Public Act 101-0654
 
HB2170 EnrolledLRB101 07409 AXK 52449 b

    AN ACT concerning education.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
Article 5.

 
    Section 5-5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
2-3.64a-10 and by changing Section 27A-5 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.64a-10 new)
    Sec. 2-3.64a-10. Kindergarten assessment.
    (a) For the purposes of this Section, "kindergarten"
includes both full-day and half-day kindergarten programs.
    (b) Beginning no later than the 2021-2022 school year, the
State Board of Education shall annually assess all public
school students entering kindergarten using a common
assessment tool, unless the State Board determines that a
student is otherwise exempt. The common assessment tool must
assess multiple developmental domains, including literacy,
language, mathematics, and social and emotional development.
The assessment must be valid, reliable, and developmentally
appropriate to formatively assess a child's development and
readiness for kindergarten.
    (c) Results from the assessment may be used by the school
to understand the child's development and readiness for
kindergarten, to tailor instruction, and to measure the child's
progress over time. Assessment results may also be used to
identify a need for the professional development of teachers
and early childhood educators and to inform State-level and
district-level policies and resource allocation.
    The school shall make the assessment results available to
the child's parent or guardian.
    The assessment results may not be used (i) to prevent a
child from enrolling in kindergarten or (ii) as the sole
measure used in determining the grade promotion or retention of
a student.
    (d) On an annual basis, the State Board shall report
publicly, at a minimum, data from the assessment for the State
overall and for each school district. The State Board's report
must disaggregate data by race and ethnicity, household income,
students who are English learners, and students who have an
individualized education program.
    (e) The State Superintendent of Education shall appoint a
committee of no more than 21 members, consisting of parents,
teachers, school administrators, assessment experts, and
regional superintendents of schools, to review, on an ongoing
basis, the content and design of the assessment, the collective
results of the assessment as measured against
kindergarten-readiness standards, and other issues involving
the assessment as identified by the committee.
    The committee shall make periodic recommendations to the
State Superintendent of Education and the General Assembly
concerning the assessments.
    (f) The State Board may adopt rules to implement and
administer this Section.
 
    (105 ILCS 5/27A-5)
    Sec. 27A-5. Charter school; legal entity; requirements.
    (a) A charter school shall be a public, nonsectarian,
nonreligious, non-home based, and non-profit school. A charter
school shall be organized and operated as a nonprofit
corporation or other discrete, legal, nonprofit entity
authorized under the laws of the State of Illinois.
    (b) A charter school may be established under this Article
by creating a new school or by converting an existing public
school or attendance center to charter school status. Beginning
on April 16, 2003 (the effective date of Public Act 93-3), in
all new applications to establish a charter school in a city
having a population exceeding 500,000, operation of the charter
school shall be limited to one campus. The changes made to this
Section by Public Act 93-3 do not apply to charter schools
existing or approved on or before April 16, 2003 (the effective
date of Public Act 93-3).
    (b-5) In this subsection (b-5), "virtual-schooling" means
a cyber school where students engage in online curriculum and
instruction via the Internet and electronic communication with
their teachers at remote locations and with students
participating at different times.
    From April 1, 2013 through December 31, 2016, there is a
moratorium on the establishment of charter schools with
virtual-schooling components in school districts other than a
school district organized under Article 34 of this Code. This
moratorium does not apply to a charter school with
virtual-schooling components existing or approved prior to
April 1, 2013 or to the renewal of the charter of a charter
school with virtual-schooling components already approved
prior to April 1, 2013.
    (c) A charter school shall be administered and governed by
its board of directors or other governing body in the manner
provided in its charter. The governing body of a charter school
shall be subject to the Freedom of Information Act and the Open
Meetings Act. No later than January 1, 2021 (one year after the
effective date of Public Act 101-291) this amendatory Act of
the 101st General Assembly, a charter school's board of
directors or other governing body must include at least one
parent or guardian of a pupil currently enrolled in the charter
school who may be selected through the charter school or a
charter network election, appointment by the charter school's
board of directors or other governing body, or by the charter
school's Parent Teacher Organization or its equivalent.
    (c-5) No later than January 1, 2021 (one year after the
effective date of Public Act 101-291) this amendatory Act of
the 101st General Assembly or within the first year of his or
her first term, every voting member of a charter school's board
of directors or other governing body shall complete a minimum
of 4 hours of professional development leadership training to
ensure that each member has sufficient familiarity with the
board's or governing body's role and responsibilities,
including financial oversight and accountability of the
school, evaluating the principal's and school's performance,
adherence to the Freedom of Information Act and the Open
Meetings Act Acts, and compliance with education and labor law.
In each subsequent year of his or her term, a voting member of
a charter school's board of directors or other governing body
shall complete a minimum of 2 hours of professional development
training in these same areas. The training under this
subsection may be provided or certified by a statewide charter
school membership association or may be provided or certified
by other qualified providers approved by the State Board of
Education.
    (d) For purposes of this subsection (d), "non-curricular
health and safety requirement" means any health and safety
requirement created by statute or rule to provide, maintain,
preserve, or safeguard safe or healthful conditions for
students and school personnel or to eliminate, reduce, or
prevent threats to the health and safety of students and school
personnel. "Non-curricular health and safety requirement" does
not include any course of study or specialized instructional
requirement for which the State Board has established goals and
learning standards or which is designed primarily to impart
knowledge and skills for students to master and apply as an
outcome of their education.
    A charter school shall comply with all non-curricular
health and safety requirements applicable to public schools
under the laws of the State of Illinois. On or before September
1, 2015, the State Board shall promulgate and post on its
Internet website a list of non-curricular health and safety
requirements that a charter school must meet. The list shall be
updated annually no later than September 1. Any charter
contract between a charter school and its authorizer must
contain a provision that requires the charter school to follow
the list of all non-curricular health and safety requirements
promulgated by the State Board and any non-curricular health
and safety requirements added by the State Board to such list
during the term of the charter. Nothing in this subsection (d)
precludes an authorizer from including non-curricular health
and safety requirements in a charter school contract that are
not contained in the list promulgated by the State Board,
including non-curricular health and safety requirements of the
authorizing local school board.
    (e) Except as otherwise provided in the School Code, a
charter school shall not charge tuition; provided that a
charter school may charge reasonable fees for textbooks,
instructional materials, and student activities.
    (f) A charter school shall be responsible for the
management and operation of its fiscal affairs including, but
not limited to, the preparation of its budget. An audit of each
charter school's finances shall be conducted annually by an
outside, independent contractor retained by the charter
school. To ensure financial accountability for the use of
public funds, on or before December 1 of every year of
operation, each charter school shall submit to its authorizer
and the State Board a copy of its audit and a copy of the Form
990 the charter school filed that year with the federal
Internal Revenue Service. In addition, if deemed necessary for
proper financial oversight of the charter school, an authorizer
may require quarterly financial statements from each charter
school.
    (g) A charter school shall comply with all provisions of
this Article, the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act, all
federal and State laws and rules applicable to public schools
that pertain to special education and the instruction of
English learners, and its charter. A charter school is exempt
from all other State laws and regulations in this Code
governing public schools and local school board policies;
however, a charter school is not exempt from the following:
        (1) Sections 10-21.9 and 34-18.5 of this Code regarding
    criminal history records checks and checks of the Statewide
    Sex Offender Database and Statewide Murderer and Violent
    Offender Against Youth Database of applicants for
    employment;
        (2) Sections 10-20.14, 10-22.6, 24-24, 34-19, and
    34-84a of this Code regarding discipline of students;
        (3) the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees
    Tort Immunity Act;
        (4) Section 108.75 of the General Not For Profit
    Corporation Act of 1986 regarding indemnification of
    officers, directors, employees, and agents;
        (5) the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act;
        (5.5) subsection (b) of Section 10-23.12 and
    subsection (b) of Section 34-18.6 of this Code;
        (6) the Illinois School Student Records Act;
        (7) Section 10-17a of this Code regarding school report
    cards;
        (8) the P-20 Longitudinal Education Data System Act;
        (9) Section 27-23.7 of this Code regarding bullying
    prevention;
        (10) Section 2-3.162 of this Code regarding student
    discipline reporting;
        (11) Sections 22-80 and 27-8.1 of this Code;
        (12) Sections 10-20.60 and 34-18.53 of this Code;
        (13) Sections 10-20.63 and 34-18.56 of this Code;
        (14) Section 26-18 of this Code;
        (15) Section 22-30 of this Code; and
        (16) Sections 24-12 and 34-85 of this Code; .
        (17) the (16) The Seizure Smart School Act; and .
        (18) Section 2-3.64a-10 of this Code.
    The change made by Public Act 96-104 to this subsection (g)
is declaratory of existing law.
    (h) A charter school may negotiate and contract with a
school district, the governing body of a State college or
university or public community college, or any other public or
for-profit or nonprofit private entity for: (i) the use of a
school building and grounds or any other real property or
facilities that the charter school desires to use or convert
for use as a charter school site, (ii) the operation and
maintenance thereof, and (iii) the provision of any service,
activity, or undertaking that the charter school is required to
perform in order to carry out the terms of its charter.
However, a charter school that is established on or after April
16, 2003 (the effective date of Public Act 93-3) and that
operates in a city having a population exceeding 500,000 may
not contract with a for-profit entity to manage or operate the
school during the period that commences on April 16, 2003 (the
effective date of Public Act 93-3) and concludes at the end of
the 2004-2005 school year. Except as provided in subsection (i)
of this Section, a school district may charge a charter school
reasonable rent for the use of the district's buildings,
grounds, and facilities. Any services for which a charter
school contracts with a school district shall be provided by
the district at cost. Any services for which a charter school
contracts with a local school board or with the governing body
of a State college or university or public community college
shall be provided by the public entity at cost.
    (i) In no event shall a charter school that is established
by converting an existing school or attendance center to
charter school status be required to pay rent for space that is
deemed available, as negotiated and provided in the charter
agreement, in school district facilities. However, all other
costs for the operation and maintenance of school district
facilities that are used by the charter school shall be subject
to negotiation between the charter school and the local school
board and shall be set forth in the charter.
    (j) A charter school may limit student enrollment by age or
grade level.
    (k) If the charter school is approved by the State Board or
Commission, then the charter school is its own local education
agency.
(Source: P.A. 100-29, eff. 1-1-18; 100-156, eff. 1-1-18;
100-163, eff. 1-1-18; 100-413, eff. 1-1-18; 100-468, eff.
6-1-18; 100-726, eff. 1-1-19; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18; 101-50,
eff. 7-1-20; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-291, eff. 1-1-20;
101-531, eff. 8-23-19; 101-543, eff. 8-23-19; revised 8-4-20.)
 
Article 10.

 
    Section 10-5. The Early Intervention Services System Act is
amended by changing Section 11 as follows:
 
    (325 ILCS 20/11)  (from Ch. 23, par. 4161)
    Sec. 11. Individualized Family Service Plans.
    (a) Each eligible infant or toddler and that infant's or
toddler's family shall receive:
        (1) timely, comprehensive, multidisciplinary
    assessment of the unique strengths and needs of each
    eligible infant and toddler, and assessment of the concerns
    and priorities of the families to appropriately assist them
    in meeting their needs and identify supports and services
    to meet those needs; and
        (2) a written Individualized Family Service Plan
    developed by a multidisciplinary team which includes the
    parent or guardian. The individualized family service plan
    shall be based on the multidisciplinary team's assessment
    of the resources, priorities, and concerns of the family
    and its identification of the supports and services
    necessary to enhance the family's capacity to meet the
    developmental needs of the infant or toddler, and shall
    include the identification of services appropriate to meet
    those needs, including the frequency, intensity, and
    method of delivering services. During and as part of the
    initial development of the individualized family services
    plan, and any periodic reviews of the plan, the
    multidisciplinary team may seek consultation from the lead
    agency's designated experts, if any, to help determine
    appropriate services and the frequency and intensity of
    those services. All services in the individualized family
    services plan must be justified by the multidisciplinary
    assessment of the unique strengths and needs of the infant
    or toddler and must be appropriate to meet those needs. At
    the periodic reviews, the team shall determine whether
    modification or revision of the outcomes or services is
    necessary.
    (b) The Individualized Family Service Plan shall be
evaluated once a year and the family shall be provided a review
of the Plan at 6 month intervals or more often where
appropriate based on infant or toddler and family needs. The
lead agency shall create a quality review process regarding
Individualized Family Service Plan development and changes
thereto, to monitor and help assure that resources are being
used to provide appropriate early intervention services.
    (c) The initial evaluation and initial assessment and
initial Plan meeting must be held within 45 days after the
initial contact with the early intervention services system.
The 45-day timeline does not apply for any period when the
child or parent is unavailable to complete the initial
evaluation, the initial assessments of the child and family, or
the initial Plan meeting, due to exceptional family
circumstances that are documented in the child's early
intervention records, or when the parent has not provided
consent for the initial evaluation or the initial assessment of
the child despite documented, repeated attempts to obtain
parental consent. As soon as exceptional family circumstances
no longer exist or parental consent has been obtained, the
initial evaluation, the initial assessment, and the initial
Plan meeting must be completed as soon as possible. With
parental consent, early intervention services may commence
before the completion of the comprehensive assessment and
development of the Plan.
    (d) Parents must be informed that early intervention
services shall be provided to each eligible infant and toddler,
to the maximum extent appropriate, in the natural environment,
which may include the home or other community settings. Parents
shall make the final decision to accept or decline early
intervention services. A decision to decline such services
shall not be a basis for administrative determination of
parental fitness, or other findings or sanctions against the
parents. Parameters of the Plan shall be set forth in rules.
    (e) The regional intake offices shall explain to each
family, orally and in writing, all of the following:
        (1) That the early intervention program will pay for
    all early intervention services set forth in the
    individualized family service plan that are not covered or
    paid under the family's public or private insurance plan or
    policy and not eligible for payment through any other third
    party payor.
        (2) That services will not be delayed due to any rules
    or restrictions under the family's insurance plan or
    policy.
        (3) That the family may request, with appropriate
    documentation supporting the request, a determination of
    an exemption from private insurance use under Section
    13.25.
        (4) That responsibility for co-payments or
    co-insurance under a family's private insurance plan or
    policy will be transferred to the lead agency's central
    billing office.
        (5) That families will be responsible for payments of
    family fees, which will be based on a sliding scale
    according to the State's definition of ability to pay which
    is comparing household size and income to the sliding scale
    and considering out-of-pocket medical or disaster
    expenses, and that these fees are payable to the central
    billing office. Families who fail to provide income
    information shall be charged the maximum amount on the
    sliding scale.
    (f) The individualized family service plan must state
whether the family has private insurance coverage and, if the
family has such coverage, must have attached to it a copy of
the family's insurance identification card or otherwise
include all of the following information:
        (1) The name, address, and telephone number of the
    insurance carrier.
        (2) The contract number and policy number of the
    insurance plan.
        (3) The name, address, and social security number of
    the primary insured.
        (4) The beginning date of the insurance benefit year.
    (g) A copy of the individualized family service plan must
be provided to each enrolled provider who is providing early
intervention services to the child who is the subject of that
plan.
    (h) Children receiving services under this Act shall
receive a smooth and effective transition by their third
birthday consistent with federal regulations adopted pursuant
to Sections 1431 through 1444 of Title 20 of the United States
Code. Beginning July 1, 2022, children who receive early
intervention services prior to their third birthday and are
found eligible for an individualized education program under
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C.
1414(d)(1)(A), and under Section 14-8.02 of the School Code and
whose birthday falls between May 1 and August 31 may continue
to receive early intervention services until the beginning of
the school year following their third birthday in order to
minimize gaps in services, ensure better continuity of care,
and align practices for the enrollment of preschool children
with special needs to the enrollment practices of typically
developing preschool children.
(Source: P.A. 97-902, eff. 8-6-12; 98-41, eff. 6-28-13.)
 
Article 15.

 
    Section 15-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the
Equitable Early Childhood Education and Care Act. References in
this Article to "this Act" mean this Article.
 
    Section 15-5. Findings; policies.
    (a) The General Assembly finds the following:
        (1) Long-standing research shows that high-quality
    early childhood experiences have an impact on children's
    short-term and long-term outcomes, such as educational
    attainment, health, and lifetime income, particularly for
    children from low-income families.
        (2) Early childhood education and care programs
    provide child care so parents can maintain stable
    employment, provide for themselves and their families, and
    advance their career or educational goals.
        (3) Illinois has a vigorous early childhood education
    and care industry composed of programs that serve children
    under the age of 6, including preschool and child care in
    schools, centers, and homes; these programs also include
    home visiting and services for young children with special
    needs.
        (4) A significant portion of the early childhood
    workforce and of family child care providers are Black and
    Latinx women.
        (5) Illinois was among the first states in the nation
    to enact the Pre-K At-Risk program and services for infants
    and toddlers in the 1980s and reaffirmed this commitment to
    early childhood education in 2006 by creating Preschool for
    All to offer State-funded, high-quality preschool to
    3-year-olds and 4-year-olds.
        (6) Illinois was one of the first states in the nation
    to commit education funding to very young children and to
    have a statutory commitment to grow funding for
    infant-toddler services as it grows preschool services,
    including prenatal supports like home visitors and doulas.
        (7) Countless children and families have benefitted
    from these services over these decades and have had the
    opportunity to enter school ready to learn and succeed.
        (8) Despite progress made by the State, too few
    children, particularly those from Black, Latinx, and
    low-income households and child care deserts, have access
    to high-quality early childhood education and care
    services, due to both the availability and affordability of
    quality services.
        (9) In 2019, only 29% of all children in Illinois
    entered kindergarten "ready"; only 21% of Black children,
    17% of Latinx children, 14% of English Learners, 14% of
    children with IEPs, and 20% of children on free and reduced
    lunch demonstrated readiness, highlighting the critical
    work Illinois must do to close gaps in opportunity and
    outcomes.
        (10) The State's early childhood education and care
    programs are maintained across 3 state agencies, which
    leads to inefficiencies, lack of alignment, challenges to
    collecting comprehensive data around services and needs of
    children and families, and obstacles for both children and
    families and the early childhood education and care
    providers to navigate the fragmented system and ensure
    children receive high-quality services that meet their
    needs.
        (11) The State's current mechanisms for payment to
    early childhood education and care providers may not
    incentivize quality services and can lead to payment
    delays, lack of stability of providers, and the inability
    of providers to provide appropriate compensation to the
    workforce and support quality programming.
        (12) Illinois must advance a just system for early
    childhood education and care that ensures racially and
    economically equitable opportunities and outcomes for all
    children.
        (13) In 2017, Illinois became a national leader in
    passing the K-12 Evidence-Based Funding formula for public
    schools, creating a mechanism to adequately fund and
    equitably disburse resources throughout the State and
    prioritize funding for school districts that need it most.
    (b) The General Assembly supports the following goals of
the Illinois Commission on Equitable Early Childhood Education
and Care Funding:
        (1) To create a more equitable, efficient, and
    effective system and thereby increase access to
    high-quality services, particularly to serve more Black
    and Latinx children and populations of children where
    children of color may be disproportionately represented,
    such as: children from low-income households, with
    disabilities, experiencing homelessness, and participating
    in the child welfare system; English learners; and children
    from households in which English is not the primary
    language spoken.
        (2) To ensure a more equitable system, we support the
    Commission's goal of consolidating programs and services
    into a single, adequately staffed State agency to align and
    coordinate services, to decrease barriers to access for
    families and make it easier for them to navigate the
    system, and to better collect, use, and report
    comprehensive data to ensure disparities in services are
    addressed.
        (3) To ensure equitable and adequate funding to expand
    access to high-quality services and increase compensation
    of this vital workforce, a significant proportion of which
    are Black and Latinx women. The General Assembly encourages
    the State to commit to a multi-year plan designed to move
    the State toward adequate funding over time.
        (4) To redesign the mechanisms by which the State pays
    providers of early childhood education and care services to
    ensure provider stability, capacity, and quality and to
    make sure providers and services are available to families
    throughout the State, including in areas of child care
    deserts and concentrated poverty.
        (5) To ensure comprehensive data on children and
    families' access to and participation in programs and
    resulting outcomes, including, but not limited to,
    kindergarten readiness, to understand and address the
    degree to which the State is reaching children and families
    and ensuring equitable opportunity and outcomes.
    (c) The General Assembly encourages the State to create a
planning process and timeline, with a designated body
accountable for implementing the Commission's recommendations,
that includes engagement of parents, providers, communities,
experts, and other stakeholders and to regularly evaluate the
impact of the implementation of the Commission's
recommendations to ensure they impact children, families, and
communities as intended and lead to a more equitable early
childhood education and care system for Illinois.
 
Article 20.

 
    Section 20-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the
Data Governance and Organization to Support Equity and Racial
Justice Act. References in this Article to "this Act" mean this
Article.
 
    Section 20-5. Findings. The General Assembly finds the
following:
        (1) The State of Illinois spends billions of dollars
    annually on grants and programs to ensure that all
    Illinoisans have the economic, health and safety,
    educational, and other opportunities to be successful, but
    it is still insufficient to serve all the needs of all
    Illinoisans.
        (2) To be good fiscal stewards of State funds, it is
    necessary to ensure that the limited State funding is spent
    on the right services, at the right time, in the right
    dosages, to the right individuals, and in the most
    equitable manner.
        (3) Historical equity gaps exist in the administration
    of programs across the State and understanding where these
    exist is necessary for adjusting program scopes and
    ensuring that gaps can be found and rectified quickly.
        (4) Different subpopulations of individuals may have
    different needs and may experience different outcomes from
    similar programs.
        (5) Measuring average outcomes across an entire
    population is insufficient to understand the equity
    impacts of a program on specific subpopulations.
        (6) Silos in information sharing exist across agencies
    and that measuring the outcomes and impacts of programs
    requires multiple agencies to share data.
        (7) There is no existing mechanism for agencies to
    ensure they are collecting information on programs that can
    be easily matched to other agencies to understand program
    effectiveness, as well as equity and access gaps that may
    exist.
        (8) The establishment of a system of data governance
    and improved analytic capability is critical to support
    equitable provision of services and the evaluation of
    equitable outcomes for the citizens of Illinois.
        (9) Sound data collection, reporting, and analysis is
    necessary to ensure that practice and policy decisions and
    outcomes are driven by a culture of data use and actionable
    information that supports equity and engages stakeholders.
        (10) Data governance and the classification of data is
    a critical component of improving the security and privacy
    of data.
        (11) The P-20 Longitudinal Education Data System Act,
    enacted by Public Act 96-107, was created in 2009 to
    develop the capacity to match data across agencies and
    provide for improved data analytics across education
    agencies.
        (12) The P-20 Longitudinal Education Data System has
    expanded to include the incorporation of human services,
    workforce, and education agencies.
        (13) The implementation of the P-20 Longitudinal
    Education Data System has allowed the State to improve its
    ability to manage and to bring together data across
    agencies.
        (14) Merging data across agencies has highlighted the
    degree to which there are different approaches to capturing
    similar data across agencies, including how race and
    ethnicity data are captured.
        (15) The State of Illinois needs to establish common
    processes and procedures for all of the following:
            (A) Cataloging data.
            (B) Managing data requests.
            (C) Sharing data.
            (D) Collecting data.
            (E) Matching data across agencies.
            (F) Developing research and analytic agendas.
            (G) Reporting on program participation
        disaggregated by race and ethnicity.
            (H) Evaluating equitable outcomes for underserved
        populations in Illinois.
            (I) Defining common roles for data management
        across agencies.
 
    Section 20-10. Definitions. In this Act:
    "Board" means the State Board of Education.
    "Department" means any of the following: the Department on
Aging, the Department of Central Management Services, the
Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of
Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Illinois
Department of Labor, the Department of Healthcare and Family
Services, the Department of Human Services, the Department of
Public Health, or the Illinois Department of Transportation.
 
    Section 20-15. Data Governance and Organization to Support
Equity and Racial Justice.
    (a) On or before July 1, 2022 and each July 1 thereafter,
the Board and the Department shall report statistical data on
the racial and ethnic demographics of program participants for
each major program administered by the Board or the Department.
Except as provided in subsection (b), when reporting the data
required under this Section, the Board or the Department shall
use the same racial and ethnic classifications for each
program, which shall include, but not be limited to, the
following:
        (1) American Indian and Alaska Native alone.
        (2) Asian alone.
        (3) Black or African American alone.
        (4) Hispanic or Latino of any race.
        (5) Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone.
        (6) White alone.
        (7) Some other race alone.
        (8) Two or more races.
    The Board and the Department may further define, by rule,
the racial and ethnic classifications, including, if
necessary, a classification of "No Race Specified".
    (c) If a program administered by the Board or the
Department is subject to federal reporting requirements that
include the collection and public reporting of statistical data
on the racial and ethnic demographics of program participants,
the Department may maintain the same racial and ethnic
classifications used under the federal requirements if such
classifications differ from the classifications listed in
subsection (a).
    (d) The Department of Innovation and Technology shall
assist the Board and the Department by establishing common
technological processes and procedures for the Board and the
Department to:
        (1) Catalog data.
        (2) Identify similar fields in datasets.
        (3) Manage data requests.
        (4) Share data.
        (5) Collect data.
        (6) Improve and clean data.
        (7) Match data across the Board and Departments.
        (8) Develop research and analytic agendas.
        (9) Report on program participation disaggregated by
    race and ethnicity.
        (10) Evaluate equitable outcomes for underserved
    populations in Illinois.
        (11) Define common roles for data management.
        (12) Ensure that all major programs can report
    disaggregated data by race and ethnicity.
    The Board and the Department shall use the common
technological processes and procedures established by the
Department of Innovation and Technology.
    (e) If the Board or the Department is unable to begin
reporting the data required by subsection (a) by July 1, 2022,
the Board or the Department shall state the reasons for the
delay under the reporting requirements.
    (f) By no later than March 31, 2022, the Board and the
Department shall provide a progress report to the General
Assembly to disclose: (i) the programs and datasets that have
been cataloged for which race and ethnicity has been
standardized; and (ii) to the extent possible, the datasets and
programs that are outstanding for each agency and the datasets
that are planned for the upcoming year. On or before March 31,
2023, and each year thereafter, the Board and Departments shall
provide an updated report to the General Assembly.
    (g) By no later than October 31, 2021, the Governor's
Office shall provide a plan to establish processes for input
from the Board and the Department into processes outlined in
subsection (b). The plan shall incorporate ongoing efforts at
data interoperability within the Department and the governance
established to support the P-20 Longitudinal Education Data
System enacted by Public Act 96-107.
    (h) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to limit the
rights granted to individuals or data sharing protections
established under existing State and federal data privacy and
security laws.
 
    Section 20-20. Construction of Act. Nothing in this Act
shall be construed to limit the rights granted to individuals
or data sharing protections established under existing State
and federal data privacy and security laws.
 
Article 25.

 
    Section 25-5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
22-90 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/22-90 new)
    Sec. 22-90. Whole Child Task Force.
    (a) The General Assembly makes all of the following
findings:
        (1) The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed systemic
    inequities in American society. Students, educators, and
    families throughout this State have been deeply affected by
    the pandemic, and the impact of the pandemic will be felt
    for years to come. The negative consequences of the
    pandemic have impacted students and communities
    differently along the lines of race, income, language, and
    special needs. However, students in this State faced
    significant unmet physical health, mental health, and
    social and emotional needs even prior to the pandemic.
        (2) The path to recovery requires a commitment from
    adults in this State to address our students cultural,
    physical, emotional, and mental health needs and to provide
    them with stronger and increased systemic support and
    intervention.
        (3) It is well documented that trauma and toxic stress
    diminish a child's ability to thrive. Forms of childhood
    trauma and toxic stress include adverse childhood
    experiences, systemic racism, poverty, food and housing
    insecurity, and gender-based violence. The COVID-19
    pandemic has exacerbated these issues and brought them into
    focus.
        (4) It is estimated that, overall, approximately 40% of
    children in this State have experienced at least one
    adverse childhood experience and approximately 10% have
    experienced 3 or more adverse childhood experiences.
    However, the number of adverse childhood experiences is
    higher for Black and Hispanic children who are growing up
    in poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the number
    of students who have experienced childhood trauma. Also,
    the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted preexisting
    inequities in school disciplinary practices that
    disproportionately impact Black and Brown students.
    Research shows, for example, that girls of color are
    disproportionately impacted by trauma, adversity, and
    abuse, and instead of receiving the care and
    trauma-informed support they may need, many Black girls in
    particular face disproportionately harsh disciplinary
    measures.
        (5) The cumulative effects of trauma and toxic stress
    adversely impact the physical health of students, as well
    as their ability to learn, form relationships, and
    self-regulate. If left unaddressed, these effects increase
    a student's risk for depression, alcoholism, anxiety,
    asthma, smoking, and suicide, all of which are risks that
    disproportionately affect Black youth and may lead to a
    host of medical diseases as an adult. Access to infant and
    early childhood mental health services is critical to
    ensure the social and emotional well-being of this State's
    youngest children, particularly those children who have
    experienced trauma.
        (6) Although this State enacted measures through
    Public Act 100-105 to address the high rate of early care
    and preschool expulsions of infants, toddlers, and
    preschoolers and the disproportionately higher rate of
    expulsion for Black and Hispanic children, a recent study
    found a wide variation in the awareness, understanding, and
    compliance with the law by providers of early childhood
    care. Further work is needed to implement the law, which
    includes providing training to early childhood care
    providers to increase their understanding of the law,
    increasing the availability and access to infant and early
    childhood mental health services, and building aligned
    data collection systems to better understand expulsion
    rates and to allow for accurate reporting as required by
    the law.
        (7) Many educators and schools in this State have
    embraced and implemented evidenced-based restorative
    justice and trauma-responsive and culturally relevant
    practices and interventions. However, the use of these
    interventions on students is often isolated or is
    implemented occasionally and only if the school has the
    appropriate leadership, resources, and partners available
    to engage seriously in this work. It would be malpractice
    to deny our students access to these practices and
    interventions, especially in the aftermath of a
    once-in-a-century pandemic.
    (b) The Whole Child Task Force is created for the purpose
of establishing an equitable, inclusive, safe, and supportive
environment in all schools for every student in this State. The
task force shall have all of the following goals, which means
key steps have to be taken to ensure that every child in every
school in this State has access to teachers, social workers,
school leaders, support personnel, and others who have been
trained in evidenced-based interventions and restorative
practices:
        (1) To create a common definition of a
    trauma-responsive school, a trauma-responsive district,
    and a trauma-responsive community.
        (2) To outline the training and resources required to
    create and sustain a system of support for
    trauma-responsive schools, districts, and communities and
    to identify this State's role in that work, including
    recommendations concerning options for redirecting
    resources from school resource officers to classroom-based
    support.
        (3) To identify or develop a process to conduct an
    analysis of the organizations that provide training in
    restorative practices, implicit bias, anti-racism, and
    trauma-responsive systems, mental health services, and
    social and emotional services to schools.
        (4) To provide recommendations concerning the key data
    to be collected and reported to ensure that this State has
    a full and accurate understanding of the progress toward
    ensuring that all schools, including programs and
    providers of care to pre-kindergarten children, employ
    restorative, anti-racist, and trauma-responsive strategies
    and practices. The data collected must include information
    relating to the availability of trauma responsive support
    structures in schools as well as disciplinary practices
    employed on students in person or through other means,
    including during remote or blended learning. It should also
    include information on the use of, and funding for, school
    resource officers and other similar police personnel in
    school programs.
        (5) To recommend an implementation timeline, including
    the key roles, responsibilities, and resources to advance
    this State toward a system in which every school, district,
    and community is progressing toward becoming
    trauma-responsive.
        (6) To seek input and feedback from stakeholders,
    including parents, students, and educators, who reflect
    the diversity of this State.
    (c) Members of the Whole Child Task Force shall be
appointed by the State Superintendent of Education. Members of
this task force must represent the diversity of this State and
possess the expertise needed to perform the work required to
meet the goals of the task force set forth under subsection
(a). Members of the task force shall include all of the
following:
        (1) One member of a statewide professional teachers'
    organization.
        (2) One member of another statewide professional
    teachers' organization.
        (3) One member who represents a school district serving
    a community with a population of 500,000 or more.
        (4) One member of a statewide organization
    representing social workers.
        (5) One member of an organization that has specific
    expertise in trauma-responsive school practices and
    experience in supporting schools in developing
    trauma-responsive and restorative practices.
        (6) One member of another organization that has
    specific expertise in trauma-responsive school practices
    and experience in supporting schools in developing
    trauma-responsive and restorative practices.
        (7) One member of a statewide organization that
    represents school administrators.
        (8) One member of a statewide policy organization that
    works to build a healthy public education system that
    prepares all students for a successful college, career, and
    civic life.
        (9) One member of a statewide organization that brings
    teachers together to identify and address issues critical
    to student success.
        (10) One member of the General Assembly recommended by
    the President of the Senate.
        (11) One member of the General Assembly recommended by
    the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
        (12) One member of the General Assembly recommended by
    the Minority Leader of the Senate.
        (13) One member of the General Assembly recommended by
    the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
        (14) One member of a civil rights organization that
    works actively on issues regarding student support.
        (15) One administrator from a school district that has
    actively worked to develop a system of student support that
    uses a trauma-informed lens.
        (16) One educator from a school district that has
    actively worked to develop a system of student support that
    uses a trauma-informed lens.
        (17) One member of a youth-led organization.
        (18) One member of an organization that has
    demonstrated expertise in restorative practices.
        (19) One member of a coalition of mental health and
    school practitioners who assist schools in developing and
    implementing trauma-informed and restorative strategies
    and systems.
        (20) One member of an organization whose mission is to
    promote the safety, health, and economic success of
    children, youth, and families in this State.
        (21) One member who works or has worked as a
    restorative justice coach or disciplinarian.
        (22) One member who works or has worked as a social
    worker.
        (23) One member of the State Board of Education.
        (24) One member who represents a statewide principals'
    organization.
        (25) One member who represents a statewide
    organization of school boards.
        (26) One member who has expertise in pre-kindergarten
    education.
        (27) One member who represents a school social worker
    association.
        (28) One member who represents an organization that
    represents school districts in both the south suburbs and
    collar counties.
        (29) One member who is a licensed clinical psychologist
    who (A) has a doctor of philosophy in the field of clinical
    psychology and has an appointment at an independent
    free-standing children's hospital located in Chicago, (B)
    serves as associate professor at a medical school located
    in Chicago, and (C) serves as the clinical director of a
    coalition of voluntary collaboration of organizations that
    are committed to applying a trauma lens to their efforts on
    behalf of families and children in the State.
        (30) One member who represents a west suburban school
    district.
    (d) The Whole Child Task Force shall meet at the call of
the State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee,
who shall serve as as the chairperson. The State Board of
Education shall provide administrative and other support to the
task force. Members of the task force shall serve without
compensation.
    (e) The Whole Child Task Force shall submit a report of its
findings and recommendations to the General Assembly, the
Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, the State Board of
Education, and the Governor on or before February 1, 2022. Upon
submitting its report, the task force is dissolved.
    (f) This Section is repealed on February 1, 2023.
 
Article 35.

 
    Section 35-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the
Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultations Act.
References in this Article to "this Act" mean this Article.
 
    Section 35-5. Findings; policies.
    (a) The General Assembly finds the following:
        (1) Social and emotional development is a core
    developmental domain in young children and is codified in
    the Illinois Early Learning Standards.
        (2) Fostering social and emotional development in
    early childhood means both providing the supportive
    settings and interactions to maximize healthy social and
    emotional development for all children, as well as
    providing communities, programs, and providers with
    systems of tiered supports with training to respond to more
    significant social and emotional challenges or where
    experiences of trauma may be more prevalent.
        (3) Early care and education programs and providers,
    across a range of settings, have an important role to play
    in supporting young children and families, especially
    those who face greater challenges, such as trauma exposure,
    social isolation, pervasive poverty, and toxic stress; if
    programs, teaching staff, caregivers, and providers are
    not provided with the support, services, and training
    needed to accomplish these goals, it can lead to children
    and families being asked to leave programs, particularly
    without connection to more appropriate services, thereby
    creating a disruption in learning and social-emotional
    development; investments in reflective supervision,
    professional development specific to diversity, equity and
    inclusion practice, culturally responsive training,
    implicit bias training, and how trauma experienced during
    the early years can manifest in challenging behaviors will
    create systems for serving children that are informed in
    developmentally appropriate and responsive supports.
        (4) Studies have shown that the expulsion of infants,
    toddlers, and young children in early care and education
    settings is occurring at alarmingly high rates, more than 3
    times that of students in K-12; further, expulsion occurs
    more frequently for Black children and Latinx children and
    more frequently for boys than for girls, with Black boys
    being most frequently expelled; there is evidence to show
    that the expulsion of Black girls is occurring with
    increasing frequency.
        (5) Illinois took its first steps toward addressing
    this disparity through Public Act 100-105 to prohibit
    expulsion due to child behavior in early care and education
    settings, but further work is needed to implement this law,
    including strengthening provider understanding of a
    successful transition and beginning to identify strategies
    to reduce "soft expulsions" and to ensure more young
    children and their teachers, providers, and caregivers, in
    a range of early care and education settings, can benefit
    from services, such as Infant/Early Childhood Mental
    Health Consultations (I/ECMHC) and positive behavior
    interventions and supports such as the Pyramid Model.
        (6) I/ECMHC is a critical component needed to align
    social-emotional well-being with the public health model
    of promotion, prevention, and intervention across early
    care and education systems.
    (b) The General Assembly encourages that all of the
following actions be taken by:
        (1) the State to increase the availability of
    Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultations
    (I/ECMHC) through increased funding in early childhood
    programs and sustainable funding for coordination of
    I/ECMHC and other social and emotional support at the State
    level;
        (2) the Department of Human Services (IDHS), the
    Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), the Governor's
    Office of Early Childhood Development (GOECD), and other
    relevant agencies to develop and promote
    provider-accessible and parent-accessible materials,
    including native language, on the role and value of
    I/ECMHC, including targeted promotion in underserved
    communities, and promote the use of existing I/ECMHCs, the
    I/ECMHC consultant database, or other existing services;
        (3) the State to increase funding to promote and
    provide training and implementation support for systems of
    tiered support, such as the Pyramid Model, across early
    childhood settings and urge DHS, ISBE, GOECD, and other
    relevant State agencies to coordinate efforts and develop
    strategies to provide outreach to and support providers in
    underserved communities and communities with fewer
    programmatic resources; and
        (4) ISBE and DCFS to provide the data required by
    Public Act 100-105, even if the data is incomplete at the
    time due to data system challenges.
 
Article 40.

 
    Section 40-5. The Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
adding Section 5-39 as follows:
 
    (305 ILCS 5/5-39 new)
    Sec. 5-39. Behavioral health services for children;
diagnostic assessment system. Beginning on July 1, 2022, if it
is necessary to provide a diagnostic code for behavioral health
services for children ages 5 and under, providers shall utilize
a developmentally appropriate and age-appropriate diagnostic
assessment system, such as the Diagnostic Classification of
Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early
Childhood-Revised (DC:0-5), for diagnosis and treatment
planning. If necessary for billing purposes, the provider,
managed care organization, or Department shall utilize the
existing crosswalk tool to convert the developmentally
appropriate and age-appropriate diagnosis code to the relevant
code available in the State system.
    By no later than January 1, 2022, the Department shall make
recommendations to the General Assembly on the resources needed
to integrate developmentally appropriate and age-appropriate
diagnostic codes into the State system.
 
Article 45.

 
    Section 45-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the
Early Childhood Workforce Act. References in this Article to
"this Act" mean this Article.
 
    Section 45-5. Findings; policies.
    (a) The General Assembly finds the following:
        (1) Research shows that early childhood teacher
    effectiveness is a predictor for positive developmental
    and academic outcomes for children.
        (2) The work of early childhood educators is
    sophisticated and central to the healthy learning and
    development of young children and takes place in a range of
    settings, including schools, community-based centers, and
    homes.
        (3) It is critically important for children's outcomes
    to have educators that reflect the diversity of the
    families and communities they serve.
        (4) The early childhood workforce is more racially
    diverse than the K-12 workforce, and its members hold
    degrees, have earned credentials, and have years of
    experience in the field.
        (5) The early childhood workforce, particularly those
    working in community-based settings and those working with
    infants and toddlers, often are not paid wages aligned to
    the sophistication of their work and level of education.
        (6) All regions and settings have difficulty finding
    qualified teachers.
        (7) A disproportionate number of Black and Latinx women
    serve in essential, frontline positions but are
    underrepresented as lead teachers and in program
    leadership where credentials and degrees are required.
        (8) The early childhood workforce faces multiple
    barriers to additional credential and degree attainment
    that lead to career advancement and higher levels of
    compensation.
    (b) The General Assembly encourages all of the following:
        (1) The Department of Human Services to undertake an
    analysis of teacher data in the Gateways Registry to
    determine those individuals who are close to their next
    credential or degree, including information where
    available in the Registry such as their geographic
    location, demographics, work setting, and age groups of
    children for whom they are responsible.
        (2) The Department of Human Services to conduct
    outreach and provide targeted coaching and access to
    financial supports, including, but not limited to,
    scholarships and debt relief, in a way that prioritizes
    increasing the diversity of the teacher pipeline,
    including bilingual providers and educators, regions of
    the State with the highest need, and children in age groups
    with the greatest teacher shortages.
        (3) The State Board of Education to provide additional
    financial support to candidates and provide this support to
    all candidates regardless of the setting in which they work
    and the credentials they are currently seeking,
    prioritizing those by greatest need in the early childhood
    field.
        (4) The Department of Human Services to provide annual
    reports on who receives these and other scholarships or
    other financial support administered by the Department or
    the State Board of Education by geographic location,
    demographics, work setting, age groups of children served,
    and credential/degree attainment as available.
        (5) The Board of Higher Education, in the course of
    their strategic planning process, to review the barriers
    experienced by the early childhood workforce and by
    teachers of color, in particular in accessing and
    completing the needed coursework to attain additional
    credentials and degrees, and to recommend policy or
    practice changes to better meet the needs of this
    workforce, which is largely comprised of non-traditional
    students and women of color.
        (6) The State Board of Education and the Department of
    Human Services to prioritize reducing compensation
    disparities between the early childhood workforce and
    their K-12 counterparts and disparities within the early
    childhood workforce between setting and age groups in which
    they work, as funding becomes available.
 
Article 50.

 
    Section 50-5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
2-3.183 and by changing Section 27-22 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.183 new)
    Sec. 2-3.183. Review of university admission coursework.
    (a) The State Board of Education shall make the review
compiled under Section 9.40 of the Board of Higher Education
Act available to the public on its Internet website.
    (b) To ensure that every public high school student
understands the course expectations for admission into a public
university in this State, a school district must make available
to students in grades 8 through 12 and their parents or
guardians the review compiled under Section 9.40 of the Board
of Higher Education Act before the student's course schedule is
finalized for the student's particular grade level.
    (c) To ensure that a public high school student is not
excluded from enrolling in a public university in this State
because of a lack of access to required or recommended
coursework, beginning with the 2022-2023 school year and each
school year thereafter, every public high school must provide
access to each course identified in the review compiled under
Section 9.40 of the Board of Higher Education Act to any of its
students who request to enroll in the course. If the public
high school is unable to offer the course through the school
district, the public high school must find an alternative way
to offer the course to the student, which may include
partnering with another school district, a community college
district, an institution of higher education, or some other
course provider. No student shall be excluded from
participation in a course identified in the review due to
financial reasons. Any course offered pursuant to this Section
as a dual credit course shall be developed and offered in
accordance with the Dual Credit Quality Act.
 
    (105 ILCS 5/27-22)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-22)
    Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses.
    (a) (Blank).
    (b) (Blank).
    (c) (Blank).
    (d) (Blank).
    (e) Through the 2023-2024 school year, as As a prerequisite
to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th
grade 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 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. A mathematics course that includes geometry
    content may be offered as an integrated, applied,
    interdisciplinary, or career and technical education
    course that prepares a student for a career readiness path.
        (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
    and, beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the
    2016-2017 school year and each school year thereafter, at
    least one semester must be civics, which shall help young
    people acquire and learn to use the skills, knowledge, and
    attitudes that will prepare them to be competent and
    responsible citizens throughout their lives. Civics course
    content shall focus on government institutions, the
    discussion of current and controversial issues, service
    learning, and simulations of the democratic process.
    School districts may utilize private funding available for
    the purposes of offering civics education.
        (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) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, as a
prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil
entering the 9th grade 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 courses, one of
    which must be English and the other of which may be English
    or any other subject. If applicable, writing-intensive
    courses may be counted toward 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. A mathematics course that includes geometry
    content may be offered as an integrated, applied,
    interdisciplinary, or career and technical education
    course that prepares a student for a career readiness path.
        (4) Two years of laboratory 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 and
    at least one semester must be civics, which shall help
    young people acquire and learn to use the skills,
    knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare them to be
    competent and responsible citizens throughout their lives.
    Civics course content shall focus on government
    institutions, the discussion of current and controversial
    issues, service learning, and simulations of the
    democratic process. School districts may utilize private
    funding available for the purposes of offering civics
    education.
        (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-10) Beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, as a
prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil
entering the 9th grade must, in addition to other course
requirements, successfully complete 2 years of foreign
language courses, which may include American Sign Language. A
pupil may choose a third year of foreign language to satisfy
the requirement under paragraph (6) of subsection (e-5).
    (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
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.
    Subsection (e-5) does not apply to pupils entering the 9th
grade in the 2023-2024 school year or a prior school year or to
students with disabilities whose course of study is determined
by an individualized education program. Subsection (e-10) does
not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2027-2028
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 of this Code and the
Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act.
    (i) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to modify
the requirements of this Section for any students enrolled in
grades 9 through 12 if the Governor has declared a disaster due
to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.
(Source: P.A. 100-443, eff. 8-25-17; 101-464, eff. 1-1-20;
101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)
 
    Section 50-10. The Board of Higher Education Act is amended
by adding Section 9.40 as follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 205/9.40 new)
    Sec. 9.40. Review of university admission coursework.
    (a) On or before May 1, 2021 and as needed thereafter, the
Board of Higher Education shall compile a review that
identifies, for each public university in this State, all
courses the university will require or recommend a high school
student take to be admitted to the university as an
undergraduate student for the following school year. The review
shall also include any required coursework or recommended
coursework for a undergraduate admission into a specific
academic major, college, or department of the university for
the following school year. In order to allow public school
districts sufficient time to fulfill their obligations under
subsection (c) of Section 2-3.183 of the School Code, the
review must also identify any new courses that each public
university in this State will add to the review the following
year. No new required or recommended coursework may be added to
a review that has not been identified in the previous year's
review.
    (b) The Board of Higher Education shall make the review
compiled under subsection (a) available to the public on its
Internet website.
    (c) The Board of Higher Education may adopt any rules
necessary to implement this Section.
 
Article 60.

 
    Section 60-5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections
2-3.185, 10-20.73, 10-20.74, and 27-23.15 and by changing
Sections 10-17a and 27-22 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.185 new)
    Sec. 2-3.185. Computer science standards and courses. On or
before December 1, 2021, the State Board of Education shall:
        (1) develop or adopt rigorous learning standards in the
    area of computer science; and
        (2) analyze and revise, if appropriate, existing
    course titles dedicated to computer science or develop a
    short list of existing course titles that are recommended
    for computer science courses.
 
    (105 ILCS 5/10-17a)  (from Ch. 122, par. 10-17a)
    Sec. 10-17a. State, school district, and school report
cards.
    (1) By October 31, 2013 and October 31 of each subsequent
school year, the State Board of Education, through the State
Superintendent of Education, shall prepare a State report card,
school district report cards, and school report cards, and
shall by the most economic means provide to each school
district in this State, including special charter districts and
districts subject to the provisions of Article 34, the report
cards for the school district and each of its schools.
    (2) In addition to any information required by federal law,
the State Superintendent shall determine the indicators and
presentation of the school report card, which must include, at
a minimum, the most current data collected and maintained by
the State Board of Education related to the following:
        (A) school characteristics and student demographics,
    including average class size, average teaching experience,
    student racial/ethnic breakdown, and the percentage of
    students classified as low-income; the percentage of
    students classified as English learners; the percentage of
    students who have individualized education plans or 504
    plans that provide for special education services; the
    number and percentage of all students who have been
    assessed for placement in a gifted education or advanced
    academic program and, of those students: (i) the racial and
    ethnic breakdown, (ii) the percentage who are classified as
    low-income, and (iii) the number and percentage of students
    who received direct instruction from a teacher who holds a
    gifted education endorsement and, of those students, the
    percentage who are classified as low-income; the
    percentage of students scoring at the "exceeds
    expectations" level on the assessments required under
    Section 2-3.64a-5 of this Code; the percentage of students
    who annually transferred in or out of the school district;
    average daily attendance; the per-pupil operating
    expenditure of the school district; and the per-pupil State
    average operating expenditure for the district type
    (elementary, high school, or unit);
        (B) curriculum information, including, where
    applicable, Advanced Placement, International
    Baccalaureate or equivalent courses, dual enrollment
    courses, foreign language classes, computer science
    courses, school personnel resources (including Career
    Technical Education teachers), before and after school
    programs, extracurricular activities, subjects in which
    elective classes are offered, health and wellness
    initiatives (including the average number of days of
    Physical Education per week per student), approved
    programs of study, awards received, community
    partnerships, and special programs such as programming for
    the gifted and talented, students with disabilities, and
    work-study students;
        (C) student outcomes, including, where applicable, the
    percentage of students deemed proficient on assessments of
    State standards, the percentage of students in the eighth
    grade who pass Algebra, the percentage of students who
    participated in workplace learning experiences, the
    percentage of students enrolled in post-secondary
    institutions (including colleges, universities, community
    colleges, trade/vocational schools, and training programs
    leading to career certification within 2 semesters of high
    school graduation), the percentage of students graduating
    from high school who are college and career ready, and the
    percentage of graduates enrolled in community colleges,
    colleges, and universities who are in one or more courses
    that the community college, college, or university
    identifies as a developmental course;
        (D) student progress, including, where applicable, the
    percentage of students in the ninth grade who have earned 5
    credits or more without failing more than one core class, a
    measure of students entering kindergarten ready to learn, a
    measure of growth, and the percentage of students who enter
    high school on track for college and career readiness;
        (E) the school environment, including, where
    applicable, the percentage of students with less than 10
    absences in a school year, the percentage of teachers with
    less than 10 absences in a school year for reasons other
    than professional development, leaves taken pursuant to
    the federal Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, long-term
    disability, or parental leaves, the 3-year average of the
    percentage of teachers returning to the school from the
    previous year, the number of different principals at the
    school in the last 6 years, the number of teachers who hold
    a gifted education endorsement, the process and criteria
    used by the district to determine whether a student is
    eligible for participation in a gifted education program or
    advanced academic program and the manner in which parents
    and guardians are made aware of the process and criteria, 2
    or more indicators from any school climate survey selected
    or approved by the State and administered pursuant to
    Section 2-3.153 of this Code, with the same or similar
    indicators included on school report cards for all surveys
    selected or approved by the State pursuant to Section
    2-3.153 of this Code, and the combined percentage of
    teachers rated as proficient or excellent in their most
    recent evaluation;
        (F) a school district's and its individual schools'
    balanced accountability measure, in accordance with
    Section 2-3.25a of this Code;
        (G) the total and per pupil normal cost amount the
    State contributed to the Teachers' Retirement System of the
    State of Illinois in the prior fiscal year for the school's
    employees, which shall be reported to the State Board of
    Education by the Teachers' Retirement System of the State
    of Illinois;
        (H) for a school district organized under Article 34 of
    this Code only, State contributions to the Public School
    Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund of Chicago and State
    contributions for health care for employees of that school
    district;
        (I) a school district's Final Percent of Adequacy, as
    defined in paragraph (4) of subsection (f) of Section
    18-8.15 of this Code;
        (J) a school district's Local Capacity Target, as
    defined in paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of Section
    18-8.15 of this Code, displayed as a percentage amount;
        (K) a school district's Real Receipts, as defined in
    paragraph (1) of subsection (d) of Section 18-8.15 of this
    Code, divided by a school district's Adequacy Target, as
    defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of Section
    18-8.15 of this Code, displayed as a percentage amount;
        (L) a school district's administrative costs; and
        (M) whether or not the school has participated in the
    Illinois Youth Survey. In this paragraph (M), "Illinois
    Youth Survey" means a self-report survey, administered in
    school settings every 2 years, designed to gather
    information about health and social indicators, including
    substance abuse patterns and the attitudes of students in
    grades 8, 10, and 12; and
        (N) whether the school offered its students career and
    technical education opportunities.
    The school report card shall also provide information that
allows for comparing the current outcome, progress, and
environment data to the State average, to the school data from
the past 5 years, and to the outcomes, progress, and
environment of similar schools based on the type of school and
enrollment of low-income students, special education students,
and English learners.
    As used in this subsection (2):
    "Administrative costs" means costs associated with
executive, administrative, or managerial functions within the
school district that involve planning, organizing, managing,
or directing the school district.
    "Advanced academic program" means a course of study to
which students are assigned based on advanced cognitive ability
or advanced academic achievement compared to local age peers
and in which the curriculum is substantially differentiated
from the general curriculum to provide appropriate challenge
and pace.
    "Computer science" means the study of computers and
algorithms, including their principles, their hardware and
software designs, their implementation, and their impact on
society. "Computer science" does not include the study of
everyday uses of computers and computer applications, such as
keyboarding or accessing the Internet.
    "Gifted education" means educational services, including
differentiated curricula and instructional methods, designed
to meet the needs of gifted children as defined in Article 14A
of this Code.
    For the purposes of paragraph (A) of this subsection (2),
"average daily attendance" means the average of the actual
number of attendance days during the previous school year for
any enrolled student who is subject to compulsory attendance by
Section 26-1 of this Code at each school and charter school.
    (3) At the discretion of the State Superintendent, the
school district report card shall include a subset of the
information identified in paragraphs (A) through (E) of
subsection (2) of this Section, as well as information relating
to the operating expense per pupil and other finances of the
school district, and the State report card shall include a
subset of the information identified in paragraphs (A) through
(E) and paragraph (N) of subsection (2) of this Section. The
school district report card shall include the average daily
attendance, as that term is defined in subsection (2) of this
Section, of students who have individualized education
programs and students who have 504 plans that provide for
special education services within the school district.
    (4) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
Section, in consultation with key education stakeholders, the
State Superintendent shall at any time have the discretion to
amend or update any and all metrics on the school, district, or
State report card.
    (5) Annually, no more than 30 calendar days after receipt
of the school district and school report cards from the State
Superintendent of Education, each school district, including
special charter districts and districts subject to the
provisions of Article 34, shall present such report cards at a
regular school board meeting subject to applicable notice
requirements, post the report cards on the school district's
Internet web site, if the district maintains an Internet web
site, make the report cards available to a newspaper of general
circulation serving the district, and, upon request, send the
report cards home to a parent (unless the district does not
maintain an Internet web site, in which case the report card
shall be sent home to parents without request). If the district
posts the report card on its Internet web site, the district
shall send a written notice home to parents stating (i) that
the report card is available on the web site, (ii) the address
of the web site, (iii) that a printed copy of the report card
will be sent to parents upon request, and (iv) the telephone
number that parents may call to request a printed copy of the
report card.
    (6) Nothing contained in Public Act 98-648 repeals,
supersedes, invalidates, or nullifies final decisions in
lawsuits pending on July 1, 2014 (the effective date of Public
Act 98-648) in Illinois courts involving the interpretation of
Public Act 97-8.
(Source: P.A. 100-227, eff. 8-18-17; 100-364, eff. 1-1-18;
100-448, eff. 7-1-19; 100-465, eff. 8-31-17; 100-807, eff.
8-10-18; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18; 100-1121, eff. 1-1-19; 101-68,
eff. 1-1-20; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; revised 9-9-19.)
 
    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.73 new)
    Sec. 10-20.73. Computer literacy skills. All school
districts shall ensure that students receive developmentally
appropriate opportunities to gain computer literacy skills
beginning in elementary school.
 
    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.74 new)
    Sec. 10-20.74. Educational technology capacity and
policies; report. School districts shall submit to the State
Board of Education, or its designee, an annual report that
shall include, at a minimum, information regarding educational
technology capacity and policies, including device
availability for students, school-based access and
infrastructure, professional learning and training
opportunities, and documentation of developmentally
appropriate computer literacy instruction embedded in the
district's curriculum at each grade level.
 
    (105 ILCS 5/27-22)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-22)
    Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses.
    (a) (Blank).
    (b) (Blank).
    (c) (Blank).
    (d) (Blank).
    (e) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
each pupil entering the 9th grade 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 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. A mathematics course that includes geometry
    content may be offered as an integrated, applied,
    interdisciplinary, or career and technical education
    course that prepares a student for a career readiness path.
        (3.5) For pupils entering the 9th grade in the
    2022-2023 school year and each school year thereafter, one
    year of a course that includes intensive instruction in
    computer literacy, which may be English, social studies, or
    any other subject and which may be counted toward the
    fulfillment of other graduation requirements.
        (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
    and, beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the
    2016-2017 school year and each school year thereafter, at
    least one semester must be civics, which shall help young
    people acquire and learn to use the skills, knowledge, and
    attitudes that will prepare them to be competent and
    responsible citizens throughout their lives. Civics course
    content shall focus on government institutions, the
    discussion of current and controversial issues, service
    learning, and simulations of the democratic process.
    School districts may utilize private funding available for
    the purposes of offering civics education.
        (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.
    (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
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 101st General Assembly does not
apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 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 of this Code and the
Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act.
    (i) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to modify
the requirements of this Section for any students enrolled in
grades 9 through 12 if the Governor has declared a disaster due
to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.
(Source: P.A. 100-443, eff. 8-25-17; 101-464, eff. 1-1-20;
101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)
 
    (105 ILCS 5/27-23.15 new)
    Sec. 27-23.15. Computer science.
    (a) In this Section, "computer science" means the study of
computers and algorithms, including their principles, their
hardware and software designs, their implementation, and their
impact on society. "Computer science" does not include the
study of everyday uses of computers and computer applications,
such as keyboarding or accessing the Internet.
    (b) Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, the school
board of a school district that maintains any of grades 9
through 12 shall provide an opportunity for every high school
student to take at least one computer science course aligned to
rigorous learning standards of the State Board of Education.
 
Article 65.

 
    Section 65-5. The School Code is amended by changing
Sections 14A-10 and 14A-32 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/14A-10)
    Sec. 14A-10. Legislative findings. The General Assembly
finds the following:
        (1) that gifted and talented children (i) exhibit high
    performance capabilities in intellectual, creative, and
    artistic areas, (ii) possess an exceptional leadership
    potential, (iii) excel in specific academic fields, and
    (iv) have the potential to be influential in business,
    government, health care, the arts, and other critical
    sectors of our economic and cultural environment;
        (2) that gifted and talented children require services
    and activities that are not ordinarily provided by schools;
    and
        (3) that outstanding talents are present in children
    and youth from all cultural groups, across all economic
    strata, and in all areas of human endeavor; and .
        (4) that inequitable access to advanced coursework and
    enrollment in accelerated placement programs exists
    between children enrolled in different school districts
    and even within the same school district and more must be
    done to eliminate the barriers to access to advanced
    coursework and enrollment in accelerated placement
    programs for all children.
(Source: P.A. 94-151, eff. 7-8-05; 94-410, eff. 8-2-05.)
 
    (105 ILCS 5/14A-32)
    Sec. 14A-32. Accelerated placement; school district
responsibilities.
    (a) Each school district shall have a policy that allows
for accelerated placement that includes or incorporates by
reference the following components:
        (1) a provision that provides that participation in
    accelerated placement is not limited to those children who
    have been identified as gifted and talented, but rather is
    open to all children who demonstrate high ability and who
    may benefit from accelerated placement;
        (2) a fair and equitable decision-making process that
    involves multiple persons and includes a student's parents
    or guardians;
        (3) procedures for notifying parents or guardians of a
    child of a decision affecting that child's participation in
    an accelerated placement program; and
        (4) an assessment process that includes multiple
    valid, reliable indicators.
    (a-5) By no later than the beginning of the 2023-2024
school year, a school district's accelerated placement policy
shall allow for the automatic enrollment, in the following
school term, of a student into the next most rigorous level of
advanced coursework offered by the high school if the student
meets or exceeds State standards in English language arts,
mathematics, or science on a State assessment administered
under Section 2-3.64a-5 as follows:
        (1) A student who meets or exceeds State standards in
    English language arts shall be automatically enrolled into
    the next most rigorous level of advanced coursework in
    English, social studies, humanities, or related subjects.
        (2) A student who meets or exceeds State standards in
    mathematics shall be automatically enrolled into the next
    most rigorous level of advanced coursework in mathematics.
        (3) A student who meets or exceeds State standards in
    science shall be automatically enrolled into the next most
    rigorous level of advanced coursework in science.
    The next most rigorous level of advanced coursework under
this subsection (a-5) may include a dual credit course, as
defined in the Dual Credit Quality Act, an Advanced Placement
course as defined in Section 10 of the College and Career
Success for All Students Act, an International Baccalaureate
course, an honors class, an enrichment opportunity, a gifted
program, or another program offered by the district.
    A school district may use the student's most recent State
assessment results to determine whether a student meets or
exceeds State standards. For a student entering grade 9,
results from the State assessment taken in grades 6 through 8
may be used. For other high school grades, the results from a
locally selected, nationally normed assessment may be used
instead of the State assessment if those results are the most
recent.
    A school district must provide the parent or guardian of a
student eligible for automatic enrollment under this
subsection (a-5) with the option to instead have the student
enroll in alternative coursework that better aligns with the
student's postsecondary education or career goals.
    Nothing in this subsection (a-5) may be interpreted to
preclude other students from enrolling in advanced coursework
per the policy of a school district.
    (b) Further, a school district's accelerated placement
policy may include or incorporate by reference, but need not be
limited to, the following components:
        (1) procedures for annually informing the community
    at-large, including parents or guardians, community-based
    organizations, and providers of out-of-school programs,
    about the accelerated placement program and the methods
    used for the identification of children eligible for
    accelerated placement, including strategies to reach
    groups of students and families who have been historically
    underrepresented in accelerated placement programs and
    advanced coursework;
        (2) a process for referral that allows for multiple
    referrers, including a child's parents or guardians; other
    referrers may include licensed education professionals,
    the child, with the written consent of a parent or
    guardian, a peer, through a licensed education
    professional who has knowledge of the referred child's
    abilities, or, in case of possible early entrance, a
    preschool educator, pediatrician, or psychologist who
    knows the child; and
        (3) a provision that provides that children
    participating in an accelerated placement program and
    their parents or guardians will be provided a written plan
    detailing the type of acceleration the child will receive
    and strategies to support the child; .
        (4) procedures to provide support and promote success
    for students who are newly enrolled in an accelerated
    placement program; and
        (5) a process for the school district to review and
    utilize disaggregated data on participation in an
    accelerated placement program to address gaps among
    demographic groups in accelerated placement opportunities.
    (c) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
determine data to be collected and disaggregated by demographic
group regarding accelerated placement, including the rates of
students who participate in and successfully complete advanced
coursework, and a method of making the information available to
the public.
    (d) On or before November 1, 2022, following a review of
disaggregated data on the participation and successful
completion rates of students enrolled in an accelerated
placement program, each school district shall develop a plan to
expand access to its accelerated placement program and to
ensure the teaching capacity necessary to meet the increased
demand.
(Source: P.A. 100-421, eff. 7-1-18.)
 
Article 70.

 
    Section 70-5. The School Code is amended by changing
Section 22-45 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/22-45)
    Sec. 22-45. Illinois P-20 Council.
    (a) The General Assembly finds that preparing Illinoisans
for success in school and the workplace requires a continuum of
quality education from preschool through graduate school. This
State needs a framework to guide education policy and integrate
education at every level. A statewide coordinating council to
study and make recommendations concerning education at all
levels can avoid fragmentation of policies, promote improved
teaching and learning, and continue to cultivate and
demonstrate strong accountability and efficiency. Establishing
an Illinois P-20 Council will develop a statewide agenda that
will move the State towards the common goals of improving
academic achievement, increasing college access and success,
improving use of existing data and measurements, developing
improved accountability, fostering innovative approaches to
education, promoting lifelong learning, easing the transition
to college, and reducing remediation. A pre-kindergarten
through grade 20 agenda will strengthen this State's economic
competitiveness by producing a highly-skilled workforce. In
addition, lifelong learning plans will enhance this State's
ability to leverage funding.
    (b) There is created the Illinois P-20 Council. The
Illinois P-20 Council shall include all of the following
members:
        (1) The Governor or his or her designee, to serve as
    chairperson.
        (2) Four members of the General Assembly, one appointed
    by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one
    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
    Representatives, one appointed by the President of the
    Senate, and one appointed by the Minority Leader of the
    Senate.
        (3) Six at-large members appointed by the Governor as
    follows, with 2 members being from the City of Chicago, 2
    members being from Lake County, McHenry County, Kane
    County, DuPage County, Will County, or that part of Cook
    County outside of the City of Chicago, and 2 members being
    from the remainder of the State:
            (A) one representative of civic leaders;
            (B) one representative of local government;
            (C) one representative of trade unions;
            (D) one representative of nonprofit organizations
        or foundations;
            (E) one representative of parents' organizations;
        and
            (F) one education research expert.
        (4) Five members appointed by statewide business
    organizations and business trade associations.
        (5) Six members appointed by statewide professional
    organizations and associations representing
    pre-kindergarten through grade 20 teachers, community
    college faculty, and public university faculty.
        (6) Two members appointed by associations representing
    local school administrators and school board members. One
    of these members must be a special education administrator.
        (7) One member representing community colleges,
    appointed by the Illinois Council of Community College
    Presidents.
        (8) One member representing 4-year independent
    colleges and universities, appointed by a statewide
    organization representing private institutions of higher
    learning.
        (9) One member representing public 4-year
    universities, appointed jointly by the university
    presidents and chancellors.
        (10) Ex-officio members as follows:
            (A) The State Superintendent of Education or his or
        her designee.
            (B) The Executive Director of the Board of Higher
        Education or his or her designee.
            (C) The Executive Director of the Illinois
        Community College Board or his or her designee.
            (D) The Executive Director of the Illinois Student
        Assistance Commission or his or her designee.
            (E) The Co-chairpersons of the Illinois Workforce
        Investment Board or their designee.
            (F) The Director of Commerce and Economic
        Opportunity or his or her designee.
            (G) The Chairperson of the Illinois Early Learning
        Council or his or her designee.
            (H) The President of the Illinois Mathematics and
        Science Academy or his or her designee.
            (I) The president of an association representing
        educators of adult learners or his or her designee.
Ex-officio members shall have no vote on the Illinois P-20
Council.
    Appointed members shall serve for staggered terms expiring
on July 1 of the first, second, or third calendar year
following their appointments or until their successors are
appointed and have qualified. Staggered terms shall be
determined by lot at the organizing meeting of the Illinois
P-20 Council.
    Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as original
appointments, and any member so appointed shall serve during
the remainder of the term for which the vacancy occurred.
    (c) The Illinois P-20 Council shall be funded through State
appropriations to support staff activities, research,
data-collection, and dissemination. The Illinois P-20 Council
shall be staffed by the Office of the Governor, in coordination
with relevant State agencies, boards, and commissions. The
Illinois Education Research Council shall provide research and
coordinate research collection activities for the Illinois
P-20 Council.
    (d) The Illinois P-20 Council shall have all of the
following duties:
        (1) To make recommendations to do all of the following:
            (A) Coordinate pre-kindergarten through grade 20
        (graduate school) education in this State through
        working at the intersections of educational systems to
        promote collaborative infrastructure.
            (B) Coordinate and leverage strategies, actions,
        legislation, policies, and resources of all
        stakeholders to support fundamental and lasting
        improvement in this State's public schools, community
        colleges, and universities.
            (C) Better align the high school curriculum with
        postsecondary expectations.
            (D) Better align assessments across all levels of
        education.
            (E) Reduce the need for students entering
        institutions of higher education to take remedial
        courses.
            (F) Smooth the transition from high school to
        college.
            (G) Improve high school and college graduation
        rates.
            (H) Improve the rigor and relevance of academic
        standards for college and workforce readiness.
            (I) Better align college and university teaching
        programs with the needs of Illinois schools.
        (2) To advise the Governor, the General Assembly, the
    State's education and higher education agencies, and the
    State's workforce and economic development boards and
    agencies on policies related to lifelong learning for
    Illinois students and families.
        (3) To articulate a framework for systemic educational
    improvement and innovation that will enable every student
    to meet or exceed Illinois learning standards and be
    well-prepared to succeed in the workforce and community.
        (4) To provide an estimated fiscal impact for
    implementation of all Council recommendations.
        (5) To make recommendations for short-term and
    long-term learning recovery actions for public school
    students in this State in the wake of the COVID-19
    pandemic. The Illinois P-20 Council shall submit a report
    with its recommendations for a multi-year recovery plan by
    December 31, 2021 to the Governor, the State Board of
    Education, the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois
    Community College Board, and the General Assembly that
    addresses all of the following:
            (A) Closing the digital divide for all students,
        including access to devices, Internet connectivity,
        and ensuring that educators have the necessary support
        and training to provide high quality remote and blended
        learning to students.
            (B) Evaluating the academic growth and proficiency
        of students in order to understand the impact of school
        closures and remote and blended remote learning
        conditions on student academic outcomes, including
        disaggregating data by race, income, diverse learners,
        and English learners, in ways that balance the need to
        understand that impact with the need to support student
        well-being and also take into consideration the
        logistical constraints facing schools and districts.
            (C) Establishing a system for the collection and
        review of student data at the State level, including
        data about prekindergarten through higher education
        student attendance, engagement and participation,
        discipline, and social-emotional and mental health
        inputs and outcomes, in order to better understand the
        full impact of disrupted learning.
            (D) Providing students with resources and programs
        for academic support, such as enrichment
        opportunities, tutoring corps, summer bridge programs,
        youth leadership and development programs, youth and
        community-led restorative and transformative justice
        programs, and youth internship and apprenticeship
        programs.
            (E) Providing students with resources and support
        to ensure access to social-emotional learning, mental
        health services, and trauma responsive, restorative
        justice and anti-racist practices in order to support
        the growth of the whole child, such as investing in
        community schools and providing comprehensive
        year-round services and support for both students and
        their families.
            (F) Ensuring more time for students' academic,
        social-emotional, and mental health needs by
        considering such strategies as: (i) extending planning
        time for teachers, (ii) extending the school day and
        school year, and (iii) transitioning to year-round
        schooling.
            (G) Strengthening the transition from secondary
        education to postsecondary education in the wake of
        threats to alignment and affordability created by the
        pandemic and related conditions.
    (e) The chairperson of the Illinois P-20 Council may
authorize the creation of working groups focusing on areas of
interest to Illinois educational and workforce development,
including without limitation the following areas:
        (1) Preparation, recruitment, and certification of
    highly qualified teachers.
        (2) Mentoring and induction of highly qualified
    teachers.
        (3) The diversity of highly qualified teachers.
        (4) Funding for highly qualified teachers, including
    developing a strategic and collaborative plan to seek
    federal and private grants to support initiatives
    targeting teacher preparation and its impact on student
    achievement.
        (5) Highly effective administrators.
        (6) Illinois birth through age 3 education,
    pre-kindergarten, and early childhood education.
        (7) The assessment, alignment, outreach, and network
    of college and workforce readiness efforts.
        (8) Alternative routes to college access.
        (9) Research data and accountability.
        (10) Community schools, community participation, and
    other innovative approaches to education that foster
    community partnerships.
        (11) Tuition, financial aid, and other issues related
    to keeping postsecondary education affordable for Illinois
    residents.
        (12) Learning recovery in the wake of the COVID-19
    pandemic.
    The chairperson of the Illinois P-20 Council may designate
Council members to serve as working group chairpersons. Working
groups may invite organizations and individuals representing
pre-kindergarten through grade 20 interests to participate in
discussions, data collection, and dissemination.
(Source: P.A. 98-463, eff. 8-16-13; 98-719, eff. 1-1-15;
99-643, eff. 1-1-17.)
 
Article 75.

 
    Section 75-5. The State Finance Act is amended by adding
Section 5.935 as follows:
 
    (30 ILCS 105/5.935 new)
    Sec. 5.935. The Freedom Schools Fund.
 
    Section 75-10. The School Code is amended by adding Section
2-3.186 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.186 new)
    Sec. 2-3.186. Freedom Schools; grant program.
    (a) The General Assembly recognizes and values the
contributions that Freedom Schools make to enhance the lives of
Black students. The General Assembly makes all of the following
findings:
        (1) The fundamental goal of the Freedom Schools of the
    1960s was to provide quality education for all students, to
    motivate active civic engagement, and to empower
    disenfranchised communities. The renowned and progressive
    curriculum of Freedom Schools allowed students of all ages
    to experience a new and liberating form of education that
    directly related to the imperatives of their lives, their
    communities, and the Freedom Movement.
        (2) Freedom Schools continue to demonstrate the proven
    benefits of critical civic engagement and
    intergenerational effects by providing historically
    disadvantaged students, including African American
    students and other students of color, with quality
    instruction that fosters student confidence, critical
    thinking, and social and emotional development.
        (3) Freedom Schools offer culturally relevant learning
    opportunities with the academic and social supports that
    Black children need by utilizing quality teaching,
    challenging and engaging curricula, wrap-around supports,
    a positive school climate, and strong ties to family and
    community. Freedom Schools have a clear focus on results.
        (4) Public schools serve a foundational role in the
    education of over 2,000,000 students in this State.
    (b) The State Board of Education shall establish a Freedom
School network to supplement the learning taking place in
public schools by creating a 6-week summer program with an
organization with a mission to improve the odds for children in
poverty that operates Freedom Schools in multiple states using
a research-based and multicultural curriculum for
disenfranchised communities most affected by the opportunity
gap and learning loss caused by the pandemic, and by expanding
the teaching of African American history, developing
leadership skills, and providing an understanding of the tenets
of the civil rights movement. The teachers in Freedom Schools
must be from the local community, with an emphasis on
historically disadvantaged youth, including African American
students and other students of color, so that (i) these
individuals have access to summer jobs and teaching experiences
that serve as a long-term pipeline to educational careers and
the hiring of minority educators in public schools, (ii) these
individuals are elevated as content experts and community
leaders, and (iii) Freedom School students have access to both
mentorship and equitable educational resources.
    (c) A Freedom School shall intentionally and imaginatively
implement strategies that focus on all of the following:
        (1) Racial justice and equity.
        (2) Transparency and building trusting relationships.
        (3) Self-determination and governance.
        (4) Building on community strengths and community
    wisdom.
        (5) Utilizing current data, best practices, and
    evidence.
        (6) Shared leadership and collaboration.
        (7) A reflective learning culture.
        (8) A whole-child approach to education.
        (9) Literacy.
    (d) The State Board of Education, in the establishment of
Freedom Schools, shall strive for authentic parent and
community engagement during the development of Freedom Schools
and their curriculum. Authentic parent and community
engagement includes all of the following:
        (1) A shared responsibility that values equal
    partnerships between families and professionals.
        (2) Ensuring that students and families who are
    directly impacted by Freedom School policies and practices
    are the decision-makers in the creation, design,
    implementation, and assessment of those policies and
    practices.
        (3) Genuine respect for the culture and diversity of
    families.
        (4) Relationships that center around the goal of
    supporting family well-being and children's development
    and learning.
    (e) Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education
shall establish and implement a grant program to provide grants
to public schools, public community colleges, and
not-for-profit, community-based organizations to facilitate
improved educational outcomes for Black students in grades
pre-kindergarten through 12 in alignment with the integrity and
practices of the Freedom School model established during the
civil rights movement. Grant recipients under the program may
include, but are not limited to, entities that work with the
Children's Defense Fund or offer established programs with
proven results and outcomes. The State Board of Education shall
award grants to eligible entities that demonstrate a likelihood
of reasonable success in achieving the goals identified in the
grant application, including, but not limited to, all of the
following:
        (1) Engaging, culturally relevant, and challenging
    curricula.
        (2) High-quality teaching.
        (3) Wrap-around supports and opportunities.
        (4) Positive discipline practices, such as restorative
    justice.
        (5) Inclusive leadership.
    (f) The Freedom Schools Fund is created as a special fund
in the State treasury. the Fund shall consist of appropriations
from the General Revenue Fund, grant funds from the federal
government, and donations from educational and private
foundations. All money in the Fund shall be used, subject to
appropriation, by the State Board of Education for the purposes
of this Section and to support related activities.
    (g) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules
necessary to implement this Section.
 
Article 85.

 
    Section 85-5. The School Code is amended by changing
Section 18-8.15 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/18-8.15)
    Sec. 18-8.15. Evidence-Based Funding for student success
for the 2017-2018 and subsequent school years.
    (a) General provisions.
        (1) The purpose of this Section is to ensure that, by
    June 30, 2027 and beyond, this State has a kindergarten
    through grade 12 public education system with the capacity
    to ensure the educational development of all persons to the
    limits of their capacities in accordance with Section 1 of
    Article X of the Constitution of the State of Illinois. To
    accomplish that objective, this Section creates a method of
    funding public education that is evidence-based; is
    sufficient to ensure every student receives a meaningful
    opportunity to learn irrespective of race, ethnicity,
    sexual orientation, gender, or community-income level; and
    is sustainable and predictable. When fully funded under
    this Section, every school shall have the resources, based
    on what the evidence indicates is needed, to:
            (A) provide all students with a high quality
        education that offers the academic, enrichment, social
        and emotional support, technical, and career-focused
        programs that will allow them to become competitive
        workers, responsible parents, productive citizens of
        this State, and active members of our national
        democracy;
            (B) ensure all students receive the education they
        need to graduate from high school with the skills
        required to pursue post-secondary education and
        training for a rewarding career;
            (C) reduce, with a goal of eliminating, the
        achievement gap between at-risk and non-at-risk
        students by raising the performance of at-risk
        students and not by reducing standards; and
            (D) ensure this State satisfies its obligation to
        assume the primary responsibility to fund public
        education and simultaneously relieve the
        disproportionate burden placed on local property taxes
        to fund schools.
        (2) The Evidence-Based Funding formula under this
    Section shall be applied to all Organizational Units in
    this State. The Evidence-Based Funding formula outlined in
    this Act is based on the formula outlined in Senate Bill 1
    of the 100th General Assembly, as passed by both
    legislative chambers. As further defined and described in
    this Section, there are 4 major components of the
    Evidence-Based Funding model:
            (A) First, the model calculates a unique Adequacy
        Target for each Organizational Unit in this State that
        considers the costs to implement research-based
        activities, the unit's student demographics, and
        regional wage differences.
            (B) Second, the model calculates each
        Organizational Unit's Local Capacity, or the amount
        each Organizational Unit is assumed to contribute
        toward its Adequacy Target from local resources.
            (C) Third, the model calculates how much funding
        the State currently contributes to the Organizational
        Unit and adds that to the unit's Local Capacity to
        determine the unit's overall current adequacy of
        funding.
            (D) Finally, the model's distribution method
        allocates new State funding to those Organizational
        Units that are least well-funded, considering both
        Local Capacity and State funding, in relation to their
        Adequacy Target.
        (3) An Organizational Unit receiving any funding under
    this Section may apply those funds to any fund so received
    for which that Organizational Unit is authorized to make
    expenditures by law.
        (4) As used in this Section, the following terms shall
    have the meanings ascribed in this paragraph (4):
        "Adequacy Target" is defined in paragraph (1) of
    subsection (b) of this Section.
        "Adjusted EAV" is defined in paragraph (4) of
    subsection (d) of this Section.
        "Adjusted Local Capacity Target" is defined in
    paragraph (3) of subsection (c) of this Section.
        "Adjusted Operating Tax Rate" means a tax rate for all
    Organizational Units, for which the State Superintendent
    shall calculate and subtract for the Operating Tax Rate a
    transportation rate based on total expenses for
    transportation services under this Code, as reported on the
    most recent Annual Financial Report in Pupil
    Transportation Services, function 2550 in both the
    Education and Transportation funds and functions 4110 and
    4120 in the Transportation fund, less any corresponding
    fiscal year State of Illinois scheduled payments excluding
    net adjustments for prior years for regular, vocational, or
    special education transportation reimbursement pursuant to
    Section 29-5 or subsection (b) of Section 14-13.01 of this
    Code divided by the Adjusted EAV. If an Organizational
    Unit's corresponding fiscal year State of Illinois
    scheduled payments excluding net adjustments for prior
    years for regular, vocational, or special education
    transportation reimbursement pursuant to Section 29-5 or
    subsection (b) of Section 14-13.01 of this Code exceed the
    total transportation expenses, as defined in this
    paragraph, no transportation rate shall be subtracted from
    the Operating Tax Rate.
        "Allocation Rate" is defined in paragraph (3) of
    subsection (g) of this Section.
        "Alternative School" means a public school that is
    created and operated by a regional superintendent of
    schools and approved by the State Board.
        "Applicable Tax Rate" is defined in paragraph (1) of
    subsection (d) of this Section.
        "Assessment" means any of those benchmark, progress
    monitoring, formative, diagnostic, and other assessments,
    in addition to the State accountability assessment, that
    assist teachers' needs in understanding the skills and
    meeting the needs of the students they serve.
        "Assistant principal" means a school administrator
    duly endorsed to be employed as an assistant principal in
    this State.
        "At-risk student" means a student who is at risk of not
    meeting the Illinois Learning Standards or not graduating
    from elementary or high school and who demonstrates a need
    for vocational support or social services beyond that
    provided by the regular school program. All students
    included in an Organizational Unit's Low-Income Count, as
    well as all English learner and disabled students attending
    the Organizational Unit, shall be considered at-risk
    students under this Section.
        "Average Student Enrollment" or "ASE" for fiscal year
    2018 means, for an Organizational Unit, the greater of the
    average number of students (grades K through 12) reported
    to the State Board as enrolled in the Organizational Unit
    on October 1 in the immediately preceding school year, plus
    the pre-kindergarten students who receive special
    education services of 2 or more hours a day as reported to
    the State Board on December 1 in the immediately preceding
    school year, or the average number of students (grades K
    through 12) reported to the State Board as enrolled in the
    Organizational Unit on October 1, plus the
    pre-kindergarten students who receive special education
    services of 2 or more hours a day as reported to the State
    Board on December 1, for each of the immediately preceding
    3 school years. For fiscal year 2019 and each subsequent
    fiscal year, "Average Student Enrollment" or "ASE" means,
    for an Organizational Unit, the greater of the average
    number of students (grades K through 12) reported to the
    State Board as enrolled in the Organizational Unit on
    October 1 and March 1 in the immediately preceding school
    year, plus the pre-kindergarten students who receive
    special education services as reported to the State Board
    on October 1 and March 1 in the immediately preceding
    school year, or the average number of students (grades K
    through 12) reported to the State Board as enrolled in the
    Organizational Unit on October 1 and March 1, plus the
    pre-kindergarten students who receive special education
    services as reported to the State Board on October 1 and
    March 1, for each of the immediately preceding 3 school
    years. For the purposes of this definition, "enrolled in
    the Organizational Unit" means the number of students
    reported to the State Board who are enrolled in schools
    within the Organizational Unit that the student attends or
    would attend if not placed or transferred to another school
    or program to receive needed services. For the purposes of
    calculating "ASE", all students, grades K through 12,
    excluding those attending kindergarten for a half day and
    students attending an alternative education program
    operated by a regional office of education or intermediate
    service center, shall be counted as 1.0. All students
    attending kindergarten for a half day shall be counted as
    0.5, unless in 2017 by June 15 or by March 1 in subsequent
    years, the school district reports to the State Board of
    Education the intent to implement full-day kindergarten
    district-wide for all students, then all students
    attending kindergarten shall be counted as 1.0. Special
    education pre-kindergarten students shall be counted as
    0.5 each. If the State Board does not collect or has not
    collected both an October 1 and March 1 enrollment count by
    grade or a December 1 collection of special education
    pre-kindergarten students as of August 31, 2017 (the
    effective date of Public Act 100-465), it shall establish
    such collection for all future years. For any year in which
    a count by grade level was collected only once, that count
    shall be used as the single count available for computing a
    3-year average ASE. Funding for programs operated by a
    regional office of education or an intermediate service
    center must be calculated using the Evidence-Based Funding
    formula under this Section for the 2019-2020 school year
    and each subsequent school year until separate adequacy
    formulas are developed and adopted for each type of
    program. ASE for a program operated by a regional office of
    education or an intermediate service center must be
    determined by the March 1 enrollment for the program. For
    the 2019-2020 school year, the ASE used in the calculation
    must be the first-year ASE and, in that year only, the
    assignment of students served by a regional office of
    education or intermediate service center shall not result
    in a reduction of the March enrollment for any school
    district. For the 2020-2021 school year, the ASE must be
    the greater of the current-year ASE or the 2-year average
    ASE. Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, the ASE must
    be the greater of the current-year ASE or the 3-year
    average ASE. School districts shall submit the data for the
    ASE calculation to the State Board within 45 days of the
    dates required in this Section for submission of enrollment
    data in order for it to be included in the ASE calculation.
    For fiscal year 2018 only, the ASE calculation shall
    include only enrollment taken on October 1.
        "Base Funding Guarantee" is defined in paragraph (10)
    of subsection (g) of this Section.
        "Base Funding Minimum" is defined in subsection (e) of
    this Section.
        "Base Tax Year" means the property tax levy year used
    to calculate the Budget Year allocation of primary State
    aid.
        "Base Tax Year's Extension" means the product of the
    equalized assessed valuation utilized by the county clerk
    in the Base Tax Year multiplied by the limiting rate as
    calculated by the county clerk and defined in PTELL.
        "Bilingual Education Allocation" means the amount of
    an Organizational Unit's final Adequacy Target
    attributable to bilingual education divided by the
    Organizational Unit's final Adequacy Target, the product
    of which shall be multiplied by the amount of new funding
    received pursuant to this Section. An Organizational
    Unit's final Adequacy Target attributable to bilingual
    education shall include all additional investments in
    English learner students' adequacy elements.
        "Budget Year" means the school year for which primary
    State aid is calculated and awarded under this Section.
        "Central office" means individual administrators and
    support service personnel charged with managing the
    instructional programs, business and operations, and
    security of the Organizational Unit.
        "Comparable Wage Index" or "CWI" means a regional cost
    differentiation metric that measures systemic, regional
    variations in the salaries of college graduates who are not
    educators. The CWI utilized for this Section shall, for the
    first 3 years of Evidence-Based Funding implementation, be
    the CWI initially developed by the National Center for
    Education Statistics, as most recently updated by Texas A &
    M University. In the fourth and subsequent years of
    Evidence-Based Funding implementation, the State
    Superintendent shall re-determine the CWI using a similar
    methodology to that identified in the Texas A & M
    University study, with adjustments made no less frequently
    than once every 5 years.
        "Computer technology and equipment" means computers
    servers, notebooks, network equipment, copiers, printers,
    instructional software, security software, curriculum
    management courseware, and other similar materials and
    equipment.
        "Computer technology and equipment investment
    allocation" means the final Adequacy Target amount of an
    Organizational Unit assigned to Tier 1 or Tier 2 in the
    prior school year attributable to the additional $285.50
    per student computer technology and equipment investment
    grant divided by the Organizational Unit's final Adequacy
    Target, the result of which shall be multiplied by the
    amount of new funding received pursuant to this Section. An
    Organizational Unit assigned to a Tier 1 or Tier 2 final
    Adequacy Target attributable to the received computer
    technology and equipment investment grant shall include
    all additional investments in computer technology and
    equipment adequacy elements.
        "Core subject" means mathematics; science; reading,
    English, writing, and language arts; history and social
    studies; world languages; and subjects taught as Advanced
    Placement in high schools.
        "Core teacher" means a regular classroom teacher in
    elementary schools and teachers of a core subject in middle
    and high schools.
        "Core Intervention teacher (tutor)" means a licensed
    teacher providing one-on-one or small group tutoring to
    students struggling to meet proficiency in core subjects.
        "CPPRT" means corporate personal property replacement
    tax funds paid to an Organizational Unit during the
    calendar year one year before the calendar year in which a
    school year begins, pursuant to "An Act in relation to the
    abolition of ad valorem personal property tax and the
    replacement of revenues lost thereby, and amending and
    repealing certain Acts and parts of Acts in connection
    therewith", certified August 14, 1979, as amended (Public
    Act 81-1st S.S.-1).
        "EAV" means equalized assessed valuation as defined in
    paragraph (2) of subsection (d) of this Section and
    calculated in accordance with paragraph (3) of subsection
    (d) of this Section.
        "ECI" means the Bureau of Labor Statistics' national
    employment cost index for civilian workers in educational
    services in elementary and secondary schools on a
    cumulative basis for the 12-month calendar year preceding
    the fiscal year of the Evidence-Based Funding calculation.
        "EIS Data" means the employment information system
    data maintained by the State Board on educators within
    Organizational Units.
        "Employee benefits" means health, dental, and vision
    insurance offered to employees of an Organizational Unit,
    the costs associated with the statutorily required payment
    of the normal cost of the Organizational Unit's teacher
    pensions, Social Security employer contributions, and
    Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund employer contributions.
        "English learner" or "EL" means a child included in the
    definition of "English learners" under Section 14C-2 of
    this Code participating in a program of transitional
    bilingual education or a transitional program of
    instruction meeting the requirements and program
    application procedures of Article 14C of this Code. For the
    purposes of collecting the number of EL students enrolled,
    the same collection and calculation methodology as defined
    above for "ASE" shall apply to English learners, with the
    exception that EL student enrollment shall include
    students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12.
        "Essential Elements" means those elements, resources,
    and educational programs that have been identified through
    academic research as necessary to improve student success,
    improve academic performance, close achievement gaps, and
    provide for other per student costs related to the delivery
    and leadership of the Organizational Unit, as well as the
    maintenance and operations of the unit, and which are
    specified in paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of this
    Section.
        "Evidence-Based Funding" means State funding provided
    to an Organizational Unit pursuant to this Section.
        "Extended day" means academic and enrichment programs
    provided to students outside the regular school day before
    and after school or during non-instructional times during
    the school day.
        "Extension Limitation Ratio" means a numerical ratio
    in which the numerator is the Base Tax Year's Extension and
    the denominator is the Preceding Tax Year's Extension.
        "Final Percent of Adequacy" is defined in paragraph (4)
    of subsection (f) of this Section.
        "Final Resources" is defined in paragraph (3) of
    subsection (f) of this Section.
        "Full-time equivalent" or "FTE" means the full-time
    equivalency compensation for staffing the relevant
    position at an Organizational Unit.
        "Funding Gap" is defined in paragraph (1) of subsection
    (g).
        "Guidance counselor" means a licensed guidance
    counselor who provides guidance and counseling support for
    students within an Organizational Unit.
        "Hybrid District" means a partial elementary unit
    district created pursuant to Article 11E of this Code.
        "Instructional assistant" means a core or special
    education, non-licensed employee who assists a teacher in
    the classroom and provides academic support to students.
        "Instructional facilitator" means a qualified teacher
    or licensed teacher leader who facilitates and coaches
    continuous improvement in classroom instruction; provides
    instructional support to teachers in the elements of
    research-based instruction or demonstrates the alignment
    of instruction with curriculum standards and assessment
    tools; develops or coordinates instructional programs or
    strategies; develops and implements training; chooses
    standards-based instructional materials; provides teachers
    with an understanding of current research; serves as a
    mentor, site coach, curriculum specialist, or lead
    teacher; or otherwise works with fellow teachers, in
    collaboration, to use data to improve instructional
    practice or develop model lessons.
        "Instructional materials" means relevant instructional
    materials for student instruction, including, but not
    limited to, textbooks, consumable workbooks, laboratory
    equipment, library books, and other similar materials.
        "Laboratory School" means a public school that is
    created and operated by a public university and approved by
    the State Board.
        "Librarian" means a teacher with an endorsement as a
    library information specialist or another individual whose
    primary responsibility is overseeing library resources
    within an Organizational Unit.
        "Limiting rate for Hybrid Districts" means the
    combined elementary school and high school limiting rates.
        "Local Capacity" is defined in paragraph (1) of
    subsection (c) of this Section.
        "Local Capacity Percentage" is defined in subparagraph
    (A) of paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of this Section.
        "Local Capacity Ratio" is defined in subparagraph (B)
    of paragraph (2) of subsection (c) of this Section.
        "Local Capacity Target" is defined in paragraph (2) of
    subsection (c) of this Section.
        "Low-Income Count" means, for an Organizational Unit
    in a fiscal year, the higher of the average number of
    students for the prior school year or the immediately
    preceding 3 school years who, as of July 1 of the
    immediately preceding fiscal year (as determined by the
    Department of Human Services), are eligible for at least
    one of the following low-income programs: Medicaid, the
    Children's Health Insurance Program, Temporary Assistance
    for Needy Families (TANF), or the Supplemental Nutrition
    Assistance Program, excluding pupils who are eligible for
    services provided by the Department of Children and Family
    Services. Until such time that grade level low-income
    populations become available, grade level low-income
    populations shall be determined by applying the low-income
    percentage to total student enrollments by grade level. The
    low-income percentage is determined by dividing the
    Low-Income Count by the Average Student Enrollment. The
    low-income percentage for programs operated by a regional
    office of education or an intermediate service center must
    be set to the weighted average of the low-income
    percentages of all of the school districts in the service
    region. The weighted low-income percentage is the result of
    multiplying the low-income percentage of each school
    district served by the regional office of education or
    intermediate service center by each school district's
    Average Student Enrollment, summarizing those products and
    dividing the total by the total Average Student Enrollment
    for the service region.
        "Maintenance and operations" means custodial services,
    facility and ground maintenance, facility operations,
    facility security, routine facility repairs, and other
    similar services and functions.
        "Minimum Funding Level" is defined in paragraph (9) of
    subsection (g) of this Section.
        "New Property Tax Relief Pool Funds" means, for any
    given fiscal year, all State funds appropriated under
    Section 2-3.170 of this the School Code.
        "New State Funds" means, for a given school year, all
    State funds appropriated for Evidence-Based Funding in
    excess of the amount needed to fund the Base Funding
    Minimum for all Organizational Units in that school year.
        "Net State Contribution Target" means, for a given
    school year, the amount of State funds that would be
    necessary to fully meet the Adequacy Target of an
    Operational Unit minus the Preliminary Resources available
    to each unit.
        "Nurse" means an individual licensed as a certified
    school nurse, in accordance with the rules established for
    nursing services by the State Board, who is an employee of
    and is available to provide health care-related services
    for students of an Organizational Unit.
        "Operating Tax Rate" means the rate utilized in the
    previous year to extend property taxes for all purposes,
    except Bond and Interest, Summer School, Rent, Capital
    Improvement, and Vocational Education Building purposes.
    For Hybrid Districts, the Operating Tax Rate shall be the
    combined elementary and high school rates utilized in the
    previous year to extend property taxes for all purposes,
    except Bond and Interest, Summer School, Rent, Capital
    Improvement, and Vocational Education Building purposes.
        "Organizational Unit" means a Laboratory School or any
    public school district that is recognized as such by the
    State Board and that contains elementary schools typically
    serving kindergarten through 5th grades, middle schools
    typically serving 6th through 8th grades, high schools
    typically serving 9th through 12th grades, a program
    established under Section 2-3.66 or 2-3.41, or a program
    operated by a regional office of education or an
    intermediate service center under Article 13A or 13B. The
    General Assembly acknowledges that the actual grade levels
    served by a particular Organizational Unit may vary
    slightly from what is typical.
        "Organizational Unit CWI" is determined by calculating
    the CWI in the region and original county in which an
    Organizational Unit's primary administrative office is
    located as set forth in this paragraph, provided that if
    the Organizational Unit CWI as calculated in accordance
    with this paragraph is less than 0.9, the Organizational
    Unit CWI shall be increased to 0.9. Each county's current
    CWI value shall be adjusted based on the CWI value of that
    county's neighboring Illinois counties, to create a
    "weighted adjusted index value". This shall be calculated
    by summing the CWI values of all of a county's adjacent
    Illinois counties and dividing by the number of adjacent
    Illinois counties, then taking the weighted value of the
    original county's CWI value and the adjacent Illinois
    county average. To calculate this weighted value, if the
    number of adjacent Illinois counties is greater than 2, the
    original county's CWI value will be weighted at 0.25 and
    the adjacent Illinois county average will be weighted at
    0.75. If the number of adjacent Illinois counties is 2, the
    original county's CWI value will be weighted at 0.33 and
    the adjacent Illinois county average will be weighted at
    0.66. The greater of the county's current CWI value and its
    weighted adjusted index value shall be used as the
    Organizational Unit CWI.
        "Preceding Tax Year" means the property tax levy year
    immediately preceding the Base Tax Year.
        "Preceding Tax Year's Extension" means the product of
    the equalized assessed valuation utilized by the county
    clerk in the Preceding Tax Year multiplied by the Operating
    Tax Rate.
        "Preliminary Percent of Adequacy" is defined in
    paragraph (2) of subsection (f) of this Section.
        "Preliminary Resources" is defined in paragraph (2) of
    subsection (f) of this Section.
        "Principal" means a school administrator duly endorsed
    to be employed as a principal in this State.
        "Professional development" means training programs for
    licensed staff in schools, including, but not limited to,
    programs that assist in implementing new curriculum
    programs, provide data focused or academic assessment data
    training to help staff identify a student's weaknesses and
    strengths, target interventions, improve instruction,
    encompass instructional strategies for English learner,
    gifted, or at-risk students, address inclusivity, cultural
    sensitivity, or implicit bias, or otherwise provide
    professional support for licensed staff.
        "Prototypical" means 450 special education
    pre-kindergarten and kindergarten through grade 5 students
    for an elementary school, 450 grade 6 through 8 students
    for a middle school, and 600 grade 9 through 12 students
    for a high school.
        "PTELL" means the Property Tax Extension Limitation
    Law.
        "PTELL EAV" is defined in paragraph (4) of subsection
    (d) of this Section.
        "Pupil support staff" means a nurse, psychologist,
    social worker, family liaison personnel, or other staff
    member who provides support to at-risk or struggling
    students.
        "Real Receipts" is defined in paragraph (1) of
    subsection (d) of this Section.
        "Regionalization Factor" means, for a particular
    Organizational Unit, the figure derived by dividing the
    Organizational Unit CWI by the Statewide Weighted CWI.
        "School site staff" means the primary school secretary
    and any additional clerical personnel assigned to a school.
        "Special education" means special educational
    facilities and services, as defined in Section 14-1.08 of
    this Code.
        "Special Education Allocation" means the amount of an
    Organizational Unit's final Adequacy Target attributable
    to special education divided by the Organizational Unit's
    final Adequacy Target, the product of which shall be
    multiplied by the amount of new funding received pursuant
    to this Section. An Organizational Unit's final Adequacy
    Target attributable to special education shall include all
    special education investment adequacy elements.
        "Specialist teacher" means a teacher who provides
    instruction in subject areas not included in core subjects,
    including, but not limited to, art, music, physical
    education, health, driver education, career-technical
    education, and such other subject areas as may be mandated
    by State law or provided by an Organizational Unit.
        "Specially Funded Unit" means an Alternative School,
    safe school, Department of Juvenile Justice school,
    special education cooperative or entity recognized by the
    State Board as a special education cooperative,
    State-approved charter school, or alternative learning
    opportunities program that received direct funding from
    the State Board during the 2016-2017 school year through
    any of the funding sources included within the calculation
    of the Base Funding Minimum or Glenwood Academy.
        "Supplemental Grant Funding" means supplemental
    general State aid funding received by an Organizational
    Unit during the 2016-2017 school year pursuant to
    subsection (H) of Section 18-8.05 of this Code (now
    repealed).
        "State Adequacy Level" is the sum of the Adequacy
    Targets of all Organizational Units.
        "State Board" means the State Board of Education.
        "State Superintendent" means the State Superintendent
    of Education.
        "Statewide Weighted CWI" means a figure determined by
    multiplying each Organizational Unit CWI times the ASE for
    that Organizational Unit creating a weighted value,
    summing all Organizational Units' weighted values, and
    dividing by the total ASE of all Organizational Units,
    thereby creating an average weighted index.
        "Student activities" means non-credit producing
    after-school programs, including, but not limited to,
    clubs, bands, sports, and other activities authorized by
    the school board of the Organizational Unit.
        "Substitute teacher" means an individual teacher or
    teaching assistant who is employed by an Organizational
    Unit and is temporarily serving the Organizational Unit on
    a per diem or per period-assignment basis to replace
    another staff member.
        "Summer school" means academic and enrichment programs
    provided to students during the summer months outside of
    the regular school year.
        "Supervisory aide" means a non-licensed staff member
    who helps in supervising students of an Organizational
    Unit, but does so outside of the classroom, in situations
    such as, but not limited to, monitoring hallways and
    playgrounds, supervising lunchrooms, or supervising
    students when being transported in buses serving the
    Organizational Unit.
        "Target Ratio" is defined in paragraph (4) of
    subsection (g).
        "Tier 1", "Tier 2", "Tier 3", and "Tier 4" are defined
    in paragraph (3) of subsection (g).
        "Tier 1 Aggregate Funding", "Tier 2 Aggregate
    Funding", "Tier 3 Aggregate Funding", and "Tier 4 Aggregate
    Funding" are defined in paragraph (1) of subsection (g).
    (b) Adequacy Target calculation.
        (1) Each Organizational Unit's Adequacy Target is the
    sum of the Organizational Unit's cost of providing
    Essential Elements, as calculated in accordance with this
    subsection (b), with the salary amounts in the Essential
    Elements multiplied by a Regionalization Factor calculated
    pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection (b).
        (2) The Essential Elements are attributable on a pro
    rata basis related to defined subgroups of the ASE of each
    Organizational Unit as specified in this paragraph (2),
    with investments and FTE positions pro rata funded based on
    ASE counts in excess of or less than the thresholds set
    forth in this paragraph (2). The method for calculating
    attributable pro rata costs and the defined subgroups
    thereto are as follows:
            (A) Core class size investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive the funding required
        to support that number of FTE core teacher positions as
        is needed to keep the respective class sizes of the
        Organizational Unit to the following maximum numbers:
                (i) For grades kindergarten through 3, the
            Organizational Unit shall receive funding required
            to support one FTE core teacher position for every
            15 Low-Income Count students in those grades and
            one FTE core teacher position for every 20
            non-Low-Income Count students in those grades.
                (ii) For grades 4 through 12, the
            Organizational Unit shall receive funding required
            to support one FTE core teacher position for every
            20 Low-Income Count students in those grades and
            one FTE core teacher position for every 25
            non-Low-Income Count students in those grades.
            The number of non-Low-Income Count students in a
        grade shall be determined by subtracting the
        Low-Income students in that grade from the ASE of the
        Organizational Unit for that grade.
            (B) Specialist teacher investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive the funding needed
        to cover that number of FTE specialist teacher
        positions that correspond to the following
        percentages:
                (i) if the Organizational Unit operates an
            elementary or middle school, then 20.00% of the
            number of the Organizational Unit's core teachers,
            as determined under subparagraph (A) of this
            paragraph (2); and
                (ii) if such Organizational Unit operates a
            high school, then 33.33% of the number of the
            Organizational Unit's core teachers.
            (C) Instructional facilitator investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive the funding needed
        to cover one FTE instructional facilitator position
        for every 200 combined ASE of pre-kindergarten
        children with disabilities and all kindergarten
        through grade 12 students of the Organizational Unit.
            (D) Core intervention teacher (tutor) investments.
        Each Organizational Unit shall receive the funding
        needed to cover one FTE teacher position for each
        prototypical elementary, middle, and high school.
            (E) Substitute teacher investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive the funding needed
        to cover substitute teacher costs that is equal to
        5.70% of the minimum pupil attendance days required
        under Section 10-19 of this Code for all full-time
        equivalent core, specialist, and intervention
        teachers, school nurses, special education teachers
        and instructional assistants, instructional
        facilitators, and summer school and extended day
        teacher positions, as determined under this paragraph
        (2), at a salary rate of 33.33% of the average salary
        for grade K through 12 teachers and 33.33% of the
        average salary of each instructional assistant
        position.
            (F) Core guidance counselor investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive the funding needed
        to cover one FTE guidance counselor for each 450
        combined ASE of pre-kindergarten children with
        disabilities and all kindergarten through grade 5
        students, plus one FTE guidance counselor for each 250
        grades 6 through 8 ASE middle school students, plus one
        FTE guidance counselor for each 250 grades 9 through 12
        ASE high school students.
            (G) Nurse investments. Each Organizational Unit
        shall receive the funding needed to cover one FTE nurse
        for each 750 combined ASE of pre-kindergarten children
        with disabilities and all kindergarten through grade
        12 students across all grade levels it serves.
            (H) Supervisory aide investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive the funding needed
        to cover one FTE for each 225 combined ASE of
        pre-kindergarten children with disabilities and all
        kindergarten through grade 5 students, plus one FTE for
        each 225 ASE middle school students, plus one FTE for
        each 200 ASE high school students.
            (I) Librarian investments. Each Organizational
        Unit shall receive the funding needed to cover one FTE
        librarian for each prototypical elementary school,
        middle school, and high school and one FTE aide or
        media technician for every 300 combined ASE of
        pre-kindergarten children with disabilities and all
        kindergarten through grade 12 students.
            (J) Principal investments. Each Organizational
        Unit shall receive the funding needed to cover one FTE
        principal position for each prototypical elementary
        school, plus one FTE principal position for each
        prototypical middle school, plus one FTE principal
        position for each prototypical high school.
            (K) Assistant principal investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive the funding needed
        to cover one FTE assistant principal position for each
        prototypical elementary school, plus one FTE assistant
        principal position for each prototypical middle
        school, plus one FTE assistant principal position for
        each prototypical high school.
            (L) School site staff investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive the funding needed
        for one FTE position for each 225 ASE of
        pre-kindergarten children with disabilities and all
        kindergarten through grade 5 students, plus one FTE
        position for each 225 ASE middle school students, plus
        one FTE position for each 200 ASE high school students.
            (M) Gifted investments. Each Organizational Unit
        shall receive $40 per kindergarten through grade 12
        ASE.
            (N) Professional development investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive $125 per student of
        the combined ASE of pre-kindergarten children with
        disabilities and all kindergarten through grade 12
        students for trainers and other professional
        development-related expenses for supplies and
        materials.
            (O) Instructional material investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive $190 per student of
        the combined ASE of pre-kindergarten children with
        disabilities and all kindergarten through grade 12
        students to cover instructional material costs.
            (P) Assessment investments. Each Organizational
        Unit shall receive $25 per student of the combined ASE
        of pre-kindergarten children with disabilities and all
        kindergarten through grade 12 students to cover
        assessment costs.
            (Q) Computer technology and equipment investments.
        Each Organizational Unit shall receive $285.50 per
        student of the combined ASE of pre-kindergarten
        children with disabilities and all kindergarten
        through grade 12 students to cover computer technology
        and equipment costs. For the 2018-2019 school year and
        subsequent school years, Organizational Units assigned
        to Tier 1 and Tier 2 in the prior school year shall
        receive an additional $285.50 per student of the
        combined ASE of pre-kindergarten children with
        disabilities and all kindergarten through grade 12
        students to cover computer technology and equipment
        costs in the Organizational Unit's Adequacy Target.
        The State Board may establish additional requirements
        for Organizational Unit expenditures of funds received
        pursuant to this subparagraph (Q), including a
        requirement that funds received pursuant to this
        subparagraph (Q) may be used only for serving the
        technology needs of the district. It is the intent of
        Public Act 100-465 that all Tier 1 and Tier 2 districts
        receive the addition to their Adequacy Target in the
        following year, subject to compliance with the
        requirements of the State Board.
            (R) Student activities investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive the following
        funding amounts to cover student activities: $100 per
        kindergarten through grade 5 ASE student in elementary
        school, plus $200 per ASE student in middle school,
        plus $675 per ASE student in high school.
            (S) Maintenance and operations investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive $1,038 per student
        of the combined ASE of pre-kindergarten children with
        disabilities and all kindergarten through grade 12
        students for day-to-day maintenance and operations
        expenditures, including salary, supplies, and
        materials, as well as purchased services, but
        excluding employee benefits. The proportion of salary
        for the application of a Regionalization Factor and the
        calculation of benefits is equal to $352.92.
            (T) Central office investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive $742 per student of
        the combined ASE of pre-kindergarten children with
        disabilities and all kindergarten through grade 12
        students to cover central office operations, including
        administrators and classified personnel charged with
        managing the instructional programs, business and
        operations of the school district, and security
        personnel. The proportion of salary for the
        application of a Regionalization Factor and the
        calculation of benefits is equal to $368.48.
            (U) Employee benefit investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive 30% of the total of
        all salary-calculated elements of the Adequacy Target,
        excluding substitute teachers and student activities
        investments, to cover benefit costs. For central
        office and maintenance and operations investments, the
        benefit calculation shall be based upon the salary
        proportion of each investment. If at any time the
        responsibility for funding the employer normal cost of
        teacher pensions is assigned to school districts, then
        that amount certified by the Teachers' Retirement
        System of the State of Illinois to be paid by the
        Organizational Unit for the preceding school year
        shall be added to the benefit investment. For any
        fiscal year in which a school district organized under
        Article 34 of this Code is responsible for paying the
        employer normal cost of teacher pensions, then that
        amount of its employer normal cost plus the amount for
        retiree health insurance as certified by the Public
        School Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund of
        Chicago to be paid by the school district for the
        preceding school year that is statutorily required to
        cover employer normal costs and the amount for retiree
        health insurance shall be added to the 30% specified in
        this subparagraph (U). The Teachers' Retirement System
        of the State of Illinois and the Public School
        Teachers' Pension and Retirement Fund of Chicago shall
        submit such information as the State Superintendent
        may require for the calculations set forth in this
        subparagraph (U).
            (V) Additional investments in low-income students.
        In addition to and not in lieu of all other funding
        under this paragraph (2), each Organizational Unit
        shall receive funding based on the average teacher
        salary for grades K through 12 to cover the costs of:
                (i) one FTE intervention teacher (tutor)
            position for every 125 Low-Income Count students;
                (ii) one FTE pupil support staff position for
            every 125 Low-Income Count students;
                (iii) one FTE extended day teacher position
            for every 120 Low-Income Count students; and
                (iv) one FTE summer school teacher position
            for every 120 Low-Income Count students.
            (W) Additional investments in English learner
        students. In addition to and not in lieu of all other
        funding under this paragraph (2), each Organizational
        Unit shall receive funding based on the average teacher
        salary for grades K through 12 to cover the costs of:
                (i) one FTE intervention teacher (tutor)
            position for every 125 English learner students;
                (ii) one FTE pupil support staff position for
            every 125 English learner students;
                (iii) one FTE extended day teacher position
            for every 120 English learner students;
                (iv) one FTE summer school teacher position
            for every 120 English learner students; and
                (v) one FTE core teacher position for every 100
            English learner students.
            (X) Special education investments. Each
        Organizational Unit shall receive funding based on the
        average teacher salary for grades K through 12 to cover
        special education as follows:
                (i) one FTE teacher position for every 141
            combined ASE of pre-kindergarten children with
            disabilities and all kindergarten through grade 12
            students;
                (ii) one FTE instructional assistant for every
            141 combined ASE of pre-kindergarten children with
            disabilities and all kindergarten through grade 12
            students; and
                (iii) one FTE psychologist position for every
            1,000 combined ASE of pre-kindergarten children
            with disabilities and all kindergarten through
            grade 12 students.
        (3) For calculating the salaries included within the
    Essential Elements, the State Superintendent shall
    annually calculate average salaries to the nearest dollar
    using the employment information system data maintained by
    the State Board, limited to public schools only and
    excluding special education and vocational cooperatives,
    schools operated by the Department of Juvenile Justice, and
    charter schools, for the following positions:
            (A) Teacher for grades K through 8.
            (B) Teacher for grades 9 through 12.
            (C) Teacher for grades K through 12.
            (D) Guidance counselor for grades K through 8.
            (E) Guidance counselor for grades 9 through 12.
            (F) Guidance counselor for grades K through 12.
            (G) Social worker.
            (H) Psychologist.
            (I) Librarian.
            (J) Nurse.
            (K) Principal.
            (L) Assistant principal.
        For the purposes of this paragraph (3), "teacher"
    includes core teachers, specialist and elective teachers,
    instructional facilitators, tutors, special education
    teachers, pupil support staff teachers, English learner
    teachers, extended day teachers, and summer school
    teachers. Where specific grade data is not required for the
    Essential Elements, the average salary for corresponding
    positions shall apply. For substitute teachers, the
    average teacher salary for grades K through 12 shall apply.
        For calculating the salaries included within the
    Essential Elements for positions not included within EIS
    Data, the following salaries shall be used in the first
    year of implementation of Evidence-Based Funding:
            (i) school site staff, $30,000; and
            (ii) non-instructional assistant, instructional
        assistant, library aide, library media tech, or
        supervisory aide: $25,000.
        In the second and subsequent years of implementation of
    Evidence-Based Funding, the amounts in items (i) and (ii)
    of this paragraph (3) shall annually increase by the ECI.
        The salary amounts for the Essential Elements
    determined pursuant to subparagraphs (A) through (L), (S)
    and (T), and (V) through (X) of paragraph (2) of subsection
    (b) of this Section shall be multiplied by a
    Regionalization Factor.
    (c) Local Capacity calculation.
        (1) Each Organizational Unit's Local Capacity
    represents an amount of funding it is assumed to contribute
    toward its Adequacy Target for purposes of the
    Evidence-Based Funding formula calculation. "Local
    Capacity" means either (i) the Organizational Unit's Local
    Capacity Target as calculated in accordance with paragraph
    (2) of this subsection (c) if its Real Receipts are equal
    to or less than its Local Capacity Target or (ii) the
    Organizational Unit's Adjusted Local Capacity, as
    calculated in accordance with paragraph (3) of this
    subsection (c) if Real Receipts are more than its Local
    Capacity Target.
        (2) "Local Capacity Target" means, for an
    Organizational Unit, that dollar amount that is obtained by
    multiplying its Adequacy Target by its Local Capacity
    Ratio.
            (A) An Organizational Unit's Local Capacity
        Percentage is the conversion of the Organizational
        Unit's Local Capacity Ratio, as such ratio is
        determined in accordance with subparagraph (B) of this
        paragraph (2), into a cumulative distribution
        resulting in a percentile ranking to determine each
        Organizational Unit's relative position to all other
        Organizational Units in this State. The calculation of
        Local Capacity Percentage is described in subparagraph
        (C) of this paragraph (2).
            (B) An Organizational Unit's Local Capacity Ratio
        in a given year is the percentage obtained by dividing
        its Adjusted EAV or PTELL EAV, whichever is less, by
        its Adequacy Target, with the resulting ratio further
        adjusted as follows:
                (i) for Organizational Units serving grades
            kindergarten through 12 and Hybrid Districts, no
            further adjustments shall be made;
                (ii) for Organizational Units serving grades
            kindergarten through 8, the ratio shall be
            multiplied by 9/13;
                (iii) for Organizational Units serving grades
            9 through 12, the Local Capacity Ratio shall be
            multiplied by 4/13; and
                (iv) for an Organizational Unit with a
            different grade configuration than those specified
            in items (i) through (iii) of this subparagraph
            (B), the State Superintendent shall determine a
            comparable adjustment based on the grades served.
            (C) The Local Capacity Percentage is equal to the
        percentile ranking of the district. Local Capacity
        Percentage converts each Organizational Unit's Local
        Capacity Ratio to a cumulative distribution resulting
        in a percentile ranking to determine each
        Organizational Unit's relative position to all other
        Organizational Units in this State. The Local Capacity
        Percentage cumulative distribution resulting in a
        percentile ranking for each Organizational Unit shall
        be calculated using the standard normal distribution
        of the score in relation to the weighted mean and
        weighted standard deviation and Local Capacity Ratios
        of all Organizational Units. If the value assigned to
        any Organizational Unit is in excess of 90%, the value
        shall be adjusted to 90%. For Laboratory Schools, the
        Local Capacity Percentage shall be set at 10% in
        recognition of the absence of EAV and resources from
        the public university that are allocated to the
        Laboratory School. For programs operated by a regional
        office of education or an intermediate service center,
        the Local Capacity Percentage must be set at 10% in
        recognition of the absence of EAV and resources from
        school districts that are allocated to the regional
        office of education or intermediate service center.
        The weighted mean for the Local Capacity Percentage
        shall be determined by multiplying each Organizational
        Unit's Local Capacity Ratio times the ASE for the unit
        creating a weighted value, summing the weighted values
        of all Organizational Units, and dividing by the total
        ASE of all Organizational Units. The weighted standard
        deviation shall be determined by taking the square root
        of the weighted variance of all Organizational Units'
        Local Capacity Ratio, where the variance is calculated
        by squaring the difference between each unit's Local
        Capacity Ratio and the weighted mean, then multiplying
        the variance for each unit times the ASE for the unit
        to create a weighted variance for each unit, then
        summing all units' weighted variance and dividing by
        the total ASE of all units.
            (D) For any Organizational Unit, the
        Organizational Unit's Adjusted Local Capacity Target
        shall be reduced by either (i) the school board's
        remaining contribution pursuant to paragraph (ii) of
        subsection (b-4) of Section 16-158 of the Illinois
        Pension Code in a given year or (ii) the board of
        education's remaining contribution pursuant to
        paragraph (iv) of subsection (b) of Section 17-129 of
        the Illinois Pension Code absent the employer normal
        cost portion of the required contribution and amount
        allowed pursuant to subdivision (3) of Section
        17-142.1 of the Illinois Pension Code in a given year.
        In the preceding sentence, item (i) shall be certified
        to the State Board of Education by the Teachers'
        Retirement System of the State of Illinois and item
        (ii) shall be certified to the State Board of Education
        by the Public School Teachers' Pension and Retirement
        Fund of the City of Chicago.
        (3) If an Organizational Unit's Real Receipts are more
    than its Local Capacity Target, then its Local Capacity
    shall equal an Adjusted Local Capacity Target as calculated
    in accordance with this paragraph (3). The Adjusted Local
    Capacity Target is calculated as the sum of the
    Organizational Unit's Local Capacity Target and its Real
    Receipts Adjustment. The Real Receipts Adjustment equals
    the Organizational Unit's Real Receipts less its Local
    Capacity Target, with the resulting figure multiplied by
    the Local Capacity Percentage.
        As used in this paragraph (3), "Real Percent of
    Adequacy" means the sum of an Organizational Unit's Real
    Receipts, CPPRT, and Base Funding Minimum, with the
    resulting figure divided by the Organizational Unit's
    Adequacy Target.
    (d) Calculation of Real Receipts, EAV, and Adjusted EAV for
purposes of the Local Capacity calculation.
        (1) An Organizational Unit's Real Receipts are the
    product of its Applicable Tax Rate and its Adjusted EAV. An
    Organizational Unit's Applicable Tax Rate is its Adjusted
    Operating Tax Rate for property within the Organizational
    Unit.
        (2) The State Superintendent shall calculate the
    equalized assessed valuation, or EAV, of all taxable
    property of each Organizational Unit as of September 30 of
    the previous year in accordance with paragraph (3) of this
    subsection (d). The State Superintendent shall then
    determine the Adjusted EAV of each Organizational Unit in
    accordance with paragraph (4) of this subsection (d), which
    Adjusted EAV figure shall be used for the purposes of
    calculating Local Capacity.
        (3) To calculate Real Receipts and EAV, the Department
    of Revenue shall supply to the State Superintendent the
    value as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue
    of all taxable property of every Organizational Unit,
    together with (i) the applicable tax rate used in extending
    taxes for the funds of the Organizational Unit as of
    September 30 of the previous year and (ii) the limiting
    rate for all Organizational Units subject to property tax
    extension limitations as imposed under PTELL.
            (A) The Department of Revenue shall add to the
        equalized assessed value of all taxable property of
        each Organizational Unit situated entirely or
        partially within a county that is or was subject to the
        provisions of Section 15-176 or 15-177 of the Property
        Tax Code (i) an amount equal to the total amount by
        which the homestead exemption allowed under Section
        15-176 or 15-177 of the Property Tax Code for real
        property situated in that Organizational Unit exceeds
        the total amount that would have been allowed in that
        Organizational Unit if the maximum reduction under
        Section 15-176 was (I) $4,500 in Cook County or $3,500
        in all other counties in tax year 2003 or (II) $5,000
        in all counties in tax year 2004 and thereafter and
        (ii) an amount equal to the aggregate amount for the
        taxable year of all additional exemptions under
        Section 15-175 of the Property Tax Code for owners with
        a household income of $30,000 or less. The county clerk
        of any county that is or was subject to the provisions
        of Section 15-176 or 15-177 of the Property Tax Code
        shall annually calculate and certify to the Department
        of Revenue for each Organizational Unit all homestead
        exemption amounts under Section 15-176 or 15-177 of the
        Property Tax Code and all amounts of additional
        exemptions under Section 15-175 of the Property Tax
        Code for owners with a household income of $30,000 or
        less. It is the intent of this subparagraph (A) that if
        the general homestead exemption for a parcel of
        property is determined under Section 15-176 or 15-177
        of the Property Tax Code rather than Section 15-175,
        then the calculation of EAV shall not be affected by
        the difference, if any, between the amount of the
        general homestead exemption allowed for that parcel of
        property under Section 15-176 or 15-177 of the Property
        Tax Code and the amount that would have been allowed
        had the general homestead exemption for that parcel of
        property been determined under Section 15-175 of the
        Property Tax Code. It is further the intent of this
        subparagraph (A) that if additional exemptions are
        allowed under Section 15-175 of the Property Tax Code
        for owners with a household income of less than
        $30,000, then the calculation of EAV shall not be
        affected by the difference, if any, because of those
        additional exemptions.
            (B) With respect to any part of an Organizational
        Unit within a redevelopment project area in respect to
        which a municipality has adopted tax increment
        allocation financing pursuant to the Tax Increment
        Allocation Redevelopment Act, Division 74.4 of Article
        11 of the Illinois Municipal Code, or the Industrial
        Jobs Recovery Law, Division 74.6 of Article 11 of the
        Illinois Municipal Code, no part of the current EAV of
        real property located in any such project area that is
        attributable to an increase above the total initial EAV
        of such property shall be used as part of the EAV of
        the Organizational Unit, until such time as all
        redevelopment project costs have been paid, as
        provided in Section 11-74.4-8 of the Tax Increment
        Allocation Redevelopment Act or in Section 11-74.6-35
        of the Industrial Jobs Recovery Law. For the purpose of
        the EAV of the Organizational Unit, the total initial
        EAV or the current EAV, whichever is lower, shall be
        used until such time as all redevelopment project costs
        have been paid.
            (B-5) The real property equalized assessed
        valuation for a school district shall be adjusted by
        subtracting from the real property value, as equalized
        or assessed by the Department of Revenue, for the
        district an amount computed by dividing the amount of
        any abatement of taxes under Section 18-170 of the
        Property Tax Code by 3.00% for a district maintaining
        grades kindergarten through 12, by 2.30% for a district
        maintaining grades kindergarten through 8, or by 1.05%
        for a district maintaining grades 9 through 12 and
        adjusted by an amount computed by dividing the amount
        of any abatement of taxes under subsection (a) of
        Section 18-165 of the Property Tax Code by the same
        percentage rates for district type as specified in this
        subparagraph (B-5).
            (C) For Organizational Units that are Hybrid
        Districts, the State Superintendent shall use the
        lesser of the adjusted equalized assessed valuation
        for property within the partial elementary unit
        district for elementary purposes, as defined in
        Article 11E of this Code, or the adjusted equalized
        assessed valuation for property within the partial
        elementary unit district for high school purposes, as
        defined in Article 11E of this Code.
        (4) An Organizational Unit's Adjusted EAV shall be the
    average of its EAV over the immediately preceding 3 years
    or its EAV in the immediately preceding year if the EAV in
    the immediately preceding year has declined by 10% or more
    compared to the 3-year average. In the event of
    Organizational Unit reorganization, consolidation, or
    annexation, the Organizational Unit's Adjusted EAV for the
    first 3 years after such change shall be as follows: the
    most current EAV shall be used in the first year, the
    average of a 2-year EAV or its EAV in the immediately
    preceding year if the EAV declines by 10% or more compared
    to the 2-year average for the second year, and a 3-year
    average EAV or its EAV in the immediately preceding year if
    the Adjusted EAV declines by 10% or more compared to the
    3-year average for the third year. For any school district
    whose EAV in the immediately preceding year is used in
    calculations, in the following year, the Adjusted EAV shall
    be the average of its EAV over the immediately preceding 2
    years or the immediately preceding year if that year
    represents a decline of 10% or more compared to the 2-year
    average.
        "PTELL EAV" means a figure calculated by the State
    Board for Organizational Units subject to PTELL as
    described in this paragraph (4) for the purposes of
    calculating an Organizational Unit's Local Capacity Ratio.
    Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph (4), the
    PTELL EAV of an Organizational Unit shall be equal to the
    product of the equalized assessed valuation last used in
    the calculation of general State aid under Section 18-8.05
    of this Code (now repealed) or Evidence-Based Funding under
    this Section and the Organizational Unit's Extension
    Limitation Ratio. If an Organizational Unit has approved or
    does approve an increase in its limiting rate, pursuant to
    Section 18-190 of the Property Tax Code, affecting the Base
    Tax Year, the PTELL EAV shall be equal to the product of
    the equalized assessed valuation last used in the
    calculation of general State aid under Section 18-8.05 of
    this Code (now repealed) or Evidence-Based Funding under
    this Section multiplied by an amount equal to one plus the
    percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index
    for All Urban Consumers for all items published by the
    United States Department of Labor for the 12-month calendar
    year preceding the Base Tax Year, plus the equalized
    assessed valuation of new property, annexed property, and
    recovered tax increment value and minus the equalized
    assessed valuation of disconnected property.
        As used in this paragraph (4), "new property" and
    "recovered tax increment value" shall have the meanings set
    forth in the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law.
    (e) Base Funding Minimum calculation.
        (1) For the 2017-2018 school year, the Base Funding
    Minimum of an Organizational Unit or a Specially Funded
    Unit shall be the amount of State funds distributed to the
    Organizational Unit or Specially Funded Unit during the
    2016-2017 school year prior to any adjustments and
    specified appropriation amounts described in this
    paragraph (1) from the following Sections, as calculated by
    the State Superintendent: Section 18-8.05 of this Code (now
    repealed); Section 5 of Article 224 of Public Act 99-524
    (equity grants); Section 14-7.02b of this Code (funding for
    children requiring special education services); Section
    14-13.01 of this Code (special education facilities and
    staffing), except for reimbursement of the cost of
    transportation pursuant to Section 14-13.01; Section
    14C-12 of this Code (English learners); and Section 18-4.3
    of this Code (summer school), based on an appropriation
    level of $13,121,600. For a school district organized under
    Article 34 of this Code, the Base Funding Minimum also
    includes (i) the funds allocated to the school district
    pursuant to Section 1D-1 of this Code attributable to
    funding programs authorized by the Sections of this Code
    listed in the preceding sentence and (ii) the difference
    between (I) the funds allocated to the school district
    pursuant to Section 1D-1 of this Code attributable to the
    funding programs authorized by Section 14-7.02 (non-public
    special education reimbursement), subsection (b) of
    Section 14-13.01 (special education transportation),
    Section 29-5 (transportation), Section 2-3.80
    (agricultural education), Section 2-3.66 (truants'
    alternative education), Section 2-3.62 (educational
    service centers), and Section 14-7.03 (special education -
    orphanage) of this Code and Section 15 of the Childhood
    Hunger Relief Act (free breakfast program) and (II) the
    school district's actual expenditures for its non-public
    special education, special education transportation,
    transportation programs, agricultural education, truants'
    alternative education, services that would otherwise be
    performed by a regional office of education, special
    education orphanage expenditures, and free breakfast, as
    most recently calculated and reported pursuant to
    subsection (f) of Section 1D-1 of this Code. The Base
    Funding Minimum for Glenwood Academy shall be $625,500. For
    programs operated by a regional office of education or an
    intermediate service center, the Base Funding Minimum must
    be the total amount of State funds allocated to those
    programs in the 2018-2019 school year and amounts provided
    pursuant to Article 34 of Public Act 100-586 and Section
    3-16 of this Code. All programs established after June 5,
    2019 (the effective date of Public Act 101-10) and
    administered by a regional office of education or an
    intermediate service center must have an initial Base
    Funding Minimum set to an amount equal to the first-year
    ASE multiplied by the amount of per pupil funding received
    in the previous school year by the lowest funded similar
    existing program type. If the enrollment for a program
    operated by a regional office of education or an
    intermediate service center is zero, then it may not
    receive Base Funding Minimum funds for that program in the
    next fiscal year, and those funds must be distributed to
    Organizational Units under subsection (g).
        (2) For the 2018-2019 and subsequent school years, the
    Base Funding Minimum of Organizational Units and Specially
    Funded Units shall be the sum of (i) the amount of
    Evidence-Based Funding for the prior school year, (ii) the
    Base Funding Minimum for the prior school year, and (iii)
    any amount received by a school district pursuant to
    Section 7 of Article 97 of Public Act 100-21.
        (3) Subject to approval by the General Assembly as
    provided in this paragraph (3), an Organizational Unit that
    meets all of the following criteria, as determined by the
    State Board, shall have District Intervention Money added
    to its Base Funding Minimum at the time the Base Funding
    Minimum is calculated by the State Board:
            (A) The Organizational Unit is operating under an
        Independent Authority under Section 2-3.25f-5 of this
        Code for a minimum of 4 school years or is subject to
        the control of the State Board pursuant to a court
        order for a minimum of 4 school years.
            (B) The Organizational Unit was designated as a
        Tier 1 or Tier 2 Organizational Unit in the previous
        school year under paragraph (3) of subsection (g) of
        this Section.
            (C) The Organizational Unit demonstrates
        sustainability through a 5-year financial and
        strategic plan.
            (D) The Organizational Unit has made sufficient
        progress and achieved sufficient stability in the
        areas of governance, academic growth, and finances.
        As part of its determination under this paragraph (3),
    the State Board may consider the Organizational Unit's
    summative designation, any accreditations of the
    Organizational Unit, or the Organizational Unit's
    financial profile, as calculated by the State Board.
        If the State Board determines that an Organizational
    Unit has met the criteria set forth in this paragraph (3),
    it must submit a report to the General Assembly, no later
    than January 2 of the fiscal year in which the State Board
    makes it determination, on the amount of District
    Intervention Money to add to the Organizational Unit's Base
    Funding Minimum. The General Assembly must review the State
    Board's report and may approve or disapprove, by joint
    resolution, the addition of District Intervention Money.
    If the General Assembly fails to act on the report within
    40 calendar days from the receipt of the report, the
    addition of District Intervention Money is deemed
    approved. If the General Assembly approves the amount of
    District Intervention Money to be added to the
    Organizational Unit's Base Funding Minimum, the District
    Intervention Money must be added to the Base Funding
    Minimum annually thereafter.
        For the first 4 years following the initial year that
    the State Board determines that an Organizational Unit has
    met the criteria set forth in this paragraph (3) and has
    received funding under this Section, the Organizational
    Unit must annually submit to the State Board, on or before
    November 30, a progress report regarding its financial and
    strategic plan under subparagraph (C) of this paragraph
    (3). The plan shall include the financial data from the
    past 4 annual financial reports or financial audits that
    must be presented to the State Board by November 15 of each
    year and the approved budget financial data for the current
    year. The plan shall be developed according to the
    guidelines presented to the Organizational Unit by the
    State Board. The plan shall further include financial
    projections for the next 3 fiscal years and include a
    discussion and financial summary of the Organizational
    Unit's facility needs. If the Organizational Unit does not
    demonstrate sufficient progress toward its 5-year plan or
    if it has failed to file an annual financial report, an
    annual budget, a financial plan, a deficit reduction plan,
    or other financial information as required by law, the
    State Board may establish a Financial Oversight Panel under
    Article 1H of this Code. However, if the Organizational
    Unit already has a Financial Oversight Panel, the State
    Board may extend the duration of the Panel.
    (f) Percent of Adequacy and Final Resources calculation.
        (1) The Evidence-Based Funding formula establishes a
    Percent of Adequacy for each Organizational Unit in order
    to place such units into tiers for the purposes of the
    funding distribution system described in subsection (g) of
    this Section. Initially, an Organizational Unit's
    Preliminary Resources and Preliminary Percent of Adequacy
    are calculated pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection
    (f). Then, an Organizational Unit's Final Resources and
    Final Percent of Adequacy are calculated to account for the
    Organizational Unit's poverty concentration levels
    pursuant to paragraphs (3) and (4) of this subsection (f).
        (2) An Organizational Unit's Preliminary Resources are
    equal to the sum of its Local Capacity Target, CPPRT, and
    Base Funding Minimum. An Organizational Unit's Preliminary
    Percent of Adequacy is the lesser of (i) its Preliminary
    Resources divided by its Adequacy Target or (ii) 100%.
        (3) Except for Specially Funded Units, an
    Organizational Unit's Final Resources are equal to the sum
    of its Local Capacity, CPPRT, and Adjusted Base Funding
    Minimum. The Base Funding Minimum of each Specially Funded
    Unit shall serve as its Final Resources, except that the
    Base Funding Minimum for State-approved charter schools
    shall not include any portion of general State aid
    allocated in the prior year based on the per capita tuition
    charge times the charter school enrollment.
        (4) An Organizational Unit's Final Percent of Adequacy
    is its Final Resources divided by its Adequacy Target. An
    Organizational Unit's Adjusted Base Funding Minimum is
    equal to its Base Funding Minimum less its Supplemental
    Grant Funding, with the resulting figure added to the
    product of its Supplemental Grant Funding and Preliminary
    Percent of Adequacy.
    (g) Evidence-Based Funding formula distribution system.
        (1) In each school year under the Evidence-Based
    Funding formula, each Organizational Unit receives funding
    equal to the sum of its Base Funding Minimum and the unit's
    allocation of New State Funds determined pursuant to this
    subsection (g). To allocate New State Funds, the
    Evidence-Based Funding formula distribution system first
    places all Organizational Units into one of 4 tiers in
    accordance with paragraph (3) of this subsection (g), based
    on the Organizational Unit's Final Percent of Adequacy. New
    State Funds are allocated to each of the 4 tiers as
    follows: Tier 1 Aggregate Funding equals 50% of all New
    State Funds, Tier 2 Aggregate Funding equals 49% of all New
    State Funds, Tier 3 Aggregate Funding equals 0.9% of all
    New State Funds, and Tier 4 Aggregate Funding equals 0.1%
    of all New State Funds. Each Organizational Unit within
    Tier 1 or Tier 2 receives an allocation of New State Funds
    equal to its tier Funding Gap, as defined in the following
    sentence, multiplied by the tier's Allocation Rate
    determined pursuant to paragraph (4) of this subsection
    (g). For Tier 1, an Organizational Unit's Funding Gap
    equals the tier's Target Ratio, as specified in paragraph
    (5) of this subsection (g), multiplied by the
    Organizational Unit's Adequacy Target, with the resulting
    amount reduced by the Organizational Unit's Final
    Resources. For Tier 2, an Organizational Unit's Funding Gap
    equals the tier's Target Ratio, as described in paragraph
    (5) of this subsection (g), multiplied by the
    Organizational Unit's Adequacy Target, with the resulting
    amount reduced by the Organizational Unit's Final
    Resources and its Tier 1 funding allocation. To determine
    the Organizational Unit's Funding Gap, the resulting
    amount is then multiplied by a factor equal to one minus
    the Organizational Unit's Local Capacity Target
    percentage. Each Organizational Unit within Tier 3 or Tier
    4 receives an allocation of New State Funds equal to the
    product of its Adequacy Target and the tier's Allocation
    Rate, as specified in paragraph (4) of this subsection (g).
        (2) To ensure equitable distribution of dollars for all
    Tier 2 Organizational Units, no Tier 2 Organizational Unit
    shall receive fewer dollars per ASE than any Tier 3
    Organizational Unit. Each Tier 2 and Tier 3 Organizational
    Unit shall have its funding allocation divided by its ASE.
    Any Tier 2 Organizational Unit with a funding allocation
    per ASE below the greatest Tier 3 allocation per ASE shall
    get a funding allocation equal to the greatest Tier 3
    funding allocation per ASE multiplied by the
    Organizational Unit's ASE. Each Tier 2 Organizational
    Unit's Tier 2 funding allocation shall be multiplied by the
    percentage calculated by dividing the original Tier 2
    Aggregate Funding by the sum of all Tier 2 Organizational
    Units' Tier 2 funding allocation after adjusting
    districts' funding below Tier 3 levels.
        (3) Organizational Units are placed into one of 4 tiers
    as follows:
            (A) Tier 1 consists of all Organizational Units,
        except for Specially Funded Units, with a Percent of
        Adequacy less than the Tier 1 Target Ratio. The Tier 1
        Target Ratio is the ratio level that allows for Tier 1
        Aggregate Funding to be distributed, with the Tier 1
        Allocation Rate determined pursuant to paragraph (4)
        of this subsection (g).
            (B) Tier 2 consists of all Tier 1 Units and all
        other Organizational Units, except for Specially
        Funded Units, with a Percent of Adequacy of less than
        0.90.
            (C) Tier 3 consists of all Organizational Units,
        except for Specially Funded Units, with a Percent of
        Adequacy of at least 0.90 and less than 1.0.
            (D) Tier 4 consists of all Organizational Units
        with a Percent of Adequacy of at least 1.0.
        (4) The Allocation Rates for Tiers 1 through 4 are
    determined as follows:
            (A) The Tier 1 Allocation Rate is 30%.
            (B) The Tier 2 Allocation Rate is the result of the
        following equation: Tier 2 Aggregate Funding, divided
        by the sum of the Funding Gaps for all Tier 2
        Organizational Units, unless the result of such
        equation is higher than 1.0. If the result of such
        equation is higher than 1.0, then the Tier 2 Allocation
        Rate is 1.0.
            (C) The Tier 3 Allocation Rate is the result of the
        following equation: Tier 3 Aggregate Funding, divided
        by the sum of the Adequacy Targets of all Tier 3
        Organizational Units.
            (D) The Tier 4 Allocation Rate is the result of the
        following equation: Tier 4 Aggregate Funding, divided
        by the sum of the Adequacy Targets of all Tier 4
        Organizational Units.
        (5) A tier's Target Ratio is determined as follows:
            (A) The Tier 1 Target Ratio is the ratio level that
        allows for Tier 1 Aggregate Funding to be distributed
        with the Tier 1 Allocation Rate.
            (B) The Tier 2 Target Ratio is 0.90.
            (C) The Tier 3 Target Ratio is 1.0.
        (6) If, at any point, the Tier 1 Target Ratio is
    greater than 90%, then than all Tier 1 funding shall be
    allocated to Tier 2 and no Tier 1 Organizational Unit's
    funding may be identified.
        (7) In the event that all Tier 2 Organizational Units
    receive funding at the Tier 2 Target Ratio level, any
    remaining New State Funds shall be allocated to Tier 3 and
    Tier 4 Organizational Units.
        (8) If any Specially Funded Units, excluding Glenwood
    Academy, recognized by the State Board do not qualify for
    direct funding following the implementation of Public Act
    100-465 from any of the funding sources included within the
    definition of Base Funding Minimum, the unqualified
    portion of the Base Funding Minimum shall be transferred to
    one or more appropriate Organizational Units as determined
    by the State Superintendent based on the prior year ASE of
    the Organizational Units.
        (8.5) If a school district withdraws from a special
    education cooperative, the portion of the Base Funding
    Minimum that is attributable to the school district may be
    redistributed to the school district upon withdrawal. The
    school district and the cooperative must include the amount
    of the Base Funding Minimum that is to be reapportioned in
    their withdrawal agreement and notify the State Board of
    the change with a copy of the agreement upon withdrawal.
        (9) The Minimum Funding Level is intended to establish
    a target for State funding that will keep pace with
    inflation and continue to advance equity through the
    Evidence-Based Funding formula. The target for State
    funding of New Property Tax Relief Pool Funds is
    $50,000,000 for State fiscal year 2019 and subsequent State
    fiscal years. The Minimum Funding Level is equal to
    $350,000,000. In addition to any New State Funds, no more
    than $50,000,000 New Property Tax Relief Pool Funds may be
    counted toward the Minimum Funding Level. If the sum of New
    State Funds and applicable New Property Tax Relief Pool
    Funds are less than the Minimum Funding Level, than funding
    for tiers shall be reduced in the following manner:
            (A) First, Tier 4 funding shall be reduced by an
        amount equal to the difference between the Minimum
        Funding Level and New State Funds until such time as
        Tier 4 funding is exhausted.
            (B) Next, Tier 3 funding shall be reduced by an
        amount equal to the difference between the Minimum
        Funding Level and New State Funds and the reduction in
        Tier 4 funding until such time as Tier 3 funding is
        exhausted.
            (C) Next, Tier 2 funding shall be reduced by an
        amount equal to the difference between the Minimum
        Funding Level and New State Funds and the reduction in
        Tier 4 and Tier 3.
            (D) Finally, Tier 1 funding shall be reduced by an
        amount equal to the difference between the Minimum
        Funding level and New State Funds and the reduction in
        Tier 2, 3, and 4 funding. In addition, the Allocation
        Rate for Tier 1 shall be reduced to a percentage equal
        to the Tier 1 Allocation Rate set by paragraph (4) of
        this subsection (g), multiplied by the result of New
        State Funds divided by the Minimum Funding Level.
        (9.5) For State fiscal year 2019 and subsequent State
    fiscal years, if New State Funds exceed $300,000,000, then
    any amount in excess of $300,000,000 shall be dedicated for
    purposes of Section 2-3.170 of this Code up to a maximum of
    $50,000,000.
        (10) In the event of a decrease in the amount of the
    appropriation for this Section in any fiscal year after
    implementation of this Section, the Organizational Units
    receiving Tier 1 and Tier 2 funding, as determined under
    paragraph (3) of this subsection (g), shall be held
    harmless by establishing a Base Funding Guarantee equal to
    the per pupil kindergarten through grade 12 funding
    received in accordance with this Section in the prior
    fiscal year. Reductions shall be made to the Base Funding
    Minimum of Organizational Units in Tier 3 and Tier 4 on a
    per pupil basis equivalent to the total number of the ASE
    in Tier 3-funded and Tier 4-funded Organizational Units
    divided by the total reduction in State funding. The Base
    Funding Minimum as reduced shall continue to be applied to
    Tier 3 and Tier 4 Organizational Units and adjusted by the
    relative formula when increases in appropriations for this
    Section resume. In no event may State funding reductions to
    Organizational Units in Tier 3 or Tier 4 exceed an amount
    that would be less than the Base Funding Minimum
    established in the first year of implementation of this
    Section. If additional reductions are required, all school
    districts shall receive a reduction by a per pupil amount
    equal to the aggregate additional appropriation reduction
    divided by the total ASE of all Organizational Units.
        (11) The State Superintendent shall make minor
    adjustments to the distribution formula set forth in this
    subsection (g) to account for the rounding of percentages
    to the nearest tenth of a percentage and dollar amounts to
    the nearest whole dollar.
    (h) State Superintendent administration of funding and
district submission requirements.
        (1) The State Superintendent shall, in accordance with
    appropriations made by the General Assembly, meet the
    funding obligations created under this Section.
        (2) The State Superintendent shall calculate the
    Adequacy Target for each Organizational Unit and Net State
    Contribution Target for each Organizational Unit under
    this Section. No Evidence-Based Funding shall be
    distributed within an Organizational Unit without the
    approval of the unit's school board.
        (3) Annually, the State Superintendent shall calculate
    and report to each Organizational Unit the unit's aggregate
    financial adequacy amount, which shall be the sum of the
    Adequacy Target for each Organizational Unit. The State
    Superintendent shall calculate and report separately for
    each Organizational Unit the unit's total State funds
    allocated for its students with disabilities. The State
    Superintendent shall calculate and report separately for
    each Organizational Unit the amount of funding and
    applicable FTE calculated for each Essential Element of the
    unit's Adequacy Target.
        (4) Annually, the State Superintendent shall calculate
    and report to each Organizational Unit the amount the unit
    must expend on special education and bilingual education
    and computer technology and equipment for Organizational
    Units assigned to Tier 1 or Tier 2 that received an
    additional $285.50 per student computer technology and
    equipment investment grant to their Adequacy Target
    pursuant to the unit's Base Funding Minimum, Special
    Education Allocation, Bilingual Education Allocation, and
    computer technology and equipment investment allocation.
        (5) Moneys distributed under this Section shall be
    calculated on a school year basis, but paid on a fiscal
    year basis, with payments beginning in August and extending
    through June. Unless otherwise provided, the moneys
    appropriated for each fiscal year shall be distributed in
    22 equal payments at least 2 times monthly to each
    Organizational Unit. If moneys appropriated for any fiscal
    year are distributed other than monthly, the distribution
    shall be on the same basis for each Organizational Unit.
        (6) Any school district that fails, for any given
    school year, to maintain school as required by law or to
    maintain a recognized school is not eligible to receive
    Evidence-Based Funding. In case of non-recognition of one
    or more attendance centers in a school district otherwise
    operating recognized schools, the claim of the district
    shall be reduced in the proportion that the enrollment in
    the attendance center or centers bears to the enrollment of
    the school district. "Recognized school" means any public
    school that meets the standards for recognition by the
    State Board. A school district or attendance center not
    having recognition status at the end of a school term is
    entitled to receive State aid payments due upon a legal
    claim that was filed while it was recognized.
        (7) School district claims filed under this Section are
    subject to Sections 18-9 and 18-12 of this Code, except as
    otherwise provided in this Section.
        (8) Each fiscal year, the State Superintendent shall
    calculate for each Organizational Unit an amount of its
    Base Funding Minimum and Evidence-Based Funding that shall
    be deemed attributable to the provision of special
    educational facilities and services, as defined in Section
    14-1.08 of this Code, in a manner that ensures compliance
    with maintenance of State financial support requirements
    under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education
    Act. An Organizational Unit must use such funds only for
    the provision of special educational facilities and
    services, as defined in Section 14-1.08 of this Code, and
    must comply with any expenditure verification procedures
    adopted by the State Board.
        (9) All Organizational Units in this State must submit
    annual spending plans by the end of September of each year
    to the State Board as part of the annual budget process,
    which shall describe how each Organizational Unit will
    utilize the Base Funding Minimum and Evidence-Based
    Funding it receives from this State under this Section with
    specific identification of the intended utilization of
    Low-Income, English learner, and special education
    resources. Additionally, the annual spending plans of each
    Organizational Unit shall describe how the Organizational
    Unit expects to achieve student growth and how the
    Organizational Unit will achieve State education goals, as
    defined by the State Board. The State Superintendent may,
    from time to time, identify additional requisites for
    Organizational Units to satisfy when compiling the annual
    spending plans required under this subsection (h). The
    format and scope of annual spending plans shall be
    developed by the State Superintendent and the State Board
    of Education. School districts that serve students under
    Article 14C of this Code shall continue to submit
    information as required under Section 14C-12 of this Code.
        (10) No later than January 1, 2018, the State
    Superintendent shall develop a 5-year strategic plan for
    all Organizational Units to help in planning for adequacy
    funding under this Section. The State Superintendent shall
    submit the plan to the Governor and the General Assembly,
    as provided in Section 3.1 of the General Assembly
    Organization Act. The plan shall include recommendations
    for:
            (A) a framework for collaborative, professional,
        innovative, and 21st century learning environments
        using the Evidence-Based Funding model;
            (B) ways to prepare and support this State's
        educators for successful instructional careers;
            (C) application and enhancement of the current
        financial accountability measures, the approved State
        plan to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds
        Act, and the Illinois Balanced Accountability Measures
        in relation to student growth and elements of the
        Evidence-Based Funding model; and
            (D) implementation of an effective school adequacy
        funding system based on projected and recommended
        funding levels from the General Assembly.
        (11) On an annual basis, the State Superintendent must
    recalibrate all of the following per pupil elements of the
    Adequacy Target and applied to the formulas, based on the
    study of average expenses and as reported in the most
    recent annual financial report:
            (A) Gifted under subparagraph (M) of paragraph (2)
        of subsection (b).
            (B) Instructional materials under subparagraph (O)
        of paragraph (2) of subsection (b).
            (C) Assessment under subparagraph (P) of paragraph
        (2) of subsection (b).
            (D) Student activities under subparagraph (R) of
        paragraph (2) of subsection (b).
            (E) Maintenance and operations under subparagraph
        (S) of paragraph (2) of subsection (b).
            (F) Central office under subparagraph (T) of
        paragraph (2) of subsection (b).
    (i) Professional Review Panel.
        (1) A Professional Review Panel is created to study and
    review topics related to the implementation and effect of
    Evidence-Based Funding, as assigned by a joint resolution
    or Public Act of the General Assembly or a motion passed by
    the State Board of Education. The Panel must provide
    recommendations to and serve the Governor, the General
    Assembly, and the State Board. The State Superintendent or
    his or her designee must serve as a voting member and
    chairperson of the Panel. The State Superintendent must
    appoint a vice chairperson from the membership of the
    Panel. The Panel must advance recommendations based on a
    three-fifths majority vote of Panel members present and
    voting. A minority opinion may also accompany any
    recommendation of the Panel. The Panel shall be appointed
    by the State Superintendent, except as otherwise provided
    in paragraph (2) of this subsection (i) and include the
    following members:
            (A) Two appointees that represent district
        superintendents, recommended by a statewide
        organization that represents district superintendents.
            (B) Two appointees that represent school boards,
        recommended by a statewide organization that
        represents school boards.
            (C) Two appointees from districts that represent
        school business officials, recommended by a statewide
        organization that represents school business
        officials.
            (D) Two appointees that represent school
        principals, recommended by a statewide organization
        that represents school principals.
            (E) Two appointees that represent teachers,
        recommended by a statewide organization that
        represents teachers.
            (F) Two appointees that represent teachers,
        recommended by another statewide organization that
        represents teachers.
            (G) Two appointees that represent regional
        superintendents of schools, recommended by
        organizations that represent regional superintendents.
            (H) Two independent experts selected solely by the
        State Superintendent.
            (I) Two independent experts recommended by public
        universities in this State.
            (J) One member recommended by a statewide
        organization that represents parents.
            (K) Two representatives recommended by collective
        impact organizations that represent major metropolitan
        areas or geographic areas in Illinois.
            (L) One member from a statewide organization
        focused on research-based education policy to support
        a school system that prepares all students for college,
        a career, and democratic citizenship.
            (M) One representative from a school district
        organized under Article 34 of this Code.
        The State Superintendent shall ensure that the
    membership of the Panel includes representatives from
    school districts and communities reflecting the
    geographic, socio-economic, racial, and ethnic diversity
    of this State. The State Superintendent shall additionally
    ensure that the membership of the Panel includes
    representatives with expertise in bilingual education and
    special education. Staff from the State Board shall staff
    the Panel.
        (2) In addition to those Panel members appointed by the
    State Superintendent, 4 members of the General Assembly
    shall be appointed as follows: one member of the House of
    Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of
    Representatives, one member of the Senate appointed by the
    President of the Senate, one member of the House of
    Representatives appointed by the Minority Leader of the
    House of Representatives, and one member of the Senate
    appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate. There shall
    be one additional member appointed by the Governor. All
    members appointed by legislative leaders or the Governor
    shall be non-voting, ex officio members.
        (3) The Panel must study topics at the direction of the
    General Assembly or State Board of Education, as provided
    under paragraph (1). The Panel may also study the following
    topics at the direction of the chairperson:
            (A) The format and scope of annual spending plans
        referenced in paragraph (9) of subsection (h) of this
        Section.
            (B) The Comparable Wage Index under this Section.
            (C) Maintenance and operations, including capital
        maintenance and construction costs.
            (D) "At-risk student" definition.
            (E) Benefits.
            (F) Technology.
            (G) Local Capacity Target.
            (H) Funding for Alternative Schools, Laboratory
        Schools, safe schools, and alternative learning
        opportunities programs.
            (I) Funding for college and career acceleration
        strategies.
            (J) Special education investments.
            (K) Early childhood investments, in collaboration
        with the Illinois Early Learning Council.
        (4) (Blank).
        (5) Within 5 years after the implementation of this
    Section, and every 5 years thereafter, the Panel shall
    complete an evaluative study of the entire Evidence-Based
    Funding model, including an assessment of whether or not
    the formula is achieving State goals. The Panel shall
    report to the State Board, the General Assembly, and the
    Governor on the findings of the study.
        (6) (Blank).
        (7) To ensure that (i) the Adequacy Target calculation
    under subsection (b) accurately reflects the needs of
    students living in poverty or attending schools located in
    areas of high poverty, (ii) racial equity within the
    Evidence-Based Funding formula is explicitly explored and
    advanced, and (iii) the funding goals of the formula
    distribution system established under this Section are
    sufficient to provide adequate funding for every student
    and to fully fund every school in this State, the Panel
    shall review the Essential Elements under paragraph (2) of
    subsection (b). The Panel shall consider all of the
    following in its review:
            (A) The financial ability of school districts to
        provide instruction in a foreign language to every
        student and whether an additional Essential Element
        should be added to the formula to ensure that every
        student has access to instruction in a foreign
        language.
            (B) The adult-to-student ratio for each Essential
        Element in which a ratio is identified. The Panel shall
        consider whether the ratio accurately reflects the
        staffing needed to support students living in poverty
        or who have traumatic backgrounds.
            (C) Changes to the Essential Elements that may be
        required to better promote racial equity and eliminate
        structural racism within schools.
            (D) The impact of investing $350,000,000 in
        additional funds each year under this Section and an
        estimate of when the school system will become fully
        funded under this level of appropriation.
            (E) Provide an overview of alternative funding
        structures that would enable the State to become fully
        funded at an earlier date.
            (F) The potential to increase efficiency and to
        find cost savings within the school system to expedite
        the journey to a fully funded system.
            (G) The appropriate levels for reenrolling and
        graduating high-risk high school students who have
        been previously out of school. These outcomes shall
        include enrollment, attendance, skill gains, credit
        gains, graduation or promotion to the next grade level,
        and the transition to college, training, or
        employment, with an emphasis on progressively
        increasing the overall attendance.
            (H) The evidence-based or research-based practices
        that are shown to reduce the gaps and disparities
        experienced by African American students in academic
        achievement and educational performance, including
        practices that have been shown to reduce parities in
        disciplinary rates, drop-out rates, graduation rates,
        college matriculation rates, and college completion
        rates.
        On or before December 31, 2021, the Panel shall report
    to the State Board, the General Assembly, and the Governor
    on the findings of its review. This paragraph (7) is
    inoperative on and after July 1, 2022.
    (j) References. Beginning July 1, 2017, references in other
laws to general State aid funds or calculations under Section
18-8.05 of this Code (now repealed) shall be deemed to be
references to evidence-based model formula funds or
calculations under this Section.
(Source: P.A. 100-465, eff. 8-31-17; 100-578, eff. 1-31-18;
100-582, eff. 3-23-18; 101-10, eff. 6-5-19; 101-17, eff.
6-14-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20; revised 8-21-20.)
 
Article 95.

 
    Section 95-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the
Equity in Higher Education Act. References in this Article to
"this Act" mean this Article.
 
    Section 95-5. Findings; policies.
    (a) The General Assembly finds the following:
        (1) Historic and continuous systemic racism has
    created significant disparities in college access,
    affordability, and completion for Black, Latinx,
    low-income, and other underrepresented and historically
    underserved students.
        (2) Higher education is examining its role as a
    contributor to systemic racism, while recognizing its
    place in providing opportunity and upward mobility, and its
    role as a powerful actor in dismantling systemic racism.
        (3) Chicago State University has created the Equity
    Working Group, which includes statewide representation of
    private, community, and public sector stakeholders, to
    create an action plan for employers, the secondary and
    postsecondary education systems, philanthropic
    organizations, community-based organizations, and our
    executive and legislative bodies to improve college
    access, completion, and post-graduation outcomes for Black
    college students in Illinois.
        (4) Despite similar numbers of Black high school
    graduates, Illinois saw about 25,000 fewer Black enrollees
    in Illinois higher education in 2018 compared to 2008.
        (5) Illinois must address wide disparities in degree
    completion at Illinois community colleges, which currently
    graduate Black and Latinx students at a rate of 14% and 26%
    respectively compared to the rate of 38% for White
    students, as well as at public universities, which
    currently graduate Black and Latinx students at a rate of
    34% and 49% respectively compared to 66% of White students,
    within 6 years.
        (6) The State of Illinois benefits from a diverse
    public higher education system that includes universities
    and community colleges with different missions and scopes
    that maximize college enrollment, persistence, and
    completion of underrepresented and historically
    underserved students, including Black and Latinx students
    and students from low-income families.
        (7) Illinois has a moral obligation and an economic
    interest in dismantling and reforming structures that
    create or exacerbate racial and socioeconomic inequities
    in K-12 and higher education.
        (8) The Board of Higher Education has a statutory
    obligation to create a strategic plan for higher education
    and has adopted core principles to guide this plan.
        (9) The Board of Higher Education has included among
    its core principles designed to guide the strategic plan
    the assumption that excellence coupled with equity should
    drive the higher education system and that the higher
    education system will make equity-driven decisions,
    elevating the voices of those who have been underserved,
    and actively identify and remove systemic barriers that
    have prevented students of color, first generation college
    students, low-income students, adult learners, and rural
    students from accessing and succeeding in higher
    education; access and affordability as well as high quality
    are embedded in the definition of equity.
    (b) The General Assembly supports all of the following work
and goals of the Board of Higher Education:
        (1) Its work on the strategic plan for higher education
    and the vision it has set forth that over the next 10 years
    Illinois will have an equitable, accessible, innovative,
    nimble, and aligned higher education ecosystem that
    ensures individuals, families, and communities across the
    state thrive.
        (2) Its goal to close equity gaps in higher education
    in Illinois and that the strategic plan will identify
    multiple strategies to achieve this goal.
        (3) Its goal to increase postsecondary
    credential/degree attainment and develop talent to drive
    the economy of Illinois and that the strategic plan will
    identify strategies to achieve this goal, including
    embedding equity in the State's attainment goal.
        (4) Its goal to improve higher education
    affordability, increase access, and manage costs and the
    expectation that the strategic plan will identify
    strategies for stakeholders to achieve these goals,
    including opportunities to improve efficiency and
    principles for equitable and adequate ways to fund higher
    education.
    (c) The General Assembly encourages the Board of Higher
Education to prepare an array of policy, practice, and proposed
legislative changes required to implement the strategic plan,
along with an implementation process and timeline by May 1,
2021 and to regularly evaluate the impact of the implementation
of the strategic plan and publicly report the evaluation to
ensure that the goals are achieved as intended and lead to a
high-quality, equitable, and diverse higher education system
in Illinois.
 
Article 100.

 
    Section 100-1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Developmental Education Reform Act. References in this Article
to "this Act" mean this Article.
 
    Section 100-5. Findings. The General Assembly makes all of
the following findings:
        (1) Nearly 50% of this State's high school graduates
    who enroll full-time in a community college are placed in
    developmental education coursework in at least one
    subject. Community colleges place nearly 71% of Black
    students in developmental education courses compared to
    42% of white students.
        (2) Traditional developmental education courses cost
    students time and money and expend their financial aid
    because a student does not receive college credit for the
    successful completion of a traditional developmental
    education course. This can be a barrier to enrollment,
    persistence, and certificate or degree completion.
        (3) Developmental education courses can exacerbate
    inequities in higher education. Community colleges
    graduate Black students who are placed in developmental
    education courses at a rate of approximately 8% compared to
    a graduation rate of 26% for white students who are placed
    in developmental education courses.
        (4) A history of inconsistent and inadequate
    approaches to student placement in community college
    coursework, such as the reliance on standardized test
    scores, has resulted in too many students being placed in
    developmental education coursework who could otherwise
    succeed in introductory college-level coursework or
    introductory college-level coursework with concurrent
    support.
        (5) Developmental education reform is in progress, and
    public institutions of higher education and State agencies
    have undertaken voluntary efforts and committed resources
    to improve placement and to address disparities in the
    successful completion of introductory college-level
    coursework.
        (6) The Illinois Council of Community College
    Presidents, the Illinois Community College Chief Academic
    Officers Commission, the Illinois Community College Chief
    Student Services Officers Commission, and the Illinois
    Mathematics Association of Community Colleges have already
    developed and approved a more equitable, multiple measures
    framework for placement in coursework that is currently
    implemented at many but not all community colleges.
        (7) In 2019, members of the General Assembly, faculty
    and administrators from public institutions of higher
    education, board trustees from community college
    districts, representatives from the Board of Higher
    Education, the Illinois Community College Board, and other
    appointed stakeholders convened a task force to inventory
    and study developmental education models employed by
    public community colleges and universities in this State
    and to submit a detailed plan for scaling developmental
    education reforms in which all students who are placed in
    developmental education coursework are enrolled in an
    evidence-based developmental education model that
    maximizes a student's likelihood of completing an
    introductory college-level course within his or her first 2
    semesters at an institution of higher education. The data
    released by the task force indicates all of the following:
            (A) Despite more effective developmental education
        models, community colleges and universities use the
        traditional developmental education model for 77% of
        students who place in a developmental education
        mathematics course and for 67% of students who place in
        a developmental English language course.
            (B) Improved policies, programs, and practices are
        essential to address the systemic inequities that
        exist in postsecondary education in this State, such as
        the disproportionate enrollment of Black students in
        developmental education courses.
        (8) To support further reform to developmental
    education in mathematics, additional work needs to be done
    in order to more adequately define the math pathways and
    the various ways that students satisfy mathematics credit
    requirements depending upon their academic and career
    pathways.
 
    Section 100-10. Definitions. In this Act:
    "College-level English language or mathematics course" or
"college-level English language or mathematics coursework"
means a course that bears credit and fulfills English language
or mathematics credit requirements for a baccalaureate degree,
a certificate, or an associate degree from a postsecondary
educational institution.
    "Community college" means a public community college in
this State.
    "Developmental education" means instruction through which
a high school graduate who applies to a college credit program
may attain the communication and computation skills necessary
to successfully complete college-level coursework.
    "Developmental education course" or "developmental
education coursework" means a course or a category of courses
in which students are placed based on an institution's finding
that a student does not have the proficiency necessary to
succeed in an introductory college-level English language or
mathematics course.
    "Institution of higher education" or "institution" means a
public community college or university in this State.
    "University" means a public university in this State.
 
    Section 100-15. Placement measures.
    (a) On or before May 1, 2022, a community college shall use
each of the following measures, as appropriate, to determine
the placement of a student in introductory college-level
English language or mathematics coursework and shall use the
scores set forth in recommendations approved by the Illinois
Council of Community College Presidents on June 1, 2018:
        (1) A student's cumulative high school grade point
    average.
        (2) A student's successful completion of an
    appropriate high school transition course in mathematics
    or English.
        (3) A student's successful completion of an
    appropriate developmental education or introductory
    college-level English language or mathematics course at
    another regionally accredited postsecondary educational
    institution.
    (b) In determining the placement of a student in
introductory college-level English language or mathematics
coursework, a community college shall consider the
standardized test scores provided by the student for placement
in an introductory college-level English language or
mathematics course.
    In addition, a community college is encouraged to use the
scores set forth in recommendations approved by the Illinois
Council of Community College Presidents on June 1, 2018 and
should also consider other individual measures for placement in
an introductory college-level English language or mathematics
course, as set forth in recommendations approved by the
Illinois Council of Community College Presidents on June 1,
2018, and the scores set forth in those recommendations.
    In its discretion, a community college may accept a lower
score on individual placement measures or accept lower scores
in combination with other placement measures than those set
forth in the recommendations.
    (c) If a student qualifies for placement in an introductory
college-level English language or mathematics course using a
single measure under subsection (a) or (b), no additional
measures need to be considered for placement of the student in
the introductory college-level English language or mathematics
course.
 
    Section 100-20. Recommendations of Illinois Council of
Community College Presidents recommendation revisions; math
pathways.
    (a) If the Illinois Council of Community College Presidents
approves any revised recommendations for determining the
placement of students in introductory college-level English
language or mathematics courses in response to changes in
scoring systems, the introduction and use of additional
measures, or evidence that demonstrates the inaccuracy in the
use of scores in previous recommendations, then, within one
year after the date of the adoption of those revised
recommendations, references in this Act to recommendations
approved by the Illinois Council of Community College
Presidents on June 1, 2018 shall mean the revised
recommendations. The General Assembly may request that the
Illinois Council of Community College Presidents provide to the
General Assembly the rationale and supporting evidence for any
revision to the Council's recommendations.
    (b) Beginning no later than December 1, 2021, the Illinois
Board of Higher Education shall convene stakeholders to
consider a multiple measures framework for placement into
college-level coursework for Illinois public universities with
considerations for math pathways and major requirements.
 
    Section 100-25. Placement policy; report.
    (a) Each institution of higher education shall publicly
post its placement policy in a manner that is easily accessible
to both students and prospective students.
    (b) On or before July 1, 2023, the Illinois Community
College Board shall issue a report, which shall be made
available to the public on its Internet website, concerning
each community college's developmental education and
college-level coursework placement policy and the policy's
outcomes. The data disclosed in the report must be consistent
with the Illinois Community College Board's requirements for
data collection and should be disaggregated by developmental
education course model, as defined by the Illinois Community
College Board, and by gender, race and ethnicity, and federal
Pell Grant status.
 
    Section 100-30. Institutional plans; report.
    (a) On or before May 1, 2022, each university shall submit
to the Board of Higher Education and each community college
shall submit to the Illinois Community College Board its
institutional plan for scaling evidence-based developmental
education reforms to maximize the probability that a student
will be placed in and successfully complete introductory
college-level English language or mathematics coursework
within 2 semesters at the institution. At a minimum, a plan
submitted by an institution shall include all of the following:
        (1) A description of the current developmental
    education models offered by the institution. If the
    institution does not currently offer developmental
    education coursework, it must provide details regarding
    its decision not to offer developmental education
    coursework and the pathways that are available to students
    deemed to be insufficiently prepared for introductory
    college-level English language or mathematics coursework.
        (2) A description of the developmental education
    models that will be implemented and scaled and the basis of
    the evidence and associated data that the institution
    considered in making the decision to scale each model.
        (3) Baseline data and benchmarks for progress,
    including, but not limited to, (i) enrollment in
    credit-bearing English language or mathematics courses,
    (ii) rates of successful completion of introductory
    college-level English language or mathematics courses, and
    (iii) college-credit accumulation.
        (4) Detailed plans for scaling reforms and improving
    outcomes for all students placed in traditional
    developmental education models or models with comparable
    introductory college-level course completion rates. The
    plan shall provide details about the expected improvements
    in educational outcomes for Black students as result of the
    proposed reforms.
    (b) On or before January 1, 2023 and every 2 years
thereafter, the Board of Higher Education and Illinois
Community College Board shall collect data and report to the
General Assembly and the public the status of developmental
education reforms at institutions. The report must include data
on the progress of the developmental education reforms,
including, but not limited to, (i) enrollment in credit-bearing
English language or mathematics courses, (ii) rates of
successful completion of introductory college-level English
language or mathematics courses, and (iii) college-credit
accumulation. The data should be disaggregated by gender, race
and ethnicity, federal Pell Grant status, and other variables
of interest to the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois
Community College Board.
    (c) On or before January 1, 2024 and every 2 years
thereafter, the Board of Higher Education and Illinois
Community College Board, in consultation with institutions of
higher education and other stakeholders, shall consider
additional data reporting requirements to facilitate the
rigorous and continuous evaluation of each institution's
implementation plan and its impact on improving outcomes for
students in developmental education, particularly for Black
students.
 
    Section 100-90. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
of 1974. Nothing in this Act supersedes the federal Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 or rules adopted
pursuant to the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act of 1974.
 
Article 115.

 
    Section 115-5. The School Code is amended by changing
Section 21B-50 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/21B-50)
    Sec. 21B-50. Alternative Educator Licensure Program.
    (a) There is established an alternative educator licensure
program, to be known as the Alternative Educator Licensure
Program for Teachers.
    (b) The Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
Teachers may be offered by a recognized institution approved to
offer educator preparation programs by the State Board of
Education, in consultation with the State Educator Preparation
and Licensure Board.
    The program shall be comprised of 4 phases:
        (1) A course of study that at a minimum includes
    instructional planning; instructional strategies,
    including special education, reading, and English language
    learning; classroom management; and the assessment of
    students and use of data to drive instruction.
        (2) A year of residency, which is a candidate's
    assignment to a full-time teaching position or as a
    co-teacher for one full school year. An individual must
    hold an Educator License with Stipulations with an
    alternative provisional educator endorsement in order to
    enter the residency and must complete additional program
    requirements that address required State and national
    standards, pass the State Board's teacher performance
    assessment no later than the end of the first semester of
    the second year of residency, as required under phase (3)
    of this subsection (b), and be recommended by the principal
    or qualified equivalent of a principal, as required under
    subsection (d) of this Section, and the program coordinator
    to continue with the second year of the residency.
        (3) A second year of residency, which shall include the
    candidate's assignment to a full-time teaching position
    for one school year. The candidate must be assigned an
    experienced teacher to act as a mentor and coach the
    candidate through the second year of residency.
        (4) A comprehensive assessment of the candidate's
    teaching effectiveness, as evaluated by the principal or
    qualified equivalent of a principal, as required under
    subsection (d) of this Section, and the program
    coordinator, at the end of the second year of residency. If
    there is disagreement between the 2 evaluators about the
    candidate's teaching effectiveness, the candidate may
    complete one additional year of residency teaching under a
    professional development plan developed by the principal
    or qualified equivalent and the preparation program. At the
    completion of the third year, a candidate must have
    positive evaluations and a recommendation for full
    licensure from both the principal or qualified equivalent
    and the program coordinator or no Professional Educator
    License shall be issued.
    Successful completion of the program shall be deemed to
satisfy any other practice or student teaching and content
matter requirements established by law.
    (c) An alternative provisional educator endorsement on an
Educator License with Stipulations is valid for 2 years of
teaching in the public schools, including without limitation a
preschool educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code
or charter school, or in a State-recognized nonpublic school in
which the chief administrator is required to have the licensure
necessary to be a principal in a public school in this State
and in which a majority of the teachers are required to have
the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public school in
this State, but may be renewed for a third year if needed to
complete the Alternative Educator Licensure Program for
Teachers. The endorsement shall be issued only once to an
individual who meets all of the following requirements:
        (1) Has graduated from a regionally accredited college
    or university with a bachelor's degree or higher.
        (2) (Blank). Has a cumulative grade point average of
    3.0 or greater on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent on another
    scale.
        (3) Has completed a major in the content area if
    seeking a middle or secondary level endorsement or, if
    seeking an early childhood, elementary, or special
    education endorsement, has completed a major in the content
    area of reading, English/language arts, mathematics, or
    one of the sciences. If the individual does not have a
    major in a content area for any level of teaching, he or
    she must submit transcripts to the State Board of Education
    to be reviewed for equivalency.
        (4) Has successfully completed phase (1) of subsection
    (b) of this Section.
        (5) Has passed a content area test required for the
    specific endorsement for admission into the program, as
    required under Section 21B-30 of this Code.
    A candidate possessing the alternative provisional
educator endorsement may receive a salary, benefits, and any
other terms of employment offered to teachers in the school who
are members of an exclusive bargaining representative, if any,
but a school is not required to provide these benefits during
the years of residency if the candidate is serving only as a
co-teacher. If the candidate is serving as the teacher of
record, the candidate must receive a salary, benefits, and any
other terms of employment. Residency experiences must not be
counted towards tenure.
    (d) The recognized institution offering the Alternative
Educator Licensure Program for Teachers must partner with a
school district, including without limitation a preschool
educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code or
charter school, or a State-recognized, nonpublic school in this
State in which the chief administrator is required to have the
licensure necessary to be a principal in a public school in
this State and in which a majority of the teachers are required
to have the licensure necessary to be instructors in a public
school in this State. A recognized institution that partners
with a public school district administering a preschool
educational program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code must
require a principal to recommend or evaluate candidates in the
program. A recognized institution that partners with an
eligible entity administering a preschool educational program
under Section 2-3.71 of this Code and that is not a public
school district must require a principal or qualified
equivalent of a principal to recommend or evaluate candidates
in the program. The program presented for approval by the State
Board of Education must demonstrate the supports that are to be
provided to assist the provisional teacher during the 2-year
residency period. These supports must provide additional
contact hours with mentors during the first year of residency.
    (e) Upon completion of the 4 phases outlined in subsection
(b) of this Section and all assessments required under Section
21B-30 of this Code, an individual shall receive a Professional
Educator License.
    (f) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, may adopt such
rules as may be necessary to establish and implement the
Alternative Educator Licensure Program for Teachers.
(Source: P.A. 100-596, eff. 7-1-18; 100-822, eff. 1-1-19;
101-220, eff. 8-7-19; 101-570, eff. 8-23-19; 101-643, eff.
6-18-20.)
 
Article 120.

 
    Section 120-5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act
is amended by changing Section 50 as follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 947/50)
    Sec. 50. Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship
program.
    (a) As used in this Section:
        "Eligible applicant" means a minority student who has
    graduated from high school or has received a high school
    equivalency certificate and has maintained a cumulative
    grade point average of no less than 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and
    who by reason thereof is entitled to apply for scholarships
    to be awarded under this Section.
        "Minority student" means a student who is any of the
    following:
            (1) American Indian or Alaska Native (a person
        having origins in any of the original peoples of North
        and South America, including Central America, and who
        maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment).
            (2) Asian (a person having origins in any of the
        original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or
        the Indian subcontinent, including, but not limited
        to, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia,
        Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and
        Vietnam).
            (3) Black or African American (a person having
        origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa).
        Terms such as "Haitian" or "Negro" can be used in
        addition to "Black or African American".
            (4) Hispanic or Latino (a person of Cuban, Mexican,
        Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other
        Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race).
            (5) Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander (a
        person having origins in any of the original peoples of
        Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands).
        "Qualified bilingual minority applicant" means a
    qualified student who demonstrates proficiency in a
    language other than English by (i) receiving a State Seal
    of Biliteracy from the State Board of Education or (ii)
    receiving a passing score on an educator licensure target
    language proficiency test.
        "Qualified student" means a person (i) who is a
    resident of this State and a citizen or permanent resident
    of the United States; (ii) who is a minority student, as
    defined in this Section; (iii) who, as an eligible
    applicant, has made a timely application for a minority
    teaching scholarship under this Section; (iv) who is
    enrolled on at least a half-time basis at a qualified
    Illinois institution of higher learning; (v) who is
    enrolled in a course of study leading to teacher licensure,
    including alternative teacher licensure, or, if the
    student is already licensed to teach, in a course of study
    leading to an additional teaching endorsement or a master's
    degree in an academic field in which he or she is teaching
    or plans to teach or who has received one or more College
    and Career Pathway Endorsements pursuant to Section 80 of
    the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act and commits
    to enrolling in a course of study leading to teacher
    licensure, including alternative teacher licensure; (vi)
    who maintains a grade point average of no less than 2.5 on
    a 4.0 scale; and (vii) who continues to advance
    satisfactorily toward the attainment of a degree.
    (b) In order to encourage academically talented Illinois
minority students to pursue teaching careers at the preschool
or elementary or secondary school level and to address and
alleviate the teacher shortage crisis in this State described
under the provisions of the Transitions in Education Act, each
qualified student shall be awarded a minority teacher
scholarship to any qualified Illinois institution of higher
learning. However, preference may be given to qualified
applicants enrolled at or above the junior level.
    (c) Each minority teacher scholarship awarded under this
Section shall be in an amount sufficient to pay the tuition and
fees and room and board costs of the qualified Illinois
institution of higher learning at which the recipient is
enrolled, up to an annual maximum of $5,000; except that in the
case of a recipient who does not reside on-campus at the
institution at which he or she is enrolled, the amount of the
scholarship shall be sufficient to pay tuition and fee expenses
and a commuter allowance, up to an annual maximum of $5,000.
However, if at least $2,850,000 is appropriated in a given
fiscal year for the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship
program, then, in each fiscal year thereafter, each scholarship
awarded under this Section shall be in an amount sufficient to
pay the tuition and fees and room and board costs of the
qualified Illinois institution of higher learning at which the
recipient is enrolled, up to an annual maximum of $7,500;
except that in the case of a recipient who does not reside
on-campus at the institution at which he or she is enrolled,
the amount of the scholarship shall be sufficient to pay
tuition and fee expenses and a commuter allowance, up to an
annual maximum of $7,500.
    (d) The total amount of minority teacher scholarship
assistance awarded by the Commission under this Section to an
individual in any given fiscal year, when added to other
financial assistance awarded to that individual for that year,
shall not exceed the cost of attendance at the institution at
which the student is enrolled. If the amount of minority
teacher scholarship to be awarded to a qualified student as
provided in subsection (c) of this Section exceeds the cost of
attendance at the institution at which the student is enrolled,
the minority teacher scholarship shall be reduced by an amount
equal to the amount by which the combined financial assistance
available to the student exceeds the cost of attendance.
    (e) The maximum number of academic terms for which a
qualified student can receive minority teacher scholarship
assistance shall be 8 semesters or 12 quarters.
    (f) In any academic year for which an eligible applicant
under this Section accepts financial assistance through the
Paul Douglas Teacher Scholarship Program, as authorized by
Section 551 et seq. of the Higher Education Act of 1965, the
applicant shall not be eligible for scholarship assistance
awarded under this Section.
    (g) All applications for minority teacher scholarships to
be awarded under this Section shall be made to the Commission
on forms which the Commission shall provide for eligible
applicants. The form of applications and the information
required to be set forth therein shall be determined by the
Commission, and the Commission shall require eligible
applicants to submit with their applications such supporting
documents or recommendations as the Commission deems
necessary.
    (h) Subject to a separate appropriation for such purposes,
payment of any minority teacher scholarship awarded under this
Section shall be determined by the Commission. All scholarship
funds distributed in accordance with this subsection shall be
paid to the institution and used only for payment of the
tuition and fee and room and board expenses incurred by the
student in connection with his or her attendance at a qualified
Illinois institution of higher learning. Any minority teacher
scholarship awarded under this Section shall be applicable to 2
semesters or 3 quarters of enrollment. If a qualified student
withdraws from enrollment prior to completion of the first
semester or quarter for which the minority teacher scholarship
is applicable, the school shall refund to the Commission the
full amount of the minority teacher scholarship.
    (i) The Commission shall administer the minority teacher
scholarship aid program established by this Section and shall
make all necessary and proper rules not inconsistent with this
Section for its effective implementation.
    (j) When an appropriation to the Commission for a given
fiscal year is insufficient to provide scholarships to all
qualified students, the Commission shall allocate the
appropriation in accordance with this subsection. If funds are
insufficient to provide all qualified students with a
scholarship as authorized by this Section, the Commission shall
allocate the available scholarship funds for that fiscal year
to qualified students who submit a complete application form on
or before a date specified by the Commission based on the
following order of priority:
        (1) To students who received a scholarship under this
    Section in the prior academic year and who remain eligible
    for a minority teacher scholarship under this Section.
        (2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (k), to
    students who demonstrate financial need, as determined by
    the Commission. on the basis of the date the Commission
    receives a complete application form.
    (k) Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of the provisions of
subsection (j) or any other provision of this Section, at least
35% 30% of the funds appropriated for scholarships awarded
under this Section in each fiscal year shall be reserved for
qualified male minority applicants, with priority being given
to qualified Black male applicants beginning with fiscal year
2023. If the Commission does not receive enough applications
from qualified male minorities on or before January 1 of each
fiscal year to award 35% 30% of the funds appropriated for
these scholarships to qualified male minority applicants, then
the Commission may award a portion of the reserved funds to
qualified female minority applicants in accordance with
subsection (j).
    Beginning with fiscal year 2023, if at least $2,850,000 but
less than $4,200,000 is appropriated in a given fiscal year for
scholarships awarded under this Section, then at least 10% of
the funds appropriated shall be reserved for qualified
bilingual minority applicants, with priority being given to
qualified bilingual minority applicants who are enrolled in an
educator preparation program with a concentration in
bilingual, bicultural education. Beginning with fiscal year
2023, if at least $4,200,000 is appropriated in a given fiscal
year for the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship program,
then at least 30% of the funds appropriated shall be reserved
for qualified bilingual minority applicants, with priority
being given to qualified bilingual minority applicants who are
enrolled in an educator preparation program with a
concentration in bilingual, bicultural education. Beginning
with fiscal year 2023, if at least $2,850,000 is appropriated
in a given fiscal year for scholarships awarded under this
Section but the Commission does not receive enough applications
from qualified bilingual minority applicants on or before
January 1 of that fiscal year to award at least 10% of the
funds appropriated to qualified bilingual minority applicants,
then the Commission may, in its discretion, award a portion of
the reserved funds to other qualified students in accordance
with subsection (j).
    (l) Prior to receiving scholarship assistance for any
academic year, each recipient of a minority teacher scholarship
awarded under this Section shall be required by the Commission
to sign an agreement under which the recipient pledges that,
within the one-year period following the termination of the
program for which the recipient was awarded a minority teacher
scholarship, the recipient (i) shall begin teaching for a
period of not less than one year for each year of scholarship
assistance he or she was awarded under this Section; and (ii)
shall fulfill this teaching obligation at a nonprofit Illinois
public, private, or parochial preschool, elementary school, or
secondary school at which no less than 30% of the enrolled
students are minority students in the year during which the
recipient begins teaching at the school or may instead, if the
recipient received a scholarship as a qualified bilingual
minority applicant, fulfill this teaching obligation in a
program in transitional bilingual education pursuant to
Article 14C of the School Code or in a school in which 20 or
more English learner students in the same language
classification are enrolled; and (iii) shall, upon request by
the Commission, provide the Commission with evidence that he or
she is fulfilling or has fulfilled the terms of the teaching
agreement provided for in this subsection.
    (m) If a recipient of a minority teacher scholarship
awarded under this Section fails to fulfill the teaching
obligation set forth in subsection (l) of this Section, the
Commission shall require the recipient to repay the amount of
the scholarships received, prorated according to the fraction
of the teaching obligation not completed, at a rate of interest
equal to 5%, and, if applicable, reasonable collection fees.
The Commission is authorized to establish rules relating to its
collection activities for repayment of scholarships under this
Section. All repayments collected under this Section shall be
forwarded to the State Comptroller for deposit into the State's
General Revenue Fund.
    (n) A recipient of minority teacher scholarship shall not
be considered in violation of the agreement entered into
pursuant to subsection (l) if the recipient (i) enrolls on a
full time basis as a graduate student in a course of study
related to the field of teaching at a qualified Illinois
institution of higher learning; (ii) is serving, not in excess
of 3 years, as a member of the armed services of the United
States; (iii) is a person with a temporary total disability for
a period of time not to exceed 3 years as established by sworn
affidavit of a qualified physician; (iv) is seeking and unable
to find full time employment as a teacher at an Illinois
public, private, or parochial preschool or elementary or
secondary school that satisfies the criteria set forth in
subsection (l) of this Section and is able to provide evidence
of that fact; (v) becomes a person with a permanent total
disability as established by sworn affidavit of a qualified
physician; (vi) is taking additional courses, on at least a
half-time basis, needed to obtain licensure as a teacher in
Illinois; or (vii) is fulfilling teaching requirements
associated with other programs administered by the Commission
and cannot concurrently fulfill them under this Section in a
period of time equal to the length of the teaching obligation.
    (o) Scholarship recipients under this Section who withdraw
from a program of teacher education but remain enrolled in
school to continue their postsecondary studies in another
academic discipline shall not be required to commence repayment
of their Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship so long as
they remain enrolled in school on a full-time basis or if they
can document for the Commission special circumstances that
warrant extension of repayment.
    (p) If the Minority Teachers of Illinois scholarship
program does not expend at least 90% of the amount appropriated
for the program in a given fiscal year for 3 consecutive fiscal
years and the Commission does not receive enough applications
from the groups identified in subsection (k) on or before
January 1 in each of those fiscal years to meet the percentage
reserved for those groups under subsection (k), then up to 3%
of amount appropriated for the program for each of next 3
fiscal years shall be allocated to increasing awareness of the
program and for the recruitment of Black male applicants. The
Commission shall make a recommendation to the General Assembly
by January 1 of the year immediately following the end of that
third fiscal year regarding whether the amount allocated to
increasing awareness and recruitment should continue.
    (q) Each qualified Illinois institution of higher learning
that receives funds from the Minority Teachers of Illinois
scholarship program shall host an annual information session at
the institution about the program for teacher candidates of
color in accordance with rules adopted by the Commission.
Additionally, the institution shall ensure that each
scholarship recipient enrolled at the institution meets with an
academic advisor at least once per academic year to facilitate
on-time completion of the recipient's educator preparation
program.
    (r) The changes made to this Section by this amendatory Act
of the 101st General Assembly will first take effect with
awards made for the 2022-2023 academic year.
(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15; 100-235, eff. 6-1-18.)
 
Article 125.

 
    Section 125-5. The Higher Education Student Assistance Act
is amended by changing Section 65.100 as follows:
 
    (110 ILCS 947/65.100)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on October 1, 2024)
    Sec. 65.100. AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program.
    (a) The General Assembly makes all of the following
findings:
        (1) Both access and affordability are important
    aspects of the Illinois Public Agenda for College and
    Career Success report.
        (2) This State is in the top quartile with respect to
    the percentage of family income needed to pay for college.
        (3) Research suggests that as loan amounts increase,
    rather than an increase in grant amounts, the probability
    of college attendance decreases.
        (4) There is further research indicating that
    socioeconomic status may affect the willingness of
    students to use loans to attend college.
        (5) Strategic use of tuition discounting can decrease
    the amount of loans that students must use to pay for
    tuition.
        (6) A modest, individually tailored tuition discount
    can make the difference in a student choosing to attend
    college and enhance college access for low-income and
    middle-income families.
        (7) Even if the federally calculated financial need for
    college attendance is met, the federally determined
    Expected Family Contribution can still be a daunting
    amount.
        (8) This State is the second largest exporter of
    students in the country.
        (9) When talented Illinois students attend
    universities in this State, the State and those
    universities benefit.
        (10) State universities in other states have adopted
    pricing and incentives that allow many Illinois residents
    to pay less to attend an out-of-state university than to
    remain in this State for college.
        (11) Supporting Illinois student attendance at
    Illinois public universities can assist in State efforts to
    maintain and educate a highly trained workforce.
        (12) Modest tuition discounts that are individually
    targeted and tailored can result in enhanced revenue for
    public universities.
        (13) By increasing a public university's capacity to
    strategically use tuition discounting, the public
    university will be capable of creating enhanced tuition
    revenue by increasing enrollment yields.
    (b) In this Section:
    "Eligible applicant" means a student from any high school
in this State, whether or not recognized by the State Board of
Education, who is engaged in a program of study that in due
course will be completed by the end of the school year and who
meets all of the qualifications and requirements under this
Section.
    "Tuition and other necessary fees" includes the customary
charge for instruction and use of facilities in general and the
additional fixed fees charged for specified purposes that are
required generally of non-grant recipients for each academic
period for which the grant applicant actually enrolls, but does
not include fees payable only once or breakage fees and other
contingent deposits that are refundable in whole or in part.
The Commission may adopt, by rule not inconsistent with this
Section, detailed provisions concerning the computation of
tuition and other necessary fees.
    (c) Beginning with the 2019-2020 academic year, each public
university may establish a merit-based scholarship pilot
program known as the AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program. Each year,
the Commission shall receive and consider applications from
public universities under this Section. Subject to
appropriation and any tuition waiver limitation established by
the Board of Higher Education, a public university campus may
award a grant to a student under this Section if it finds that
the applicant meets all of the following criteria:
        (1) He or she is a resident of this State and a citizen
    or eligible noncitizen of the United States.
        (2) He or she files a Free Application for Federal
    Student Aid and demonstrates financial need with a
    household income no greater than 6 times the poverty
    guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by
    the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the
    authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2). The household income of the
    applicant at the time of initial application shall be
    deemed to be the household income of the applicant for the
    duration of the pilot program.
        (3) He or she meets the minimum cumulative grade point
    average or ACT or SAT college admissions test score, as
    determined by the public university campus.
        (4) He or she is enrolled in a public university as an
    undergraduate student on a full-time basis.
        (5) He or she has not yet received a baccalaureate
    degree or the equivalent of 135 semester credit hours.
        (6) He or she is not incarcerated.
        (7) He or she is not in default on any student loan or
    does not owe a refund or repayment on any State or federal
    grant or scholarship.
        (8) Any other reasonable criteria, as determined by the
    public university campus.
    (d) Each public university campus shall determine grant
renewal criteria consistent with the requirements under this
Section.
    (e) Each participating public university campus shall post
on its Internet website criteria and eligibility requirements
for receiving awards that use funds under this Section that
include a range in the sizes of these individual awards. The
criteria and amounts must also be reported to the Commission
and the Board of Higher Education, who shall post the
information on their respective Internet websites.
    (f) After enactment of an appropriation for this Program,
the Commission shall determine an allocation of funds to each
public university in an amount proportionate to the number of
undergraduate students who are residents of this State and
citizens or eligible noncitizens of the United States and who
were enrolled at each public university campus in the previous
academic year. All applications must be made to the Commission
on or before a date determined by the Commission and on forms
that the Commission shall provide to each public university
campus. The form of the application and the information
required shall be determined by the Commission and shall
include, without limitation, the total public university
campus funds used to match funds received from the Commission
in the previous academic year under this Section, if any, the
total enrollment of undergraduate students who are residents of
this State from the previous academic year, and any supporting
documents as the Commission deems necessary. Each public
university campus shall match the amount of funds received by
the Commission with financial aid for eligible students.
    A public university in which an average of at least 49% of
the students seeking a bachelor's degree or certificate
received a Pell Grant over the prior 3 academic years, as
reported to the Commission, shall match 20% of the amount of
funds awarded in a given academic year with non-loan financial
aid for eligible students. A public university in which an
average of less than 49% of the students seeking a bachelor's
degree or certificate received a Pell Grant over the prior 3
academic years, as reported to the Commission, shall match 60%
of the amount of funds awarded in a given academic year with
non-loan financial aid for eligible students.
    A public university campus is not required to claim its
entire allocation. The Commission shall make available to all
public universities, on a date determined by the Commission,
any unclaimed funds and the funds must be made available to
those public university campuses in the proportion determined
under this subsection (f), excluding from the calculation those
public university campuses not claiming their full
allocations.
    Each public university campus may determine the award
amounts for eligible students on an individual or broad basis,
but, subject to renewal eligibility, each renewed award may not
be less than the amount awarded to the eligible student in his
or her first year attending the public university campus.
Notwithstanding this limitation, a renewal grant may be reduced
due to changes in the student's cost of attendance, including,
but not limited to, if a student reduces the number of credit
hours in which he or she is enrolled, but remains a full-time
student, or switches to a course of study with a lower tuition
rate.
    An eligible applicant awarded grant assistance under this
Section is eligible to receive other financial aid. Total grant
aid to the student from all sources may not exceed the total
cost of attendance at the public university campus.
    (g) All money allocated to a public university campus under
this Section may be used only for financial aid purposes for
students attending the public university campus during the
academic year, not including summer terms. Notwithstanding any
other provision of law to the contrary, any funds received by a
public university campus under this Section that are not
granted to students in the academic year for which the funds
are received may be retained by the public university campus
for expenditure on students participating in the Program or
students eligible to participate in the Program.
    (h) Each public university campus that establishes a
Program under this Section must annually report to the
Commission, on or before a date determined by the Commission,
the number of undergraduate students enrolled at that campus
who are residents of this State.
    (i) Each public university campus must report to the
Commission the total non-loan financial aid amount given by the
public university campus to undergraduate students in the
2017-2018 academic year, not including the summer term. To be
eligible to receive funds under the Program, a public
university campus may not decrease the total amount of non-loan
financial aid it gives to undergraduate students, not including
any funds received from the Commission under this Section or
any funds used to match grant awards under this Section, to an
amount lower than the reported amount for the 2017-2018
academic year, not including the summer term.
    (j) On or before a date determined by the Commission, each
public university campus that participates in the Program under
this Section shall annually submit a report to the Commission
with all of the following information:
        (1) The Program's impact on tuition revenue and
    enrollment goals and increase in access and affordability
    at the public university campus.
        (2) Total funds received by the public university
    campus under the Program.
        (3) Total non-loan financial aid awarded to
    undergraduate students attending the public university
    campus.
        (4) Total amount of funds matched by the public
    university campus.
        (5) Total amount of claimed and unexpended funds
    retained by the public university campus.
        (6) The percentage of total financial aid distributed
    under the Program by the public university campus.
        (7) The total number of students receiving grants from
    the public university campus under the Program and those
    students' grade level, race, gender, income level, family
    size, Monetary Award Program eligibility, Pell Grant
    eligibility, and zip code of residence and the amount of
    each grant award. This information shall include unit
    record data on those students regarding variables
    associated with the parameters of the public university's
    Program, including, but not limited to, a student's ACT or
    SAT college admissions test score, high school or
    university cumulative grade point average, or program of
    study.
    On or before October 1, 2020 and annually on or before
October 1 thereafter, the Commission shall submit a report with
the findings under this subsection (j) and any other
information regarding the AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program to (i)
the Governor, (ii) the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
(iii) the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, (iv)
the President of the Senate, and (v) the Minority Leader of the
Senate. The reports to the General Assembly shall be filed with
the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of
the Senate in electronic form only, in the manner that the
Clerk and the Secretary shall direct. The Commission's report
may not disaggregate data to a level that may disclose
personally identifying information of individual students.
    The sharing and reporting of student data under this
subsection (j) must be in accordance with the requirements
under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of
1974 and the Illinois School Student Records Act. All parties
must preserve the confidentiality of the information as
required by law. The names of the grant recipients under this
Section are not subject to disclosure under the Freedom of
Information Act.
    Public university campuses that fail to submit a report
under this subsection (j) or that fail to adhere to any other
requirements under this Section may not be eligible for
distribution of funds under the Program for the next academic
year, but may be eligible for distribution of funds for each
academic year thereafter.
    (k) The Commission shall adopt rules to implement this
Section.
    (l) This Section is repealed on October 1, 2024.
(Source: P.A. 100-587, eff. 6-4-18; 100-1015, eff. 8-21-18;
100-1183, eff. 4-4-19; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-613, eff.
6-1-20; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)
 
Article 130.

 
    Section 130-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as
the Transitions in Education Act. References in this Article to
"this Act" mean this Article.
 
    Section 130-5. Findings; policies.
    (a) The General Assembly finds the following:
        (1) Teachers are the single most important in-school
    factor in supporting student outcomes and success; yet,
    Illinois is suffering from a profound teacher shortage
    across the State.
        (2) To reverse this shortage, Illinois needs to develop
    and invest in a robust and diverse educator pipeline,
    addressing any barriers or gaps that limit high quality
    candidates, particularly candidates of color, from
    becoming teachers.
        (3) Illinois loses many high quality, diverse educator
    candidates in postsecondary programs due to confusion or
    lack of course transfer credits and course articulation
    from Illinois's 2-year to 4-year institutions.
        (4) Lack of alignment and transferability of course
    credits may often force candidates to spend additional time
    and money to earn a degree or lead to an inability to
    complete a degree.
        (5) In 1993, the Board of Higher Education, the
    Illinois Community College Board, and the Transfer
    Coordinators of Illinois Colleges and Universities brought
    together faculty from public and independent, associate,
    and baccalaureate degree-granting institutions across the
    State to develop the Illinois Articulation Initiative
    (IAI).
        (6) The goal of IAI is to facilitate the transfer of
    courses from one participating college or university to
    another in order to complete a baccalaureate degree.
        (7) The Student Transfer Achievement Reform (STAR)
    Act, as mandated by subsection (b) of Section 25 of the
    Act, is designed to facilitate transfer among Illinois
    public institutions, particularly for students with a
    completed Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science
    degree.
        (8) While Illinois is a leading state for college
    completion rates for adult learners and transfer students
    from community colleges, it needs to increase the number of
    high-quality postsecondary teaching credentials to meet
    the demands of our schools and education workforce.
        (9) With the rising costs of higher education for
    Illinois students and families, the State needs to ensure
    to the maximize extent possible that community college
    courses will transfer with full credit for the student and
    be accepted at an Illinois public or private institution as
    they pursue a baccalaureate degree in education.
        (10) Illinois can do this by improving transitions all
    along the education pipeline; for postsecondary education,
    this means strengthening articulation through stable
    funding and the expansion of transfer tools, such as
    Transferology and the IAI through development of an
    objective measure of transfer and acceptance of credits in
    education degrees.
        (11) The IAI Education Pathway can be modeled off of
    existing IAI major pathways like Early Childhood Education
    and Criminal Justice.
    (b) The General Assembly encourages the Board of Higher
Education, the State Board of Education, and the Illinois
Community College Board, as part of the IAI, to do the
following:
        (1) The Board of Higher Education, the State Board of
    Education, and the Illinois Community College Board are
    encouraged to jointly establish a task force for a Major
    Panel in Education and identify respective recommended
    major courses that would be accepted as credit toward the
    education major at the receiving institutions.
        (2) As part of the report on the status of the Illinois
    Articulation Initiative pursuant to Section 25 of the
    Illinois Articulation Initiative Act, the Board of Higher
    Education and the Illinois Community College Board are
    encouraged to include in the annual report to the General
    Assembly, the Governor, and the Illinois P-20 Council the
    progress made on the task force on the Education Major
    Panel.
        (3) The Board of Higher Education, the State Board of
    Education, and the Illinois Community College Board are
    encouraged to further promote and encourage the enrollment
    of minority students into educator preparation programs,
    such as the annual information session about the Minority
    Teachers of Illinois scholarship program pursuant to
    subsection (q) of Section 50 of the Higher Education
    Student Assistance Act.
 
Article 135.

 
    Section 135-5. The School Code is amended by changing
Sections 2-3.25 and 27-20.4 and by adding Section 2-3.187 as
follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.25)  (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25)
    Sec. 2-3.25. Standards for schools.
    (a) To determine for all types of schools conducted under
this Act efficient and adequate standards for the physical
plant, heating, lighting, ventilation, sanitation, safety,
equipment and supplies, instruction and teaching, curriculum,
library, operation, maintenance, administration and
supervision, and to issue, refuse to issue or revoke
certificates of recognition for schools or school districts
pursuant to standards established hereunder; to determine and
establish efficient and adequate standards for approval of
credit for courses given and conducted by schools outside of
the regular school term.
    (a-5) On or before July 1, 2021, the State Board of
Education must adopt revised social science learning standards
that are inclusive and reflective of all individuals in this
country.
    (b) Whenever it appears that a secondary or unit school
district may be unable to offer courses enabling students in
grades 9 through 12 to meet the minimum preparation and
admission requirements for public colleges and universities
adopted by the Board of Higher Education, the State Board of
Education shall assist the district in reviewing and analyzing
its existing curriculum with particular reference to the
educational needs of all pupils of the district and the
sufficiency of existing and future revenues and payments
available to the district for development of a curriculum which
will provide maximum educational opportunity to pupils of the
district. The review and analysis may consider achievement of
this goal not only through implementation of traditional
classroom methods but also through development of and
participation in joint educational programs with other school
districts or institutions of higher education, or alternative
programs employing modern technological methods including but
not limited to the use of television, telephones, computers,
radio and other electronic devices.
(Source: P.A. 87-559.)
 
    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.187 new)
    Sec. 2-3.187. Inclusive American History Commission.
    (a) The Inclusive American History Commission is created to
provide assistance to the State Board of Education in revising
its social science learning standards under subsection (a-5) of
Section 2-3.25.
    (b) The State Board of Education shall convene the
Inclusive American History Commission to do all of the
following:
        (1) Review available resources for use in school
    districts that reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of
    this State and country. The resources identified by the
    Commission may be posted on the State Board of Education's
    Internet website.
        (2) Provide guidance for each learning standard
    developed for educators on how to ensure that instruction
    and content are not biased to value specific cultures, time
    periods, and experiences over other cultures, time
    periods, and experiences.
        (3) Develop guidance, tools, and support for
    professional learning on how to locate and utilize
    resources for non-dominant cultural narratives and sources
    of historical information.
    (c) The Commission shall consist of all of the following
members:
        (1) One Representative appointed by the Speaker of the
    House of Representatives.
        (2) One Representative appointed by the Minority
    Leader of the House of Representatives.
        (3) One Senator appointed by the President of the
    Senate.
        (4) One Senator appointed by the Minority Leader of the
    Senate.
        (5) Two members who are history scholars appointed by
    the State Superintendent of Education.
        (6) Eight members who are teachers at schools in this
    State recommended by professional teachers' organizations
    and appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (7) One representative of the State Board of Education
    appointed by the State Superintendent of Education who
    shall serve as chairperson.
        (8) One member who represents a statewide organization
    that represents south suburban school districts appointed
    by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (9) One member who represents a west suburban school
    district appointed by the State Superintendent of
    Education.
        (10) One member who represents a school district
    organized under Article 34 appointed by the State
    Superintendent of Education.
        (11) One member who represents a statewide
    organization that represents school librarians appointed
    by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (12) One member who represents a statewide
    organization that represents principals appointed by the
    State Superintendent of Education.
        (13) One member who represents a statewide
    organization that represents superintendents appointed by
    the State Superintendent of Education.
        (14) One member who represents a statewide
    organization that represents school boards appointed by
    the State Superintendent of Education.
    Members appointed to the Commission must reflect the
racial, ethnic, and geographic diversity of this State.
    (d) Members of the Commission shall serve without
compensation but may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses from
funds appropriated to the State Board of Education for that
purpose, including travel, subject to the rules of the
appropriate travel control board.
    (e) The State Board of Education shall provide
administrative and other support to the Commission.
    (f) The Commission must submit a report about its work to
the State Board of Education, the Governor, and the General
Assembly on or before December 31, 2021. The Commission is
dissolved upon the submission of its report.
    (g) This Section is repealed on January 1, 2023.
 
    (105 ILCS 5/27-20.4)  (from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.4)
    Sec. 27-20.4. Black History study. Every public elementary
school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit
of instruction studying the events of Black History, including
the history of the pre-enslavement of Black people from 3,000
BCE to AD 1619, the African slave trade, slavery in America,
the study of the reasons why Black people came to be enslaved,
and the vestiges of slavery in this country, and the study of
the American civil rights renaissance. These events shall
include not only the contributions made by individual
African-Americans in government and in the arts, humanities and
sciences to the economic, cultural and political development of
the United States and Africa, but also the socio-economic
struggle which African-Americans experienced collectively in
striving to achieve fair and equal treatment under the laws of
this nation. The studying of this material shall constitute an
affirmation by students of their commitment to respect the
dignity of all races and peoples and to forever eschew every
form of discrimination in their lives and careers.
    The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make
available to all school boards instructional materials,
including those established by the Amistad Commission, which
may be used as guidelines for development of a unit of
instruction under this Section; provided, however, that each
school board shall itself determine the minimum amount of
instruction time which shall qualify as a unit of instruction
satisfying the requirements of this Section.
    A school may meet the requirements of this Section through
an online program or course.
(Source: P.A. 100-634, eff. 1-1-19.)
 
Article 145.

 
    Section 145-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as
the Early Education Act. References in this Article to "this
Act" means this Article.
 
    Section 145-5. Findings; policies.
    (a) The General Assembly finds the following:
        (1) Part C of the federal Individuals with Disabilities
    Education Act and the Early Intervention Services System
    Act provide that all eligible infants and toddlers and
    their families are entitled to receive a broad range of
    developmental, social, and emotional services designed to
    maximize their development, including speech and language,
    developmental, occupational, and physical therapies and
    social work services.
        (2) The General Assembly finds that early intervention
    services as outlined in Part C of the federal Individuals
    with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are cost-effective
    and effectively serve the developmental needs of eligible
    infants and toddlers and their families.
        (3) Early intervention services to young children who
    have or are at risk for developmental delays have been
    shown to positively impact outcomes across developmental
    domains, including language and communication, cognitive
    development, and social and emotional development.
        (4) Families benefit by being able to better meet their
    child's developmental needs from an early age and
    throughout their lives.
        (5) Benefits to society include reducing the economic
    burden through a decreased need for special education.
        (6) Data shows that early intervention services in
    Illinois are at least two and a half times less costly
    annually than special education services in preschool and
    elementary years.
        (7) Nationwide, nearly 70% of children in early
    intervention programs exhibit growth greater than
    expected; this includes acquiring skills at a faster rate
    even after they leave the program.
        (8) Nationwide, nearly half of children leave early
    intervention programs functioning at age level and do not
    need special education at kindergarten age.
        (9) Early intervention services are underutilized in
    Illinois and nationally with only 4% of Illinois infants
    and toddlers currently receiving services, while the
    research shows that about 13% of Illinois children are
    eligible.
        (10) In Illinois and nationally, only approximately 1%
    of infants are enrolled in early intervention, which is far
    below the percentage of children who should be receiving
    these services; this is of concern because intervention at
    the earliest possible point improves children's outcomes,
    and children born with low or very low birth weights or
    otherwise leaving the NICU too often do not receive the
    needed connection to early intervention services,
    particularly those children on Medicaid.
        (11) Data indicates that early intervention services
    in Illinois are underutilized in the medical diagnosis and
    environmental factors with substantial risk of delay
    categories; these are the 2 eligibility areas in which
    infants and toddlers are automatically eligible.
        (12) Experts conclude that early intervention
    eligibility needs to be clearly understood and documented
    so that children and families who meet eligibility
    requirements can be appropriately referred, served, and
    supported.
        (13) The Early Intervention Services System Act
    requires the State to provide a comprehensive,
    coordinated, interagency, and interdisciplinary early
    intervention services system for eligible infants and
    toddlers and their families by enhancing the capacity to
    provide quality early intervention services, expanding and
    improving existing services, and facilitating coordination
    of payments for early intervention services from various
    public and private sources.
        (14) Black and Latinx children in Illinois are more
    likely to be on a waiting list for services. This is due to
    a number of reasons, including the reluctance to provide
    services in certain neighborhoods due to the perception of
    safety issues and in cases in which families experience
    multiple challenges, such as child welfare involvement or
    families experiencing homelessness, which are all
    predictive factors of children that could benefit from
    early intervention services.
        (15) Inequitable access to appropriate early
    intervention services is disproportionately more likely to
    be experienced by Black and Latinx families.
    (b) The General Assembly encourages the Department of Human
Services, in consultation with advocates and experts in the
field, including the Interagency Council on Early
Intervention, to take all of the following actions:
        (1) to re-examine the definition of "at-risk" and also
    the diagnosed medical conditions that typically result in
    delay to ensure that they effectively increase eligibility
    and access to early intervention services;
        (2) to charge the Early Intervention Training Program,
    in collaboration with experts and beneficiaries, to create
    and execute a plan for designing and disseminating
    affirmative outreach through multiple modalities to
    primary referral services as defined by statute,
    providers, and families;
        (3) to include explanations and provide examples in the
    affirmative outreach plan about how the medical conditions
    resulting in high probability of developmental delay and
    at-risk of developmental delay categories do not require
    the child to have any present delay;
        (4) to present to the General Assembly a report that
    includes the affirmative outreach plan and plans for
    disseminating that information, including data on the
    all-children-served eligibility category, services
    provided, and information on race and geographic area to
    the General Assembly no later than June 30, 2022;
        (5) to develop a plan for the State to launch early
    intervention specialized teams that can address the
    complex needs that families face; the General Assembly
    urges recommendations for the plan to be developed by a
    public-private early intervention specialized teams work
    group and to include the participation of at least 2 Child
    Family Connection Providers in an early intervention
    specialized team pilot; this plan should build on work by
    the Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention and
    should specifically address modifications to billing and
    other policies to support new teaming structure, budget
    implications for pilot execution, corresponding
    professional development opportunities for early
    intervention providers, a prearranged mechanism to collect
    feedback from both families and providers, a mechanism for
    tracking outcomes, and ways to refine the approach for
    scale; the General Assembly urges this plan to be developed
    and launched by January 1, 2022; and
        (6) to work in a public-private partnership to
    establish demonstration projects with at least 2 hospital
    neo-natal intensive care departments, in-patient and
    out-patient, with the goal of better coordination and
    timely connections to early intervention services; the
    General Assembly encourages this implementation to be
    underway no later than January 1, 2022.
 
Article 150.

 
    Section 150-20. The Illinois Workforce Investment Board
Act is amended by changing Section 4.5 as follows:
 
    (20 ILCS 3975/4.5)
    Sec. 4.5. Duties.
    (a) The Board must perform all the functions of a state
workforce innovation board under the federal Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act, any amendments to that Act, and
any other applicable federal statutes. The Board must also
perform all other functions that are not inconsistent with the
federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act or this Act
and that are assumed by the Board under its bylaws or assigned
to it by the Governor.
    (b) The Board must cooperate with the General Assembly and
make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly
concerning legislation necessary to improve upon statewide and
local workforce development systems in order to increase
occupational skill attainment, employment, retention, or
earnings of participants and thereby improve the quality of the
workforce, reduce welfare dependency, and enhance the
productivity and competitiveness of the State. The Board must
annually submit a report to the General Assembly on the
progress of the State in achieving state performance measures
under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act,
including information on the levels of performance achieved by
the State with respect to the core indicators of performance
and the customer satisfaction indicator under that Act. The
report must include any other items that the Governor may be
required to report to the Secretary of the United States
Department of Labor.
    (b-5) The Board shall implement a method for measuring the
progress of the State's workforce development system by using
benchmarks specified in the federal Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act.
    The Board shall identify the most significant early
indicators for each benchmark, establish a mechanism to collect
data and track the benchmarks on an annual basis, and then use
the results to set goals for each benchmark, to inform
planning, and to ensure the effective use of State resources.
    (c) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require or
allow the Board to assume or supersede the statutory authority
granted to, or impose any duties or requirements on, the State
Board of Education, the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois
Community College Board, any State agencies created under the
Civil Administrative Code of Illinois, or any local education
agencies.
    (d) No actions taken by the Illinois Human Resource
Investment Council before the effective date of this amendatory
Act of the 92nd General Assembly and no rights, powers, duties,
or obligations from those actions are impaired solely by this
amendatory Act of the 92nd General Assembly. All actions taken
by the Illinois Human Resource Investment Council before the
effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General
Assembly are ratified and validated.
    (e) Upon the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
101st General Assembly, the Board shall conduct a feasibility
study regarding the consolidation of all workforce development
programs funded by the federal Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act and conducted by the State of Illinois into one
solitary agency to create greater access to job training for
underserved populations. The Board shall utilize resources
currently made available to them, including, but not limited
to, partnering with institutions of higher education and those
agencies currently charged with overseeing or administering
workforce programs. The feasibility study shall:
        (1) assess the impact of consolidation on access for
    participants, including minority persons as defined in
    Section 2 of the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women,
    and Persons with Disabilities Act, persons with limited
    English proficiency, persons with disabilities, and youth,
    and how consolidation would increase equitable access to
    workforce resources;
        (2) assess the cost of consolidation and estimate any
    long-term savings anticipated from the action;
        (3) assess the impact of consolidation on agencies in
    which the programs currently reside, including, but not
    limited to, the Department of Commerce and Economic
    Opportunity, the Department of Employment Security, the
    Department of Human Services, the Community College Board,
    the Board of Higher Education, the Department of
    Corrections, the Department on Aging, the Department of
    Veterans' Affairs, and the Department of Children and
    Family Services;
        (4) assess the impact of consolidation on State
    government employees and union contracts;
        (5) consider if the consolidation will provide avenues
    to maximize federal funding;
        (6) provide recommendations for the future structure
    of workforce development programs, including a proposed
    timeline for implementation;
        (7) provide direction for implementation by July 1,
    2022 with regard to recommendations that do not require
    legislative change;
        (8) if legislative change is necessary, include
    legislative language for consideration by the 102nd
    General Assembly.
    The Board shall submit its recommendations the Governor and
the General Assembly by May 1, 2021.
(Source: P.A. 100-477, eff. 9-8-17.)
 
Article 155.

 
    Section 155-5. The School Code is amended by changing
Section 21B-70 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/21B-70)
    Sec. 21B-70. Illinois Teaching Excellence Program.
    (a) As used in this Section:
    "Diverse candidate" means a candidate who identifies with
any of the ethnicities reported on the Illinois Report Card
other than White.
    "National Board certified teacher candidate cohort
facilitator" means a National Board certified teacher who
collaborates to advance the goal of supporting all other
candidate cohorts other than diverse candidate cohorts through
the Illinois National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards Comprehensive Support System.
    "National Board certified teacher diverse candidate cohort
facilitator" means a National Board certified teacher who
collaborates to advance the goal of supporting racially and
ethnically diverse candidates through the Illinois National
Board for Professional Teaching Standards Comprehensive
Support System.
    "National Board certified teacher diverse liaison" means
an individual or entity that supports the National Board
certified teacher leading a diverse candidate cohort.
    "National Board certified teacher liaison" means an
individual or entity that supports the National Board certified
teacher leading candidate cohorts other than diverse candidate
cohorts.
    "National Board certified teacher rural or remote or
distant candidate cohort facilitator" means a National Board
certified teacher who collaborates to advance the goal of
supporting rural or remote candidates through the Illinois
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
Comprehensive Support System.
    "National Board certified teacher rural or remote or
distant liaison" means an individual or entity that who
supports the National Board certified teacher leading a rural
or remote candidate cohort.
    "Qualified educator" means a teacher or school counselor
currently employed in a school district who is in the process
of obtaining certification through the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards or who has completed
certification and holds a current Professional Educator
License with a National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards designation or a retired teacher or school counselor
who holds a Professional Educator License with a National Board
for Professional Teaching Standards designation.
    "Rural or remote" or "rural or remote or distant" means
local codes 32, 33, 41, 42, and 43 of the New Urban-Centric
Locale Codes, as defined by the National Center for Education
Statistics.
    "Tier 1" has the meaning given to that term under Section
18-8.15.
    "Tier 2" has the meaning given to that term under Section
18-8.15.
    (b) Any funds appropriated for the Illinois Teaching
Excellence Program must be used to provide monetary assistance
and incentives for qualified educators who are employed by or
retired from school districts and who have or are in the
process of obtaining licensure through the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards. The goal of the program is to
improve instruction and student performance.
    The State Board of Education shall allocate an amount as
annually appropriated by the General Assembly for the Illinois
Teaching Excellence Program for (i) application or re-take fees
for each qualified educator seeking to complete certification
through the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards, to be paid directly to the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards, and (ii) incentives under
paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of subsection (c) for each
qualified educator, to be distributed to the respective school
district, and incentives under paragraph (5) of subsection (c),
to be distributed to the respective school district or directly
to the qualified educator. The school district shall distribute
this payment to each eligible teacher or school counselor as a
single payment.
    The State Board of Education's annual budget must set out
by separate line item the appropriation for the program. Unless
otherwise provided by appropriation, qualified educators are
eligible for monetary assistance and incentives outlined in
subsections (c) and (d) of this Section.
    (c) When there are adequate funds available, monetary
assistance and incentives shall include the following:
        (1) A maximum of $2,000 towards the application or
    re-take fee for teachers or school counselors in a Tier 1
    school district who apply on a first-come, first-serve
    basis for National Board certification.
        (2) A maximum of $2,000 towards the application or
    re-take fee for teachers or school counselors in a school
    district other than a Tier 1 school district who apply on a
    first-come, first-serve basis for National Board
    certification.
        (3) A maximum of $1,000 towards the National Board for
    Professional Teaching Standards' renewal application fee.
        (4) (Blank).
        (5) An annual incentive of no more than equal to $1,500
    prorated at $50 per hour, which shall be paid to each
    qualified educator currently employed in a school district
    who holds both a National Board for Professional Teaching
    Standards designation and a current corresponding
    certificate issued by the National Board for Professional
    Teaching Standards and who agrees, in writing, to provide
    up to at least 30 hours of mentoring or National Board for
    Professional Teaching Standards professional development
    or both during the school year to classroom teachers or
    school counselors, as applicable. Funds must be disbursed
    on a first-come, first-serve basis, with priority given to
    Tier 1 school districts. Mentoring shall include, either
    singly or in combination, the following:
            (A) National Board for Professional Teaching
        Standards certification candidates.
            (B) National Board for Professional Teaching
        Standards re-take candidates.
            (C) National Board for Professional Teaching
        Standards renewal candidates.
            (D) (Blank).
    Funds may also be used for instructional leadership
training for qualified educators interested in supporting
implementation of the Illinois Learning Standards or teaching
and learning priorities of the State Board of Education or
both.
    (d) In addition to the monetary assistance and incentives
provided under subsection (c), if adequate funds are available,
incentives shall include the following incentives for the
program in rural or remote schools or school districts or for
programs working with diverse candidates, to be distributed to
the respective school district or directly to the qualified
educator or entity:
        (1) A one-time incentive of $3,000 payable to National
    Board certified teachers teaching in Tier 1 or Tier 2 rural
    or remote school districts or rural or remote schools in
    Tier 1 or Tier 2 school districts, with priority given to
    teachers teaching in Tier 1 rural or remote school
    districts or rural or remote schools in Tier 1 school
    districts.
        (2) An annual incentive of $3,200 for National Board
    certified teacher rural or remote or distant candidate
    cohort facilitators, diverse candidate cohort
    facilitators, and candidate cohort facilitators. Priority
    shall be given to rural or remote candidate cohort
    facilitators and diverse candidate cohort facilitators.
        (3) An annual incentive of $2,500 for National Board
    certified teacher rural or remote or distant liaisons,
    diverse liaisons, and liaisons. Priority shall be given to
    rural or remote liaisons and diverse liaisons.
(Source: P.A. 100-201, eff. 8-18-17; 101-333, eff. 1-1-20.)
 
Article 999.

 
    Section 999-999. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.