Public Act 094-0426
 
SB0069 Enrolled LRB094 04244 NHT 34268 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
27-23 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/27-23)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-23)
    Sec. 27-23. Motor Vehicle Code. The curriculum in all
public schools shall include a course dealing with the content
of Chapters 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16 of the Illinois Vehicle
Code, the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to those
Chapters insofar as they pertain to the operation of motor
vehicles, and the portions of the Litter Control Act relating
to the operation of motor vehicles. Instruction shall be given
in safety education in each grade, 1 through 8, equivalent to 1
class period each week, and in at least 1 of the years in
grades 10 through 12. The course of instruction required of
each eligible student at the high school level shall consist of
a minimum of 30 clock hours of classroom instruction taught by
a certified high school teacher who has acquired special
qualifications as required for participation under the terms of
Section 27-24.2 of this Act. Each school district maintaining
grades 9 through 12: (i) shall provide the classroom course for
each public and non-public high school student resident of the
school district who either has received a passing grade in at
least 8 courses during the previous 2 semesters or has received
a waiver of that requirement from the local superintendent of
schools (with respect to a public high school student) or chief
school administrator (with respect to a non-public high school
student), as provided in Section 27-24.2, and for each
out-of-school resident of the district between the age of 15
and 21 years who requests the classroom course, and (ii) may
provide such classroom course for any resident of the district
over age 55 who requests the classroom course, but only if
space therein remains available after all eligible public and
non-public high school student residents and out-of-school
residents between the age of 15 and 21 who request such course
have registered therefor, and only if such resident of the
district over age 55 has not previously been licensed as a
driver under the laws of this or any other state or country.
Each school district (i) shall provide an approved course in
practice driving consisting of a minimum of 6 clock hours of
individual behind-the-wheel instruction or its equivalent in a
car, as determined by the State Board of Education, for each
eligible resident of the district between the age of 15 and 21
years who has started an approved high school classroom driver
education course on request, and (ii) may provide such approved
course in practice driving for any resident of the district
over age 55 on request and without regard to whether or not
such resident has started any high school classroom driver
education course, but only if space therein remains available
after all eligible residents of the district between the ages
of 15 and 21 years who have started an approved classroom
driver education course and who request such course in practice
driving have registered therefor, and only if such resident of
the district over age 55 has not previously been licensed as a
driver under the laws of this or any other state or country.
Subject to rules and regulations of the State Board of
Education, the district may charge a reasonable fee, not to
exceed $50, to students who participate in the course, unless a
student is unable to pay for such a course, in which event the
fee for such a student shall be waived. The total amount from
driver education fees and reimbursement from the State for
driver education must not exceed the total cost of the driver
education program in any year and must be deposited into the
school district's driver education fund as a separate line item
budget entry. All moneys deposited into the school district's
driver education fund must be used solely for the funding of a
high school driver education program approved by the State
Board of Education that uses instructors certified by the State
Board of Education. If ; provided, that if a district provides
the classroom or practice driving course or both of such
courses to any residents of the district over age 55, the
district may charge such residents a fee in any amount up to
but not exceeding the actual cost of the course or courses in
which such residents participate. The course of instruction
given in grades 10 through 12 shall include an emphasis on the
development of knowledge, attitudes, habits and skills
necessary for the safe operation of motor vehicles including
motorcycles insofar as they can be taught in the classroom, and
in addition the course shall include instruction on special
hazards existing at, and required extra safety and driving
precautions that must be observed at, emergency situations,
highway construction and maintenance zones, and railroad
crossings and the approaches thereto.
(Source: P.A. 92-497, eff. 11-29-01.)