Bill Text: IL HB2966 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to analyze the use of grant fund requests for a consolidation analysis or consolidation expenses in relation to the School District Reorganization Feasibility Studies. Requires the State Board to create a list of overlapping or bordering school districts with the most similar operating tax rates and percentage of adequacy funding per pupil. Requires the State Board to communicate to the superintendents and school boards of those school districts on the list that the State Board's analysis makes the school district a good candidate for the grant funds. Requires the school board to hold a public hearing to review the State Board's written communication and decide whether to apply for the grant funds. Requires the State Board to report to the General Assembly as to whether the school districts on the list applied for the grant funds, whether a grant was awarded, and what, if any, State Board action was taken in response to the grant-funded consolidation analysis. Requires the State Board to also provide to interested school districts a list of neutral parties to conduct an independent consolidation analysis with the grant funds.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-06 - Referred to Rules Committee [HB2966 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB2966-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB2966 Introduced , by Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new
Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to analyze the use of grant fund requests for a consolidation analysis or consolidation expenses in relation to the School District Reorganization Feasibility Studies. Requires the State Board to create a list of overlapping or bordering school districts with the most similar operating tax rates and percentage of adequacy funding per pupil. Requires the State Board to communicate to the superintendents and school boards of those school districts on the list that the State Board's analysis makes the school district a good candidate for the grant funds. Requires the school board to hold a public hearing to review the State Board's written communication and decide whether to apply for the grant funds. Requires the State Board to report to the General Assembly as to whether the school districts on the list applied for the grant funds, whether a grant was awarded, and what, if any, State Board action was taken in response to the grant-funded consolidation analysis. Requires the State Board to also provide to interested school districts a list of neutral parties to conduct an independent consolidation analysis with the grant funds.
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A BILL FOR
HB2966 LRB104 11974 LNS 22068 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
2-3.206 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new)
Sec. 2-3.206. School district consolidation analysis. The
State Board of Education shall analyze the use of grant fund
requests for a consolidation analysis or consolidation
expenses in relation to the School District Reorganization
Feasibility Studies. The State Board shall create a list of
overlapping or bordering school districts with the most
similar operating tax rates and percentage of adequacy funding
per pupil. This list shall be long enough to use the available
grant funds, with an alternate list available.
The State Board shall communicate, in writing, to the
superintendents and school boards of those school districts on
the list that the State Board's analysis makes the school
district a good candidate for the grant funds. The school
board shall hold a public hearing, which may occur during a
regular or special meeting, to review the State Board's
written communication and decide whether to apply for the
grant funds. The State Board shall report to the General

HB2966 - 2 - LRB104 11974 LNS 22068 b
Assembly as to whether the school districts on the list
applied for the grant funds, whether a grant was awarded, and
what, if any, State Board action was taken in response to the
grant-funded consolidation analysis.
The State Board shall also provide to interested school
districts a list of neutral parties to conduct an independent
consolidation analysis with the grant funds.