Public Act 095-0225
 
HB2787 Enrolled LRB095 08150 NHT 32220 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 adding Section
3-15.17 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/3-15.17 new)
    Sec. 3-15.17. Civic education advancement.
    (a) The General Assembly finds that civic education and
participation are fundamental elements of a healthy democracy,
and schools are in need of support to identify civic learning
opportunities and to implement new strategies to prepare and
sustain high quality citizenship among their student body.
    (b) Subject to appropriation, funding for civic education
professional development for high school teachers must be
provided by line item appropriation made to the State Board of
Education for that purpose. When appropriated, the State Board
of Education must provide this funding to each regional
superintendent of schools based on high school enrollment as
reported on the State Board of Education's most recent fall
enrollment and housing report, except that 20% of each annual
appropriation must be reserved for a school district organized
under Article 34 of this Code.
    (c) In order to establish eligibility for one or more of
its schools to receive funding under this Section, a school
district shall submit to its regional superintendent of schools
an application, accompanied by a completed civic audit, for
each school. A regional superintendent shall award funds to a
district based on the number of teachers identified by the
district to receive professional development multiplied by
$250. A district must not be awarded more than $3,000 in any
year, unless additional funds remain available after all
eligible applicants have received funding. A district may not
use funds authorized under this Section in any school more than
once every 2 years. Funds provided under this Section must be
used exclusively for professional development provided by
entities that are approved providers for purposes of
certificate renewal under Section 21-14 of this Code.
    (d) The civic audit form and its content must be designed
and updated as deemed necessary by the Illinois Civic Mission
Coalition. Data from completed civic audits must be processed
by the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition. The civic audit must
be made available by the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition and
must be designed to provide teachers and principals with a
blueprint to better understand how current curriculum, service
learning, and extracurricular activities are providing civic
learning experiences for their students.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.