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96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
SB2494
Introduced 10/29/2009, by Sen. James T. Meeks SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
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30 ILCS 105/5.755 new |
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105 ILCS 5/10-20.12c new |
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105 ILCS 5/34-21.8 new |
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Amends the School Code. Creates the Illinois School Choice Program, which shall be administered by the State Board of Education. Provides that any State-certified, non-public school wishing to enroll eligible students and be reimbursed for vouchers available under specified provisions shall notify the State Board of Education in writing of its intent. Specifies the eligibility for reimbursement of vouchers. Specifies reporting requirements for non-public schools that are participating in the Program. Contains provisions concerning the calculation of vouchers and how they may be used by parents. Contains provisions concerning the verification of the household income of participating parents. Provides that the State Board of Education may adopt rules for administration of the Program. Amends the State Finance Act to create the School Choice Fund as a special fund in the State treasury and provides that permitted fees collected by the State Board of Education shall be deposited into the Fund and shall be used by the State Board of Education to cover the administrative costs of the Program. Effective immediately.
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| FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY | |
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A BILL FOR
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SB2494 |
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LRB096 15388 MJR 30546 b |
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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 State Finance Act is amended by adding |
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| Section 5.755 as follows:
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| (30 ILCS 105/5.755 new) |
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| Sec. 5.755. The School Choice Fund.
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| Section 10. The School Code is amended by adding Sections |
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| 10-20.12c and 34-21.8 as follows:
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| (105 ILCS 5/10-20.12c new) |
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| Sec. 10-20.12c. Illinois School Choice Program; vouchers. |
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| (a) For purposes of this Section: |
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| "Eligible pupil means a student enrolled in kindergarten or |
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| any of grades one through 12 who is an Illinois resident. |
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| "Fund" means the School Choice Fund. |
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| "Parent" means the custodian of an eligible pupil. |
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| "Participating school" means a State-certified, non-public |
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| school that has notified the State Board of Education in |
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| writing of its intent to enroll eligible students and be |
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| reimbursed for vouchers and that has paid any required fees to |
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| the State Board of Education and complied with all statutory |
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SB2494 |
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LRB096 15388 MJR 30546 b |
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| and regulatory requirements for the School Choice Program. |
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| (b) The Illinois School Choice Program is created and shall |
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| be administered by the State Board of Education. Any |
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| State-certified, non-public school wishing to enroll eligible |
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| students and be reimbursed for vouchers available under this |
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| Section shall notify the State Board of Education in writing of |
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| its intent. To be eligible for reimbursement for vouchers, |
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| participating schools must pay a nonrefundable fee established |
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| by the State Board of Education by rule to be deposited into |
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| the Fund. The total amount of fees deposited in the Fund shall |
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| be in an amount sufficient to cover administrative costs of the |
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| program to the State Board of Education. The State Board of |
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| Education may require an additional fee from participating |
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| schools and public and private grant funds to commission |
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| external reviews of the performance of the Illinois School |
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| Choice Program. |
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| (c) The State Board of Education shall require |
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| participating non-public schools to report the cost of tuition |
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| and fees at the school, the address of each eligible pupil, and |
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| each eligible pupil's household income tier as described in |
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| items (1) through (3) of subsection (d) of this Section. The |
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| State Board of Education may establish additional reporting and |
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| auditing requirements for non-public schools for participation |
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| under this Section. |
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| (d) Beginning in the 2010-2011 school year, any pupil in |
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| grades kindergarten through 12 shall be eligible for an |
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SB2494 |
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LRB096 15388 MJR 30546 b |
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| educational voucher on his or her behalf if the pupil is |
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| enrolled at a participating school. The annual amount of the |
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| voucher shall be equal to the lesser of the total annual cost |
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| of tuition and fees at the non-public school or
the following: |
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| (1) the amount of the foundation level, as provided |
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| under Subsection (B) of Section 18-8.05 of this Code, in |
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| the case of a pupil who is the member of family that has a |
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| total family income that does not exceed 3 times the |
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| federal poverty level; |
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| (2) one-half the amount of the foundation level, as |
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| provided under Subsection (B) of Section 18-8.05 of this |
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| Code, in the case of a pupil who is the member of family |
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| that has a total family income between 3 and 4 times the |
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| federal poverty level; or |
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| (3) the amount of the flat grant, as provided under |
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| paragraph (4) of subsection (E) of Section 18-8.05 of this |
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| Code, in the case of a pupil who is the member of a family |
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| that has a total family income exceeding 4 times the |
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| federal poverty level. |
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| (e) The State Board of Education shall determine by rule |
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| the process by which parents will receive vouchers. The |
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| vouchers may be redeemed by a parent at any participating |
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| school. Vouchers issued pursuant to this Section are redeemable |
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| only for a net reduction in tuition owed by the parent for an |
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| eligible student to attend a participating school. No portion |
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| of voucher funds may be refunded directly to parents in the |
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SB2494 |
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LRB096 15388 MJR 30546 b |
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| form of cash or similar payment. If the participating school at |
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| which a voucher is redeemed for an eligible pupil is different |
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| from the school at which that eligible pupil was registered |
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| when the voucher was issued, then the school at which the |
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| eligible pupil is currently enrolled must notify the State |
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| Board of Education of the eligible pupil's enrollment status, |
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| family income, parental contact information, and student |
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| identification number in order to receive reimbursement for |
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| that voucher. |
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| (f) Participating schools shall request documentation from |
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| parents of pupils participating under this Section to verify |
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| household income for purposes of determining the amount of |
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| voucher to which each eligible pupil is entitled. Parents |
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| failing to provide documentation shall be disqualified from |
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| receiving a voucher for that school year. |
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| (g) Participating schools shall certify to the State Board |
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| of Education the number of vouchers received for enrolled |
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| pupils in each income bracket to be eligible for reimbursement. |
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| The State Board of Education shall reimburse the participating |
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| school for the total amount of the vouchers received in |
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| quarterly installments on or before September 30, December 30, |
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| March 30, and June 20 of each year. |
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| (h) The School Choice Fund is created as a special fund in |
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| the State treasury. Fees collected pursuant to subsection (b) |
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| of this Section shall be deposited into the Fund and shall be |
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| used by the State Board of Education to cover the |
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SB2494 |
- 5 - |
LRB096 15388 MJR 30546 b |
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| 1 |
| administrative costs of the Illinois School Choice Program. |
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| (i) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for |
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| implementation of this Section.
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| (105 ILCS 5/34-21.8 new) |
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| Sec. 34-21.8. Illinois School Choice Program; vouchers. |
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| (a) For purposes of this Section: |
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| "Eligible pupil means a student enrolled in kindergarten or |
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| any of grades one through 12 who is an Illinois resident. |
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| "Fund" means the School Choice Fund. |
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| "Parent" means the custodian of an eligible pupil. |
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| "Participating school" means a State-certified, non-public |
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| school that has notified the State Board of Education in |
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| writing of its intent to enroll eligible students and be |
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| reimbursed for vouchers and that has paid any required fees to |
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| the State Board of Education and complied with all statutory |
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| and regulatory requirements for the School Choice Program. |
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| (b) The Illinois School Choice Program is created and shall |
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| be administered by the State Board of Education. Any |
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| State-certified, non-public school wishing to enroll eligible |
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| students and be reimbursed for vouchers available under this |
| 21 |
| Section shall notify the State Board of Education in writing of |
| 22 |
| its intent. To be eligible for reimbursement for vouchers, |
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| participating schools must pay a nonrefundable fee established |
| 24 |
| by the State Board of Education by rule to be deposited into |
| 25 |
| the Fund. The total amount of fees deposited in the Fund shall |
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SB2494 |
- 6 - |
LRB096 15388 MJR 30546 b |
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|
| 1 |
| be in an amount sufficient to cover administrative costs of the |
| 2 |
| program to the State Board of Education. The State Board of |
| 3 |
| Education may require an additional fee from participating |
| 4 |
| schools and public and private grant funds to commission |
| 5 |
| external reviews of the performance of the Illinois School |
| 6 |
| Choice Program. |
| 7 |
| (c) The State Board of Education shall require |
| 8 |
| participating non-public schools to report the cost of tuition |
| 9 |
| and fees at the school, the address of each eligible pupil, and |
| 10 |
| each eligible pupil's household income tier as described in |
| 11 |
| items (1) through (3) of subsection (d) of this Section. The |
| 12 |
| State Board of Education may establish additional reporting and |
| 13 |
| auditing requirements for non-public schools for participation |
| 14 |
| under this Section. |
| 15 |
| (d) Beginning in the 2010-2011 school year, any pupil in |
| 16 |
| grades kindergarten through 12 shall be eligible for an |
| 17 |
| educational voucher on his or her behalf if the pupil is |
| 18 |
| enrolled at a participating school. The annual amount of the |
| 19 |
| voucher shall be equal to the lesser of the total annual cost |
| 20 |
| of tuition and fees at the non-public school or
the following: |
| 21 |
| (1) the amount of the foundation level, as provided |
| 22 |
| under Subsection (B) of Section 18-8.05 of this Code, in |
| 23 |
| the case of a pupil who is the member of family that has a |
| 24 |
| total family income that does not exceed 3 times the |
| 25 |
| federal poverty level; |
| 26 |
| (2) one-half the amount of the foundation level, as |
|
|
|
SB2494 |
- 7 - |
LRB096 15388 MJR 30546 b |
|
|
| 1 |
| provided under Subsection (B) of Section 18-8.05 of this |
| 2 |
| Code, in the case of a pupil who is the member of family |
| 3 |
| that has a total family income between 3 and 4 times the |
| 4 |
| federal poverty level; or |
| 5 |
| (3) the amount of the flat grant, as provided under |
| 6 |
| paragraph (4) of subsection (E) of Section 18-8.05 of this |
| 7 |
| Code, in the case of a pupil who is the member of a family |
| 8 |
| that has a total family income exceeding 4 times the |
| 9 |
| federal poverty level. |
| 10 |
| (e) The State Board of Education shall determine by rule |
| 11 |
| the process by which parents will receive vouchers. The |
| 12 |
| vouchers may be redeemed by a parent at any participating |
| 13 |
| school. Vouchers issued pursuant to this Section are redeemable |
| 14 |
| only for a net reduction in tuition owed by the parent for an |
| 15 |
| eligible student to attend a participating school. No portion |
| 16 |
| of voucher funds may be refunded directly to parents in the |
| 17 |
| form of cash or similar payment. If the participating school at |
| 18 |
| which a voucher is redeemed for an eligible pupil is different |
| 19 |
| from the school at which that eligible pupil was registered |
| 20 |
| when the voucher was issued, then the school at which the |
| 21 |
| eligible pupil is currently enrolled must notify the State |
| 22 |
| Board of Education of the eligible pupil's enrollment status, |
| 23 |
| family income, parental contact information, and student |
| 24 |
| identification number in order to receive reimbursement for |
| 25 |
| that voucher. |
| 26 |
| (f) Participating schools shall request documentation from |
|
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|
SB2494 |
- 8 - |
LRB096 15388 MJR 30546 b |
|
|
| 1 |
| parents of pupils participating under this Section to verify |
| 2 |
| household income for purposes of determining the amount of |
| 3 |
| voucher to which each eligible pupil is entitled. Parents |
| 4 |
| failing to provide documentation shall be disqualified from |
| 5 |
| receiving a voucher for that school year. |
| 6 |
| (g) Participating schools shall certify to the State Board |
| 7 |
| of Education the number of vouchers received for enrolled |
| 8 |
| pupils in each income bracket to be eligible for reimbursement. |
| 9 |
| The State Board of Education shall reimburse the participating |
| 10 |
| school for the total amount of the vouchers received in |
| 11 |
| quarterly installments on or before September 30, December 30, |
| 12 |
| March 30, and June 20 of each year. |
| 13 |
| (h) The School Choice Fund is created as a special fund in |
| 14 |
| the State treasury. Fees collected pursuant to subsection (b) |
| 15 |
| of this Section shall be deposited into the Fund and shall be |
| 16 |
| used by the State Board of Education to cover the |
| 17 |
| administrative costs of the Illinois School Choice Program. |
| 18 |
| (i) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for |
| 19 |
| implementation of this Section.
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| Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon |
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| becoming law.
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