Bill Text: IL HB3500 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Allows special education cooperatives to participate in a truants' alternative and optional education program. Includes special education cooperatives in the definition of "school district" in the Article concerning alternative learning opportunities. Effective immediately.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2019-01-08 - Session Sine Die [HB3500 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2017-HB3500-Introduced.html
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| 1 | AN ACT concerning education.
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| 2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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| 3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 2-3.66 and by adding Section 13B-15.3 as follows:
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| 6 | (105 ILCS 5/2-3.66) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.66)
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| 7 | Sec. 2-3.66. Truants' alternative and optional education | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | programs. To
establish projects to offer modified | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | instructional programs or other
services designed to prevent | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | students from dropping out of school,
including programs | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | pursuant to Section 2-3.41, and to serve as a part time
or full | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | time option in lieu of regular school attendance and to award
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| 13 | grants to local school districts, educational service regions, | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | special education cooperatives, or community
college districts | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | from appropriated funds to assist districts in
establishing | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | such projects. The education agency may operate its own
program | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | or enter into a contract with another not-for-profit entity to
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| 18 | implement the program. The projects shall allow dropouts, up to | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | and
including age 21, potential dropouts, including truants, | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | uninvolved,
unmotivated and disaffected students, as defined | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | by State Board of
Education rules and regulations, to enroll, | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | as an alternative to regular
school attendance, in an optional | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | education program which may be
established by school board | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| 1 | policy and is in conformance with rules adopted
by the State | ||||||
| 2 | Board of Education. Truants' Alternative and Optional
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| 3 | Education programs funded pursuant to this Section shall be
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| 4 | planned by a student, the student's parents or legal guardians, | ||||||
| 5 | unless the
student is 18 years or older, and school officials | ||||||
| 6 | and shall culminate in
an individualized optional education | ||||||
| 7 | plan. Such plan shall focus
on academic or vocational skills, | ||||||
| 8 | or both, and may include, but not be
limited to, evening | ||||||
| 9 | school, summer school, community college courses, adult
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| 10 | education, preparation courses for high school equivalency | ||||||
| 11 | testing, vocational training, work experience, programs to
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| 12 | enhance self concept and parenting courses. School districts | ||||||
| 13 | which are
awarded grants pursuant to this Section shall be | ||||||
| 14 | authorized to provide day
care services to children of students | ||||||
| 15 | who are eligible and desire to enroll
in programs established | ||||||
| 16 | and funded under this Section, but only if and to
the extent | ||||||
| 17 | that such day care is necessary to enable those eligible
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| 18 | students to attend and participate in the programs and courses | ||||||
| 19 | which are
conducted pursuant to this Section.
School districts, | ||||||
| 20 | special education cooperatives, and regional offices of | ||||||
| 21 | education may claim general State
aid under Section 18-8.05 for | ||||||
| 22 | students enrolled in truants' alternative and
optional | ||||||
| 23 | education programs, provided that such students are receiving | ||||||
| 24 | services
that are supplemental to a program leading to a high | ||||||
| 25 | school diploma and are
otherwise eligible to be claimed for | ||||||
| 26 | general State aid under Section 18-8.05.
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| 1 | (Source: P.A. 98-718, eff. 1-1-15.)
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| 2 | (105 ILCS 5/13B-15.3 new) | ||||||
| 3 | Sec. 13B-15.3. School district. "School district" includes | ||||||
| 4 | any district established under this Code as well as a special | ||||||
| 5 | education cooperative.
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| 6 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
| 7 | becoming law.
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