State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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[ House Amendment 003 ][ Senate Amendment 002 ]

90_HB0689eng

      105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g        from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25g
          Amends provisions of the School Code relating to  waivers
      and  modifications of School Code mandates.  Prohibits school
      districts from requesting  waivers  of  anything  that  would
      jeopardize  school  accreditation.  Requires the local public
      hearing on a district's waiver or modification application to
      be held on a day other than a regular  school  board  meeting
      day,  requires  the  district  to  give written notice of the
      public hearing to affected collective bargaining  agents  and
      to  the  State  legislators  who  represent the district, and
      requires a district to attest to  the  district's  compliance
      with  applicable  notification  and  procedural requirements.
      Requires (now authorizes) the State  Board  of  Education  to
      disapprove  a  request  for  a  waiver  or modification of an
      administrative  rule  or  a  modification  of  a  mandate  in
      specified instances.    Provides  that  the  State  Board  of
      Education  waiver  request  reports  that  are required to be
      filed with the General Assembly must include an  analysis  of
      how  the  waiver  would address statutory criteria for waiver
      approval.  Eliminates a requirement of filing waiver  reports
      with  the  Secretary  of  State.    Provides that a waiver or
      modification may be changed during the period that it  is  to
      remain in effect under the same procedure as is applicable to
      an  initial  waiver or modification request, and adds that if
      neither the State Board of Education nor the General Assembly
      disapproves,  the  change  is   deemed   granted.   Effective
      immediately.
                                                    LRB9001415THpkA
HB0689 Engrossed                              LRB9001415THpkA
 1        AN  ACT  to  amend  the  School  Code by changing Section
 2    2-3.25g.
 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section  5.   The  School  Code  is  amended  by changing
 6    Section 2-3.25g as follows:
 7        (105 ILCS 5/2-3.25g) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25g)
 8        Sec. 2-3.25g.  Waiver or modification of mandates  within
 9    the  School  Code  and  administrative rules and regulations.
10    Notwithstanding any other provisions of this School  Code  or
11    any other law of this State to the contrary, school districts
12    may  petition  the State Board of Education for the waiver or
13    modification of the mandates of this School Code  or  of  the
14    administrative rules and regulations promulgated by the State
15    Board    of   Education.    Waivers   or   modifications   of
16    administrative rules and  regulations  and  modifications  of
17    mandates  of  this School Code may be requested when a school
18    district demonstrates that it can address the intent  of  the
19    rule or mandate in a more effective, efficient, or economical
20    manner  or  when necessary to stimulate innovation or improve
21    student performance.  Waivers of mandates of the School  Code
22    may  be requested when the waivers are necessary to stimulate
23    innovation or improve student performance.  Waivers  may  not
24    be  requested from laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to
25    special education, teacher certification, or  teacher  tenure
26    and seniority.
27        School  districts,  as  a  matter  of inherent managerial
28    policy,  and  any  Independent  Authority  established  under
29    Section 2-3.25f may submit an application  for  a  waiver  or
30    modification authorized under this Section.  Each application
31    must  include  a  written  request  by the school district or
HB0689 Engrossed            -2-               LRB9001415THpkA
 1    Independent Authority and must demonstrate that the intent of
 2    the mandate can be addressed in a more effective,  efficient,
 3    or  economical  manner  or  be based upon a specific plan for
 4    improved student performance and  school  improvement.    Any
 5    district  requesting  a waiver or modification for the reason
 6    that intent of  the  mandate  can  be  addressed  in  a  more
 7    economical  manner  shall include in the application a fiscal
 8    analysis showing current  expenditures  on  the  mandate  and
 9    projected  savings resulting from the waiver or modification.
10    Applications and plans developed by school districts must  be
11    approved  by  each  board  of  education  following  a public
12    hearing on the application and plan and the  opportunity  for
13    the  board to hear testimony from educators directly involved
14    in its implementation,  parents,  and  students.  The  public
15    hearing  must  be  preceded  by at least one published notice
16    occurring at least 7 days prior to the hearing in a newspaper
17    of general circulation within the school district  that  sets
18    forth  the  time,  date, place, and general subject matter of
19    the hearing.  The school district must notify in writing  the
20    affected  exclusive  collective  bargaining  agent  and those
21    State  legislators  representing  the  district  holding  the
22    public hearing of the district's intent to seek approval of a
23    waiver or modification and of the hearing to be held to  take
24    testimony  from educators.  The affected exclusive collective
25    bargaining agents shall be notified of such public hearing at
26    least 7 days prior to the date of the hearing  and  shall  be
27    allowed to attend such public hearing.
28        A  request for a waiver or modification of administrative
29    rules and regulations  or  for  a  modification  of  mandates
30    contained in this School Code shall be submitted to the State
31    Board of Education within 15 days after approval by the board
32    of  education.   Following  receipt of the request, the State
33    Board shall have  45  days  to  review  the  application  and
34    request.    If  the  State  Board  fails  to  disapprove  the
HB0689 Engrossed            -3-               LRB9001415THpkA
 1    application  within  that  45  day  period,  the  waiver   or
 2    modification  shall  be  deemed granted.  The State Board may
 3    disapprove  any  request  if  it  is  not  based  upon  sound
 4    educational practices, endangers  the  health  or  safety  of
 5    students   or  staff,  compromises  equal  opportunities  for
 6    learning, or fails to demonstrate that the intent of the rule
 7    or mandate can be addressed in a more  effective,  efficient,
 8    or  economical manner or have improved student performance as
 9    a primary goal.  Any request disapproved by the  State  Board
10    may  be  appealed  to  the General Assembly by the requesting
11    school district as outlined in this Section.
12        A request for a waiver from mandates  contained  in  this
13    School  Code  shall be submitted to the State Board within 15
14    days after approval by the board  of  education.   The  State
15    Board   shall   review  the  applications  and  requests  for
16    completeness and shall compile the requests in reports to  be
17    filed with within the General Assembly. The State Board shall
18    file  reports  outlining  the  waivers  requested  by  school
19    districts   and  appeals  by  school  districts  of  requests
20    disapproved by the State Board with the Senate and, the House
21    of Representatives, and the Secretary of State before October
22    1, 1995, and thereafter before each May 1 and October 1.  The
23    General Assembly may disapprove the report of the State Board
24    in whole or in part within 30 calendar days after each  house
25    of  the  General Assembly legislature next convenes after the
26    report is filed by adoption of a resolution by a record  vote
27    of  the  majority  of  members elected in each house.  If the
28    General Assembly fails to disapprove any  waiver  request  or
29    appealed  request  within  such  30 day period, the waiver or
30    modification shall be deemed granted.  Any resolution adopted
31    by the General Assembly disapproving a report  of  the  State
32    Board  in  whole  or  in  part  shall be binding on the State
33    Board.
34        An approved waiver or modification may remain  in  effect
HB0689 Engrossed            -4-               LRB9001415THpkA
 1    for  a  period  not  to exceed 5 five school years and may be
 2    renewed upon application by  the  school  district.  However,
 3    such waiver or modification may be changed within that 5-year
 4    period  by  a  local  school  district  board  following  the
 5    procedure as set forth in this Section for the initial waiver
 6    or  modification  request.   If  neither  the  State Board of
 7    Education nor the General Assembly disapproves, the change is
 8    deemed granted. 
 9    (Source: P.A. 89-3, eff. 2-27-95; 89-626, eff. 8-9-96.)
10        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
11    becoming law.

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