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| Public Act 097-0915 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections | ||||
14C-10 and 14C-13 as follows:
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(105 ILCS 5/14C-10) (from Ch. 122, par. 14C-10)
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Sec. 14C-10. Parent and community participation.
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School districts shall provide for the maximum practical | ||||
involvement of
parents of children in transitional bilingual | ||||
education programs. Each
school district shall, accordingly, | ||||
establish a parent advisory committee
which affords parents the | ||||
opportunity effectively to express their views
and which | ||||
ensures that such programs are planned, operated, and evaluated
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with the involvement of, and in consultation with, parents of | ||||
children
served by the programs. Such committees shall be | ||||
composed of parents of
children enrolled in transitional | ||||
bilingual education programs,
transitional bilingual education | ||||
teachers, counselors, and representatives
from community | ||||
groups; provided, however, that a majority of each committee
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shall be parents of children enrolled in the transitional | ||||
bilingual
education program. Once established, these | ||||
committees shall autonomously carry out their affairs, | ||||
including the election of officers and the establishment of | ||||
internal rules, guidelines, and procedures.
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(Source: P.A. 78-727.)
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(105 ILCS 5/14C-13) (from Ch. 122, par. 14C-13)
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Sec. 14C-13. Advisory Council. | ||
(a) There is created an Advisory Council
on Bilingual | ||
Education, consisting of 17 members appointed by the State
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Superintendent of Education and selected, as nearly as | ||
possible, on the
basis of experience in or knowledge of the | ||
various programs of bilingual
education. The Council shall | ||
advise the State Superintendent on policy and
rules pertaining | ||
to bilingual education. The Council shall establish such
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sub-committees as it deems appropriate to review bilingual | ||
education issues
including but not limited to certification, | ||
finance and special education.
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Initial appointees shall serve terms determined by lot as | ||
follows: 6 for
one year, 6 for 2 years and 5 for 3 years. | ||
Successors shall serve 3-year
terms. Members annually shall | ||
select a chairman from among their number.
Members shall | ||
receive no compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary
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expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. | ||
By no later than December 1, 2011, the Council shall submit | ||
a report to the State Superintendent of Education, the | ||
Governor, and the General Assembly addressing, at a minimum, | ||
the following questions: | ||
(1) whether and how the 20 child per attendance center | ||
minimum in Section 14C-3 of this Code should be modified; | ||
(2) whether and how educator certification | ||
requirements in this Article 14C and applicable State Board | ||
of Education rules should be modified; | ||
(3) whether and how bilingual education requirements | ||
in this Article 14C and applicable State Board of Education | ||
rules should be modified to address differences between | ||
elementary and secondary schools; and | ||
(4) whether and how to allow school districts to | ||
administer alternative bilingual education programs | ||
instead of transitional bilingual education programs.
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By no later than January 1, 2013, the Council shall submit | ||
a report to the State Superintendent of Education, the | ||
Governor, and the General Assembly addressing, at a minimum, | ||
the following questions: | ||
(i) whether and how bilingual education programs | ||
should be modified to be more flexible and achieve a higher | ||
success rate among Hispanic students in the classroom and | ||
on State assessments; | ||
(ii) whether and how bilingual education programs | ||
should be modified to increase parental involvement | ||
including the use of parent academies; | ||
(iii) whether and how bilingual education programs | ||
should be modified to increase cultural competency through | ||
a cultural competency program among bilingual teaching | ||
staff; and | ||
(iv) whether and how the bilingual parent advisory | ||
committees within school districts can be supported in | ||
order to increase the opportunities for parents to | ||
effectively express their views concerning the planning, | ||
operation, and evaluation of bilingual education programs. | ||
(b) For the purpose of this Section: | ||
"Parent academies" means a series of parent development | ||
opportunities delivered throughout the school year to increase | ||
parents' ability to successfully navigate the education system | ||
and monitor their children's education. Parent academies are | ||
specifically designed for parents of students who are enrolled | ||
in any of the English Language Learner programs and are to be | ||
provided after work hours in the parents' native language. At a | ||
minimum, parent academies shall allow participants to do the | ||
following: | ||
(1) understand and use their children's standardized | ||
tests to effectively advocate for their children's | ||
academic success; | ||
(2) learn home strategies to increase their children's | ||
reading proficiency; | ||
(3) promote homework completion as a successful daily | ||
routine; | ||
(4) establish a positive and productive connection | ||
with their children's schools and teachers; and | ||
(5) build the character traits that lead to academic | ||
success, such as responsibility, persistence, a hard-work | ||
ethic, and the ability to delay gratification. | ||
"Cultural competency program" means a staff development | ||
opportunity to increase the school staffs' ability to meet the | ||
social, emotional, and academic needs of culturally and | ||
linguistically diverse students and, at a minimum, allows | ||
participants to do the following: | ||
(i) discuss the impact that our constantly changing, | ||
highly technological and globalist society is having on | ||
Illinois' public education system; | ||
(ii) analyze international, national, State, county, | ||
district, and local students' performance data and the | ||
achievement gaps that persistently exist between groups; | ||
(iii) realize the benefits and challenges of reaching | ||
proficiency in cultural competency; | ||
(iv) engage in conversations that lead to | ||
self-awareness and greater insight regarding diversity; | ||
and | ||
(v) learn strategies for building student-teacher | ||
relationships and making instruction more comprehensible | ||
and relevant for all students. | ||
(Source: P.A. 97-305, eff. 1-1-12.)
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