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| Public Act 100-0760 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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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
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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
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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.
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(Source: P.A. 99-194, eff. 7-30-15; 99-642, eff. 7-28-16.)
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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