105 ILCS 435/ Vocational Education Act.

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105 ILCS 435/0.01

(105 ILCS 435/0.01) (from Ch. 122, par. 693h)

Sec. 0.01.

Short title.

This Act may be cited as the

Vocational Education Act.

(Source: P.A. 86-1324.)

105 ILCS 435/1

(105 ILCS 435/1) (from Ch. 122, par. 694)

Sec. 1.

That all of the provisions and benefits of an
act of Congress entitled, "An Act to provide for the promotion of
vocational education; to provide for cooperation with the states in the
promotion of such education in agriculture and the trades and industries;
to provide for cooperation with the states in the preparation of teachers
of vocational subjects; and to appropriate money and regulate its
expenditures," approved February 23, 1917, as amended, hereinafter referred
to as the Federal Vocational Education Law, are hereby accepted by the
State of Illinois.

(Source: Laws 1919, p. 928.)

105 ILCS 435/2

(105 ILCS 435/2) (from Ch. 122, par. 697)

Sec. 2.

Upon the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1975 and
thereafter, any reference in this Act or any other Illinois statute to
the Board of Vocational Education and Rehabilitation, as such reference
pertains to vocational and technical education, means and refers to the
State Board of Education.  Notwithstanding the provisions of any Act or
statute to the contrary, upon the effective date of this amendatory Act
of 1975, the State Board of Education shall assume all powers and duties
pertaining to vocational and technical education.  The State Board of
Education shall be responsible for policy and guidelines pertaining to
vocational and technical education and shall exercise the following
powers and duties:

(a) to co-operate with the federal government in the

administration of the provisions of the Federal Vocational Education Law, to the extent and in the manner therein provided;

(b) to promote and aid in the establishment of

schools and classes of the types and standards provided for in the plans of the Board, as approved by the federal government, and to co-operate with State agencies maintaining such schools or classes and with State and local school authorities in the maintenance of such schools and classes;

(c) to conduct and prepare investigations and studies

in relation to vocational education and to publish the results of such investigations and studies;

(d) to promulgate reasonable rules and regulations

relating to vocational and technical education;

(e) to report, in writing, to the Governor annually

on or before the fourteenth day of January. The annual report shall contain (1) a statement to the extent to which vocational education has been established and maintained in the State; (2) a statement of the existing condition of vocational education in the State; (3) a statement of suggestions and recommendations with reference to the development of vocational education in the State; (4) (blank); and (5) an itemized statement of the amounts of money received from Federal and State sources, and of the objects and purposes to which the respective items of these several amounts have been devoted;

(f) to make such reports to the federal government as

may be required by the provisions of the Federal Vocational Education Law, and by the rules and regulations of the federal agency administering the Federal Vocational Education Law; and

(g) to make grants subject to appropriation and to

administer and promulgate rules and regulations to implement a vocational equipment program.  The use of such grant funds shall be limited to obtaining equipment for vocational education programs, school shops and laboratories. The State Board of Education shall adopt appropriate regulations to administer this paragraph.

(Source: P.A. 95-793, eff. 1-1-09; 96-328, eff. 8-11-09.)

105 ILCS 435/2.1

    (105 ILCS 435/2.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 697.1)
    Sec. 2.1. Gender Equity Advisory Committee.

(a) The Superintendent of the State Board of Education shall appoint a Gender Equity Advisory Committee consisting of at least 9 members to advise and consult with the State Board of Education and the State Board of Education's gender equity liaison in all aspects relating to ensuring that all students have equal educational opportunities to pursue high wage, high skill, and in-demand occupations leading to economic self-sufficiency.

(b) Membership shall include, without limitation, one regional career and technical education system director with experience in gender equity, 2 State Board of Education employees, an appointee of the Director of Labor, and 5 citizen appointees who have expertise in one or more of the following areas: nontraditional training and placement; service delivery to single parents; service delivery to displaced homemakers; service delivery to female, male, and nonbinary teens; service delivery to students of color; service delivery to members of special populations, including, but not limited to, individuals from economically disadvantaged families, English learners, individuals with disabilities, individuals who are out of the workforce, individuals experiencing homelessness, migrants, individuals in foster care, and military students; business and industry experience; and career and technical education experience. Membership also may include employees from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Department of Human Services, and the Illinois Community College Board who have expertise in one or more of the areas listed in this subsection (b) for the citizen appointees. Appointments shall be made taking into consideration expertise of services provided in secondary, postsecondary, and community-based programs.

(c) Members shall initially be appointed to one-year terms commencing in January 1, 1990 and thereafter, until January 1, 2025, to 2-year terms commencing on January 1 of each odd numbered year. Beginning on January 1, 2025, members shall be appointed as follows. The career and technical education system director appointee, one State Board of Education appointee, the appointee of the Director of Labor, and 2 citizen appointees, as determined by the State Superintendent of Education, shall initially be appointed to 3-year terms and thereafter to 2-year terms; the remaining members of the committee shall initially and thereafter be appointed to 2-year terms; and all terms shall commence on January 1.

Vacancies shall be filled as prescribed in subsection (b) for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(d) At the first meeting following the start of each calendar year, the committee shall elect a Chair and Secretary from its members to serve until the first meeting of the subsequent calendar year. Members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. The Committee shall meet at least bi-annually and at other times at the call of the Chair or at the request of the State Board of Education's gender equity liaison.

(e) On or before December 15, 2023, the Committee shall submit recommendations to the Governor, General Assembly, and State Board of Education regarding how school districts and the State Board of Education can better support historically disadvantaged males, including African American students and other students of color, to ensure educational equity.

(f) On and after December 31, 2023, subsection (e) is inoperative.
(Source: P.A. 102-863, eff. 1-1-23; 103-780, eff. 8-2-24.)