Bill Text: IL SB1787 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Reinserts the contents of the engrossed bill with the following changes. Makes changes concerning the functions and membership of the council. Specifies that the expense reimbursement is subject to the rules of the appropriate travel control board. Provides that the State Board of Education shall provide administrative and other support to the council as needed (instead of requiring the State Board and the Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools to provide administrative and other support and specifying the categories of support). Provides that the council is dissolved and the amendatory provisions are repealed on December 31, 2031.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2023-08-04 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 103-0497 [SB1787 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB1787-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB1787 Introduced 2/9/2023, by Sen. David Koehler SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/22-95 new
Amends the School Code to create the Rural Education Advisory Council. Provides that the purpose of the council is to exchange thoughtful dialogue concerning the needs, challenges, and opportunities of rural districts and to provide policy recommendations to the State. Sets forth the functions and membership of the council. Contains provisions concerning expenses, meetings, and administrative support.
LRB103 25387 RJT 51733 b
A BILL FOR
SB1787 LRB103 25387 RJT 51733 b
AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
22-95 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/22-95 new)
Sec. 22-95. Rural Education Advisory Council.
(a) The Rural Education Advisory Council is created as a
statewide advisory council to exchange thoughtful dialogue
concerning the needs, challenges, and opportunities of rural
schools districts and to provide policy recommendations to the
State. The Council shall perform all of the following
functions:
(1) Convey and impart the perspective of rural
communities and provide context during policy discussions
on various statewide issues with the State Superintendent
of Education and State Board of Education.
(2) Present to the State Superintendent of Education
the opportunity to provide an explanation to rural
communities about the statewide perspective with regard to
various policy and legal issues, to present feedback on
critical issues facing rural communities, to generate
ideas, and to communicate information to the State

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Superintendent.
(3) Provide feedback about this State's
pre-kindergarten through grade 20 practices and policies
in order that the application of policies in rural areas
may be more fully understood.
(4) Analyze and monitor the continued impact of the
implementation of Public Act 100-465 on school districts
and to provide a rural perspective on the continued
funding challenges faced by schools.
(b) The Council shall consist of all of the following
members:
(1) The State Superintendent of Education or his or
her designee.
(2) The Executive Director of the Association of
Illinois Rural and Small Schools or his or her designee
appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
(3) The Executive Director of the Illinois Community
College Board or his or her designee.
(4) Five superintendents of rural school districts who
represent 3 super-regions of this State recommended by the
Executive Director of the Association of Illinois Rural
and Small Schools and appointed by the State
Superintendent of Education.
(5) One principal from a rural school district
recommended by the Illinois Principal Association and
appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

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(6) One representative from the Illinois Association
of School Boards appointed by the State Superintendent of
Education.
(7) One representative from the Board of Directors of
the Illinois Association of School Administrators
appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
(8) The President of the Illinois Association of
Regional School Superintendents or his or her designee
appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
(9) One student who is at least 16 years old and who is
from a rural school district that is eligible under the
federal Rural Education Achievement Program appointed by
the State Superintendent of Education from a list of
students nominated by school principals.
Council members shall serve without compensation, but
shall be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary
expenses from funds appropriated to the State Board of
Education for that purpose.
(c) The Council shall meet initially at the call of the
State Superintendent of Education, shall select one member as
chairperson at its initial meeting, and shall thereafter meet
at the call of the chairperson.
(d) The State Board of Education shall provide
administrative and other support to the Council, with
assistance from the Association of Illinois Rural and Small
Schools. Support shall include all of the following:

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(1) To collaborate with the State Superintendent of
Education to create a clear and strategically focused
agenda with expected outcomes.
(2) To gather input from the Council and other
stakeholders to ensure that meetings are productive.
(3) To coordinate with presenters to ensure that
presentations are designed to prompt discussions and
problem solving.
(4) To assist with necessary research and content
creation between Council meetings.
(5) To cooperate with other State agencies and the
General Assembly to assist in keeping the Council informed
of major policy developments that may impact rural schools
and students.
(6) To take meeting minutes and work with the Council
to ensure that Open Meetings Act requirements are
satisfied.