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1		HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 39
2		WHEREAS, The National Research Center for Career and
3		Technical Education has identified a very strong correlation
4		between students taking 3 or more Career and Technical
5		Education (CTE) courses and being far more likely to enroll in
6		college; and
7		WHEREAS, Students taking 3 or more CTE courses are 28% more
8		likely to graduate from high school; and
9		WHEREAS, A commitment to career and technical education
10		helps to ensure that Illinois has a strong, well-trained
11		workforce that enhances productivity in business and industry,
12		and solidifies the State's leadership in the national and
13		international marketplaces; and
14		WHEREAS, Providing citizens with career and technical
15		education can stimulate the growth and vitality of businesses
16		and industries by preparing workers for the occupations
17		forecasted to experience the largest and fastest growth in the
18		next decade; and
19		WHEREAS, Career and technical education institutions
20		strive to provide rigorous and relevant curricula that
21		integrate academics, utilize technology, partner with

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1		community colleges through dual credit programs, and prepare
2		students for 21st century skills; and
3		WHEREAS, The first area career/vocational centers in
4		Illinois began operations in 1967 with 837 students; and
5		WHEREAS, There are presently 24 area career/vocational
6		centers, which offer skilled training to over 10,000 11th and
7		12th grade students; and
8		WHEREAS, Section 17-2.4 of the School Code established a
9		maximum tax rate by referendum of 0.5% for not more than 5
10		years for the purpose of establishing or constructing an area
11		career/vocational center, with the levy sun-setting after a
12		5-year period; and
13		WHEREAS, Area career/vocational centers have been
14		subsequently funded through tuition, the State Career and
15		Technical Education Improvement Grant, and, in some cases, the
16		Carl D. Perkins Vocational-Technical Education Act; and
17		WHEREAS, Many buildings housing area career/vocational
18		centers are over 40 years old and in desperate need of repairs,
19		renovations, and even expansion; and
20		WHEREAS, In the face of the present recession and

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1		reductions in member districts' equalized assessed valuations,
2		districts who are members of career/vocational centers are
3		unable to increase the present tuition charges to cover said
4		costs further; unless a funding mechanism is established,
5		career/vocational centers may have to either reduce the number
6		of students they can accept or reduce entire programs; and
7		WHEREAS, Unlike a school district, area career/vocational
8		centers have no direct taxing authority; and
9		WHEREAS, Transportation is an essential component for
10		students to access career and technical education programs;
11		therefore, be it
12		RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13		NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
14		SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Area Career
15		and Technical Education and Vocational Centers Task Force,
16		consisting of the following members:
17		(1) one member, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
18		(2) one member, appointed by the President of the
19		Senate;
20		(3) one member, appointed by the Minority Leader of the
21		Senate;
22		(4) one member, appointed by the Speaker of the House
23		of Representatives;

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1		(5) one member, appointed by the Minority Leader of the
2		House of Representatives;
3		(6) one member, of the Governor's staff, appointed by
4		the Governor;
5		(7) 2 representatives of an organization representing
6		career and technical administrators, appointed by the
7		Governor;
8		(8) one career center director, appointed by the
9		Governor;
10		(9) one education for employment system director,
11		appointed by the Governor;
12		(10) one member, appointed by the Illinois State Board
13		of Education; and
14		(11) one superintendent of a school district whose
15		district is a member of an area career/vocational
16		cooperative, appointed by the Governor; and be it further
17		RESOLVED, That all appointments shall be made no later than
18		45 days following the adoption of this resolution; and be it
19		further
20		RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall meet no later than 90
21		days following the adoption of this resolution at the call of
22		the members appointed by the Speaker and the President; the
23		members of the Task Force shall select a chair person at the
24		initial meeting; and be it further

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1		RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall meet at the call of the
2		chair; and be it further
3		RESOLVED, That the members of the Task Force shall serve
4		without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their
5		reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for
6		that purpose; and be it further
7		RESOLVED, That the Office of the Governor shall provide
8		administrative support to the Task Force to the fullest extent
9		of its abilities; and be it further
10		RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall study the issue of
11		funding of area career/vocational centers and career and
12		technical education programs, including transportation for
13		said programs, and shall consider the possibility of enacting
14		legislation to make changes to said funding; and be it further
15		RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall hold a minimum of 7
16		public hearings in the State, a majority of which shall be held
17		at an area career/vocational center; the Task Force shall
18		report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the
19		General Assembly before February 28, 2014, at which time the
20		Task Force shall disband; and be it further

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1		RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
2		delivered to the Speaker and Minority Leader of the Illinois
3		House of Representatives, the President and Minority Leader of
4		the Illinois Senate, the Governor, the State Superintendent of
5		Education, and the Illinois Career and Technical
6		Administrators.