SB0693 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB100 05853 NHT 15878 b

100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
SB0693

Introduced 1/30/2017, by Sen. Michael Connelly

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/27-22	from Ch. 122, par. 27-22
105 ILCS 5/27-23.11 new

Amends the School Code. Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, requires every public high school to include in its curriculum instruction in the free enterprise system through a course lasting at least one semester, which each student entering the 9th grade in the 2018-2019 school year or a subsequent school year must successfully complete as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma. Requires the State Board of Education to adopt free enterprise content standards and develop the curriculum, carry out appropriate professional development training for teachers of the course, and submit a report to the General Assembly on course implementation. Sets forth minimum areas of instruction to be included in the course.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

A BILL FOR

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 changing Section 27-22 and by adding Section 27-23.11 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/27-22) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-22)

Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses.

(a) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 1984-1985 school year through the 2004-2005 school year must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully complete the following courses:

(1) three years of language arts;

(2) two years of mathematics, one of which may be related to computer technology;

(3) one year of science;

(4) 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

(5) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C) foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American Sign Language or (D) vocational education.

(b) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2005-2006 school year must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully complete all of the following courses:

(1) Three years of language arts.

(2) Three years of mathematics.

(3) One year of science.

(4) 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.

(5) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C) foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.

(c) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2006-2007 school year must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully complete all of the following courses:

(1) Three 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 and one of which must include geometry content.

(4) One year 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.

(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.

(d) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2007-2008 school year must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully complete all of the following courses:

(1) Three 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 and one of which must include geometry content.

(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.

(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) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2008-2009 school year or a subsequent school year 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 if the pupil successfully completes Algebra II or an integrated mathematics course with Algebra II content.

(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.

(7) Beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2018-2019 school year and each school year thereafter, one semester of free enterprise education under Section 27-23.11 of this Code.

(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.

(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.

(Source: P.A. 98-885, eff. 8-15-14; 99-434, eff. 7-1-16 (see P.A. 99-485 for the effective date of changes made by P.A. 99-434); 99-485, eff. 11-20-15; 99-674, eff. 7-29-16.)

(105 ILCS 5/27-23.11 new)

Sec. 27-23.11. Free enterprise education.

(a) The General Assembly makes the following findings and declarations:

(1) A flourishing economy arises from private sector initiative and entrepreneurship working in a free market protected by the rule of law and nurtured by limited government that guarantees private ownership rights, economic liberty, and equality of opportunity. The foundation of a growing national economy, the free enterprise system creates wealth, jobs, and prosperity and sustains political stability.

(2) The American free enterprise system depends on well-educated citizens. Today, too many students in the United States do not understand the basic characteristics of the free enterprise system and its importance to economic growth and the creation of wealth and jobs. These students do not understand the free enterprise system's central role in the tremendous economic growth experienced in the United States since its founding, as well as the challenges faced by individuals, companies, and entrepreneurs in establishing, building, and managing a business and their contributions to American society.

(3) Most efforts by federal and state governments have generally focused on economics and personal financial literacy, but a full and complete understanding of the American free enterprise system requires a diligent study of not only economics and personal finance but also other disciplines, including history, political science, geography, culture, and current events.

(4) According to the Council for Economic Education's 2009 Survey of the States, titled Economic and Personal Finance Education in Our Nation's Schools, 21 states now require an economics course as a high school graduation requirement while 13 states require students to take personal finance (individually or as a component of an economics course) as a high school graduation requirement. Four states require a course in entrepreneurship as a component of a high school course (usually economics) in order to graduate.

(5) These efforts have met with limited success. The Nation's Report Card, the most recent test of students in economics at grade 12 in the National Assessment of Educational Progress, shows the overall average economics score to be at the Basic achievement level on a 3-tiered system of Basic, Proficient, and Advanced.

(6) Although the United States Congress provides funds to promote student economic and personal financial literacy through the federal Excellence in Economic Education Act of 2001, the Act focuses narrowly upon the promotion of economic and personal financial literacy, rather than a study of the American free enterprise system, which requires an interdisciplinary study of economics, political science, history, geography, culture, and current events.

(7) In recent years, Americans have endured difficult economic circumstances, resulting in the loss of millions of jobs, businesses, and homes. Only a vibrant free enterprise system can meet the challenge our nation faces to revive the economy, to restore the millions of jobs lost, and to create the millions of new jobs needed in coming years simply to track population growth. Students should have a thorough understanding of the crucial role the American free enterprise system has played and can continue to play in achieving economic growth and prosperity and political stability in the United States.

(8) The study of the free enterprise system is critical to the development of students as productive citizens who understand the American economic and political system and the critical and central role of American business and entrepreneurs in the creation of wealth, jobs, and economic growth and prosperity.

(b) Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, every public high school shall include in its curriculum instruction in the free enterprise system through a course lasting at least one semester, which each student entering the 9th grade in the 2018-2019 school year or a subsequent school year must take.

(c) The State Board of Education shall adopt free enterprise content standards consistent with this Section. The State Board of Education shall determine or otherwise develop the curriculum, which shall include, at a minimum, the areas of instruction designated in subsection (f) of this Section. In carrying out this subsection (c), the State Board of Education may contract with one or more organizations that have expertise in the development of standards and curriculum in the areas of instruction designated in subsection (f) of this Section.

(d) The State Board of Education shall carry out appropriate professional development training for teachers of the free enterprise course required under this Section. In carrying out this subsection (d), the State Board of Education may contract with one or more organizations that have expertise in the areas of instruction designated in subsection (f) of this Section.

(e) Not later than 18 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 100th General Assembly, the State Board of Education shall submit a report to the General Assembly on implementation of this Section.

(f) At a minimum, the following areas of instruction shall be included in the free enterprise course required under this Section:

(1) The basic characteristics of a free enterprise system, including the roles played by the rule of law, private property ownership, profit and loss, competition and regulation, supply and demand, consumers and producers, and technological innovation in creating and sustaining a free enterprise system.

(2) The benefits of economic growth, wealth creation, and technological innovation and the role played by the free enterprise system in achieving these benefits as compared to other economic systems.

(3) The importance of the rule of law, private ownership rights, economic liberty, and equality of opportunity to the free enterprise system, and the role of the United States Constitution and Declaration of Independence in preserving these rights and freedoms.

(4) The impact of government spending, regulations, and tax, monetary, and trade policies upon economic growth, entrepreneurship, productivity, and technological innovation.

(5) The opportunities presented by, and the challenges of, starting a business.