Distributed via Email: April 4, 2014
SCHOOL BOARD REMOVAL BILL GREATLY LIMITED
Due to strong Alliance opposition and a heroic grassroots effort by local school board members, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) this week agreed to amend the bill that would have allowed it to remove school board members from at least 30 school districts. HB 5537 (Currie, D-Chicago) will be amended to set a limit of no more than four school boards that the State agency may intervene in, including the two districts (East St. Louis and North Chicago) where this has already happened.
The proposal now is similar to a pilot project where ISBE may take action on a very limited basis (allowing for only two more interventions over the next two years). This will allow for a much more measured and moderate approach and will allow the public to monitor the progress of those school districts which have been operated by an Independent Authority placed by ISBE. With the amendment, the Alliance removed opposition to the bill. HB 5537 is pending on the House floor.
SCHOOL FUNDING OVERHAUL INTRODUCED
Senator Andy Manar (D-Staunton) introduced Senate Amendment #1 to SB 16 this week that incorporates many of the ideas discussed as a part of the Education Funding Advisory Committee (EFAC) deliberations. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee. The Alliance is still analyzing the 419 page bill that contains multiple complicated formulas, but after a first review, the following key features are included:
Pupil weights:
Formula tax rates:
Hold Harmless:
Additional Provisions:
ISBE provides an overview of SB 16 as a part of the April 9, 2014 Board Packet (pages 3-7) you can access here: http://www.isbe.net/board/meetings/2014/apr/packet.pdf
LEGISLATIVE ACTION THIS WEEK
The following bills were approved by the House of Representatives and were sent to the Senate for further consideration:
HB 1152 (Ford, D-Chicago) , as amended, creates the Chicago Educational Governance Task Force for the purpose of recommending the best structure and procedure for the governance of City of Chicago School District 299.
HB 3695 (Dunkin, D-Chicago) allows one of the three years of mathematics that a pupil must successfully complete as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma to be an Advanced Placement computer science course.
HB 3700 (Osmond, R-Gurnee) , as amended, requires ISBE to adopt rules that incorporate a definition of dyslexia and, subject to funding, requires ISBE to establish a dyslexia advisory group to develop training and instruction modules.
HB 3724 (Burke, D-Chicago) requires training on how to properly administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation and how to use an automated external defibrillator to be included in high school health education classes.
HB 4093 (Beiser, D-Alton) amends the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act creating an offense of “aggravated participation in the manufacture of methamphetamine” if it is within 1000 feet of a school.
HB 4286 (Cabello, R-Loves Park) extends the TIF for the Village of Machesney Park.
HB 4542 (Manley, D-Joliet) requires the Young Adults Heroin Use Task Force to conduct a study on the heroin use problem in grades 6 through 12 (instead of in high schools).
HB 4616 (Cavaletto, R-Salem) allows a school board to use remaining funds on hand in the Fire Prevention and Safety Fund for required safety inspections.
HB 4775 (Hoffman, D-Belleville) , as amended , allows a school board to allow administration to transfer a student to an alternate setting if the student has been charged with a violent felony and the bill further allows a school board to expel a student convicted of a violent felony.
HB 5286 (Bost, R-Carbondale) , as amended, provides that four years of working in the capacity of school support personnel shall be counted towards a principal endorsement for a Professional Educator License.
HB 5288 (Chapa La Via, D-Aurora) provides that school counseling services in public schools may be provided by school counselors, or by individuals who hold a Professional Educator License with a school support personnel endorsement in the area of school counseling.
HB 5333 (Davis, M., D-Chicago) requires a school district, at the end of each school year, to file a report with ISBE that summarizes each school's instruction on Black History for that school year.
HB 5393 (McAsey, D-Romeoville) , as amended, modifies the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code with respect to the Illinois Teaching Excellence Program. It removes language that provides that the monetary assistance and incentives that qualified educators are eligible for must be based on outlined priorities.
HB 5431 (Sente, D-Lincolnshire) r equires that the IHSA shall develop an online certification and training on concussion awareness that will be required for high school coaching personnel and athletic directors.
HB 5546 (Nekritz, D-Buffalo Grove) for members of a regional board of school trustees, provides that, in single county educational service regions that have one or more unexpired terms to be filled at an election, the winner or winners of the unexpired term or terms shall be determined first and independently of those running for full terms.
HB 5572 (Durkin, R-Burr Ridge) allows the Lyons Township HSD 204 to withdraw from the jurisdiction of the trustees of schools.
HB 5592 (Andrade, D-Chicago) in a provision authorizing the election of a reversionary annuity: (i) deletes the requirement that the election be made at the time retirement annuity begins; and (ii) provides that the election is irrevocable.
HB 5606 (Reis, R-Olney) provides that the term "public works" does not include work done for purposes of soil and water conservation, whether or not done under public supervision or paid for wholly or in part out of public funds, and performed directly by an owner or person who has legal control on agricultural lands.
HB 5665 (Scherer, D-Decatur) provides that health insurance policies covering over 50 persons must provide for lead screenings in children, all childhood immunizations and screening for newborn hearing loss.
HB 5679 (Hammond, R-Macomb) as amended, repeals the high school feedback system that monitors academic progress and success of IL high school students enrolled at a university.
HB 5755 (Cassidy, D-Chicago) , as amended, for schools that are used for election day polling places, provides that a school district is encouraged to close the school or hold a teachers institute on that day with students not in attendance.
The following bills were approved by the Senate and were sent to the House of Representatives for further consideration:
SB 2641 (Link, D-Gurnee) permits eligible benefit recipients and dependent beneficiaries to elect not to participate in the program of health benefits during the benefit recipient's annual open enrollment period.
SB 2644 (Sandoval, D-Cicero) provides that nothing shall prohibit the issuance or renewal of a license authorizing the sale of alcoholic liquor at a premises that is located within a municipality with a population in excess of 1,000,000 and within 100 feet of a specified club that leases space to a school if certain specified criteria are met.
SB 2710 (Cunningham, D-Chicago) requires a private school to conduct a minimum of one annual meeting at which the school must review each school building's emergency and crisis response plans, protocols, and procedures and each building's compliance with the school safety drill programs of the school.
SB 2722 (Hastings, D-Matteson) regardinglobbyist Registration, provides that the term "official" includes members of any board, commission, authority, or task force of the State authorized or created by State law or by executive order of the Governor and having the authority to make binding recommendations or determinations.
SB 2854 (Jones, III, D-Chicago) in a Section concerning refunds for erroneous assessments or overpayments, makes the following changes applicable to Cook County: (i) allows the claimant to recover the costs of suit, and (ii) provides that the total amount of taxes and interest refunded for claims for which the right to a refund arose prior to January 1, 2009 shall not exceed $2,500,000 per year.
SB 2905 (Hastings) as amended, increases the assessed value of a disabled veteran’s property that can be eligible for an exemption from property taxes and allows a disabled veteran to receive the exemption on housing that is donated by a charitable organization.
SB 2934 (Stadelman, D-Rockford) provides that the Illinois Emergency Management Agency is authorized to make grants to various higher education institutions, public K-12 school districts, area vocational centers as designated by ISBE, inter-district special education cooperatives, regional safe schools, and nonpublic K-12 schools for safety and security improvements.
SB 2945 (Harmon, D-Oak Park) requires the Illinois Purchased Care Review Board to approve the usual and customary rate or rates of certain out-of-State, non-public providers of special education programs.
SB 2972 (Bertino-Tarrant) allows a superintendent endorsement to be affixed to the Professional Educator License who has had at least 2 years of experience employed in a general administrative position.
SB 2989 (Delgado, D-Chicago) allows a psychologist who holds a valid Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) certificate and has such additional qualifications as may be required by ISBE to meet the definition of school psychologist.
SB 3075 (Mulroe, D-Chicago) provides that if the minor fails to comply with terms of the non-judicial probation adjustment, the matter shall be referred to the State's Attorney for determination of whether a delinquency petition shall be filed.
SB 3081 (Biss, D-Evanston) makes changes to the Charter School Law, including providing that no renewal of a previously certified contract is effective unless and until ISBE certifies that the renewal is consistent with the law.
SB 3106 (Connelly, R-Wheaton) provides that a unit of local government or a school district that maintains an Internet website shall maintain an electronic mail system.
SB 3149 (Hunter, D-Chicago) provides that a person with diabetes, or parent or legal guardian of a person with diabetes, may self-administer insulin or administer insulin for his or her child in any location, public or private, where the person or their parent or legal guardian are authorized to be, irrespective of whether the injection site is uncovered during or incidental to the administration of insulin.
SB 3214 (Syverson, R-Rockford) adds automated external defibrillators to first aid educational topics that may be included in a comprehensive health education program.
SB 3259 ( Frerichs, D-Champaign) creates a 15-year or until purchased, special valuation method for commercial or industrial property that (i) is owned and used by a small business and (ii) has been rebuilt following a natural disaster occurring in taxable year 2013 or any taxable year thereafter.
SB 3517 (Biss) provides that the effective date of a retirement annuity shall be no earlier than 2 years before the date of receipt by the System of the application for retirement.
SB 3554 (Morrison, D-Deerfield) adds one non-voting member to the Illinois Purchased Care Review Board. It requires the member to be an administrator of a private, nonpublic, special education school.
HOUSE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Tuesday, April 8, 9:00 a.m., Room D-1, Stratton Office Building
HB 3948 (Golar, D-Chicago) makes changes to the Grow Your Own Teachers program to create new criteria for applicants to the program.
HB 5008 (Morrison, R-Palatine) an Alliance initiative allowing a school district to contract driver’s education courses with a commercial driving school.
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
Alliance Legislative Reports are Cosponsored by IASB and:
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