Bill Text: IL SB3553 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Reinserts the contents of the bill as introduced with the following changes. In provisions concerning accelerated placement, provides that a school district's accelerated placement policy shall cover a student who exceeds State standards in specified coursework (instead of meets or exceeds State standards in specified coursework). Provides that by no later than the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year, a school district's accelerated placement policy shall provide the option, in the following school term, for a student to enroll in the next most rigorous level of advanced coursework offered by the high school if the student meets State standards in English language arts, mathematics, or science on a State assessment administered following specified requirements for specified coursework. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-03 - Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments [SB3553 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB3553-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB3553 Introduced 2/9/2024, by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/14A-32
105 ILCS 5/27-22 from Ch. 122, par. 27-22
Amends the Gifted and Talented Children and Children Eligible for Accelerated Placement Article of the School Code. Provides that a school district's accelerated placement policy may allow for the waiver of a course or unit of instruction completion requirement if (i) completion of the course or unit of instruction is required by the Code or rules adopted by the State Board of Education as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma and (ii) the school district has determined that the student has demonstrated mastery of or competency in the content of the course or unit of instruction. Provides that the school district shall maintain documentation of this determination of mastery or competency for each student, which must include identification of the learning standards or competencies reviewed, the methods of measurement used, student performance, the date of the determination, and identification of the district personnel involved in the determination process. Provides that a school district must provide notification to a student's parent or guardian that the student will receive a waiver. Makes a corresponding change in the Courses of Study Article of the Code. Effective immediately.
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STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT MAY APPLY
A BILL FOR
SB3553 LRB103 36147 RJT 66239 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 changing Sections
14A-32 and 27-22 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/14A-32)
Sec. 14A-32. Accelerated placement; school district
responsibilities.
(a) Each school district shall have a policy that allows
for accelerated placement that includes or incorporates by
reference the following components:
(1) a provision that provides that participation in
accelerated placement is not limited to those children who
have been identified as gifted and talented, but rather is
open to all children who demonstrate high ability and who
may benefit from accelerated placement;
(2) a fair and equitable decision-making process that
involves multiple persons and includes a student's parents
or guardians;
(3) procedures for notifying parents or guardians of a
child of a decision affecting that child's participation
in an accelerated placement program; and
(4) an assessment process that includes multiple

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valid, reliable indicators.
(a-5) By no later than the beginning of the 2023-2024
school year, a school district's accelerated placement policy
shall allow for the automatic enrollment, in the following
school term, of a student into the next most rigorous level of
advanced coursework offered by the high school if the student
meets or exceeds State standards in English language arts,
mathematics, or science on a State assessment administered
under Section 2-3.64a-5 as follows:
(1) A student who meets or exceeds State standards in
English language arts shall be automatically enrolled into
the next most rigorous level of advanced coursework in
English, social studies, humanities, or related subjects.
(2) A student who meets or exceeds State standards in
mathematics shall be automatically enrolled into the next
most rigorous level of advanced coursework in mathematics.
(3) A student who meets or exceeds State standards in
science shall be automatically enrolled into the next most
rigorous level of advanced coursework in science.
For a student entering grade 12, the next most rigorous
level of advanced coursework in English language arts or
mathematics shall be a dual credit course, as defined in the
Dual Credit Quality Act, an Advanced Placement course, as
defined in Section 10 of the College and Career Success for All
Students Act, or an International Baccalaureate course;
otherwise, the next most rigorous level of advanced coursework

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under this subsection (a-5) may include a dual credit course,
as defined in the Dual Credit Quality Act, an Advanced
Placement course, as defined in Section 10 of the College and
Career Success for All Students Act, an International
Baccalaureate course, an honors class, an enrichment
opportunity, a gifted program, or another program offered by
the district.
A school district may use the student's most recent State
assessment results to determine whether a student meets or
exceeds State standards. For a student entering grade 9,
results from the State assessment taken in grades 6 through 8
may be used. For other high school grades, the results from a
locally selected, nationally normed assessment may be used
instead of the State assessment if those results are the most
recent.
A school district's accelerated placement policy may allow
for the waiver of a course or unit of instruction completion
requirement if (i) completion of the course or unit of
instruction is required by this Code or rules adopted by the
State Board of Education as a prerequisite to receiving a high
school diploma and (ii) the school district has determined
that the student has demonstrated mastery of or competency in
the content of the course or unit of instruction. The school
district shall maintain documentation of this determination of
mastery or competency for each student, which must include
identification of the learning standards or competencies

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reviewed, the methods of measurement used, student
performance, the date of the determination, and identification
of the district personnel involved in the determination
process.
A school district must provide the parent or guardian of a
student eligible for automatic enrollment under this
subsection (a-5) with the option to instead have the student
enroll in alternative coursework that better aligns with the
student's postsecondary education or career goals. If
applicable, a school district must provide notification to a
student's parent or guardian that the student will receive a
waiver of a course or unit of instruction completion
requirement under this subsection (a-5).
Nothing in this subsection (a-5) may be interpreted to
preclude other students from enrolling in advanced coursework
per the policy of a school district.
(b) Further, a school district's accelerated placement
policy may include or incorporate by reference, but need not
be limited to, the following components:
(1) procedures for annually informing the community
at-large, including parents or guardians, community-based
organizations, and providers of out-of-school programs,
about the accelerated placement program and the methods
used for the identification of children eligible for
accelerated placement, including strategies to reach
groups of students and families who have been historically

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underrepresented in accelerated placement programs and
advanced coursework;
(2) a process for referral that allows for multiple
referrers, including a child's parents or guardians; other
referrers may include licensed education professionals,
the child, with the written consent of a parent or
guardian, a peer, through a licensed education
professional who has knowledge of the referred child's
abilities, or, in case of possible early entrance, a
preschool educator, pediatrician, or psychologist who
knows the child;
(3) a provision that provides that children
participating in an accelerated placement program and
their parents or guardians will be provided a written plan
detailing the type of acceleration the child will receive
and strategies to support the child;
(4) procedures to provide support and promote success
for students who are newly enrolled in an accelerated
placement program;
(5) a process for the school district to review and
utilize disaggregated data on participation in an
accelerated placement program to address gaps among
demographic groups in accelerated placement opportunities;
and
(6) procedures to promote equity, which may
incorporate one or more of the following evidence-based

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practices:
(A) the use of multiple tools to assess
exceptional potential and provide several pathways
into advanced academic programs when assessing student
need for advanced academic or accelerated programming;
(B) providing enrichment opportunities starting in
the early grades to address achievement gaps that
occur at school entry and provide students with
opportunities to demonstrate their advanced potential;
(C) the use of universal screening combined with
local school-based norms for placement in accelerated
and advanced learning programs;
(D) developing a continuum of services to identify
and develop talent in all learners ranging from
enriched learning experiences, such as problem-based
learning, performance tasks, critical thinking, and
career exploration, to accelerated placement and
advanced academic programming; and
(E) providing professional learning in gifted
education for teachers and other appropriate school
personnel to appropriately identify and challenge
students from diverse cultures and backgrounds who may
benefit from accelerated placement or advanced
academic programming.
(c) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
determine data to be collected and disaggregated by

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demographic group regarding accelerated placement, including
the rates of students who participate in and successfully
complete advanced coursework, and a method of making the
information available to the public.
(d) On or before November 1, 2022, following a review of
disaggregated data on the participation and successful
completion rates of students enrolled in an accelerated
placement program, each school district shall develop a plan
to expand access to its accelerated placement program and to
ensure the teaching capacity necessary to meet the increased
demand.
(Source: P.A. 102-209, eff. 11-30-21 (See Section 5 of P.A.
102-671 for effective date of P.A. 102-209); 103-263, eff.
6-30-23.)
(105 ILCS 5/27-22) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-22)
Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses.
(a) (Blank).
(b) (Blank).
(c) (Blank).
(d) (Blank).
(e) Through the 2023-2024 school year, as a prerequisite
to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the
9th grade must, in addition to other course requirements,
successfully complete all of the following courses:
(1) Four 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, one of which must include geometry content, and
one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science
course. A mathematics course that includes geometry
content may be offered as an integrated, applied,
interdisciplinary, or career and technical education
course that prepares a student for a career readiness
path.
(3.5) For pupils entering the 9th grade in the
2022-2023 school year and 2023-2024 school year, one year
of a course that includes intensive instruction in
computer literacy, which may be English, social studies,
or any other subject and which may be counted toward the
fulfillment of other graduation requirements.
(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
and, beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the
2016-2017 school year and each school year thereafter, at
least one semester must be civics, which shall help young

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people acquire and learn to use the skills, knowledge, and
attitudes that will prepare them to be competent and
responsible citizens throughout their lives. Civics course
content shall focus on government institutions, the
discussion of current and controversial issues, service
learning, and simulations of the democratic process.
School districts may utilize private funding available for
the purposes of offering civics education. Beginning with
pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 school
year, one semester, or part of one semester, may include a
financial literacy course.
(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include
American Sign Language, (D) vocational education, or (E)
forensic speech (speech and debate). A forensic speech
course used to satisfy the course requirement under
subdivision (1) may not be used to satisfy the course
requirement under this subdivision (6).
(e-5) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, as a
prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil
entering the 9th grade 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

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or any other subject. If applicable, writing-intensive
courses may be counted toward the fulfillment of other
graduation requirements.
(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and
one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science
course. A mathematics course that includes geometry
content may be offered as an integrated, applied,
interdisciplinary, or career and technical education
course that prepares a student for a career readiness
path.
(3.5) One year of a course that includes intensive
instruction in computer literacy, which may be English,
social studies, or any other subject and which may be
counted toward the fulfillment of other graduation
requirements.
(4) Two years of laboratory 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
and at least one semester must be civics, which shall help
young people acquire and learn to use the skills,
knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare them to be
competent and responsible citizens throughout their lives.
Civics course content shall focus on government
institutions, the discussion of current and controversial

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issues, service learning, and simulations of the
democratic process. School districts may utilize private
funding available for the purposes of offering civics
education. One semester, or part of one semester, may
include a financial literacy course.
(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include
American Sign Language, (D) vocational education, or (E)
forensic speech (speech and debate). A forensic speech
course used to satisfy the course requirement under
subdivision (1) may not be used to satisfy the course
requirement under this subdivision (6).
(e-10) Beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, as a
prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil
entering the 9th grade must, in addition to other course
requirements, successfully complete 2 years of foreign
language courses, which may include American Sign Language. A
pupil may choose a third year of foreign language to satisfy
the requirement under subdivision (6) of subsection (e-5).
(f) The State Board of Education shall develop and inform
school districts of standards for writing-intensive
coursework.
(f-5) If a school district offers an Advanced Placement
computer science course to high school students, then the
school board must designate that course as equivalent to a
high school mathematics course and must denote on the

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student's transcript that the Advanced Placement computer
science course qualifies as a mathematics-based, quantitative
course for students in accordance with subdivision (3) of
subsection (e) of this Section.
(g) Public Act 83-1082 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.
Public Act 94-676 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.
Subdivision (3.5) of subsection (e) does not apply to
pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 school year or a
prior school year or to students with disabilities whose
course of study is determined by an individualized education
program.
Subsection (e-5) does not apply to pupils entering the 9th
grade in the 2023-2024 school year or a prior school year or to
students with disabilities whose course of study is determined
by an individualized education program. Subsection (e-10) does
not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2027-2028
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

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provisions of Sections 14A-32 and Section 27-22.05 of this
Code and the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act.
(i) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to modify
the requirements of this Section for any students enrolled in
grades 9 through 12 if the Governor has declared a disaster due
to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.
(Source: P.A. 102-366, eff. 8-13-21; 102-551, eff. 1-1-22;
102-864, eff. 5-13-22; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)