Distributed via Email: August 21, 2013
FUNDING PANEL MEETS FOR FIRST TIME
The Advisory Committee on Education Funding, created this spring in Senate Resolution 431, met for the first time Monday. Co-chaired by Senator Andy Manar(D-Bunker Hill) and Senator David Luechtefeld (R- Okawville), the panel listened intently to a General State Aid overview by finance staff of the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Others presenting testimony before the Committee were the Alliance, the Illinois Education Association (IEA), the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), the Chicago Teachers’ Union (CTU), the Large Unit District Association (LUDA), Advance Illinois, and Stand for Children.
The charge of the panel is to make recommendations, by February 1, 2014, for an equitable and adequate education funding system. Though there were comments made about the amount of the per pupil foundation level and the recommended funding level of the Education Funding Advisory Board (EFAB), most of the discussion centered on ways to redistribute current General State Aid (GSA) funding. The majority of the banter then was to look at tweaking the way “poverty grants” and “PTELL grants” are arrived at and distributed.
The “poverty grant” is a determination of the low-income concentration of a school district using State numbers from the Department of Human Services (as opposed to federal census numbers or free/reduced lunch numbers). This supplemental grant is included within and a part of the General State Aid formula. The “PTELL grant”, or “double whammy” fix, is a supplemental grant awarded separate and above the GSA formula, to school districts in counties that are under the scope of the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL). The panel questioned whether these two grants are providing funds to more financially well-off school districts than they should; funding that could be redistributed to more needy school districts.
Committee members gave the ISBE staff a list of questions to be answered and requested additional research into these funding areas. The Committee is expected to hold hearings around the State to gather information from school district personnel on funding matters. It is likely that the hearing dates and locations will be set in conjunction with the ISBE budget hearings that are forthcoming.
BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE GOVERNOR
HB 61 (Ford, D-Chicago) repeals the provision requiring the Department of Public Health or the local health department to notify the school principal about children of school age who are reported as having been diagnosed as having AIDS or HIV. The bill is now Public Act 98-0353, effective January 1, 2014.
HB 129 (Welch, D-Westchester) p ermits a school board to designate the first Monday in October of each year "Bring Your Parents to School Day" when parents are allowed to attend class with their children and meet with teachers and administrators during the school day. The bill is now Public Act 98-0304, effective January 1, 2014.
HB 490 (Davis, D-Chicago) requires applicants seeking a Professional Educator License or an Educator License with Stipulations to pass a basic skills test, if required, before the license is issued (instead of before they may be admitted to an education preparation program). The bill is now Public Act 98-0361, effective January 1, 2014.
HB 946 ( Yingling, D- Hainesville) creates the Young Adults Heroin Use Task Force to address the growing problem of heroin use in high schools across this State. The Illinois Association of School Boards and the Illinois Principals Association with each have one appointment on the Task Force. The bill is now Public Act 98-0374, effective August 16, 2013.
HB 1225 (Burke, D-Chicago) r equires the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) to post a training video on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillators on the IHSA website. School districts are required to notify parents and staff of the posted video and encourage parents and staff to view it. The bill is now Public Act 98-0305, effective August 12, 2013.
HB 1247 ( D’Amico, D-Chicago) prohibits the use of a cell phone while driving an automobile unless it is being used as a hands free device. The bill is now Public Act 98-0506, effective January 1, 2014.
HB 1288 (Gabel, D-Evanston) requires that if mediation fails to resolve a dispute, the parent has 10 days after the mediation concludes to file a request for a due process hearing to invoke the “stay put” provision. It also requires the ISBE to adopt rules that set up a statewide complaint procedure. School districts are required to submit a written response to a complaint within a time prescribed by the ISBE. The bill is now Public Act 98-0383, effective August 16, 2013.
HB 1351 (Poe, R-Springfield) , in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), p rovides that an annuitant shall be considered a participating employee if he or she returns to work as an employee with a participating employer and works more than 599 hours annually (or 999 hours annually with a participating employer that has adopted a resolution excluding from participation in IMRF any person employed in a position normally requiring performance of duty for less than 1000 hours per year). The bill is now Public Act 98-0389, effective August 16, 2013.
HB 1443 ( Moylan, D-Des Plaines) creates in the Criminal Code the violation of “Failure to Report Hazing”. If a school official fails to report hazing it is a Class B Misdemeanor (if the act caused great bodily harm or death, it is a Class A Misdemeanor). “School Official” is a paid administrator, teacher, counselor, education support personnel, or a paid or volunteer coach. The bill is now Public Act 98-0393, effective August 16, 2013.
HB 2245 (Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora) provides that upon employment and at least once every five years thereafter, school personnel, required to report child abuse must complete mandated reporter training provided by an individual or agency with expertise in recognizing and reporting child abuse. The bill is now Public Act 98-0408, effective July 1, 2014.
HB 2322 (Chapa LaVia) allows school social work services to be provided by qualified specialists who hold a Professional Educator License with a school support personnel endorsement in the area of school social worker. It also allows school social work services to include implementing social and emotional education programs and services, establishing and implementing bullying prevention and intervention programs, and evaluating program effectiveness. The bill is now Public Act 98-0338, effective August 13, 2013.
HB 2420 (Chapa LaVia) provides that a person who holds an active license issued by the state as a marriage and family therapist shall be deemed to have satisfied the continuing professional development requirements to renew a school service personnel certificate. In the Educator Licensure Article, includes marriage and family therapist as a school support personnel endorsement area that may be affixed to a Professional Educator License. The bill is now Public Act 98-0413, effective August 16, 2013.
HB 2488 ( Verschoore, D-Rock Island) expands a school district’s options for notice requesting a statement of interest in a project to e-mail and allows the district to place an advertisement for professional architectural, engineering and land surveying services on the district’s website. The bill is now Public Act 98-0420, effective August 16, 2013.
HB 2583 (Burke) allows certified teachers in charter schools to be part of the pension system for Chicago teachers. The bill is now Public Act 98-0427, effective August 16, 2013.
HB 2675 (Lilly, D-Chicago) provides that if a public school offers sex education or sexual health education, the course material and instruction must be medically accurate and developmentally and age appropriate and requires the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to provide resource materials for the curriculum. If a school district does not currently provide sex education, this bill does not require it and that if such instruction is offered the district may choose and adapt the curriculum that meets the specific needs of its community. The bill is now Public Act 98-0441, effective January 1, 2014.
HB 2787 ( Bellock, R-Westmont) requires the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to promulgate rules, by June 1, 2014, establishing criteria and standards for labeling a child abuse or neglect report as false in the state central register. It also sets the procedures for review of an unfounded report. The bill is now Public Act 98-0453, effective August 16, 2013.
HB 2947 (Drury, D-Highwood) , regarding the State budget, makes certain requirements that indicate whether there is a projected budget surplus or deficit for general funds in the current fiscal year and whether it would be balanced. It also requires that the budget reflect actual figures available on the date the budget is submitted. The bill is now Public Act 98-0460, effective January 1, 2014.
HB 3063 (Roth, R-Morris) provides that if a first-year principal evaluates teachers where the evaluation plan provides for a teacher in contractual continued service to be evaluated once in the course of every two school years, then a new 2-year evaluation plan must be established. The bill is now Public Act 98-0470, effective August 16, 2013.
HB 3070 ( Farnham, D-Elgin) requires high school and junior high administrators, teachers and counselors to receive in-service training on mental illness. The bill is now Public Act 98-0471, effective January 1, 2014.
HB 3112 (Mayfield, D-Waukegan) provides that any charter school located in a school district that contains all or part of a federal military base (North Chicago CUSD 187) may set aside up to 33% of its current charter enrollment to students with parents assigned to the federal military base, with the remaining 67% subject to the general enrollment and lottery requirements. The bill is now Public Act 98-0474, effective August 16, 2013.
HB 3190 ( Osmond, R-Gurnee) requires students entering grades 6 th and 12 th grade to be immunized for meningococcal conjugate. The bill is now Public Act 98-0480, effective January 1, 2014.
SB 1329 ( Kotowski, D-Park Ridge) is the Budget Implementation Bill (BIMP). It contains provisions to continue to pay the salaries of Regional Superintendents of Schools out of Corporate Personnel Property Replacement Tax (CPPRT) funds. In fact, it removes any expiration dates on the provision so that this is a permanent adjustment. The bill also allows CPPRT funds to be spent for stipends, salary, and additional compensation for chief election clerks, county clerks, county recorders, and the Educational Labor Relations Board. The bill is now Public Act 98-0024, effective June 19, 2013.
SB 1366 ( Biss, D-Skokie) provides that the early retirement without discount option is extended to July 1, 2016 with certain changes: increases the required employee and employer contributions; requires retirement before July 1, 2016; and requires the employee to obtain the approval of the last employer, granted in accordance with criteria adopted by that employer with the mutual consent of the bargaining agent of a majority of the members employed by that employer. The bill is now Public Act 98-0042, effective June 28, 2013.
SB 1657 (Holmes, D-Aurora) removes the requirement that the third member of an appointed board of review be a member of the party with the second highest vote and adds that the member not be of the same party as the other two members. Also makes changes concerning complaints filed with the board of review. The bill is now Public Act 98-0322, effective August 12, 2013.
SB 1762 ( Lightford, D-Maywood) makes many “clean-up” changes to the Education Reform Act (SB 7). Items addressed include: terminating any waivers in place for the teacher evaluation system on September 1, 2014; providing procedures for prior evaluation review of teachers transferring to a new school district; providing clarification for evaluation and grouping assignments of teachers qualified to hold a position regarding lay-offs and call-backs; requiring the school board to establish a list showing the length of continuing service of each teacher; providing that the first meeting of the joint committee under a joint agreement must occur on or before December 1; making all dismissals of teachers under continued contractual service instituted on or after September 1, 2011 subject to this Act; creating separate evaluation and dismissal processes for Chicago Public Schools; fixing issues created with use of the term “impasse” under the Education Labor Relations Act with use of the term “initiate the public posting process”, and; requiring that the parties offers under mediation remain on the school board’s internet website until the parties reach agreement. The bill is now Public Act 98-0513, effective January 1, 2014.
SB 2182 (Harmon, D- Oak Park) adds school districts to the Comptroller's unit of local governments registry. The bill is now Public Act 98-0497, effective August 16, 2013.
SB 2306 ( Radogno, R-Lemont ) provides that the restriction on an employer’s request for information concerning an employee’s social networking profile or website applies to only the employee’s personal account. It also stipulates that in regards to an employee’s professional online account used for business purposes of the employer, nothing in the subsection shall prohibit or restrict an employer from complying with a duty to screen employees or applicants prior to hiring or to monitor or retain employee communications as required under Illinois insurance laws or federal law or by a self-regulatory organization as defined by Security Exchange regulations. The bill is now Public Act 98-0501, effective January 1, 2014.
SB 2339 ( Mulroe, D-Chicago) creates new requirements and oversight for joint insurance pools. It would require that the pool file an actuarial opinion by an independent actuary with the Department of Insurance within 150 days from the end of the fiscal year and allows for penalties for non-compliance. For pools that require a member to submit written notice in order for the member to withdraw from a qualified pool, then the period in which the member must provide the written notice cannot, except in certain circumstances, be greater than 120 days. The bill is now Public Act 98-0504, effective January 1, 2014.
This legislative report is written and edited by the lobbyists of the Illinois Association of School Boards to provide information to the members of the organizations that comprise the Statewide School Management Alliance.
Bill Text/Status: Illinois General Assembly www.ilga.gov
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