Bill Text: IL SB1905 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Requires each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2015-2016 school year or a subsequent school year, as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, to successfully complete one year chosen from music, art, or vocational education and 2 years of foreign language (instead of just one year chosen from music, art, foreign language, or vocational education). Effective immediately.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-24 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments [SB1905 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2015-SB1905-Introduced.html

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99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2015 and 2016 SB1905 Introduced 2/20/2015, by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/27-22 from Ch. 122, par. 27-22
Amends the School Code. Requires each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2015-2016 school year or a subsequent school year, as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, to successfully complete one year chosen from music, art, or vocational education and 2 years of foreign language (instead of just one year chosen from music, art, foreign language, or vocational education). Effective immediately.
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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT
A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
27-22 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/27-22) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-22)
Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses.
(a) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 1984-1985 school year
through the 2004-2005 school year must, in addition to other
course requirements, successfully complete the following
courses:
(1) three years of language arts;
(2) two years of mathematics, one of which may be
related to computer technology;
(3) one year of science;
(4) two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government;
and
(5) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
Sign Language or (D) vocational education.

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(b) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2005-2006 school year
must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully
complete all of the following courses:
(1) Three years of language arts.
(2) Three years of mathematics.
(3) One year of science.
(4) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government.
(5) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.
(c) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2006-2007 school year
must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully
complete all of the following courses:
(1) Three years of language arts.
(2) Two years of writing-intensive writing intensive
courses, one of which must be English and the other of
which may be English or any other subject. When applicable,
writing-intensive courses may be counted towards the
fulfillment of other graduation requirements.
(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
Algebra I and one of which must include geometry content.
(4) One year of science.

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(5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government.
(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.
(d) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2007-2008 school year
must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully
complete all of the following courses:
(1) Three years of language arts.
(2) Two years of writing-intensive writing intensive
courses, one of which must be English and the other of
which may be English or any other subject. When applicable,
writing-intensive courses may be counted towards the
fulfillment of other graduation requirements.
(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
Algebra I and one of which must include geometry content.
(4) Two years of science.
(5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government.
(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.
(e) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,

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each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2008-2009 school year
through the 2014-2015 or a subsequent school year must, in
addition to other course requirements, successfully complete
all of the following courses:
(1) Four years of language arts.
(2) Two years of writing-intensive writing intensive
courses, one of which must be English and the other of
which may be English or any other subject. When applicable,
writing-intensive courses may be counted towards the
fulfillment of other graduation requirements.
(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and
one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science
course if the pupil successfully completes Algebra II or an
integrated mathematics course with Algebra II content.
(4) Two years of science.
(5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government.
(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.
(e-5) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2015-2016 school year
or a subsequent school year must, in addition to other course
requirements, successfully complete all of the following

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courses:
(1) Four years of language arts.
(2) Two years of writing-intensive courses, one of
which must be English and the other of which may be English
or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive
courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other
graduation requirements.
(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and
one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science
course if the pupil successfully completes Algebra II or an
integrated mathematics course with Algebra II content.
(4) Two years of science.
(5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government.
(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, or (C)
vocational education.
(7) Two years of foreign language, which shall be
deemed to include American Sign Language.
(f) The State Board of Education shall develop and inform
school districts of standards for writing-intensive
coursework.
(f-5) If a school district offers an Advanced Placement
computer science course to high school students, then the
school board must designate that course as equivalent to a high

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school mathematics course and must denote on the student's
transcript that the Advanced Placement computer science course
qualifies as a mathematics-based, quantitative course for
students in accordance with subdivision (3) of subsection (e)
of this Section.
(g) This amendatory Act of 1983 does not apply to pupils
entering the 9th grade in 1983-1984 school year and prior
school years or to students with disabilities whose course of
study is determined by an individualized education program.
This amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly does not
apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2004-2005 school
year or a prior school year or to students with disabilities
whose course of study is determined by an individualized
education program.
This amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly does not
apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2014-2015 school
year or a prior school year or to students with disabilities
whose course of study is determined by an individualized
education program.
(h) The provisions of this Section are subject to the
provisions of Section 27-22.05.
(Source: P.A. 98-885, eff. 8-15-14.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.