11.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-222)

Sec. 34-222. School attendance boundaries.

(a) At least once every 5 years, the Department of School Demographics and Planning ("DSP") shall evaluate the enrollment at existing schools in the school district to determine if there is a need to revise existing boundaries.

(1) In reviewing the enrollment at existing schools to determine if there is a need to revise existing boundaries, DSP shall consider a range of factors, including the following:

(A) capacities of the school being reviewed and schools with contiguous boundaries to the school being reviewed;

(B) current and projected racial and ethnic composition of the school being reviewed and any schools with contiguous boundaries to the school being reviewed;

(C) current and projected income level composition of the school being reviewed and any schools with contiguous boundaries to the school being reviewed;

(D) geographic barriers;

(E) travel time and distance to the school; and

(F) program considerations of the school being reviewed and any schools with contiguous boundaries to the school being reviewed.

(2) DSP shall submit a written report of its findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the chief executive officer and the Board. The report shall document the evaluation of the factors of the school being reviewed. The report shall be made public on the district's website within 30 days after its completion.

(b) If it is determined that there is a need to revise any existing boundaries, DSP shall develop and recommend any proposed changes to the chief executive officer prior to the beginning of the school year in which the changes are to take effect. In addition, DSP shall develop and recommend proposed boundaries for new schools to the chief executive officer prior to the beginning of the school year in which the new school boundaries are to take effect.

(1) In developing proposed changes to boundaries for existing schools and proposing attendance boundaries for new schools, DSP shall consider a range of factors, including the following:

(A) DSP shall consider the capacities of each of the schools involved in the proposed boundary revisions, including the extent to which a school is overcrowded or underutilized. Where feasible, the goal is for elementary schools to be utilized at not more than 80% of design capacity and for high schools at not more than 100% of program capacity. Schools shall be considered severely overcrowded if they are operating in excess of 100% utilization and significantly underutilized if they are operating at less than 30% utilization. DSP shall consider these utilization rates when proposing revisions to attendance boundaries for existing schools and when proposing attendance boundaries for new schools.

(B) DSP shall consider the current and projected racial and ethnic composition of the schools affected. Where feasible, DSP shall propose establishing or revising attendance boundaries to maintain or promote stably desegregated enrollments in each of the affected schools and to avoid the creation of one-race schools.

(C) DSP shall consider geographic barriers so as to promote safety and minimize transportation burdens, to the extent feasible.

(D) DSP shall consider travel time and distance and, to the extent feasible, seek to minimize travel time and distance.

(E) DSP shall consider the placement of programs in each of the schools involved, such as programs for English learners and for special education students. In addition, DSP shall consider the impact of magnet schools and programs and the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act and the Illinois Balanced Accountability Measures.

(2) For each proposed attendance boundary, DSP shall develop at least 2 alternatives. For each alternative, DSP shall prepare a report showing 3-year enrollment projections by racial and ethnic groups for all schools affected by the proposed change pursuant to each alternative. The report shall document for each alternative the impact on the affected schools for the factors of capacity, geographic barriers, travel time and distance, and program considerations. In developing alternatives, DSP shall consider whether any feasible alternatives would better maintain or promote stably desegregated enrollments in each of the affected schools or better avoid the creation of one-race schools. The report shall be made public on the district's website within 30 days after its completion.

(c) The chief executive officer shall review the report from DSP and may suggest additional alternatives. The chief executive officer shall report to the Board if he or she recommends any changes to existing boundaries or establishing boundaries for new schools. If the chief executive officer is recommending any changes to existing boundaries or establishing any boundaries for new schools, the chief executive officer shall provide the Board with a report of the alternatives considered, including data on the factors of capacity, current and projected racial and ethnic considerations, geographic barriers, travel time and distance, and program considerations. The chief executive officer shall inform the Board of the alternative that is being recommended. The report shall be made public on the district's website within 30 days after its completion.

(d) Prior to taking action on the establishment or revision of any attendance boundaries, the Board shall conduct public hearings on the proposed establishment or revision of attendance boundaries and the chief executive officer's recommendation. Prior to the public hearing, the Board shall make available reports and data on the factors of capacity, current and projected racial and ethnic considerations, geographic barriers, travel time and distance, and program considerations. In making its decision, the Board shall consider the factors of capacity, current and projected racial and ethnic considerations, geographic barriers, travel time and distance, and program considerations.

(Source: P.A. 102-777, eff. 1-1-23.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-225)

Sec. 34-225. School transition plans.

(a) If the Board approves a school action, the chief executive officer or his or her designee shall work collaboratively with local school educators and families of students attending a school that is the subject of a school action to ensure successful integration of affected students into new learning environments.

(b) The chief executive officer or his or her designee shall prepare and implement a school transition plan to support students attending a school that is the subject of a school action that accomplishes the goals of this Section. The chief executive must identify and commit specific resources for implementation of the school transition plan for a minimum of the full first academic year after the board approves a school action.

(c) The school transition plan shall include the following:

(1) services to support the academic, social, and emotional needs of students; supports for students with disabilities, homeless students, and English language learners; and support to address security and safety issues;

(2) options to enroll in higher performing schools;

(3) informational briefings regarding the choice of schools that include all pertinent information to enable the parent or guardian and child to make an informed choice, including the option to visit the schools of choice prior to making a decision;

(4) the provision of appropriate transportation where practicable;

(5) the departments that are responsible for the oversight;

(6) specific programs to be offered; and

(7) support to implement plans at receiving schools, specifying the funding source.

(d) When implementing a school action, the Board must make reasonable and demonstrated efforts to ensure that:

(1) affected students receive a comparable level of social support services provided by Chicago Public Schools that were available at the previous school, provided that the need for such social support services continue to exist; and

(2) class sizes of any receiving school do not exceed those established under the Chicago Public Schools policy regarding class size, subject to principal discretion.

(Source: P.A. 100-965, eff. 8-19-18.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-230)

Sec. 34-230. School action public meetings and hearings.

(a) By October 1 of each year, the chief executive officer shall prepare and publish guidelines for school actions. The guidelines shall outline the academic and non-academic criteria for a school action. These guidelines shall be created with the involvement of local school councils, parents, educators, and community organizations. These guidelines, and each subsequent revision, shall be subject to a public comment period of at least 21 days before their approval.

(b) The chief executive officer shall announce all proposed school actions to be taken at the close of the current academic year consistent with the guidelines by December 1 of each year.

(c) On or before December 1 of each year, the chief executive officer shall publish notice of the proposed school actions.

(1) Notice of the proposal for a school action shall include a written statement of the basis for the school action, an explanation of how the school action meets the criteria set forth in the guidelines, and a draft School Transition Plan identifying the items required in Section 34-225 of this Code for all schools affected by the school action. The notice shall state the date, time, and place of the hearing or meeting. For a school closure only, 8 months after notice is given, the chief executive officer must publish on the district's website a full financial report on the closure that includes an analysis of the closure's costs and benefits to the district.

(2) The chief executive officer or his or her designee shall provide notice to the principal, staff, local school council, and parents or guardians of any school that is subject to the proposed school action.

(3) The chief executive officer shall provide written notice of any proposed school action to the State Senator, State Representative, and alderperson for the school or schools that are subject to the proposed school action.

(4) The chief executive officer shall publish notice of proposed school actions on the district's Internet website.

(5) The chief executive officer shall provide notice of proposed school actions at least 30 calendar days in advance of a public hearing or meeting. The notice shall state the date, time, and place of the hearing or meeting. No Board decision regarding a proposed school action may take place less than 60 days after the announcement of the proposed school action.

(d) The chief executive officer shall publish a brief summary of the proposed school actions and the date, time, and place of the hearings or meetings in a newspaper of general circulation.

(e) The chief executive officer shall designate at least 3 opportunities to elicit public comment at a hearing or meeting on a proposed school action and shall do the following:

(1) Convene at least one public hearing at the centrally located office of the Board.

(2) Convene at least 2 additional public hearings or meetings at a location convenient to the school community subject to the proposed school action.

(f) Public hearings shall be conducted by a qualified independent hearing officer chosen from a list of independent hearing officers. The general counsel shall compile and publish a list of independent hearing officers by November 1 of each school year. The independent hearing officer shall have the following qualifications:

(1) he or she must be a licensed attorney eligible to practice law in Illinois;

(2) he or she must not be an employee of the Board; and

(3) he or she must not have represented the Board, its employees or any labor organization representing its employees, any local school council, or any charter or contract school in any capacity within the last year.

The independent hearing officer shall issue a written report that summarizes the hearing and determines whether the chief executive officer complied with the requirements of this Section and the guidelines.

The chief executive officer shall publish the report on the district's Internet website within 5 calendar days after receiving the report and at least 15 days prior to any Board action being taken.

(g) Public meetings shall be conducted by a representative of the chief executive officer. A summary of the public meeting shall be published on the district's Internet website within 5 calendar days after the meeting.

(h) If the chief executive officer proposes a school action without following the mandates set forth in this Section, the proposed school action shall not be approved by the Board during the school year in which the school action was proposed.

(Source: P.A. 101-133, eff. 7-26-19; 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-232)

Sec. 34-232. Proposed school action announcement and notice; 2012-2013 school year. The following apply for school actions proposed during the 2012-2013 school year:

(1) On or before March 31, 2013, the chief executive officer shall announce all proposed school actions to be taken at the close of the current academic year consistent with the guidelines published under Section 34-230 of this Code.

(2) On or before March 31, 2013, the chief executive officer shall publish notice of the proposed school actions.

(3) The chief executive officer shall provide notice of proposed school actions at least 15 calendar days in advance of a public hearing or meeting.

All other provisions of Section 34-230 of this Code that do not conflict with this Section must be followed when proposing school actions.

(Source: P.A. 97-1133, eff. 11-30-12.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-235)

Sec. 34-235. Emergencies. Nothing in Sections 34-200 through 34-235 of this Code prevents the district from taking emergency action to protect the health and safety of students and staff in an attendance center. In the event of an emergency that requires the district to close all or part of a school facility, including compliance with a directive of a duly authorized public safety agency, the chief executive officer or his or her designees are authorized to take all steps necessary to protect the safety of students and staff, including relocation of the attendance center to another location or closing the attendance center. In such cases, the chief executive officer shall provide written notice of the basis for the emergency action within 3 days after declaring the emergency and shall publish the steps that have been taken or will be taken to address the emergency within 10 days after declaring the emergency. The notice shall be posted on the district's website and provided to the principal, the local school council, and the State Senator, the State Representative, and the alderperson of the school that is the subject of the emergency action. The notice shall explain why the district could not comply with the provisions in Sections 34-200 through 34-235 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 102-15, eff. 6-17-21.)

(105 ILCS 5/Art. 34A heading) ARTICLE 34A SCHOOL FINANCE AUTHORITY

(105 ILCS 5/34A-101) (from Ch. 122, par. 34A-101)

Sec. 34A-101. Short title. This Article shall be known and may be cited as the "School Finance Authority Act."

(Source: P.A. 81-1221.)

(105 ILCS 5/34A-102) (from Ch. 122, par. 34A-102)

Sec. 34A-102. Findings and purpose.

(a) The General Assembly finds:

(i) A fundamental goal of the people of the State, as expressed in Section 1 of Article X of the Illinois Constitution, is the educational development of all persons to the limits of their capacities. When a board of education faces financial difficulties, continued operation of the public school system is threatened.

(ii) A sound financial structure is essential to the continued operation of any school system. It is vital to commercial, educational and cultural interests that the public schools remain in operation. To achieve that goal, public school systems must have effective access to the private market to borrow short and long term funds.

(iii) To promote the financial integrity of boards of education of cities having a population exceeding 500,000, it is necessary to provide for the creation of school finance authorities with the powers necessary to promote sound financial management and to assure the continued operation of the public schools.

(b) It is the purpose of this Article to provide a secure financial basis for the continued operation of the public schools. In addition, it is the further purpose of this Article to facilitate implementation of school reform in the continued operation of the public schools in accordance with the provisions of this amendatory Act of 1991. The intention of the General Assembly, in enacting this legislation, is to establish procedures, provide powers and impose restrictions to assure the financial and educational integrity of the public schools while leaving principal responsibility for the educational policies of the public schools to the boards of education within the State, consistent with the requirements for satisfying the public policy and purpose herein set forth.

(Source: P.A. 85-1418; 86-1477.)

(105 ILCS 5/34A-103) (from Ch. 122, par. 34A-103)

Sec. 34A-103. Definitions. As used in this Article:

(a) "Authority" means the "(Name of City) School Finance Authority";

(b) "Board" means any board of education to which this Article is applicable;

(c) "Budget" means the budget of the Board as defined in Section 34-43 of this Act, as from time to time in effect;

(d) "Chairman" means the chairman of the Authority appointed pursuant to paragraph (c) of Section 34A-301 of this Article;

(e) "City" means the city wherein the school district of such Board is located;

(f) "Financial Plan" means the financial plan of the Board to be developed pursuant to Section 34A-403 of this Article, as from time to time in effect;

(g) "Fiscal Year" means the fiscal year of the Board;

(h) "Governor" means the Governor of the State of Illinois;

(i) "School year" means the school year of the Board;

(j) "Approved System-Wide Educational Reform Goals and Objectives Plan" means the system-wide educational reform goals and objectives plan that has been accepted and approved by the Authority;

(k) "Investment Obligations" means any of the following which at the time of investment are legal investments under the laws of the State for the money proposed to be invested therein:

(i) Direct obligations of, or obligations the principal of and interest on which are unconditionally guaranteed by, the United States of America;

(ii) Bonds, debentures or notes or other evidence of indebtedness issued or guaranteed by any of the following agencies: Bank for Cooperatives; Federal Intermediate Credit Banks; Federal Land Banks; Federal Home Loan Banks; the Federal National Mortgage Association; the United States Postal Service; the Government National Mortgage Association; the Federal Financing National Mortgage Association; the Federal Financing Bank; or any other agency or instrumentality of the United States of America now existing or hereafter created;

(iii) New Housing Authority Bonds issued by public agencies or municipalities and fully secured as to the payment of both principal and interest by a pledge of annual contributions under an Annual Contributions Contract or Contracts with the United States of America, or Project Notes issued by public agencies or municipalities and fully secured as to the payment of both principal and interest by a requisition or payment agreement with the United States of America;

(iv) Direct and general obligations of, or obligations guaranteed by, the State, to the payment of the principal of and interest on which the full faith and credit of the State is pledged;

(v) Negotiable or non-negotiable time deposits evidenced by certificates of deposit issued by banks, trust companies or national banking associations (which may include the trustee) which are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and savings and loan associations which are members of the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation, provided that such time deposits in any such bank, trust company, national banking association or savings and loan association are continuously secured by obligations described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) of this definition, provided further that such obligations at all times have a market value at least equal to the maturity value of the deposits so secured, including accrued interest; and

(vi) Repurchase agreements with banks (which may include the trustee) described in clause (v) of this definition and government bond dealers reporting to, trading with, and recognized as primary dealers by a Federal Reserve Bank, the underlying securities of which are obligations described in clauses (i) or (ii) of this definition, provided that the underlying securities are required to be continuously maintained at a market value not less than the amount so invested;

(l) "Mayor" means the Mayor of the City;

(m) "Obligations" means bonds and notes of the Authority;

(n) "State" means the State of Illinois.

(Source: P.A. 85-1418; 86-1477.)

(105 ILCS 5/34A-104) (from Ch. 122, par. 34A-104)

Sec. 34A-104. Establishment of Authority. For each school district organized under Article 34 there is established a body both corporate and politic and a unit of local government to be known as the "(Name of City) School Finance Authority" which, in such name, shall exercise all authority vested in such Authority by this Article.

(Source: P.A. 81-1221.)

(105 ILCS 5/34A-201) (from Ch. 122, par. 34A-201)

Sec. 34A-201. General powers. The purposes of the Authority shall be to exercise financial control over the Board, and to furnish financial assistance so that the Board can provide public education within the Board's jurisdiction while permitting the Board to meet its obligations to its creditors and the holders of its notes and bonds. Except as expressly limited by this Article, the Authority shall have all powers necessary to meet its responsibilities and to carry out its purposes and the purposes of this Article, including, but not limited to, the following powers:

(a) to sue and be sued;

(b) to provide for its organization and internal management and, subject to agreements with or for the benefit of holders of its Obligations, to make rules and regulations governing the use of its property and facilities;

(c) to make and execute contracts, leases, subleases and all other instruments or agreements necessary or convenient for the exercise of the powers and functions granted by this Article;

(d) to purchase real or personal property necessary or convenient for its purposes; to execute and deliver deeds for real property held in its own name; to mortgage, pledge or otherwise grant security interests in such properties; and to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of such of its property as, in the judgment of the Authority, is no longer necessary for its purposes;

(e) to appoint officers, agents, and employees of the Authority, define their duties and qualifications and fix their compensation and employee benefits;

(f) to lend or otherwise transfer to the Board such sums of money as are not required for other purposes;

(g) to borrow money and to issue Obligations pursuant to this Article, to fund, refund or advance refund the same, to provide for the rights of the holders of its Obligations, and to repay any advances;

(h) subject to the provisions of any contract with or for the benefit of the holders of its Obligations, to purchase or redeem its Obligations or to purchase the notes, bonds or obligations of the Board or the notes, bonds or obligations of the City;

(i) to procure insurance against any loss in such amounts and from such insurers as it deems desirable;

(j) to engage the services of consultants for rendering professional and technical assistance and advice on matters within the Authority's power;

(k) to contract for and to accept any gifts, grants or loans of funds or property or financial or other aid in any form from the federal government, state government, unit of local government, school district or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or from any other private or public source, and to comply with the terms and conditions thereof;

(l) as security for the payment of the principal of and interest on its Obligations and for the performance of any agreements made in connection therewith, to grant a security interest or lien upon all or any part of its property or revenues;

(m) to pay the expenses of its operations; and

(n) to do any and all things necessary or convenient to carry out its purposes and exercise the powers given to the Authority by this Article.

(Source: P.A. 81-1221.)

(105 ILCS 5/34A-201.1)

Sec. 34A-201.1. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 89-15, eff. 5-30-95. Repealed by P.A. 89-698, eff. 1-14-97.)

(105 ILCS 5/34A-201a) (from Ch. 122, par. 34A-201a)

Sec. 34A-201a. (Repealed).

(Source: Repealed by P.A. 88-511.)

(105 ILCS 5/34A-202) (from Ch. 122, par. 34A-202)

Sec. 34A-202. Deposits and Investments. (a) The Authority shall have the power to establish checking and whatever other banking or savings and loan association accounts it may deem appropriate for conducting its affairs.

(b) Subject to the provisions of any contract with or for the benefit of the holders of its Obligations, the Authority may invest any funds not required for immediate use or disbursement, whether pursuant to Section 34A-201 of this Article or otherwise, only in Investment Obligations.

No bank or savings and loan association shall receive public funds as permitted by this Section, unless it has complied with the requirements established pursuant to Section 6 of "An Act relating to certain investments of public funds by public agencies", approved July 23, 1943, as now or hereafter amended.

(Source: P.A. 83-541.)

(105 ILCS 5/34A-301) (from Ch. 122, par. 34A-301)

Sec. 34A-301. Board of Directors. The governing body of the Authority shall be a board consisting of 5 Directors appointed as follows:

(a) Two Directors appointed by the Governor, with the approval of the Mayor.

(b) Two Directors appointed by the Mayor, with the approval of the Governor.

(c) One Director appointed jointly by the Governor and the Mayor, who shall serve as Chairman.

(d) The Governor and the Mayor shall certify their respective appointments and approvals to the Secretary of State.

(Source: P.A. 81-1221.)