Distributed via Email: April 25, 2014
LEGISLATURE RETURNS NEXT WEEK
The Illinois General Assembly, after a two-week break, returns to the Capitol next week to finish the spring legislative session. The scheduled adjournment date is May 31 and the legislative calendar shows scheduled session days for most every week day until the end of May. Legislation has now “swapped houses” as those bills that began in the Senate will now be considered in the House of Representatives and those that started in the House will be considered by the Senate. The last Alliance Legislative Report provides an overview of the key pending issues.
Besides the lengthy list of bills that have traveled across the Capitol rotunda, lawmakers must still tackle the bigger issues like the Fiscal Year 2015 state budget, the expiration of the current income tax rates, the possible change to the school funding formula, and the possibility of placing on the November ballot proposals to amend the state constitution. Proposals to amend the constitution include allowing for graduated income tax rates, prohibiting voter discrimination, and implementing term limits for legislators and constitutional officers.
CURRENT STANDING OF LEGISLATION
Here is a list of some of the “live” bills that are opposed by the Alliance and will soon be posted for committee action:
HB 2513 (Phelps, D-Harrisburg) requires school construction to include storm shelters.
HB 3724 (Burke, D., D-Chicago) requires curriculum on using AEDs and performing CPR.
HB 5333 (Davis, M., D-Chicago) mandates new reporting requirements on teaching Black History.
HB 5397 (Mayfield, D-North Chicago) requires new assessments and reporting regarding P.E.
HB 5707 (Cassidy, D-Chicago) requires new procedures and policies regarding bullying.
SB 2682 (Hastings, D-Matteson) requires additional curriculum on the history of organized labor.
SB 2793 (Hutchinson, D-Chicago Heights) adds data to school report cards regarding student discipline.
SB 3004 (Lightford, D-Maywood) add burdensome new requirements regarding student discipline.
Here is a list of some of the “live” bills that have been amended to address Alliance concerns:
HB 3700 (Osmond, R-Antioch) makes changes to assessments in diagnosing dyslexia.
HB 4207 (Fine, D-Glenview) makes changes to policies regarding bullying.
HB 4775 (Hoffman, D-Collinsville) makes changes regarding suspensions of violent students.
HB 5537 (Currie, D-Chicago) clarifies criteria for the removal of school board members.
HB 5623 (Sandack, R-Downers Grove) clarifies contact information required for board members.
HB 5716 (Brauer, R-Springfield) urges electronic building plans to be part of emergency policies.
HB 5892 (Mussman, D-Schaumburg) expands the use of EPI pens in schools.
Here is a list of some of the bills opposed by the Alliance that have been stalled:
HB 4268 (Ives, R-Wheaton) adds new requirements regarding adoption of bargaining agreements.
HB 4437 (Halbrook, R-Charleston) makes detrimental changes to the Open Meetings Act.
HB 4524 (Tabares, D-Chicago) adds new requirements on notification regarding food allergies.
HB 4655 (Davis, W., D-Hazel Crest) adds burdensome new requirements regarding student discipline.
HB 5427 (Cabello, R-Loves Park) adds new requirements for staff instruction on suicide prevention.
HB 5621 (Fortner, R-West Chicago) requires an additional year of math for high school graduation.
HB 5844 (Bellock, R-Westmont) adds requirements for cyber-bullying policies.
Here is a list of some of the “live” bills supported by the Alliance:
HB 3163 (Ford, D-Chicago) requires ISBE to conduct a study on the effectiveness of standardized tests.
HB 3695 (Dunkin, D-Chicago) allows A.P. computer science to be counted as a math class.
HB 3777 (Mussman) authorizes ISBE to grant maintenance grants to special education co-ops.
HB 3937 (Chapa La Via, D-Aurora) extends the moratorium on virtual charter schools.
HB 4591 (Martwick, D-Chicago) allows for funds to follow the student regarding charter schools.
HB 4616 (Cavaletto, R-Salem) allows for use of Fire Prevention Fund for safety inspections.
HB 5286 (Bost, R-Carbondale) allows school counselors to use experience for principal endorsement.
HB 5330 (Chapa La Via) establishes a committee to review standardized tests administered by ISBE.
HB 5572 (Durkin, R-Burr Ridge) allows the Lyons THSD 204 to withdraw from the trustees of schools.
HB 5619 (Fortner) allows impact fees to be used for technological infrastructure.
SB 928 (Manar, D-Bunker Hill) allows for transportation of students with an IEP in a MFSAB.
BILLS SCHEDULED FOR COMMITTEE NEXT WEEK
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Tuesday, April 29, 1:00 p.m., Rom 400, State Capito l
HB 3695 (Dunkin) 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) requires ISBE to distribute to school boards information on screening instruments available to identify students who exhibit potential indicators of dyslexia.
HB 3724 (Burke, D.) requires training on how to properly administer CPR and how to use an AED to be included in high school health education classes.
HB 3777 (Mussman) authorizes ISBE to make grants to special education cooperatives established by school districts for school maintenance projects.
HB 3937 (Chapa La Via) extends the moratorium on the establishment of charter schools with virtual-schooling components in school districts through Dec. 31, 2017 (instead of through Apr. 1, 2014).
HB 3948 (Golar, D-Chicago) makes changes to the Grow Your Own Teachers program to create new criteria for applicants to the program.
HB 3939 (Jackson, Sr., D-East St. Louis) , as amended, makes minor changes to the Educational Opportunity for Military Children Act, including allowing children to be placed in grades and courses they were in at their last school until school administrators can verify placement. It also removes the sunset date.
HB 4207 (Fine) prohibits a student from being subjected to bullying through the transmission of information from a computer that is accessed off school property or from the use of technology or an electronic device that is not owned by a school district if the bullying substantially interferes with or limits the victim's ability to participate in opportunities offered by a school.
HB 4262 (Fine) removes a requirement that new teachers provide evidence of freedom from tuberculosis and, instead, states that they may be subject to additional health examinations, including screening for tuberculosis.
HB 4440 (Chapa La Via) provides that not less than 14% (instead of 11%) of the Early Childhood Education Block Grant shall be used to fund programs for children ages 0-3, which percentage shall increase to at least 20% by Fiscal Year 2016 (instead of 2015).
HB 4522 (Chapa La Via) allows two or more (instead of four or more) contiguous school districts with all or a portion of their territory located within the geographic boundaries of the same municipality to jointly operate, through an institution of higher education located in the municipality, a science and mathematics partnership school for serving some or all of grades kindergarten through 8 th grade.
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 4591 (Martwick) provides that if a charter school dismisses a pupil from the charter school shall return to the school district an amount equal to 100% of the school district's per capita student tuition, on a pro rata basis, for the time the student is not enrolled at the charter school.
HB 4612 (Sandack) provides that any two or more school districts that share the same boundaries may combine transportation activities to achieve savings to these school districts as well as this state.
HB 4616 (Cavaletto) allows a school board to use remaining funds on hand in the Fire Prevention and Safety Fund for required safety inspections.
HB 4767 (Chapa La Via) makes changes to the Alternative Route to Teacher Certification programs.
HB 4775 (Hoffman) allows a school board to suspend or expel a student if the student has been charged with a violent felony and the charges are pending or if the student has been convicted of a violent felony.
HB 4995 (Mitchell, B., R-Decatur) makes changes with respect to the debt limitations for Monticello Community Unit School District 25.
HB 5286 (Bost) provides that four years of working in the capacity of school support personnel (i.e. counselors) shall be counted towards a principal endorsement for a Professional Educator License.
HB 5288 (Chapa La Via) 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 5330 (Chapa La Via) requires the State Superintendent of Education to appoint a committee to review the tests administered by ISBE and national, statewide, and local assessments administered by school districts.
HOUSE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Wednesday, April 30, 8:00 a.m., Room D-1, Stratton Office Building
SB 2710 (Cunningham, D-Chicago) requires non-public schools to abide by the same laws regarding school crisis response plans and required planning meetings.
SB 2747 (Bivins, R-Dixon) creates the School Security and Standards Task Force within ISBE to study the security of schools, make recommendations, and draft minimum standards for use by schools to make them more secure.
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 two years of experience 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 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 3113 (Barickman, R-Bloomington) increases the debt limit under certain circumstances for Milford Township High School District 233.
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 3274 (Holmes) allows a teacher who teaches physical education or health education in the public schools to meet the requirements for highly qualified status that apply to teachers who teach in core academic subjects pursuant to the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
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.
HR 543 (Kay, R-Glen Carbon) urges ISBE to delay the implementation of the new Common Core Standards and requests that ISBE and General Assembly work together to create a viable plan to provide funding to school districts that need improvements and modernizations to comply with the new Common Core Standards and the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career's.
HJR 62 (Mayfield) c reates the School Poverty Task Force to study sources of funding for poverty-stricken schools throughout the state.
HOUSE COUNTIES AND TOWNSHIPS COMMITTEE
Thursday, May 1, 8:30 a.m., Room 115, State Capitol
SB 3106 (Connelly, R-Wheaton) amends the Local Records Act to require that a unit of local government or school district that maintains an Internet website shall post to its website for the current calendar year a mechanism for members of the public to electronically communicate with each individual elected official of that unit of local government or school district.
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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