Bill Text: IL HJR0039 | 2013-2014 | 98th General Assembly | Engrossed

---

Bill Title: Creates the Area Career and Technical Education and Vocational Centers Task Force.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2013-05-31 - Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Emily McAsey [HJR0039 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2013-HJR0039-Engrossed.html

---

HJ0039 Engrossed LRB098 12053 GRL 45966 r
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 39
WHEREAS, The National Research Center for Career and
Technical Education has identified a very strong correlation
between students taking 3 or more Career and Technical
Education (CTE) courses and being far more likely to enroll in
college; and
WHEREAS, Students taking 3 or more CTE courses are 28% more
likely to graduate from high school; and
WHEREAS, A commitment to career and technical education
helps to ensure that Illinois has a strong, well-trained
workforce that enhances productivity in business and industry,
and solidifies the State's leadership in the national and
international marketplaces; and
WHEREAS, Providing citizens with career and technical
education can stimulate the growth and vitality of businesses
and industries by preparing workers for the occupations
forecasted to experience the largest and fastest growth in the
next decade; and
WHEREAS, Career and technical education institutions
strive to provide rigorous and relevant curricula that
integrate academics, utilize technology, partner with

HJ0039 Engrossed - 2 - LRB098 12053 GRL 45966 r
community colleges through dual credit programs, and prepare
students for 21st century skills; and
WHEREAS, The first area career/vocational centers in
Illinois began operations in 1967 with 837 students; and
WHEREAS, There are presently 24 area career/vocational
centers, which offer skilled training to over 10,000 11th and
12th grade students; and
WHEREAS, Section 17-2.4 of the School Code established a
maximum tax rate by referendum of 0.5% for not more than 5
years for the purpose of establishing or constructing an area
career/vocational center, with the levy sun-setting after a
5-year period; and
WHEREAS, Area career/vocational centers have been
subsequently funded through tuition, the State Career and
Technical Education Improvement Grant, and, in some cases, the
Carl D. Perkins Vocational-Technical Education Act; and
WHEREAS, Many buildings housing area career/vocational
centers are over 40 years old and in desperate need of repairs,
renovations, and even expansion; and
WHEREAS, In the face of the present recession and

HJ0039 Engrossed - 3 - LRB098 12053 GRL 45966 r
reductions in member districts' equalized assessed valuations,
districts who are members of career/vocational centers are
unable to increase the present tuition charges to cover said
costs further; unless a funding mechanism is established,
career/vocational centers may have to either reduce the number
of students they can accept or reduce entire programs; and
WHEREAS, Unlike a school district, area career/vocational
centers have no direct taxing authority; and
WHEREAS, Transportation is an essential component for
students to access career and technical education programs;
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the Area Career
and Technical Education and Vocational Centers Task Force,
consisting of the following members:
(1) one member, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;
(2) one member, appointed by the President of the
Senate;
(3) one member, appointed by the Minority Leader of the
Senate;
(4) one member, appointed by the Speaker of the House
of Representatives;

HJ0039 Engrossed - 4 - LRB098 12053 GRL 45966 r
(5) one member, appointed by the Minority Leader of the
House of Representatives;
(6) one member, of the Governor's staff, appointed by
the Governor;
(7) 2 representatives of an organization representing
career and technical administrators, appointed by the
Governor;
(8) one career center director, appointed by the
Governor;
(9) one education for employment system director,
appointed by the Governor;
(10) one member, appointed by the Illinois State Board
of Education; and
(11) one superintendent of a school district whose
district is a member of an area career/vocational
cooperative, appointed by the Governor; and be it further
RESOLVED, That all appointments shall be made no later than
45 days following the adoption of this resolution; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall meet no later than 90
days following the adoption of this resolution at the call of
the members appointed by the Speaker and the President; the
members of the Task Force shall select a chair person at the
initial meeting; and be it further

HJ0039 Engrossed - 5 - LRB098 12053 GRL 45966 r
RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall meet at the call of the
chair; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the members of the Task Force shall serve
without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their
reasonable and necessary expenses from funds appropriated for
that purpose; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Office of the Governor shall provide
administrative support to the Task Force to the fullest extent
of its abilities; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall study the issue of
funding of area career/vocational centers and career and
technical education programs, including transportation for
said programs, and shall consider the possibility of enacting
legislation to make changes to said funding; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall hold a minimum of 7
public hearings in the State, a majority of which shall be held
at an area career/vocational center; the Task Force shall
report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the
General Assembly before February 28, 2014, at which time the
Task Force shall disband; and be it further

HJ0039 Engrossed - 6 - LRB098 12053 GRL 45966 r
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
delivered to the Speaker and Minority Leader of the Illinois
House of Representatives, the President and Minority Leader of
the Illinois Senate, the Governor, the State Superintendent of
Education, and the Illinois Career and Technical
Administrators.