Public Act 100-0760
 
HB4860 EnrolledLRB100 18649 AXK 33876 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
10-20.56 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.56)
    Sec. 10-20.56. E-learning days.
    (a) The State Board of Education shall establish and
maintain, for implementation in selected school districts a
during the 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 school years, a
pilot program for use of electronic-learning (e-learning)
days, as described in this Section. The State Superintendent of
Education shall select up to 3 school districts for this
program, at least one of which may be an elementary or unit
school district. The use of e-learning days may not begin until
the second semester of the 2015-2016 school year, and the pilot
program shall conclude with the end of the 2017-2018 school
year. On or before June 1, 2019, the State Board shall report
its recommendation for expansion, revision, or discontinuation
of the program to the Governor and General Assembly.
    (b) The school board of a school district selected by the
State Superintendent of Education under subsection (a) of this
Section may, by resolution, adopt a research-based program or
research-based programs for e-learning days district-wide that
shall permit student instruction to be received electronically
while students are not physically present in lieu of the
district's scheduled emergency days as required by Section
10-19 of this Code. The research-based program or programs may
not exceed the minimum number of emergency days in the approved
school calendar and must be submitted to the State
Superintendent for approval on or before September 1st annually
to ensure access for all students. The State Superintendent
shall approve programs that ensure that the specific needs of
all students are met, including special education students and
English learners, and that all mandates are still met using the
proposed research-based program. The e-learning program may
utilize the Internet, telephones, texts, chat rooms, or other
similar means of electronic communication for instruction and
interaction between teachers and students that meet the needs
of all learners.
    (c) Before its adoption by a school board, a school
district's initial proposal for an e-learning program or for
renewal of such a program must be approved by the State Board
of Education and shall follow a public hearing, at a regular or
special meeting of the school board, in which the terms of the
proposal must be substantially presented and an opportunity for
allowing public comments must be provided. Notice of such
public hearing must be provided at least 10 days prior to the
hearing by:
        (1) publication in a newspaper of general circulation
    in the school district;
        (2) written or electronic notice designed to reach the
    parents or guardians of all students enrolled in the school
    district; and
        (3) written or electronic notice designed to reach any
    exclusive collective bargaining representatives of school
    district employees and all those employees not in a
    collective bargaining unit.
    (d) A proposal for an e-learning program must be timely
approved by the State Board of Education if the requirements
specified in this Section have been met and if, in the view of
the State Board of Education, the proposal contains provisions
designed to reasonably and practicably accomplish the
following:
        (1) to ensure and verify at least 5 clock hours of
    instruction or school work for each student participating
    in an e-learning day;
        (2) to ensure access from home or other appropriate
    remote facility for all students participating, including
    computers, the Internet, and other forms of electronic
    communication that must be utilized in the proposed
    program;
        (3) to ensure appropriate learning opportunities for
    students with special needs;
        (4) to monitor and verify each student's electronic
    participation;
        (5) to address the extent to which student
    participation is within the student's control as to the
    time, pace, and means of learning;
        (6) to provide effective notice to students and their
    parents or guardians of the use of particular days for
    e-learning;
        (7) to provide staff and students with adequate
    training for e-learning days' participation;
        (8) to ensure an opportunity for any collective
    bargaining negotiations with representatives of the school
    district's employees that would be legally required; and
        (9) to review and revise the program as implemented to
    address difficulties confronted.
    The State Board of Education's approval of a school
district's initial e-learning program and renewal of the
e-learning program shall be for a term of 3 years.
    (e) The State Board of Education may adopt rules governing
its supervision and review of e-learning programs consistent
with the provision of this Section. However, in the absence of
such rules, school districts may submit proposals for State
Board of Education consideration under the authority of this
Section.
(Source: P.A. 99-194, eff. 7-30-15; 99-642, eff. 7-28-16.)
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.