Bill Text: IL SB3259 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Increases the compulsory school age from 17 to 18 years of age; makes related changes. Effective July 1, 2012.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-3)

Status: (Passed) 2012-08-08 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 97-0911 [SB3259 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-SB3259-Chaptered.html

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Public Act 097-0911
SB3259 Enrolled LRB097 19781 AMC 65047 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
26-17 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/26-17 new)
(Section scheduled to be repealed on November 2, 2012)
Sec. 26-17. The Commission for High School Graduation
Achievement and Success.
(a) The General Assembly recognizes that the compulsory
school age is one piece of the education spectrum. There is a
great need to help children succeed in school and reach high
school graduation. The Commission for High School Graduation
Achievement and Success is hereby created to study the issue of
high school graduation in this State, with the goals of
increasing educational attainment, increasing high school
graduation rates, and ultimately improving the workforce in
this State. The Commission is tasked to examine and evaluate
the following:
(1) graduation rates in this State;
(2) this State's mandatory attendance age;
(3) alternative educational programs currently being
used in this State, including which are the most

successful, why they are successful, and whether they can
be used by other school districts in this State;
(4) the funding structures and options for these
alternative programs;
(5) alternative educational programs being used in
other states and whether they would be successful in school
districts in this State; and
(6) the effect that high school graduation has upon the
job outlook for individuals.
(b) The alternative educational programs in this State that
are to be studied by the Commission under subsection (a) of
this Section shall include, but are not be limited to, the
following:
(1) alternative schools, regional safe schools,
truancy alternative programs, and dual credit/dual degree
programs;
(2) the Shared Learning Infrastructure, online
courses, and other technology alternatives;
(3) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
(STEM) Learning Exchanges;
(4) the Illinois Pathways Initiative;
(5) Accelerating Opportunity Grants; and
(6) the Truants' Alternative and Optional Education
Program.
(c) The President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House
of Representatives, the Minority Leader of the Senate, and the

Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall each
appoint one member to the Commission. The State Superintendent
of Education shall appoint one representative from the State
Board of Education to the Commission. The Governor shall
appoint a chairperson of the Commission. In addition, the
Commission shall be comprised of the following members
appointed by the Governor within 30 days after the effective
date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly:
(1) one member appointed to represent intermediate
service centers;
(2) one member appointed to represent regional offices
of education;
(3) one representative of an association representing
suburban school districts;
(4) one representative of an association representing
large unit school districts;
(5) one representative of a statewide association
representing school boards;
(6) one representative of a statewide association
representing principals;
(7) one representative of a statewide association
representing administrators;
(8) one representative of a statewide association
representing school business officials;
(9) one representative of an organization representing
an alternative education program;

(10) one representative of a statewide association
representing teachers;
(11) one representative of a different statewide
association representing teachers;
(12) one representative of an association representing
urban teachers;
(13) one member appointed to represent parents or a
parent organization;
(14) the chairperson of the Chicago Board of Education
or his or her designee; and
(15) the chairperson of the Illinois P-20 Council or
his or her designee.
Any additional members the Commission sees fit to appoint may
be done so by the chairperson of the Commission.
(d) The Commission may begin to conduct business upon the
appointment of a majority of voting members.
(e) The Office of the Governor, with help from the Illinois
P-20 Council and research provided by the State Board of
Education, shall provide administrative support to the
Commission.
(f) Members of the Commission shall receive no compensation
for their participation on the Commission.
(g) In addition to any other applicable laws and
administrative rules, all aspects of the Commission shall be
governed by the Freedom of Information Act, including
exemptions as provided in Section 7 of the Freedom of

Information Act, as well as the Open Meetings Act. This Section
shall not be construed so as to preclude other statutes from
applying to the Commission or its activities.
(h) The Commission shall submit a final report of its
findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General
Assembly on or before November 1, 2012. The Commission may
submit other reports as it deems appropriate.
(i) The Commission is abolished on November 2, 2012, and
this Section is repealed on November 2, 2012.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.