SELECT BILLS PENDING IN THE ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBY

House Bill 3819—Chapa LaVia and Fortner.  Amends the School Code in the Article concerning transitional bilingual education. Provides that by no later than January 1, 2013, the Advisory Council on Bilingual Education shall submit a report to the State Superintendent of Education, the Governor, and the General Assembly addressing certain questions concerning the modification of bilingual education programs. Sets forth definitions for “parent academies” and “cultural competency program”.Provides that the report must also address whether and how the bilingual parent advisory committees within school districts can be supported in order to increase the opportunities for parents to effectively express their views concerning the planning, operation, and evaluation of bilingual education programs. Further amends the Transitional Bilingual Education Article of the School Code. Provides that once established, parent advisory committees shall autonomously carry out their affairs, including the election of officers and the establishment of internal rules, guidelines, and procedures.   Second Reading House.

House Bill 3826—Chapa LaVia.  Amends the School Code. In provision permitting a service animal to accompany a student with a disability at all school functions, whether in or outside the classroom, defines “service animal” to include an animal trained or being trained as: a hearing animal; a guide animal; an assistance animal; a seizure alert animal; a mobility animal; a psychiatric service animal; or an autism service animal. Provides that reasonable accommodations must be sought for the use of a service animal to accompany a student with a disability at all school functions, whether in or outside the classroom (rather than the service animal being permitted at all school functions). Amends the Guide Dog Access Act. Changes the title of the Act to the Service Dog Access Act. Includes mobility, psychiatric service, and autism service dogs in the list of animals that must be allowed access to a public place of accommodation if such dog is wearing a harness, backpack, or vest identifying the dog as a trained service dog and such person presents credentials for inspection issued by a school for training guide, leader, seizure-alert, seizure-response, or autism service dogs. Effective immediately.  House Rules Committee.

House Bill 3871—Arroyo.  Amends the School Code. Provides that any school district receiving a block grant under the provision concerning block grant funding for districts with over 500,000 inhabitants shall be required to testify every year before the General Assembly regarding their overall annual budget and their budget request to the General Assembly for the following fiscal year. Provides that the testimony shall include plans to build or repair schools and to close or consolidate schools.  House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

House Bill 3898—Bill Mitchell.  Amends the School Code to prohibit the State Charter School Commission from reversing a local school board’s decision to deny, revoke, or not to renew a charter if the campus of the charter school is to be located on a public community college campus. Effective immediately.  House Rules.

House Bill 3925—Jakobsson.  Amends the Child Vision and Hearing Test Act. Provides that vision and hearing screening services may be administered to preschool children 3 years of age or older in any public or private educational program or licensed child-care facility only once every 2 years prior to entering kindergarten. Provides that vision screening services may be conducted and administered by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, an optometrist licensed under the Illinois Optometric Practice Act of 1987, or a certified vision screening technician. Provides that hearing screening services may be conducted and administered by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, an audiologist licensed under the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act, or a certified hearing screening technician.  House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

House Bill 4002—Dugan. Amends the School Code. Provides that the school board of any district with a population of less than 500,000 that participates in a joint agreement for an area vocational education center may levy an annual property tax not to exceed 0.04%. Provides that the rate may be increased upon referendum approval to 0.08% in each eligible district. Provides that the authority to levy the tax expires 4 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Contains provisions concerning notice and public hearings. Amends the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law in the Property Tax Code to exempt those extensions from the definition of “aggregate extension”. Effective immediately.  House Revenue and Finance Committee.

House Bill 4010—May.  Amends the School Code. Prohibits the salary of the regional superintendent of schools and any assistant regional superintendent or other employee of the regional office of education from being enhanced for administering a grant program with the use of money from the grant or other funds.  House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

House Bill 4016—Chapa LaVia.  Amends the School Code. Adds the current Illinois Teacher of the Year named by the State Board of Education to the Illinois P-20 Council. Effective immediately.  House Rules Committee.

House Bill 4046—T. Jones.  Amends the School Code. In order to provide additional funding beyond the funding awarded to specific after-school programs, requires the State Board of Education to add, in its annual budget proposal, (i) a line item equal to 2% of the After-school Programs, Mentoring and Student Support (ASPMSS) line item for out-of-school time for monitoring, administration, and technical assistance for after-school providers funded by the ASPMSS line item in the State Board of Education’s budget proposal; and (ii) a line item equal to 4% of the ASPMSS line item for out-of-school time for grants to qualified, statewide, non-profit agencies to provide capacity building, system development, training, and professional development services. Provides for how the additional appropriations, if any, must be used.  House Appropriations—Elem. And Sec. Ed. Committee.

House Bill 4084—Jakobsson, Roth, and Chapa LaVia.  Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to establish a pilot project to provide early screening and intervention services for children with risk factors for dyslexia, subject to appropriation. Requires the State Superintendent of Education to select 3 school districts to participate in the pilot project. Sets forth provisions concerning district qualifications and requirements, the duration and goal of the pilot project, consultation, reporting, and rules. Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, allows teachers institutes to include instruction on the indicators of dyslexia, which instruction must be provided by a dyslexia specialist. Effective immediately.  House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

House Bill 4439—Smith.  Amends the School Code. Provides that for the purpose of receiving federal funds under the Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, a preschool or early childhood education center with an enrollment of 100 or more pupils shall be deemed an elementary school. Effective immediately.  House Rules Committee.

House Bill 4455—Colvin, Soto, Jones.  Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that each year, on or before the September fall enrollment count, (1) the maximum number of students assigned to each teacher who is teaching courses in public school classrooms for prekindergarten through grade 3 may not exceed 18 students; (2) the maximum number of students assigned to each teacher who is teaching courses in public school classrooms for grades 4 through 8 may not exceed 22 students; and the maximum number of students assigned to each teacher who is teaching courses in public school classrooms for grades 9 through 12 may not exceed 25 students, which maximums must be maintained after the September fall enrollment count. Sets forth exceptions. Requires the State Board of Education to annually calculate class size measures based upon the September fall enrollment count.  House Rules Committee.

House Bill 4487—Soto.  Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that there shall be a moratorium on school closings, consolidations, and phase-outs in the school district in the 2012-2013 school year. Provides that any of these actions that are subsequently appropriate must be carried out no sooner than the end of the 2013-2014 school year, subject to any new set of requirements adopted by the General Assembly. During this moratorium period, requires the district to establish polices that address and remedy the academic performance of schools in which Illinois Standards Achievement Test scores reflect students performing at or below 75%. Requires these policies to establish clear criteria or processes for establishing criteria for making school facility decisions and include clear criteria for setting priorities with respect to school openings, school closings, school consolidations, school turnarounds, school phase-outs, school construction, school repairs, school modernizations, school boundary changes, and other related school facility decisions, including the encouragement of multiple community uses for school space. Effective immediately.  House Rules Committee.

House Bill 4495—Farnham.  Amends the School Code. Provides that school guidance counselors, teachers, school social workers, and other school personnel who work with pupils in grades 7 through 12 shall be trained to identify the warning signs of mental illness and suicidal behavior (instead of just suicidal behavior).  House Rules Committee.

House Bill 4616—Lilly.  Amends the School Code and the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act. Makes changes concerning the instruction provided in a class or course in comprehensive sex education offered in any of grades 6 through 12. Makes changes concerning what must be emphasized in all classes in grades 6 through 12 (instead of all elementary, junior high, and senior high school classes) that teach sex education and discuss sexual intercourse. Provides that all classes that teach sex education and discuss sexual intercourse in grades 6 through 12 shall satisfy specified criteria (instead of all sex education courses that discuss sexual intercourse shall satisfy specified criteria); makes changes to that criteria. Provides that an opportunity shall be afforded to individuals (not just parents or guardians) to examine the instructional materials to be used in a class or course. Provides that the State Board of Education shall make available resource materials for educating children regarding sex education. Provides that school districts that do not currently provide sex education are not required to teach sex education. Provides that if a sex education class or course is offered in any of grades 6 through 12, the school district may choose and adapt the developmentally and age-appropriate, medically accurate, evidence-based, and complete sex education curriculum that meets the specific needs of its community. Provides that the Comprehensive Health Education Program shall include the educational area of evidence-based and medically accurate information regarding sexual abstinence (instead of the area of sexual abstinence until marriage).  House Human Services Committee.

House Bill 4621—Chapa LaVia.  Amends the School Code. Increases the compulsory school age from 17 to 18 years of age; makes related changes. Effective July 1, 2012.  House Rules Committee.

House bill 4644—Senger.  Creates the School Choice Act and amends the Illinois Income Tax Act and the School Code. Establishes the School Choice Program. Provides that under the program, the custodian of a qualifying pupil is entitled to a School Choice Voucher to pay for qualified education expenses at a participating Chicago nonpublic elementary school. Requires the principal of each low-performing school and of each overcrowded school in the Chicago school district to notify custodians of qualifying pupils of the availability of vouchers. Sets forth provisions concerning a request for a voucher, the issuance and payment of a voucher, the amount and renewal of a voucher, pupil assessment, the State longitudinal data system, and funding. Provides that students receiving vouchers are considered nonpublic school students who have been voluntarily placed in a private setting. Provides that the amount of a redeemed voucher shall not be considered base income and shall not be taxable for Illinois income tax purposes. Requires the State Board of Education to submit a report to the General Assembly. Provides criminal penalties for certain violations. Requires the State Board to adopt rules to implement the Act. Effective June 30, 2012.  House Rules.

House Bill 4686—Golar.  Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that there shall be no reduction in teachers because of a decrease in student membership or a change in subject requirements within the attendance center organization after the first day (instead of the 20th day following the first day) of the school year, except under certain circumstances.  House Rules.

House Bill 4716—Gabel.  Amends the Early Intervention Services System Act. Changes the definition of the term “eligible infants and toddlers” to mean infants and toddlers under 60 (rather than 36) months of age with any of the specified conditions. Provides that an eligible infant or toddler’s individualized family service plan shall serve as the child’s individualized educational plan (IEP) until an IEP is developed and implementation of IEP services is commenced, if an IEP is not developed and implemented for the child by the child’s 3rd birthday. Provides that the individualized family service plan may be modified by agreement between the local educational agency and the parents. Effective immediately.  House Appropriations—Human Services Committee.

House Bill 4993—Cross.  Amends the School Code. With respect to administrative certificates, provides that a candidate (i) who has enrolled and began coursework prior to August 1, 2011 in an Illinois program approved by the State Board of Education for the preparation of administrators and (ii) who successfully completes that program prior to January 1, 2013 may apply for the general administrative endorsement until January 1, 2013 without his or her 2 years of full-time teaching or school service personnel experience having been accrued while the individual held a valid early childhood, elementary, secondary, special K through 12, special pre-school through age 21, or school service personnel certificate. Effective immediately.  House Elem. And Secondary Ed. Committee.

House Bill 5076—Gabel. Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Replaces provisions that specify when special education services shall be provided or the child must be placed in the appropriate program with provisions that require that special education and related services shall be provided in accordance with the student’s IEP no later than 10 days after notice is provided to the parents pursuant to specified provisions of the Code of Federal Regulations and implementing rules adopted by the State Board of Education. Requires the State Board to adopt State complaint procedures that allow a parent, individual, organization, or advocate to file a signed, written complaint with the State Board alleging that a school district, cooperative service unit, or this State has violated the rights of one or more children with disabilities. Requires the school district or other public entity to submit a written response to the complaint within 10 days following receipt of the complaint. Contains provisions concerning documentation related to the complaint. Provides that State complaint procedures may be used to allege non-compliance by a school district or other public entity with a decision of a due process hearing officer. Makes changes concerning a student remaining in his or her present educational placement and continuing in his or her present eligibility status and special education services during the pendency of an administrative or judicial proceeding. Effective immediately.  House Rules.

House Bill 5114—Burke and Osmond.  Amends the School Code with respect to safety education. Requires all students enrolled in grades one through 8 in the public schools to watch a training video on cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and how to use an automated external defibrillator. Effective immediately.  House Rules Committee.

House Bill 5290—Cassidy, Lang, Yarbrough.  Amends the School Code in provisions concerning bullying prevention. Makes changes concerning the legislative findings. Provides that, on or before January 1, 2013, the State Board of Education shall develop a template for a model bullying prevention policy and sets forth requirements concerning the template. Sets forth and changes requirements, beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, for each school district and non-public, non-sectarian elementary or secondary school, as well as the State Board, concerning policies on bullying. Sets forth provisions concerning the collection, maintenance, and submission of data regarding allegations and incidences of bullying and rules. Effective immediately.  House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

House Bill 5323—Pihos. Amends the School Code and the Illinois Vehicle Code. Makes changes concerning notification of the public hearing on a waiver or modification of a mandate within the School Code or administrative rules and waivers and modifications for contracting with a commercial driver training school. Makes changes concerning driver education course reimbursement, the adoption of standards for driver education and driver education course content, a report on the per capita driver education cost for school districts, and the safety testing of motor vehicles used for driver education training. Effective January 1, 2013.  House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

House Bill 5324—Kay.  Amends the School Code. Prohibits the State Board of Education, by rule, from defining a general education classroom as a classroom that is composed of a certain percentage of students with individualized education programs (IEPs). Effective immediately.  House Rules.

House Bill 5328—Mitchell.  Amends the School Code. Requires that any and all reports submitted on behalf of education-related advisory groups, boards, committees, councils, task forces, and working groups to the General Assembly, the Governor, the State Board of Education, and the Board of Higher Education also be submitted to the Illinois P-20 Council. Effective immediately.  House Rules.

House Bill 5374—Tryon. Amends the Certification of Teachers Article and the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Authorizes the waiver of the student teaching requirement if the person seeking certification or licensure presents evidence of 100 hours or more of successful teaching experience on a valid substitute certificate or valid substitute teaching license. Effective immediately.  House Rules.

House Bill 5375—Tryon. Amends the School Code in the provision concerning the election and eligibility of regional superintendents of schools. Removes a prerequisite for eligibility to file a petition at a primary election for nomination as a candidate for the office of regional superintendent of schools that requires a person to be engaged for at least 2 years of the 4 previous years in full-time teaching or supervising in the common public schools or serving as a county superintendent of schools or regional superintendent of schools for an educational service region in this State. Effective immediately.  House Rules.

House Bill 5377—Tryon. Amends the Illinois Pension Code in relation to the 5 State-funded retirement systems. Decreases annual increases (COLAs) for certain persons who first became participants before January 1, 2011 and did not begin to receive a retirement annuity before the effective date of this amendatory Act. Provides that the automatic annual increases shall be (1) 3% of the first $50,000 of the annual total annuity payable at the time of the increase, and (2) if the annual total annuity payable at the time of the increase exceeds $50,000, a percentage of that excess equal to the lesser of 3% or one-half of the annual unadjusted percentage increase (but not less than zero) in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.  House Rules.

House Bill 5628—Yarbrough.  Provides that the purpose of the Act is to ensure that children and youth who are parents, expectant parents, or the victims of domestic or sexual violence are identified by schools in a manner respectful of their privacy and safety; treated with dignity and regard; and provided the protection, instruction, and related support services necessary to enable them to meet State educational standards and successfully attain a high school diploma. Amends the School Code and the Illinois School Student Records Act to make changes concerning definitions, the transfer of students, the suspension or expulsion of pupils, home instruction, the review and revision of policies, confidentiality, specially trained personnel, accommodations and services, alternative public schools, the identification, evaluation, and placement of children with disabilities, an exception to the prohibition on unfunded mandates, compulsory school attendance, charter schools, and the right to inspect and copy school student permanent and temporary records. Effective immediately.  House Rules.

House bill 5687—Lilly.  Amends the School Code. Creates the Eradicate Domestic Violence Task Force. Requires the Eradicate Domestic Violence Task Force to develop a statewide effective and feasible prevention course for high school students designed to prevent interpersonal, adolescent violence based on the Step Back Program at Oak Park and River Forest High School. Sets forth the duties of the task force, the composition of the task force, and the underlying purposes of the task force. Effective immediately.   House Rules.

House Bill 5573—Sosnowski.  Amends the School Code. Creates the Tuition Voucher Program Task Force to study the feasibility of a statewide tuition voucher program. Requires the State Board of Education to provide administrative and other support to the task force. Requires the task force to file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly. Sets forth topics that the report must include. Provides that upon filing its report, the task force is dissolved.  House Rules.

House Bill 5575—Eddy.  Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. With respect to any State statute or administrative rule that defines a general education classroom to be composed of a certain percentage of students with individualized education programs (IEPs), provides that students with individualized education programs shall exclude students for whom instruction in the general education classroom does not require modification to the content of the general education curriculum (instead of excluding students receiving only speech services outside of the general education classroom, provided that the instruction the students receive in the general education classroom does not require modification). Effective immediately.  House Rules.

House Bill 5709—Ford. Creates the School Choice Act and amends the Illinois Lottery Law and the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides findings and declarations of policy. Establishes the School Choice Program. Provides that under the program the custodian of a qualifying pupil is entitled to a School Choice Scholarship to pay for qualified education expenses at participating nonpublic schools. Requires the principal of each public school to notify custodians of qualifying pupils of the availability of scholarships. Requires custodians to apply to the State Board of Education for a scholarship and provide documentation as to eligibility. Requires the State Board to issue a scholarship to custodians who have made proper application and to honor the scholarship when presented for payment by a nonpublic school. Provides for the amount of a scholarship. Provides that the scholarship may be renewed each year through the 12th grade so long as the pupil and custodian remain eligible. Contains funding provisions. Provides that the amount received under the program shall not be considered base income for purposes of Illinois’ income tax. Requires the State Board to submit a report to the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2017. Provides criminal penalties for certain violations. Requires the State Board to adopt rules to implement the Act. Repeals the Act on January 1, 2018. Effective immediately.  House Rules.

House Bill 5716—Ford. Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to establish a standard student expulsion policy that applies to each school district in this State. Requires a district’s pupil discipline policy to conform to the standard student expulsion policy. Requires a school board to furnish a copy of the district’s pupil discipline policy to the parents or guardian of each pupil within 15 days after the beginning of the school year or within 15 days after starting classes for a pupil who transfers into the district during the school year and to require that each school inform its pupils of the contents of its policy (now permissive with respect to school boards other than the Chicago Board of Education).  House Rules.

House Bill 5717—Ford.  Amends the School Code. Provides that each school board must not make available food containing industrially produced trans fat or use food containing industrially produced trans fat in the preparation of a food item served to students from any source, including, but not limited to, school stores, school vending machines, school cafeterias, school food service establishments, and fundraising activities on school premises, whether or not school sponsored. Provides that the prohibition applies to all food and beverages sold on school grounds during the regular and extended school day, but does not apply to food provided through a United States Department of Agriculture meal program. Requires the State Board of Education to establish a procedure for monitoring compliance by school boards, and allows the State Board to establish appropriate penalties based on failure to comply.  House Rules.

House Bill 5727—Ford.  Amends the School Code. Creates the Chicago Educational Governance Task Force for the purpose of recommending the best structure and procedure for the governance of City of Chicago School District 299. Sets forth the composition of the Task Force and the duties of the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to report its recommendation to the General Assembly on or before May 30, 2013 as to which governance structure is best designed to serve the students of the City of Chicago.  House Rules.

House Bill 5742—Durkin.  Amends the School Code. In a provision that authorizes a school board to enter into written agreements with adjacent school districts to provide for tuition-free attendance by a student of the adjacent district (when requested by the student or parent) if both districts determine that the student’s health or safety will be served by such attendance, specifies that factors contributing to a student’s health and safety shall include chronic bullying. Provides that the rejection of a request by either district may be appealed by the student or parent to the regional superintendent of schools, who may require that the districts enter into such an agreement. Effective immediately.  House Rules.

House Bill 5825—Chapa LaVia.  Amends the School Code to provide that, except for those children qualifying under the Article of the Code concerning children with disabilities, school districts shall be eligible to receive reimbursement for all children requiring home or hospital instruction at not more than $1,000 annually per child or $9,000 (instead of $8,000) per teacher, whichever is less.  House Rules.

House Bill 5827—Chapa LaVia.  Amends the School Code. Makes changes concerning the legal adviser of school officers, budgets and accounting practices, the new principal mentoring program, a task force concerning the inspection and review of school facilities, a task force concerning school wellness policies, joint educational program agreements, supervisory expenses, State aid claims, dropouts, charter school proposals, and reporting on the number of Chicago high school students enrolled in courses at a community college. Repeals Sections concerning a block grant report, granting and suspending teachers’ certificates, visiting charitable institutions, information furnished by regional superintendents, service evaluation reports, the Committee of Cooperative Services, and alternative learning opportunities program funding. Amends the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act to repeal a Section concerning an advisory committee. Repeals the Chicago Community Schools Study Commission Act.  House Rules.

House Bill 5898—Fortner.  Amends the Transitional Bilingual Education Article of the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to implement the recommendations of the Advisory Council on Bilingual Education contained in the Council’s December 2011 report before the 2012-2013 school year. Effective immediately.  House Rules.

Senate Bill 2850—Luechtefeld.  Amends the State aid formula provisions of the School Code. With respect to the compilation of average daily attendance, removes a provisions allowing days of attendance to be less than 5 clock hours on the opening and closing of the school term, and upon the first day of pupil attendance, if preceded by a day or days utilized as an institute or teachers’ workshop. Effective June 30, 2013.  Second Reading Senate.

Senate Bill 2566—Sullivan and Eddy. Amends the School Code. Provides that the Streamlining Illinois’ Regional Offices of Education Commission shall submit its final report on or before April 1, 2012 (instead of August 1, 2012), and abolishes the Commission on April 2, 2012 (instead of August 2, 2012). Effective immediately.  Passed Senate.  Now in House Rules.

Senate Bill 3168—Link.  Amends the State Employees Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that an annuitant who accepts temporary employment from a department for total compensation of less than $30,000 during a calendar year is not considered to make a re-entry after retirement. Amends the School Code. Prohibits a school board from hiring multiple people who are retired and are receiving a retirement annuity under the Teachers’ Retirement System of the State of Illinois in order to fill, as a group, a teaching position that would ordinarily be occupied by a single, full-time teacher. Provides that this prohibition does not apply if the school board determines that there is a subject or administrative position shortage that would require action, in which case the school board must apply for an exemption under a Section of the Illinois Pension Code relating to returning to teaching in a subject shortage area. Effective immediately.  Senate Pensions and Investments.

Senate Bill 3239—Martinez and Collins.  Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that there shall be a moratorium on school closings, consolidations, and phase-outs in the school district in the 2012-2013 school year. Provides that any of these actions that are subsequently appropriate must be carried out no sooner than the end of the 2013-2014 school year, subject to any new set of requirements adopted by the General Assembly. During this moratorium period, requires the district to establish polices that address and remedy the academic performance of schools in which Illinois Standards Achievement Test scores reflect students performing at or below 75%. Requires these policies to establish clear criteria or processes for establishing criteria for making school facility decisions and include clear criteria for setting priorities with respect to school openings, school closings, school consolidations, school turnarounds, school phase-outs, school construction, school repairs, school modernizations, school boundary changes, and other related school facility decisions, including the encouragement of multiple community uses for school space. Effective immediately.  Senate Education.

Senate Bill 3244—Frerichs.  Amends the School Code. Provides that as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2012-2013 school year or a subsequent school year must successfully complete 4 (instead of 3) years of mathematics. Effective immediately. Senate Education.

Senate Bill 3259—Lightford.  Amends the School Code. Increases the compulsory school age from 17 to 18 years of age; makes related changes. Effective July 1, 2012.  Senate Education.

Senate Bill 3362—Lightford.  Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that each year, 2 months prior to the district’s September student membership survey, (1) the maximum number of students assigned to each teacher who is teaching courses in public school classrooms for prekindergarten through grade 3 may not exceed 18 students; (2) the maximum number of students assigned to each teacher who is teaching courses in public school classrooms for grades 4 through 8 may not exceed 22 students; and the maximum number of students assigned to each teacher who is teaching courses in public school classrooms for grades 9 through 12 may not exceed 25 students, which maximums must be maintained after the September student membership survey. Sets forth exceptions and provisions concerning the annual calculation of class size measures, reporting on class size, an implementation plan and schedule, and imposition of a civil penalty. Effective immediately.  Senate Assignments.

Senate Bill 3367—Garrett.  Amends the School Code and the Illinois Vehicle Code. Makes changes concerning notification of the public hearing on a waiver or modification of a mandate within the School Code or administrative rules and waivers and modifications for contracting with a commercial driver training school. Makes changes concerning driver education course reimbursement, the adoption of standards for driver education and driver education course content, a report on the per capita driver education cost for school districts, and the safety testing of motor vehicles used for driver education training. Effective January 1, 2013.  Senate Assignments.

Senate Bill 3374—Holmes.  Amends the School Code. Establishes the Physical Development and Health Task Force to make recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly on certain goals of the Illinois Learning Standards for Physical Development and Health. Requires the task force to focus on updating the standards based on research in neuroscience that impacts the relationship between physical activity and learning. Provides that on or before August 31, 2013, the task force must vote on its recommendations and file a report with the Governor and the General Assembly. Repeals these provisions on September 1, 2013. Effective immediately.  Senate Assignments.

Senate Bill 3393—Steans. Amends the Certification of Teachers Article of the School Code. Changes provisions concerning the reinstatement of a lapsed certificate by providing that lapsed certificates may be immediately reinstated upon payment by the applicant to the State Board of Education of (1) any and all back fees, including without limitation registration fees, owed from the time of expiration of the certificate until the date of reinstatement; and (2) a $500 penalty or the demonstration of proficiency by completing 9 semester hours of coursework from a regionally accredited institution of higher education in the content area that most aligns with the educator’s endorsement area or areas; provided that, until September 1, 2012, certificates that have lapsed solely for the failure to pay a registration fee may be immediately reinstated upon payment only of any and all back fees, including without limitation registration fees, owed from the time of expiration of the certificate until the date of reinstatement. Provides that any and all back fees and penalty amounts shall be deposited by the State Board of Education into the Teacher Certificate Fee Revolving Fund. Effective immediately.  Senate Assignments.

Senate Bill 3394—Martinez. Amends the Chicago School District Article of the School Code. Provides that there shall be no reduction in teachers because of a decrease in student membership or a change in subject requirements within the attendance center organization after the first day (instead of the 20th day following the first day) of the school year, except under certain circumstances.  Senate Assignments.

Senate Bill 3408—Silverstein.  Amends the School Code. Provides that each school board must not (1) make available to a student any food or beverage that contains any amount of industrially produced trans fat or (2) use a food that contains any industrially produced trans fat in the preparation of a food item or beverage that is intended for consumption by a student. Provides that the prohibition applies to all food and beverages made available to a student on school grounds during each school day and extended school day, including, but not limited to, a food or beverage item made available to a student in a school cafeteria, school store, vending machine, or other food service entity existing upon school grounds or through any fundraising effort conducted by one or more students, teachers, or parents. Provides that the prohibition does not apply to any food or beverage that is made available to a student as part of a meal program of the United States Department of Agriculture.  Senate Assignments.

Senate Bill 3410—Silverstein.  Amends the School Code. Provides that a school board’s concussion and head injury policy must require that a student athlete who is suspected of sustaining a concussion or head injury in a practice or game be removed from play at that time. Requires the policy to provide that a student athlete who has been removed from play may not return to play until the student athlete is evaluated by a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries and the student athlete receives written clearance to return to play from that health care provider. Makes technical changes having a revisory function.  Senate Assignments.

Senate Bill 3415—Garrett.  Amends the School Code. Makes changes to the provisions concerning attacks on school personnel and firearms in schools regarding the types and locations of incidents to be reported, respectively, and the reporting procedures. Makes changes to a provision concerning reporting drug-related incidents in schools regarding the reporting procedures. Provides that all school officials, including teachers, guidance counselors, and support staff, shall immediately notify the office of the principal in the event that they observe any person who is a student in grade 6 through 12 or any person not a student commit certain specified offenses. Provides that upon receiving a report from any school official or from any other person, the principal or his or her designee shall immediately notify a local law enforcement agency and require a report to be completed. Sets forth provisions concerning the law enforcement agency’s actions if the person found to have committed the offense is a minor. Makes changes to the provision concerning reporting firearms in schools in the Chicago School District Article. Makes other changes. Effective August 1, 2012.  Senate Assignments.

Senate Bill 3495—Schoenberg.  Amends the School Code. Makes changes to the provisions concerning attacks on school personnel and firearms in schools regarding the types and locations of incidents to be reported, respectively, and the reporting procedures. Makes changes to a provision concerning reporting drug-related incidents in schools regarding the reporting procedures. Provides that all school officials, including teachers, guidance counselors, and support staff, shall immediately notify the office of the principal in the event that they observe any person who is a student in grade 6 through 12 or any person not a student commit certain specified offenses. Provides that upon receiving a report from any school official or from any other person, the principal or his or her designee shall immediately notify a local law enforcement agency and require a report to be completed. Sets forth provisions concerning the law enforcement agency’s actions if the person found to have committed the offense is a minor. Makes changes to the provision concerning reporting firearms in schools in the Chicago School District Article. Makes other changes. Effective August 1, 2012.  Senate Assignments.

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