Bill Amendment: IL HB2509 | 2019-2020 | 101st General Assembly

NOTE: For additional amemendments please see the Bill Drafting List

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Bill Title: WESTERN CIVILIZATION DEGREE

Status: 2019-03-29 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB2509 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2019-HB2509-House_Amendment_001.html

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Rep. Deanne M. Mazzochi

Filed: 3/27/2019

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AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2509
AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2509 by replacing
everything after the enacting clause with the following:
"Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Fundamental Issues and Texts of Western Civilization Degree
Pilot Program Act.
Section 5. Fundamental Issues and Texts of Western
Civilization Degree pilot program.
(a) Subject to appropriation, beginning with the 2020-2021
academic year or, if funds are not appropriated for the program
that academic year, beginning with the academic year in which
funds are appropriated for the program, the State Board of
Education, Illinois Community College Board, and Board of
Higher Education must develop and implement the Fundamental
Issues and Texts of Western Civilization Degree pilot program.
Under the program, one public high school, one public community

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college, and one public university in this State shall be
chosen to develop a competency-based baccalaureate degree
program that focuses on the fundamental issues and texts of
western civilization. The goals of the program must include all
of the following:
(1) To prepare students who complete the program with
the requisite problem-solving, inquiry, and communication
skills needed for employment or further graduate study.
(2) To use open education resources.
(3) To promote dual credit course enrollment in the
participating high school.
(4) To have a $20,000 maximum tuition rate.
(b) The curriculum of the pilot program created under this
Section must include course instruction on various periods of
western civilization in areas that include, but are not limited
to, philosophy, literature, history, religion, government and
politics, art, and architecture. The program must allow for 2
courses of instruction on global areas outside of western
civilization in areas that include, but are not limited to,
philosophy, literature, history, religion, government and
politics, art, and architecture.
Section 10. Reporting.
(a) After the first cohort of students complete the pilot
program under Section 5, the State Board of Education, Illinois
Community College Board, and Board of Higher Education must

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submit a report to the Governor and General Assembly detailing
the impact of the pilot program on all of the following:
(1) Reducing the costs of attending an institution of
higher learning and overall student loan debt.
(2) Elevating the importance of coursework in the
liberal arts.
(3) Creating a model curriculum that can be replicated
through partnerships between other institutions of higher
learning and school districts across this State.
(b) This Act is inoperative on and after the State Board of
Education, Illinois Community College Board, and Board of
Higher Education submit the report required under subsection
(a).
Section 90. Rules. The Illinois Community College Board, in
consultation with the State Board of Education and the Board of
Higher Education, must adopt rules to implement this Act.".