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90_SB0864
105 ILCS 5/2-3.71 from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.71
Amends the School Code. Makes technical changes in the
Section relating to grants for preschool educational and
research-training programs.
LRB9003493EGfg
LRB9003493EGfg
1 AN ACT to amend the School Code by changing Section
2 2-3.71.
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 2-3.71 as follows:
7 (105 ILCS 5/2-3.71) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.71)
8 Sec. 2-3.71. Grants for preschool educational and
9 related model research-training programs.
10 (a) Preschool program.
11 (1) The State Board of Education shall implement
12 and administer a grant program under the provisions of
13 this subsection which shall consist of grants to public
14 school districts to conduct preschool educational
15 programs for children ages 3 to 5 which include a parent
16 education component. A public school district which
17 receives grants under this subsection may subcontract
18 with a private school, not-for-profit corporation, or
19 other governmental agency to conduct a preschool
20 educational program. Except as otherwise provided in
21 paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, all teachers
22 of such programs shall (i) hold early childhood teaching
23 certificates issued under Article 21, or (ii) hold
24 elementary certificates issued under Article 21 with
25 kindergarten or preschool experience, or (iii) hold
26 baccalaureate degrees in child development, or (iv) meet
27 the requirements for supervising a day care center under
28 the Child Care Act of 1969, as amended.
29 (2) After December 31, 1989, any persons newly
30 hired to teach in the program authorized pursuant to this
31 subsection shall hold the certification required pursuant
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1 to subparagraphs (i), (ii) or (iii) of paragraph (1) of
2 this subsection.
3 (3) After July 1, 1998, any teacher in the program
4 authorized by this subsection shall hold an early
5 childhood teaching certificate.
6 (4) The State Board of Education shall provide the
7 primary source of funding through appropriations for this
8 program. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b),
9 such funds shall be distributed for the benefit of
10 children who because of their home and community
11 environment are subject to such language, cultural,
12 economic and like disadvantages that they have been
13 determined as a result of screening procedures to be at
14 risk of academic failure. Such screening procedures
15 shall be based on criteria established by the State Board
16 of Education.
17 (5) The State Board of Education shall develop and
18 provide evaluation tools, including tests, that school
19 districts may use to evaluate children for school
20 readiness prior to age 5. The State Board of Education
21 shall require school districts to obtain consent from the
22 parents or guardians of children before any evaluations
23 are conducted. The State Board of Education shall
24 encourage local school districts to evaluate the
25 population of preschool children in their districts and
26 provide preschool programs, pursuant to this subsection,
27 where appropriate.
28 (6) The State Board of Education shall report to
29 the General Assembly by July 1, 1989 and every 3 years
30 thereafter, on the results and progress of students who
31 were enrolled in preschool educational programs,
32 including an assessment of which programs have been most
33 successful in promoting academic excellence and
34 alleviating academic failure. The State Board of
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1 Education shall assess the academic progress of all
2 students who have been enrolled in preschool educational
3 programs.
4 (b) Up to 5% of the amounts annually appropriated for
5 purposes of preschool educational programs under this Section
6 may be used by the State Board of Education for grants to
7 school districts and public and private institutions of
8 higher education to establish and implement coordinated model
9 programs which include both a research component in early
10 childhood development and psychology and a personnel training
11 component in preferred teaching methodologies in effective
12 preschool educational programs. The State Board of Education
13 shall by rule establish criteria for the content, objectives
14 and manner of implementing model programs which may qualify
15 for grant awards under this subsection. Such criteria may
16 include considerations of the ability of a proposed model
17 program to serve children from preschool and early childhood
18 age groupings, including children therefrom who are or may
19 not be at risk, and of the ability of the proposed model
20 program to incorporate program site student teaching, for
21 early childhood certification purposes, of the children
22 actually served by the model program. The State Board of
23 Education shall establish standards within its rules for the
24 form of grant applications submitted under this subsection
25 and for evaluating those applications against the qualifying
26 criteria established as provided in this subsection for model
27 program content, objectives and implementation.
28 (Source: P.A. 86-316; 86-400; 86-1028; 87-141; 87-515;
29 87-895.)