104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB2007
 
Introduced 2/6/2025, by Sen. Javier L. Cervantes
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/14A-38 new
    Amends the School Code. Allows any school or school district that maintains any of grades 9 through 12 to implement an advance academic studies ambassadors program with the following goals: (1) to improve the enrollment of students in advanced academic programs within the school or district; (2) to improve the retention and academic success of students enrolled in advanced academic programs within the school or district; (3) to provide students information, leadership opportunities, and foster a sense of community among the student body; and (4) to promote the importance and awareness of advanced academic programs offered at the school or school district to enrolled students and their families. Provides that the State Board of Education shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to schools and school districts that submit a grant application to the State Board requesting funds to implement an advance academic studies ambassadors program. Allows the State Board to adopt any rules necessary for the implementation of the provisions.


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A BILL FOR
 
SB2007LRB104 10197 LNS 20269 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 
514A-38 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/14A-38 new)
7    Sec. 14A-38. Advance academic studies ambassadors program.
8    (a) As used in this Section, "advance academic studies 
9ambassadors program" means a program established by a school 
10or school district that maintains any of grades 9 through 12 
11that recruits currently enrolled students who have 
12successfully passed an advanced academic programs, as defined 
13under Section 14A-17, to assist school staff with recruitment 
14of other current students into advance academic programs and 
15the promotion of advanced academic programs to students 
16enrolled in the school and their families.
17    (b) Any school or school district that maintains any of 
18grades 9 through 12 may implement an advance academic studies 
19ambassadors program as defined by this Section. The program's 
20goals may include:
21        (1) to improve the enrollment of students in advanced 
22    academic programs within the school or district;
23        (2) to improve the retention and academic success of 
 
 
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1    students enrolled in advanced academic programs within the 
2    school or district;
3        (3) to provide students information, leadership 
4    opportunities, and foster a sense of community among the 
5    student body; and
6        (4) to promote the importance and awareness of 
7    advanced academic programs offered at the school or school 
8    district to enrolled students and their families.
9    (c) Subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education 
10shall award competitive grants on an annual basis to schools 
11and school districts that submit a grant application to the 
12State Board of Education requesting funds to implement an 
13advance academic studies ambassadors program under this 
14Section who meet the following criteria:
15        (1) the school or school district maintains any of the 
16    grades 9 through 12; and
17        (2) the school or school district's overall 
18    performance in the previous academic year in the 5% of 
19    Title I-eligible schools statewide under Part A (Title I) 
20    of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended 
21    by the Every Student Succeeds Act, or in the previous 
22    academic year had a graduation rate of 67% or below.
23    (d) The State Board of Education shall annually 
24disseminate a request for applications for grants under this 
25Section to schools and school districts that maintain any of 
26grades 9 through 12. Grant applications shall be accepted on 
 
 
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1an annual basis. The State Board of Education shall establish 
2procedures for submitting requests for grants and issuing 
3funds to approved applicants. The State Board of Education 
4shall endeavor to prioritize grant awards to schools and 
5school districts with discrepancies in participation and pass 
6rates of advanced academic programs and accelerated placement 
7among different student demographic groups.
8    (e) The application for grants under this Section must 
9include the following information:
10        (1) the grades that the school or school district 
11    serves;
12        (2) the summative designation off the school or school 
13    district;
14        (3) the number and percentage of students, 
15    disaggregated by demographic group, that participate in 
16    and successfully pass advanced academic programs and 
17    accelerated programs in the most recent academic year this 
18    data is available;
19        (4) the amount of funds the school or school district 
20    is requiting to implement and administer the advance 
21    academic studies ambassadors program; and
22        (5) a spending plan detailing how the school or school 
23    district will use the grant funds.
24    (f) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules 
25necessary for the implementation of this Section.