Public Act 099-0721
 
HB6136 EnrolledLRB099 18158 NHT 45062 b


  
    AN ACT concerning education.
  
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
    Section 5. The School Code is amended  by adding Section 
2-3.167 as follows:
 
    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.167 new)
    Sec. 2-3.167. Advisory Council on At-Risk Students.
    (a) For purposes of this Section, "at-risk students" means 
students served by the
Department of Human Services who receive 
services through Medicaid, the
Supplemental Nutrition 
Assistance Program, the Children's Health Insurance Program,

or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, as well as students 
under the legal
custody of the Department of Children and 
Family Services. Students may not be
counted more than once for 
receiving multiple services from the Department of Human

Services or if they receive those services and are under the 
legal custody of the
Department of Children and Family 
Services.
    (b) The Advisory Council on At-Risk Students is created 
within the State Board of
Education. The Advisory Council shall 
consist of all of the following members:
        (1) One member of the House of Representatives 
    appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
        (2) One member of the House of Representatives 
    appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of 
    Representatives.
        (3) One member of the Senate appointed by the President 
    of the Senate.
        (4) One member of the Senate appointed by the Minority 
    Leader of the Senate.
        (5) The following members appointed by the State 
    Superintendent of Education:
            (A) One member who is an educator representing a 
        statewide
professional teachers' organization.
            (B) One member who is an educator representing a 
        different statewide
professional teachers' 
        organization.
            (C) One member who is an educator representing a 
        professional
teachers' organization in a city having a 
        population exceeding
500,000.
            (D) One member from an organization that works for 
        economic,
educational, and social progress for African 
        Americans and promotes
strong sustainable communities 
        through advocacy, collaboration, and
innovation.
            (E) One member from an organization that 
        facilitates the involvement of
Latino Americans at all 
        levels of public decision-making.
            (F) One member from an organization focused on 
        research-based
education policy to support a school 
        system that prepares all students
for college, a 
        career, and democratic citizenship.
            (G) One member from an organization dedicated to 
        advocating for public
policies to prevent 
        homelessness.
            (H) One member from the Illinois Student 
        Assistance Commission.
            (I) One member from an organization that works to 
        ensure the health
and safety of Illinois youth and 
        families by providing capacity building
services.
            (J) One member from an organization that provides 
        public high school
students with opportunities to 
        explore and develop their talents, while
gaining 
        critical skills for work, college, and beyond.
            (K) One member from an organization that promotes 
        the strengths and
abilities of youth and families by 
        providing community-based services
that empower each 
        to face life's challenges with confidence,
competence, 
        and dignity.
            (L) One member from an organization that connects 
        former members of
the foster care system with current 
        children in the foster care system.
            (M) One member who has experience with research and 
        statistics.
            (N) Three members who are parents of at-risk 
        students.
            (O) One member from an organization that optimizes 
        the positive growth of at-risk youth and individuals 
        working with at-risk youth through support services. 
            (P) One member from a statewide organization 
        representing regional offices of education. 
Members of the Council shall, to the extent possible, be 
selected on the basis of experience with or knowledge of 
various programs for at-risk students. The Council shall, to 
the extent possible, include diverse membership from a variety 
of socio-economic, racial, and
ethnic backgrounds.
    (c) Initial  members of the Council shall serve terms 
determined by lot as follows:
        (1) Seven members shall serve for one year.
        (2)  Seven members shall serve for 2 years.
        (3)  The remaining members shall serve for 3 years.
Successors shall serve 3-year terms.  Members must serve until 
their successors are appointed and have qualified.
    (d) Members of the Council shall not receive compensation 
for the performance of their duties on the Council.
    (e) The Council shall initially meet at the call of the 
State Superintendent of
Education. At the initial meeting, 
members shall select a chairperson from among their
number by 
majority vote; a representative from the State Board of 
Education may cast a
deciding vote if there is a tie. The 
Council shall select a chairperson annually, who
may be the 
same chairperson as the year prior. The Council shall meet at 
the
call of the chairperson after the initial meeting.
    (f) The State Board of Education and City of Chicago School 
District 299 shall provide administrative support to the 
Council.
    (g) The Council shall accept and consider public comments 
when making its
recommendations.
    (h) By no later than December 15, 2017, the Council shall 
submit a report to the State
Superintendent of Education, the 
Governor, and the General Assembly addressing, at a
minimum, 
the following with respect to school districts where racial 
minorities comprise a majority of the student population:
        (1) What are the barriers to success present for 
    at-risk students?
        (2) How much does socio-economic status impact 
    academic and career
achievement?
        (3) How do at-risk students perform academically?
        (4) How do at-risk students perform academically 
    compared to students from
higher socio-economic statuses?
        (5) What programs are shown to help at-risk students 
    reach higher levels of
academic and career achievement?
        (6) What specific curriculums help the academic 
    success of at-risk students?
        (7) Of curriculums that help at-risk students, which of 
    these need to be
implemented within the Illinois Learning 
    Standards?
        (8) To what degree do school districts teach cultural 
    history, and how can this be
improved?
        (9) Specific policy recommendations to improve the 
    academic success of at-risk students. 
        (10) Any other information that the Council determines 
    will assist in the
understanding of the barriers to success 
    for or increase the academic
performance of at-risk 
    students.
The Council shall submit an annual report with updated 
information on the barriers to
academic success and the 
academic progress of at-risk students by no later than December 
15 of
each year beginning the year after the initial report is 
submitted.
 
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.