Bill Text: IL HB3492 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to select and enter into a 5-year agreement with a private organization to operate and administer a board examination system that has been approved by an interstate compact on board examination systems and that includes (1) a coherent group of courses that collectively constitutes a core curriculum at the high school level; (2) a comprehensive syllabus for each course; (3) appropriate instructional and teaching materials for each course; (4) high quality examinations that are closely aligned with the course syllabus; (5) professional scoring of examinations; and (6) teacher education that is designed to train teachers to properly teach those courses. Sets forth the duties of the private organization and the State Board. Requires the private organization to develop the Prairie State diploma. Allows school districts and charter schools to choose to offer a Prairie State diploma beginning in the 2013-2014 school year; allows the Prairie State diploma to be awarded at the end of grade 10 or during or at the end of grade 11 or 12; and requires students who elect to pursue a Prairie State diploma to participate in the board examination system. Makes related changes in Sections concerning recognition standards, State assessments, school board powers, and required high school courses.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 4-0)

Status: (Failed) 2013-01-08 - Session Sine Die [HB3492 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-HB3492-Introduced.html

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97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2011 and 2012 HB3492 Introduced 2/24/2011, by Rep. Michael Unes - Darlene J. Senger - Kay Hatcher - Richard Morthland SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
See Index
Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to select and enter into a 5-year agreement with a private organization to operate and administer a board examination system that has been approved by an interstate compact on board examination systems and that includes (1) a coherent group of courses that collectively constitutes a core curriculum at the high school level; (2) a comprehensive syllabus for each course; (3) appropriate instructional and teaching materials for each course; (4) high quality examinations that are closely aligned with the course syllabus; (5) professional scoring of examinations; and (6) teacher education that is designed to train teachers to properly teach those courses. Sets forth the duties of the private organization and the State Board. Requires the private organization to develop the Prairie State diploma. Allows school districts and charter schools to choose to offer a Prairie State diploma beginning in the 2013-2014 school year; allows the Prairie State diploma to be awarded at the end of grade 10 or during or at the end of grade 11 or 12; and requires students who elect to pursue a Prairie State diploma to participate in the board examination system. Makes related changes in Sections concerning recognition standards, State assessments, school board powers, and required high school courses.
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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT
A BILL FOR
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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 changing Sections
2-3.25a, 2-3.64, and 27-22 and by adding Sections 10-20.53 and
34-18.45 and Article 27B as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/2-3.25a) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.25a)
Sec. 2-3.25a. "School district" defined; additional
standards.
(a) For the purposes of this Section and Sections 3.25b,
3.25c, 3.25d, 3.25e, and 3.25f of this Code, "school district"
includes other public entities responsible for administering
public schools, such as cooperatives, joint agreements,
charter schools, special charter districts, regional offices
of education, local agencies, and the Department of Human
Services.
(b) In addition to the standards established pursuant to
Section 2-3.25, the State Board of Education shall develop
recognition standards for student performance and school
improvement in all public schools operated by school districts.
The indicators to determine adequate yearly progress shall be
limited to the State assessment of student performance in
reading and mathematics, student attendance rates at the

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elementary school level, graduation rates at the high school
level, and participation rates on student assessments. The
standards shall be designed to permit the measurement of
student performance and school improvement by schools and
school districts compared to student performance and school
improvement for the preceding academic years. The State Board
of Education shall determine appropriate modifications to the
standards for schools that participate in the board examination
system prescribed in Article 27B of this Code.
(Source: P.A. 96-734, eff. 8-25-09.)
(105 ILCS 5/2-3.64) (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.64)
Sec. 2-3.64. State goals and assessment.
(a) Beginning in the 1998-1999 school year, the State Board
of Education shall establish standards and periodically, in
collaboration with local school districts, conduct studies of
student performance in the learning areas of fine arts and
physical development/health.
Beginning with the 1998-1999 school year until the
2004-2005 school year, the State Board of Education shall
annually test: (i) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 5th, and 8th
grades in English language arts (reading, writing, and English
grammar) and mathematics; and (ii) all pupils enrolled in the
4th and 7th grades in the biological and physical sciences and
the social sciences (history, geography, civics, economics,
and government). Unless the testing required to be implemented

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no later than the 2005-2006 school year under this subsection
(a) is implemented for the 2004-2005 school year, for the
2004-2005 school year, the State Board of Education shall test:
(i) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 5th, and 8th grades in
English language arts (reading and English grammar) and
mathematics and (ii) all pupils enrolled in the 4th and 7th
grades in the biological and physical sciences. The maximum
time allowed for all actual testing required under this
paragraph shall not exceed 25 hours, as allocated among the
required tests by the State Board of Education, across all
grades tested.
Beginning no later than the 2005-2006 school year, the
State Board of Education shall annually test: (i) all pupils
enrolled in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in
reading and mathematics and (ii) all pupils enrolled in the 4th
and 7th grades in the biological and physical sciences. In
addition, the State Board of Education shall test (1) all
pupils enrolled in the 5th and 8th grades in writing during the
2006-2007 school year; (2) all pupils enrolled in the 5th, 6th,
and 8th grades in writing during the 2007-2008 school year; and
(3) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 8th grades in
writing during the 2008-2009 school year and each school year
thereafter. After the addition of grades and change in subjects
as delineated in this paragraph and including whatever other
tests that may be approved from time to time no later than the
2005-2006 school year, the maximum time allowed for all State

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testing in grades 3 through 8 shall not exceed 38 hours across
those grades.
Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, the State Board
of Education shall not test pupils under this subsection (a) in
physical development and health, fine arts, and the social
sciences (history, geography, civics, economics, and
government). The State Board of Education shall not test pupils
under this subsection (a) in writing during the 2005-2006
school year.
The State Board of Education shall establish the academic
standards that are to be applicable to pupils who are subject
to State tests under this Section beginning with the 1998-1999
school year. However, the State Board of Education shall not
establish any such standards in final form without first
providing opportunities for public participation and local
input in the development of the final academic standards. Those
opportunities shall include a well-publicized period of public
comment, public hearings throughout the State, and
opportunities to file written comments. Beginning with the
1998-99 school year and thereafter, the State tests will
identify pupils in the 3rd grade or 5th grade who do not meet
the State standards.
If, by performance on the State tests or local assessments
or by teacher judgment, a student's performance is determined
to be 2 or more grades below current placement, the student
shall be provided a remediation program developed by the

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district in consultation with a parent or guardian. Such
remediation programs may include, but shall not be limited to,
increased or concentrated instructional time, a remedial
summer school program of not less than 90 hours, improved
instructional approaches, tutorial sessions, retention in
grade, and modifications to instructional materials. Each
pupil for whom a remediation program is developed under this
subsection shall be required to enroll in and attend whatever
program the district determines is appropriate for the pupil.
Districts may combine students in remediation programs where
appropriate and may cooperate with other districts in the
design and delivery of those programs. The parent or guardian
of a student required to attend a remediation program under
this Section shall be given written notice of that requirement
by the school district a reasonable time prior to commencement
of the remediation program that the student is to attend. The
State shall be responsible for providing school districts with
the new and additional funding, under Section 2-3.51.5 or by
other or additional means, that is required to enable the
districts to operate remediation programs for the pupils who
are required to enroll in and attend those programs under this
Section. Every individualized educational program as described
in Article 14 shall identify if the State test or components
thereof are appropriate for that student. The State Board of
Education shall develop rules and regulations governing the
administration of alternative tests prescribed within each

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student's individualized educational program which are
appropriate to the disability of each student.
All pupils who are in a State approved transitional
bilingual education program or transitional program of
instruction shall participate in the State tests. The time
allotted to take the State tests, however, may be extended as
determined by the State Board of Education by rule. Any student
who has been enrolled in a State approved bilingual education
program less than 3 cumulative academic years may take an
accommodated Limited English Proficient student academic
content assessment, as determined by the State Board of
Education, if the student's lack of English as determined by an
English language proficiency test would keep the student from
understanding the regular State test. If the school district
determines, on a case-by-case individual basis, that a Limited
English Proficient student academic content assessment would
likely yield more accurate and reliable information on what the
student knows and can do, the school district may make a
determination to assess the student using a Limited English
Proficient student academic content assessment for a period
that does not exceed 2 additional consecutive years, provided
that the student has not yet reached a level of English
language proficiency sufficient to yield valid and reliable
information on what the student knows and can do on the regular
State test.
Reasonable accommodations as prescribed by the State Board

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of Education shall be provided for individual students in the
testing procedure. All test procedures prescribed by the State
Board of Education shall require: (i) that each test used for
State and local student testing under this Section identify by
name the pupil taking the test; (ii) that the name of the pupil
taking the test be placed on the test at the time the test is
taken; (iii) that the results or scores of each test taken
under this Section by a pupil of the school district be
reported to that district and identify by name the pupil who
received the reported results or scores; and (iv) that the
results or scores of each test taken under this Section be made
available to the parents of the pupil. In addition, in each
school year the scores attained by a student on the Prairie
State Achievement Examination administered under subsection
(c) of this Section and any Prairie State Achievement Awards
received by the student shall become part of the student's
permanent record and shall be entered on the student's
transcript pursuant to regulations that the State Board of
Education shall promulgate for that purpose in accordance with
Section 3 and subsection (e) of Section 2 of the Illinois
School Student Records Act. Beginning with the 1998-1999 school
year and in every school year thereafter, scores received by
students on the State assessment tests administered in grades 3
through 8 shall be placed into students' temporary records.
The State Board of Education shall establish a period of
time, to be referred to as the State test window, in each

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school year for which State testing shall occur to meet the
objectives of this Section. However, if the schools of a
district are closed and classes are not scheduled during any
week that is established by the State Board of Education as the
State test window, the school district may (at the discretion
of the State Board of Education) move its State test window one
week earlier or one week later than the established State test
window, so long as the school district gives the State Board of
Education written notice of its intention to deviate from the
established schedule by December 1 of the school year in which
falls the State test window established by the State Board of
Education for the testing.
(a-5) All tests administered pursuant to this Section shall
be academically based. For the purposes of this Section
"academically based tests" shall mean tests consisting of
questions and answers that are measurable and quantifiable to
measure the knowledge, skill, and ability of students in the
subject matters covered by tests. The scoring of academically
based tests shall be reliable, valid, unbiased and shall meet
the guidelines for test development and use prescribed by the
American Psychological Association, the National Council of
Measurement and Evaluation, and the American Educational
Research Association. Academically based tests shall not
include assessments or evaluations of attitudes, values, or
beliefs, or testing of personality, self-esteem, or
self-concept. Nothing in this amendatory Act is intended, nor

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shall it be construed, to nullify, supersede, or contradict the
legislative intent on academic testing expressed during the
passage of HB 1005/P.A. 90-296. Nothing in this Section is
intended, nor shall it be construed, to nullify, supersede, or
contradict the legislative intent on academic testing
expressed in the preamble of this amendatory Act of the 93rd
General Assembly.
The State Board of Education shall monitor the use of short
answer questions in the math and reading assessments or in
other assessments in order to demonstrate that the use of short
answer questions results in a statistically significant
improvement in student achievement as measured on the State
assessments for math and reading or on other State assessments
and is justifiable in terms of cost and student performance.
(b) It shall be the policy of the State to encourage school
districts to continuously test pupil proficiency in the
fundamental learning areas in order to: (i) provide timely
information on individual students' performance relative to
State standards that is adequate to guide instructional
strategies; (ii) improve future instruction; and (iii)
complement the information provided by the State testing system
described in this Section. To assist school districts in
testing pupil proficiency in reading in the primary grades, the
State Board shall make optional reading inventories for
diagnostic purposes available to each school district that
requests such assistance. Districts that administer the

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reading inventories may develop remediation programs for
students who perform in the bottom half of the student
population. Those remediation programs may be funded by moneys
provided under the School Safety and Educational Improvement
Block Grant Program established under Section 2-3.51.5.
(c) Beginning with the 2000-2001 school year, each school
district that operates a high school program for students in
grades 9 through 12 shall annually administer the Prairie State
Achievement Examination established under this subsection to
its students as set forth below. The Prairie State Achievement
Examination shall be developed by the State Board of Education
to measure student performance in the academic areas of
reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social sciences.
Beginning with the 2004-2005 school year, however, the State
Board of Education shall not test a student in the social
sciences (history, geography, civics, economics, and
government) as part of the Prairie State Achievement
Examination unless the student is retaking the Prairie State
Achievement Examination in the fall of 2004. In addition, the
State Board of Education shall not test a student in writing as
part of the Prairie State Achievement Examination during the
2005-2006 school year. The State Board of Education shall
establish the academic standards that are to apply in measuring
student performance on the Prairie State Achievement
Examination including the minimum examination score in each
area that will qualify a student to receive a Prairie State

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Achievement Award from the State in recognition of the
student's excellent performance. Each school district that is
subject to the requirements of this subsection (c) shall afford
all students one opportunity to take the Prairie State
Achievement Examination beginning as late as practical during
the spring semester of grade 11, but in no event before March
1. The State Board of Education shall annually notify districts
of the weeks during which this test administration shall be
required to occur. Every individualized educational program as
described in Article 14 shall identify if the Prairie State
Achievement Examination or components thereof are appropriate
for that student. Each student, exclusive of a student whose
individualized educational program developed under Article 14
identifies the Prairie State Achievement Examination as
inappropriate for the student, shall be required to take the
examination in grade 11. For each academic area the State Board
of Education shall establish the score that qualifies for the
Prairie State Achievement Award on that portion of the
examination. Districts shall inform their students of the
timelines and procedures applicable to their participation in
every yearly administration of the Prairie State Achievement
Examination. Students receiving special education services
whose individualized educational programs identify the Prairie
State Achievement Examination as inappropriate for them
nevertheless shall have the option of taking the examination,
which shall be administered to those students in accordance

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with standards adopted by the State Board of Education to
accommodate the respective disabilities of those students. A
student who successfully completes all other applicable high
school graduation requirements but fails to receive a score on
the Prairie State Achievement Examination that qualifies the
student for receipt of a Prairie State Achievement Award shall
nevertheless qualify for the receipt of a regular high school
diploma. In no case, however, shall a student receive a regular
high school diploma without taking the Prairie State
Achievement Examination, unless the student is exempted from
taking the Prairie State Achievement Examination under this
subsection (c) because (i) the student's individualized
educational program developed under Article 14 of this Code
identifies the Prairie State Achievement Examination as
inappropriate for the student, (ii) the student is exempt due
to the student's lack of English language proficiency under
subsection (a) of this Section, (iii) the student is enrolled
in a program of Adult and Continuing Education as defined in
the Adult Education Act, (iv) the school district is not
required to test the individual student for purposes of
accountability under federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
requirements, or (v) the student is otherwise identified by the
State Board of Education through rules as being exempt from the
assessment.
For the purpose of receiving a Prairie State Achievement
Award, a score as determined by the State Board of Education on

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a board examination prescribed in Article 27B of this Code may
be substituted for scores on the Prairie State Achievement
Examination if a pupil who is in grade 12 has previously taken
the board examination and has not achieved the minimum score
required to earn a Prairie State diploma.
(d) Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year, all schools
in this State that are part of the sample drawn by the National
Center for Education Statistics, in collaboration with their
school districts and the State Board of Education, shall
administer the biennial State academic assessments of 4th and
8th grade reading and mathematics under the National Assessment
of Educational Progress carried out under Section 411(b)(2) of
the National Education Statistics Act of 1994 (20 U.S.C. 9010)
if the Secretary of Education pays the costs of administering
the assessments.
(e) Beginning no later than the 2005-2006 school year,
subject to available federal funds to this State for the
purpose of student assessment, the State Board of Education
shall provide additional tests and assessment resources that
may be used by school districts for local diagnostic purposes.
These tests and resources shall include without limitation
additional high school writing, physical development and
health, and fine arts assessments. The State Board of Education
shall annually distribute a listing of these additional tests
and resources, using funds available from appropriations made
for student assessment purposes.

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(f) For the assessment and accountability purposes of this
Section, "all pupils" includes those pupils enrolled in a
public or State-operated elementary school, secondary school,
or cooperative or joint agreement with a governing body or
board of control, a charter school operating in compliance with
the Charter Schools Law, a school operated by a regional office
of education under Section 13A-3 of this Code, or a public
school administered by a local public agency or the Department
of Human Services.
(Source: P.A. 96-430, eff. 8-13-09; 96-1000, eff. 7-2-10.)
(105 ILCS 5/10-20.53 new)
Sec. 10-20.53. Board examination system. A school board may
contract with the private organization that is approved by the
State Board of Education pursuant to Section 27B-15 of this
Code to provide approved board examination systems for the
schools in the school district.
If a school district decides not to participate in the
board examination system prescribed in Article 27B of this
Code, pupils enrolled in that school district may earn a
Prairie State diploma by obtaining a passing score on the same
board examinations.
(105 ILCS 5/27-22) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-22)
Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses.
(a) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,

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each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 1984-1985 school year
through the 2004-2005 school year must, in addition to other
course requirements, successfully complete the following
courses:
(1) three years of language arts;
(2) two years of mathematics, one of which may be
related to computer technology;
(3) one year of science;
(4) two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government;
and
(5) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
Sign Language or (D) vocational education.
(b) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2005-2006 school year
must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully
complete all of the following courses:
(1) Three years of language arts.
(2) Three years of mathematics.
(3) One year of science.
(4) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government.
(5) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)

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foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.
(c) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2006-2007 school year
must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully
complete all of the following courses:
(1) Three years of language arts.
(2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of
which must be English and the other of which may be English
or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive
courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other
graduation requirements.
(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
Algebra I and one of which must include geometry content.
(4) One year of science.
(5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government.
(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.
(d) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2007-2008 school year
must, in addition to other course requirements, successfully
complete all of the following courses:
(1) Three years of language arts.

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(2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of
which must be English and the other of which may be English
or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive
courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other
graduation requirements.
(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
Algebra I and one of which must include geometry content.
(4) Two years of science.
(5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government.
(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.
(e) As a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma,
each pupil entering the 9th grade in the 2008-2009 school year
or a subsequent school year must, in addition to other course
requirements, successfully complete all of the following
courses:
(1) Four years of language arts.
(2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of
which must be English and the other of which may be English
or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive
courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other
graduation requirements.
(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be

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Algebra I and one of which must include geometry content.
(4) Two years of science.
(5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government.
(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include American
Sign Language, or (D) vocational education.
(f) The State Board of Education shall develop and inform
school districts of standards for writing-intensive
coursework.
(g) This amendatory Act of 1983 does not apply to pupils
entering the 9th grade in 1983-1984 school year and prior
school years or to students with disabilities whose course of
study is determined by an individualized education program.
This amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly does not
apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2004-2005 school
year or a prior school year or to students with disabilities
whose course of study is determined by an individualized
education program.
(h) The provisions of this Section are subject to the
provisions of Section 27-22.05.
(i) Pupils who earn a Prairie State diploma pursuant to
Article 27B of this Code are exempt from the requirements
prescribed in this Section. Pupils who earn a Prairie State
diploma are entitled to all of the rights and privileges of

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persons who graduate with a high school diploma issued pursuant
to this Section, including access to postsecondary
scholarships and other forms of student financial aid and
access to all forms of postsecondary education.
Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a pupil who
earns a Prairie State diploma may elect to remain in high
school through grade 12. A pupil who earns a Prairie State
diploma and who elects not to pursue one of the options
prescribed in Section 27B-20 of this Code may only be
readmitted to that high school or another high school in this
State pursuant to policies adopted by the school district of
readmission.
(Source: P.A. 94-676, eff. 8-24-05.)
(105 ILCS 5/Art. 27B heading new)
ARTICLE 27B. BOARD EXAMINATION SYSTEM
(105 ILCS 5/27B-5 new)
Sec. 27B-5. Declaration of purpose and policy. The
legislature declares and finds all of the following:
(1) It is in the interest of this State to greatly
increase the proportion of students who enter high school
and who subsequently leave those high schools with the
skills needed to compete effectively in a global economy
that provides world class wages only to workers with world
class skills.

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(2) It is in the interest of students in this State,
their families, and schools to provide a college and work
readiness assessment to students.
(3) The purpose of this Article is to greatly increase
the proportion of students in this State who leave high
school with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in
college in a way that does not significantly increase the
cost of high school.
(105 ILCS 5/27B-10 new)
Sec. 27B-10. Definitions. In this Article, unless the
context otherwise requires:
"Approved board examination system" means a board
examination system that has been approved by an interstate
compact on board examination systems.
"Board examination system" means a complete instructional
system that includes all of the following components:
(1) A coherent group of courses that collectively
constitutes a core curriculum at the high school level.
(2) A comprehensive syllabus for each course.
(3) Appropriate instructional and teaching materials
for each course.
(4) High quality examinations that are closely aligned
with the course syllabus.
(5) Professional scoring of examinations.
(6) Teacher education that is designed to train

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teachers to properly teach those courses.
"Prairie State diploma" means a high school diploma that is
offered to any student who demonstrates readiness for college
level mathematics and English according to standards
prescribed by an interstate compact on board examination
systems, who has passing grades on an additional set of
required approved board examinations in core academic courses
as determined by the State Board of Education, including the
arts, history, and science, and who successfully completes a
course in economics.
"Readiness for college level mathematics and English"
means that a student has the English and mathematics skills and
knowledge needed to succeed in college level courses that count
toward a degree or certificate without taking remedial or
developmental coursework.
(105 ILCS 5/27B-15 new)
Sec. 27B-15. Board examination system; private contractor;
duties.
(a) The State Board of Education shall select and enter
into a 5-year agreement with a private organization to operate
and administer the board examination system prescribed in this
Article.
(b) The private organization selected by the State Board of
Education shall do all of the following:
(1) Identify, select, and contract with a national

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organization that is devoted to issues concerning
education and the economy and that is selected by the State
Board of Education to provide technical services to develop
and maintain an interstate system of approved board
examination systems.
(2) Provide data and other information to a national
organization that is devoted to issues concerning
education and the economy and that is selected by the State
Board of Education to provide technical services the
national organization deems necessary to set appropriate
performance standards for the students in this State. The
State Board of Education shall provide data and other
information to the private organization.
(3) Conduct technical studies required by the State
Board of Education to compare the scores on approved board
examinations by the students in this State to scores on the
Prairie State Achievement Examination and other measures
deemed necessary to ensure the efficacy of the approved
board examinations. The private organization may contract
with other entities that are selected by the State Board of
Education for the purpose of conducting technical studies.
(4) In cooperation with the State Superintendent of
Education and the State Board of Education, solicit moneys
from all lawful private and public sources, including
federal moneys, to offset the costs of instruction provided
to students under this Article.

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(5) Exercise general supervision over the
implementation of the approved board examination systems
in this State for the duration of the 5-year contract.
These examination systems shall meet the following
criteria:
(A) Appear on a list of approved board examination
systems selected by the interstate compact.
(B) Be periodically modified to reflect core
standards selected by an interstate compact on board
examination systems.
(C) Have common passing scores that are prescribed
by an interstate compact on board examination systems
and that are set to the level of literacy required to
succeed in college level courses offered by public
community colleges in this State that count toward a
degree or certificate without taking remedial or
developmental coursework. The private organization, on
approval of the State Board of Education and with input
from representatives from school districts, charter
schools, public community colleges, and universities
in this State, shall designate 2 individuals to
represent this State in an interstate compact on board
examination systems to prescribe the common passing
scores prescribed in this item (C).
(6) Prepare an annual report for the State Board of
Education, which shall be forwarded to the General Assembly

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and the Governor, on the progress made toward the goals
established in this Article and provide copies to the
Secretary of State. Participating schools and the State
Board of Education shall provide data to the private
organization as needed in order to complete the annual
report.
(7) Identify, select, and represent this State on the
national governing body of an interstate compact on board
examination systems, as approved by the State Board of
Education, to enable states to collaborate in the following
areas:
(A) The selection of board examination systems for
use in those states.
(B) Providing technical assistance required to
implement the board examination systems effectively in
those states for the use of those examinations.
(C) Entering into contracts with board examination
system providers or with a national organization that
is devoted to issues concerning education and the
economy to develop new or improved board examination
systems.
(8) Select this State's representatives in an
interstate compact on board examination systems in
accordance with policies prescribed by that interstate
compact.
(c) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to carry

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out the purposes of this Section and shall select college and
career readiness examinations that are available to pupils in
grade 8, including those pupils who intend to participate in
the board examinations system in high school. The examinations
shall be selected to provide data to pupils, their families,
and schools regarding the pupil's level of preparation for
entry into a college and career readiness pathway in high
school.
(d) Pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of
Education, the State Board of Education shall develop a system
to track the academic progress of pupils who participate in the
board examination system.
(105 ILCS 5/27B-20 new)
Sec. 27B-20. Prairie State diploma.
(a) The private organization selected pursuant to Section
27B-15 of this Code shall develop the Prairie State diploma, to
be approved and adopted by the State Board of Education. School
districts and charter schools in this State may choose to offer
a Prairie State diploma beginning in the 2013-2014 school year.
A high school student who is enrolled in a school district or
charter school that offers a Prairie State diploma may choose
to pursue a Prairie State diploma.
(b) The Prairie State diploma may be awarded at the end of
grade 10 or during or at the end of grade 11 or 12 to students
who meet the criteria. Students who elect to pursue a Prairie

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State diploma shall participate in a board examination system
that consists of internationally benchmarked instructional
programs of study chosen by an interstate compact on board
examination systems.
(c) Students who earn a Prairie State diploma shall have
multiple pathways available to them and may do the following:
(1) Enroll the following fall semester in a public
community college in this State. Public community colleges
in this State shall admit students who obtain a Prairie
State diploma and who otherwise meet the qualifications for
admission without requiring those students to enroll in
remedial courses. The school district or charter school
from which the student earned the Prairie State diploma
shall include that student in the school district's or
charter school's student count and shall continue to
receive per pupil funding for a student who earns a Prairie
State diploma until that student would otherwise have
graduated at the end of grade 12, as long as that student
is enrolled in approved postsecondary studies at that
school district or charter school. The school district or
charter school shall reimburse the community college
district for the amount of operating full-time student
equivalency moneys that the community college district
would be entitled to receive if the student was enrolled as
a full-time equivalent student in a community college
district. If the student attends community college on a

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community college campus, the school district or charter
school shall reimburse the community college district for
the amount of operating and capital outlay full-time
student equivalency moneys. For the purposes of this
subdivision (1), the amount of operating full-time student
equivalency moneys shall be equivalent to the average
appropriation per full-time student equivalent for all
community college districts. Fifty percent of the
remaining balance of the per pupil funding shall be used
for teacher and pupil incentives, including scholarship
programs, and 50% shall be used for maintenance and
operations, including capital. The remaining balance of
the per pupil funding for teacher and pupil incentives,
including scholarship programs, shall be used to offset the
costs of board examinations and to provide customized
programs of assistance for students who do not pass the
board examinations. A student who earns a Prairie State
diploma may enroll in community college courses offered on
a public community college campus or a public high school
campus or both. Notwithstanding any other law to the
contrary, community college districts may not classify a
student who remains in high school pursuant to this
subdivision (1) as a full-time equivalent student.
Students who take courses on high school campuses pursuant
to this subdivision (1) are eligible to participate in
extracurricular activities, including interscholastic

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sports, through the end of grade 12.
(2) Remain in high school and enroll in additional
advanced preparation board examination programs that are
designed to prepare those students for admission to high
quality, postsecondary institutions that offer
baccalaureate degree programs. These board examination
programs shall be selected from a list approved by an
interstate compact for board examination systems. The
school district or charter school from which the student
earned the Prairie State diploma shall include that student
in the school district's or charter school's student count
and shall continue to receive per pupil funding for a
student who earns a Prairie State diploma until that
student would otherwise have graduated at the end of grade
12, as long as that student is enrolled in approved
advanced preparation board examination programs at that
school district or charter school. Students who elect to
remain in high school pursuant to this subdivision (2) are
eligible to participate in extracurricular activities,
including interscholastic sports, through the end of grade
12.
(3) Enroll in a full-time career and technical
education program offered on a public community college
campus or a public high school campus or both. Students who
elect to remain in high school pursuant to this subdivision
(3) are eligible to participate in extracurricular

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activities, including interscholastic sports, through the
end of grade 12. The school district or charter school from
which the student earned the Prairie State diploma shall
include that student in the school district's or charter
school's student count and shall continue to receive per
pupil funding for a student who earns a Prairie State
diploma until that student would otherwise have graduated
at the end of grade 12, as long as that student is enrolled
in an approved full-time career and technical education
program.
(4) Return to a traditional academic program without
completing the next level of board examination systems
curriculum.
(d) Students who pursue but do not earn a Prairie State
diploma at the end of grade 10 or 11 shall receive a customized
program of assistance during the next school year that
addresses areas in which the student demonstrated deficiencies
in the approved board examinations. These students may retake
the board examinations at the next available examination
administration. Students may choose to return to a traditional
academic program without completing the board examination
system curriculum.
(e) The private organization selected pursuant to Section
27B-15 of this Code shall develop detailed requirements for
students to earn the Prairie State diploma, as approved and
adopted by the State Board of Education, that include at least

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the following:
(1) Demonstrated skills and knowledge in English and
mathematical literacy to be successful in college level
courses offered by the public community colleges in this
State that count toward a degree or certificate without
taking remedial or developmental coursework, as determined
by an interstate compact on board examination systems.
(2) Satisfactory grades on approved board examinations
in subjects determined to be necessary to prepare a student
to enter public community college without remedial or
developmental coursework and that do not include
coursework required exclusively for entry into an
institution that awards baccalaureate degrees.
(105 ILCS 5/34-18.45 new)
Sec. 34-18.45. Board examination system. The board may
contract with the private organization that is approved by the
State Board of Education pursuant to Section 27B-15 of this
Code to provide approved board examination systems for the
schools in the school district.
If the school district decides not to participate in the
board examination system prescribed in Article 27B of this
Code, pupils enrolled in the school district may earn a Prairie
State diploma by obtaining a passing score on the same board
examinations.
HB3492 - 31 - LRB097 06228 NHT 46303 b
INDEX
Statutes amended in order of appearance