103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2225 Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/11E-140 new Creates the Classrooms First Commission. Provides for the membership and support of the Commission. Requires the Commission to make recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the electorate on the number of school districts in this State and where reorganization and realignment of school districts into unit districts would be beneficial. Sets forth what areas the recommendations must focus on, including drafting recommendations to reduce the statewide total number of school districts through the reorganization of school districts into unit districts. Provides that, on or before May 1, 2024, the Commission must vote on its recommendations and file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly. Provides that if the Commission adopts the recommendations by an affirmative vote of at least 13 of its members, then the Commission's specific recommendations for reorganization of school districts into unit districts shall be filed with the appropriate regional superintendent of schools. Sets forth the regional superintendent's and State Superintendent of Education's duties with respect to the recommendations. Repeals these provisions on January 31, 2026. Effective immediately. LRB103 30694 RJT 57167 b A BILL FOR 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2225 Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 105 ILCS 5/11E-140 new 105 ILCS 5/11E-140 new Creates the Classrooms First Commission. Provides for the membership and support of the Commission. Requires the Commission to make recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the electorate on the number of school districts in this State and where reorganization and realignment of school districts into unit districts would be beneficial. Sets forth what areas the recommendations must focus on, including drafting recommendations to reduce the statewide total number of school districts through the reorganization of school districts into unit districts. Provides that, on or before May 1, 2024, the Commission must vote on its recommendations and file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly. Provides that if the Commission adopts the recommendations by an affirmative vote of at least 13 of its members, then the Commission's specific recommendations for reorganization of school districts into unit districts shall be filed with the appropriate regional superintendent of schools. Sets forth the regional superintendent's and State Superintendent of Education's duties with respect to the recommendations. Repeals these provisions on January 31, 2026. Effective immediately. LRB103 30694 RJT 57167 b LRB103 30694 RJT 57167 b A BILL FOR
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2225 Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/11E-140 new 105 ILCS 5/11E-140 new
105 ILCS 5/11E-140 new
Creates the Classrooms First Commission. Provides for the membership and support of the Commission. Requires the Commission to make recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the electorate on the number of school districts in this State and where reorganization and realignment of school districts into unit districts would be beneficial. Sets forth what areas the recommendations must focus on, including drafting recommendations to reduce the statewide total number of school districts through the reorganization of school districts into unit districts. Provides that, on or before May 1, 2024, the Commission must vote on its recommendations and file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly. Provides that if the Commission adopts the recommendations by an affirmative vote of at least 13 of its members, then the Commission's specific recommendations for reorganization of school districts into unit districts shall be filed with the appropriate regional superintendent of schools. Sets forth the regional superintendent's and State Superintendent of Education's duties with respect to the recommendations. Repeals these provisions on January 31, 2026. Effective immediately.
LRB103 30694 RJT 57167 b LRB103 30694 RJT 57167 b
LRB103 30694 RJT 57167 b
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 1. This Act may be referred to as the Classrooms
5 First Act.
6 Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
7 11E-140 as follows:
8 (105 ILCS 5/11E-140 new)
9 Sec. 11E-140. Classrooms First Commission.
10 (a) The Classrooms First Commission is created. The
11 Commission shall consist of all of the following voting
12 members:
13 (1) one member appointed by the Governor, who shall
14 serve as the chairperson;
15 (2) one member appointed by the State Board of
16 Education;
17 (3) one member appointed by the Speaker of the House
18 of Representatives;
19 (4) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
20 House of Representatives;
21 (5) one member appointed by the President of the
22 Senate;
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2225 Introduced 2/10/2023, by Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/11E-140 new 105 ILCS 5/11E-140 new
105 ILCS 5/11E-140 new
Creates the Classrooms First Commission. Provides for the membership and support of the Commission. Requires the Commission to make recommendations to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the electorate on the number of school districts in this State and where reorganization and realignment of school districts into unit districts would be beneficial. Sets forth what areas the recommendations must focus on, including drafting recommendations to reduce the statewide total number of school districts through the reorganization of school districts into unit districts. Provides that, on or before May 1, 2024, the Commission must vote on its recommendations and file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly. Provides that if the Commission adopts the recommendations by an affirmative vote of at least 13 of its members, then the Commission's specific recommendations for reorganization of school districts into unit districts shall be filed with the appropriate regional superintendent of schools. Sets forth the regional superintendent's and State Superintendent of Education's duties with respect to the recommendations. Repeals these provisions on January 31, 2026. Effective immediately.
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A BILL FOR
105 ILCS 5/11E-140 new
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1 (6) one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
2 Senate;
3 (7) a representative appointed by the head of the
4 largest statewide professional teachers' organization, as
5 measured by the number of members reported in its most
6 recent federal Form LM-2 Labor Organization Annual Report;
7 (8) a representative appointed by the head of the
8 second largest statewide professional teachers'
9 organization, as measured by the number of members
10 reported in its most recent federal Form LM-2 Labor
11 Organization Annual Report;
12 (9) a representative appointed by the head of an
13 organization that represents school boards, appointed by
14 the head of that organization;
15 (10) a representative appointed by the head of a
16 statewide organization that represents school principals,
17 appointed by the head of that organization;
18 (11) a parent of a child enrolled in or a teacher or an
19 administrator employed by a school located in the West
20 Cook region of the State Board of Education's Statewide
21 System of Support Fiscal Agents (Region 1-B-B), appointed
22 by the chairperson of the Commission;
23 (12) a parent of a child enrolled in or a teacher or an
24 administrator employed by a school located in the South
25 Cook region of the State Board of Education's Statewide
26 System of Support Fiscal Agents (Region 1-B-C), appointed
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1 by the chairperson of the Commission;
2 (13) a parent of a child enrolled in or a teacher or an
3 administrator employed by a school located in the North
4 Cook region of the State Board of Education's Statewide
5 System of Support Fiscal Agents (Region 1-B-D), appointed
6 by the chairperson of the Commission;
7 (14) a parent of a child enrolled in or a teacher or an
8 administrator employed by a school located in the
9 Northeast region of the State Board of Education's
10 Statewide System of Support Fiscal Agents (Area 1-C),
11 appointed by the chairperson of the Commission;
12 (15) a parent of a child enrolled in or a teacher or an
13 administrator employed by a school located in the
14 Northwest region of the State Board of Education's
15 Statewide System of Support Fiscal Agents (Area 2),
16 appointed by the chairperson of the Commission;
17 (16) a parent of a child enrolled in or a teacher or an
18 administrator employed by a school located in the West
19 Central region of the State Board of Education's Statewide
20 System of Support Fiscal Agents (Area 3), appointed by the
21 chairperson of the Commission;
22 (17) a parent of a child enrolled in or a teacher or an
23 administrator employed by a school located in the East
24 Central region of the State Board of Education's Statewide
25 System of Support Fiscal Agents (Area 4), appointed by the
26 chairperson of the Commission;
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1 (18) a parent of a child enrolled in or a teacher or an
2 administrator employed by a school located in the
3 Southwest region of the State Board of Education's
4 Statewide System of Support Fiscal Agents (Area 5),
5 appointed by the chairperson of the Commission;
6 (19) a parent of a child enrolled in or a teacher or an
7 administrator employed by a school located in the
8 Southeast region of the State Board of Education's
9 Statewide System of Support Fiscal Agents (Area 6),
10 appointed by the chairperson of the Commission;
11 (20) a representative appointed by the head of an
12 association that represents school business officials;
13 (21) a representative appointed by the head of an
14 association that represents school administrators;
15 (22) a representative appointed by the head of an
16 association that represents administrators of special
17 education;
18 (23) a representative appointed by the head of a
19 statewide parent organization;
20 (24) a representative appointed by the head of an
21 organization that represents high school districts; and
22 (25) a representative appointed by the head of an
23 association that represents regional superintendents of
24 schools.
25 Members shall serve without compensation, but shall be
26 reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses from
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1 funds appropriated for that purpose. Members shall be
2 reimbursed for their travel expenses from appropriations to
3 the State Board of Education available for that purpose and
4 subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board.
5 The Commission shall meet at the call of the Chairperson, with
6 the initial meeting of the Commission being held within 90
7 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
8 103rd General Assembly, and shall hold public hearings
9 throughout this State, including at least one hearing in each
10 of the nine school district support regions that do not
11 include Chicago (Region 1-A). The State Board of Education
12 shall provide assistance and necessary staff support services
13 to the Commission.
14 (b) The purpose of the Commission is to make
15 recommendations to the electorate, the Governor, and the
16 General Assembly on whether the number of school districts in
17 this State is appropriate and whether reorganization and
18 realignment of those districts would be beneficial. The
19 Commission's recommendations must take into consideration the
20 school needs and conditions of the affected districts and in
21 the area adjacent to the district, the division of funds and
22 assets that will result from the action described in the
23 petition, the best interests of the schools of the area, and
24 the best interests and the educational welfare of the pupils
25 residing in the district, and shall focus on all of the
26 following areas:
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1 (1) reducing the money spent on the duplication of
2 efforts;
3 (2) improving the education of students by having
4 fewer obstacles between qualified teachers and their
5 students;
6 (3) lowering the property tax burden;
7 (4) providing recommendations on what the net cost
8 savings of realignment is to this State;
9 (5) with a view toward reducing unnecessary
10 administrative costs, improving the education of students
11 and lowering the property tax burden, drafting specific
12 recommendations to reduce the statewide total number of
13 school districts by no less than 25% through the
14 reorganization of school districts into unit districts as
15 provided by Section 11E-25. Each recommendation under this
16 paragraph (5) must include all of the following:
17 (A) a request to submit a proposition at the next
18 general election for the purpose of voting for or
19 against the establishment of a combined unit district;
20 (B) a description of the territory comprising the
21 districts proposed to be dissolved and those to be
22 consolidated into unit districts, which, for an entire
23 district, may be a general reference to all of the
24 territory included within that district; and
25 (C) a specification of the maximum tax rates the
26 proposed unit district or districts are authorized to
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1 levy for various purposes and, if applicable, the
2 specifications related to the Property Tax Extension
3 Limitation Law, in accordance with Section 11E-80.
4 The Commission may not make any recommendations under this
5 subsection that would provide for the consolidation of
6 individual schools.
7 (c) On or before May 1, 2024, Commission must vote on its
8 recommendations and file a report with the Governor and the
9 General Assembly. If the Commission adopts the report by an
10 affirmative vote of at least 13 of its members, then the
11 Commission's specific recommendations for reorganization of
12 school districts into unit districts under paragraph (5) of
13 subsection (b) shall be filed with the appropriate regional
14 superintendent of schools in the same form as petitions filed
15 under Section 11E-35. A copy of the Commission's specific
16 recommendations shall be provided to the regional
17 superintendent of schools of each educational service region
18 situated in the territory described in the specific
19 recommendation or that part of the territory in which the
20 greater percentage of equalized assessed valuation is
21 situated. Petitions submitted by the Commission under this
22 Section shall be treated as properly filed petitions under
23 Section 11E-35, but the petitions submitted are not subject to
24 the requirements under subsection (a) of Section 11E-35.
25 (d) Upon receiving the filed petition as provided in
26 subsection (c) from the regional superintendent of schools,
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1 each school board of the affected school districts shall
2 publish a copy of the petition on its official Internet
3 website, if available, with a link to the recommendation shown
4 prominently on the homepage of the website until the date of
5 the next upcoming general election.
6 (e) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of Section 11E-50,
7 within 14 days after the conclusion of the hearing under
8 Section 11E-45 regarding a petition filed by the Classrooms
9 First Commission, the regional superintendent shall, upon
10 determining that the petition is in compliance with all
11 applicable requirements set forth in the Election Code,
12 through a written order, approve the petition, or, if the
13 regional superintendent determines that the amended petition
14 is not in compliance with the Election Code, the regional
15 superintendent shall deny the petition.
16 (f) Notwithstanding subsection (b) of Section 11E-50,
17 within 21 days after the receipt of the regional
18 superintendent's decision regarding a petition filed by the
19 Classrooms First Commission under this Section, the State
20 Superintendent of Education shall, upon determining that the
21 petition is in compliance with all applicable requirements set
22 forth in the Election Code, through a written order, approve
23 the petition, or, if the State Superintendent determines that
24 the amended petition is not in compliance with the Election
25 Code, the State Superintendent shall deny the petition.
26 (g) The Classrooms First Commission shall serve as and
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1 take on the responsibilities of the designated Committee of
2 Ten for the purposes of petitions filed under this Section,
3 except that notwithstanding paragraph (10) of subsection (a)
4 of Section 11E-35, any amendments to petitions filed by the
5 Commission and any binding stipulations made to any question
6 with respect to a petition under this Section shall be made by
7 at least 13 members of the Commission.
8 (h) Incentive payments required under Section 11E-135
9 shall be made for the purposes of this Section, subject to
10 appropriation by the General Assembly. The failure of the
11 General Assembly to appropriate incentive payment funds under
12 Section 11E-135 shall not be a bar to reorganization under
13 this Section.
14 (i) This Section is repealed on January 31, 2026.
15 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
16 becoming law.
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