99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2015 and 2016 HB4322

Introduced , by Rep. Margo McDermed

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/10-20.58 new

Amends the School Code. Provides that, before making any decisions on a school closure, a school board (other than the Chicago Board of Education) shall appoint a district advisory committee to advise and make recommendations to the school board about the school closure. Sets forth provisions concerning committee membership, information the committee must gather, and public hearings. Requires the committee to make a recommendation to the school board on school closure, and requires the school board to take into account the committee's recommendation on school closure when making a final decision.

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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

A BILL FOR

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1 AN ACT concerning education.

2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,

3 represented in the General Assembly:

4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section

5 10-20.58 as follows:

6 (105 ILCS 5/10-20.58 new)

7 Sec. 10-20.58. School closure; district advisory

8 committee.

9 (a) In this Section, "school closure" means the closing of

10 a school the effect of which is the assignment and transfer of

11 all students enrolled at that school to one or more designated

12 receiving schools.

13 (b) Before making any decisions on a school closure, a

14 school board shall appoint a district advisory committee to

15 advise and make recommendations to the school board about the

16 school closure. The committee shall consist of 9 members. The

17 following shall be represented on the committee:

18 (1) The ethnic, age group, and socioeconomic

19 composition of the school district.

20 (2) The business community within the boundaries of the

21 district.

22 (3) Landowners or renters within the boundaries of the

23 district.

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1 (4) In a district with multiple schools, a community

2 member from the boundaries of each school in the district.

3 (5) Teachers employed by the district.

4 (6) District administrators.

5 (7) Parents of students who are enrolled in the

6 district.

7 (8) Persons with expertise in environmental impacts,

8 legal contracts, building codes, and land-use planning.

9 The members of the district advisory committee shall serve

10 without compensation. The committee shall elect a chairperson

11 from among its members.

12 (c) Before making any recommendations on school closure,

13 the district advisory committee shall gather the following

14 information:

15 (1) The enrollment projections for the school

16 district, including enrollment projections for each school

17 in the district and the projection's impact on each school

18 facility.

19 (2) The capacity and conditions of existing schools and

20 their ability to accommodate displaced students.

21 (3) The per-student operating cost at each of the

22 district's schools.

23 (4) The education program and opportunity at each of

24 the district's schools.

25 (5) The cost-savings that would result from the closure

26 of a school.

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1 (6) The transportation options for displaced students.

2 (7) Cost-saving alternatives to closing schools.

3 The district advisory committee shall gather any other

4 pertinent information on the school district that it deems

5 necessary in order to advise the school board on school

6 closure. The district shall provide the committee with any

7 information requested by the committee and shall provide

8 administrative and other support to the committee.

9 (d) The district advisory committee shall hold a public

10 hearing at each of the schools in the school district to elicit

11 public comment on the possibility of school closure and the

12 effects that the school closure would have on the students,

13 parents, and the community. A public notice of each public

14 hearing must be published at least 5 days before the hearing on

15 the district's Internet website, if any, and in a newspaper of

16 general circulation in the geographic region of the district.

17 Following these public hearings, the district advisory

18 committee shall make a recommendation, based on its analysis

19 and conclusions, to the school board on school closure. The

20 school board shall take into account the committee's

21 recommendation on school closure when making a final decision.

22 Upon making its recommendation, the committee is dissolved.