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92_HB3566sam001
LRB9202486NTsbam01
1 AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 3566
2 AMENDMENT NO. . Amend House Bill 3566 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
4 "Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing
5 Section 2-3.51 as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/2-3.51) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.51)
7 Sec. 2-3.51. Reading Improvement Block Grant Program.
8 To improve the reading and study skills of children from
9 kindergarten through sixth grade in school districts. The
10 State Board of Education is authorized to administer a
11 Reading Improvement Block Grant Program. As used in this
12 Section:,
13 "School district" includes shall include those schools
14 designated as "laboratory schools".
15 "Scientifically based reading research" means the
16 application of rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures
17 to obtain valid knowledge relevant to reading development,
18 reading instruction, and reading difficulties. The term
19 includes research that employs systematic, empirical methods
20 that draw on observation or experiment, involves rigorous
21 data analysis that is adequate to test the stated hypotheses
22 and to justify the general conclusions drawn, relies on
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1 measurements or observational methods that provide valid data
2 across evaluators and observers and across multiple
3 measurements and observations, and has been accepted by
4 peer-reviewed journal or approved by a panel of independent
5 experts through a comparably rigorous, objective and
6 scientific review.
7 (a) Funds for the Reading Improvement Block Grant
8 Program shall be distributed to school districts on the
9 following basis: 70% of monies shall be awarded on the prior
10 year's best 3 months average daily attendance and 30% shall
11 be distributed on the number of economically disadvantaged
12 (E.C.I.A. Chapter I) pupils in the district, provided that
13 the State Board may distribute an amount not to exceed 2% of
14 the monies appropriated for the Reading Improvement Block
15 Grant Program for the purpose of providing teacher training
16 and re-training in the teaching of reading. Program funds
17 shall be distributed to school districts in 2 semi-annual
18 installments, one payment on or before October 30, and one
19 payment prior to April 30, of each year. The State Board
20 shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the
21 implementation of this program. Programs provided with grant
22 funds shall not replace quality classroom reading
23 instruction, but shall instead supplement such instruction.
24 (a-5) Reading Improvement Block Grant Program funds
25 shall be used by school districts in the following manner:
26 (1) to hire reading specialists, reading teachers,
27 and reading aides in order to provide early reading
28 intervention in kindergarten through grade 2 and programs
29 of continued reading support for students in grades 3
30 through 6 to reduce class size in grades kindergarten
31 through 3 for the purpose of providing more intensified
32 reading instruction;
33 (2) in kindergarten through grade 2, to establish
34 short-term tutorial early reading intervention programs
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1 for children who are at risk of failing to learn to read;
2 these programs shall (i) focus on scientifically based
3 research and best practices with proven long-term
4 results, (ii) identify students in need of help no later
5 than the middle of first grade, (iii) provide ongoing
6 training for teachers in the program, (iv) focus
7 instruction on strengthening a student's phonemic
8 awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension skills,
9 (v) provide a means to document and evaluate student
10 growth, and (vi) provide properly trained staff to extend
11 the time devoted in kindergarten through third grade to
12 intensified reading instruction, including phonic
13 instruction, either by lengthening the school day or
14 lengthening the school year;
15 (3) to create transitional grades for students
16 needing intensified reading instruction either between
17 the first and second grades or between the second and
18 third grades in accordance with the authority granted
19 school districts in Section 10-21.2 of this Code;
20 (3) (4) to continue direct reading instruction for
21 grades 3 4 through 6;
22 (4) (5) in grades 3 through 6, to establish
23 programs of support for students who demonstrate a need
24 for continued assistance in learning to read and in
25 maintaining reading achievement; these programs shall (i)
26 focus on scientifically based research and best practices
27 with proven long-term results, (ii) provide ongoing
28 training for teachers and other staff members in the
29 program, (iii) focus instruction on strengthening a
30 student's phonics, fluency, and comprehension skills in
31 grades 3 through 6, (iv) provide a means to evaluate and
32 document student growth, and (v) provide properly trained
33 staff to establish reading academies in schools that
34 focus on the mechanics of reading, the application of
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1 reading skills, and the reading of rich literature and
2 that reflect a commitment of time and resources to these
3 functions;
4 (5) (6) in grades K through 6, to provide classroom
5 reading materials for students; each district may
6 allocate up to 25% of the funds for this purpose to
7 conduct intense vocabulary, spelling, and related writing
8 enrichment programs that promote better understanding of
9 language and words; and
10 (6) (7) to provide a long-term professional
11 development program for classroom teachers,
12 administrators, and other appropriate staff; the program
13 shall (i) focus on scientifically based research and best
14 practices with proven long-term results, (ii) provide a
15 means to evaluate student progress in reading as a result
16 of the training, (iii) and be provided by approved staff
17 development providers. to increase the availability of
18 reading specialists and teacher aides for reading; and
19 (8) to train and retrain teachers of kindergarten
20 through third grade to be proficient in the teaching of
21 reading, including phonic instruction.
22 (a-10) Reading Improvement Block Grant Program funds
23 shall be made available to each eligible school district
24 submitting an approved application developed by the State
25 Board beginning with the 1998-99 school year. Applications
26 shall include a proposed assessment method or methods for
27 measuring the reading growth of students who receive direct
28 instruction as a result of the funding and the impact of
29 staff development activities on student growth in reading
30 student reading skills. Such methods may include the reading
31 portion of the Illinois Standards Achievement Testing Goals
32 and Assessment Program. At the end of each school year the
33 district shall report performance of progress assessment
34 results to the State Board. Districts not demonstrating
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1 performance progress using an approved assessment method
2 shall not be eligible for funding in the third or subsequent
3 years until such progress is established.
4 (a-15) The State Superintendent of Education, in
5 cooperation with the school districts participating in the
6 program, shall annually report to the leadership of the
7 General Assembly on the results of the Reading Improvement
8 Block Grant Program and the progress being made on improving
9 the reading skills of students in kindergarten through the
10 sixth grade.
11 (b) (Blank).
12 (c) (Blank).
13 (d) Grants under the Reading Improvement Program shall
14 be awarded provided there is an appropriation for the
15 program, and funding levels for each district shall be
16 prorated according to the amount of the appropriation.
17 (e) (Blank).
18 (f) (Blank).
19 (Source: P.A. 90-548, eff. 1-1-98; 90-640, eff. 1-1-99.)
20 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect on
21 July 1, 2001.".