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| Public Act 100-0992 | ||||
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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 adding Section | ||||
2-3.173 and by changing Section 27-22.05 as follows: | ||||
(105 ILCS 5/2-3.173 new) | ||||
Sec. 2-3.173. Registered apprenticeship program. | ||||
(a) In this Section, "registered apprenticeship program" | ||||
means an industry-based occupational training program of study | ||||
with standards reviewed and approved by the United States | ||||
Department of Labor that meets each of the following | ||||
characteristics: | ||||
(1) Apprentices in the program are at all times | ||||
employed by a company participating in the program. | ||||
(2) The program features a structured combination of | ||||
on-the-job learning supported by related technical | ||||
classroom instruction, met either by a high school or a | ||||
public community college. | ||||
(3) Apprentices in the program are paid a training wage | ||||
of not less than the State minimum wage, which escalates | ||||
throughout the life of the apprenticeship, and employment | ||||
is continued with the company following conclusion of the | ||||
apprenticeship for a period of not less than 2 years. | ||||
(4) Apprentices in the program earn an | ||
industry-related occupational skills certificate and a | ||
high school diploma. | ||
(5) Apprentices in the program may earn postsecondary | ||
credit toward a certificate or degree, as applicable. | ||
"Registered apprenticeship program" does not include an | ||
apprenticeship program related to construction, as defined | ||
under the Employee Classification Act. | ||
(b) No later than 6 months after the effective date of this | ||
amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, the State Board | ||
of Education shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding to adopt | ||
rules as may be necessary to allow students of any high school | ||
in this State who are 16 years of age or older to participate | ||
in registered apprenticeship programs. The rules shall include | ||
the waiver of all non-academic requirements mandated for | ||
graduation from a high school under this Code that would | ||
otherwise prohibit or prevent a student from participating in a | ||
registered apprenticeship program.
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(105 ILCS 5/27-22.05)
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Sec. 27-22.05. Required course substitute. Notwithstanding | ||
any other
provision of this Article or this Code, a school | ||
board that maintains any of
grades 9 through 12 is authorized | ||
to adopt a policy under which
a student who is enrolled in any | ||
of those grades
may satisfy one or more high school course or | ||
graduation requirements,
including, but not limited to, any | ||
requirements under Sections 27-6 and 27-22, by successfully | ||
completing a registered apprenticeship program under rules | ||
adopted by the State Board of Education under Section 2-3.173 | ||
of this Code, or by
substituting for and successfully | ||
completing in place of the high school course
or graduation | ||
requirement a related vocational or technical education | ||
course.
A vocational or technical education course shall not | ||
qualify as a related
vocational or technical education course | ||
within the meaning of this Section
unless it contains at least | ||
50% of the content of the required course or
graduation | ||
requirement for which it is substituted, as determined by the | ||
State
Board of Education in accordance with standards that it | ||
shall adopt and
uniformly apply for purposes of this Section. | ||
No vocational or technical
education course may be substituted | ||
for a required course or graduation
requirement under any | ||
policy adopted by a school board as authorized in this
Section | ||
unless the pupil's parent or guardian first
requests the | ||
substitution and approves it in writing on forms that the | ||
school
district makes available for purposes of this Section.
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(Source: P.A. 88-269.)
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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