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| Public Act 096-0421 |
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | ||||
represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the | ||||
Children's Low-cost Laptop Act. | ||||
Section 5. Policy and purpose. The General Assembly finds | ||||
that the decreasing cost of computer technology makes it | ||||
possible today to equip more children than ever before with | ||||
21st century learning tools. The dramatic expansion of low-cost | ||||
computing options and the worldwide reliance on computer | ||||
technology for commerce, education, information, and social | ||||
interaction makes it ever more important to introduce computing | ||||
skills to students at an early age. Accordingly, the State | ||||
Board of Education shall establish a pilot project whereby | ||||
schools will provide a low-cost laptop computer to each | ||||
student, teacher, and relevant administrator in a | ||||
participating school and implement the use of educational | ||||
software and computer skills training in order to improve | ||||
academic achievement and the progress measures listed in | ||||
subsection (a) of Section 20 in this Act. | ||||
Section 10. Definitions. In this Act: | ||||
"Primary school" means any school with students in third, | ||||
fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth grade. | ||
"Low-cost laptop" means a portable personal computing | ||
device suitable for use among primary school-aged children, | ||
under $400 in initial cost or with a financed cost of under | ||
$250 per year.
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"State Board" means the State Board of Education.
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Section 15. Pilot project; Children's Low-cost Laptop | ||
Fund.
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(a) Subject to an appropriation made specifically for this | ||
purpose, the State Board shall provide for the administration | ||
of a low-cost laptop pilot project. The pilot project shall be | ||
for a period of at least 2 years. In administering the pilot | ||
project, the State Board shall: | ||
(1) select participating primary schools; | ||
(2) coordinate a statewide grant program for selected | ||
schools to purchase and distribute laptop computers and | ||
other technologies; | ||
(3) define the conditions for the distribution and use | ||
of grant funding; | ||
(4) monitor project implementation; and | ||
(5) evaluate the project. | ||
(b) The State Board may also use, for the purposes of the | ||
pilot project, any public or private gift, grant, or donation | ||
deposited into the State Board of Education Special Purpose | ||
Trust Fund under Section 2-3.127a of the School Code. Pilot | ||
project funds must be used for the following: | ||
(1) to purchase low-cost laptop computers; | ||
(2) for network infrastructure to support wireless | ||
access points, cables, and routers; | ||
(3) for replacements for any of the following low-cost | ||
laptop components: batteries, power cords, or other | ||
software and hardware; | ||
(4) for professional development and technical support | ||
for participating teachers; for the purposes of this item | ||
(4), "professional development" means the training of | ||
certified teaching professionals in the integration of | ||
low-cost laptop computers into the classroom curriculum;
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(5) to support necessary staff positions at the State | ||
Board; and | ||
(6) to evaluate the pilot program's effectiveness. | ||
The State Board may not allocate more than $100 million for | ||
the pilot project. The pilot project must be implemented as | ||
long as funds are available under this Section to support the | ||
participation of at least 3 schools. | ||
Section 20. Program participation requirements.
A school | ||
may apply to the State Board to establish a low-cost laptop | ||
pilot project grant for the entire school or for a particular | ||
grade or classroom or classrooms. | ||
The State Board shall select up to 300 schools to | ||
participate in the pilot project. At least one-third of the | ||
participating students shall be located in the City of Chicago; | ||
at least one-third shall be located in the area that makes up | ||
the counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, and that | ||
portion of Cook County that is
located outside of the City of | ||
Chicago; and at least one-third shall be located in the | ||
remainder of the State.
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The State Board shall select the participating schools for | ||
the pilot project based on need. In selecting participants, the | ||
State Board shall consider each school's: | ||
(1) free and reduced lunch eligible student | ||
population; | ||
(2) access to educational technology resources; and | ||
(3) performance on standardized tests required by the | ||
State Board. | ||
Section 25. Reporting.
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(a) The school board of each participating school shall | ||
send an annual progress report to the State Board no later than | ||
September 1 of each year that the school is participating in | ||
the pilot project. The report must include the project's effect | ||
on: | ||
(1) performance on standardized tests required by the | ||
State Board; | ||
(2) school costs; | ||
(3) attendance rates; | ||
(4) teacher performance and retention; | ||
(5) parental involvement in education; | ||
(6) community support for the school; and | ||
(7) student technology proficiency. | ||
(b) With guidance from the State Board, each participating | ||
school shall determine how the low-cost laptops are purchased, | ||
assigned, maintained, and retained. | ||
Section 30. Repeal. This Act is repealed on August 31, | ||
2012.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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