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 |  | 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
SB2144   Introduced 5/31/2015, by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford  SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
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 Amends the Charter Schools Law of the School Code. Provides that, in Chicago, a 4-year university may serve as the authorizer for a multi-site charter school devoted exclusively to re-enrolled high school dropouts.
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 |   |   | FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY |  |  
  |   |      A BILL FOR |  
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 |  | SB2144 |  | LRB099 12669 NHT 36378 b |  
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| 1 |  |  AN ACT concerning education.
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| 2 |  |  Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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| 3 |  | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 |  |  Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section  | 
| 5 |  | 27A-7.10 as follows:
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| 6 |  |  (105 ILCS 5/27A-7.10) | 
| 7 |  |  Sec. 27A-7.10. Authorizer powers and duties; immunity;  | 
| 8 |  | principles and standards. | 
| 9 |  |  (a) Authorizers are responsible for executing, in  | 
| 10 |  | accordance with this Article, all of the following powers and  | 
| 11 |  | duties: | 
| 12 |  |   (1) Soliciting and evaluating charter applications. | 
| 13 |  |   (2) Approving quality charter applications that meet  | 
| 14 |  |  identified educational needs and promote a diversity of  | 
| 15 |  |  educational choices. | 
| 16 |  |   (3) Declining to approve weak or inadequate charter  | 
| 17 |  |  applications. | 
| 18 |  |   (4) Negotiating and executing sound charter contracts  | 
| 19 |  |  with each approved charter school. | 
| 20 |  |   (5) Monitoring, in accordance with charter contract  | 
| 21 |  |  terms, the performance and legal compliance of charter  | 
| 22 |  |  schools. | 
| 23 |  |   (6) Determining whether each charter contract merits  | 
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| 1 |  |  renewal, nonrenewal, or revocation. | 
| 2 |  |  (b) An authorizing entity may delegate its duties to  | 
| 3 |  | officers, employees, and contractors. | 
| 4 |  |  (c) Regulation by authorizers is limited to the powers and  | 
| 5 |  | duties set forth in subsection (a) of this Section and must be  | 
| 6 |  | consistent with the spirit and intent of this Article. | 
| 7 |  |  (d) An authorizing entity, members of the local school  | 
| 8 |  | board, or the Commission, in their official capacity, and  | 
| 9 |  | employees of an authorizer are immune from civil and criminal  | 
| 10 |  | liability with respect to all activities related to a charter  | 
| 11 |  | school that they authorize, except for willful or wanton  | 
| 12 |  | misconduct. | 
| 13 |  |  (e) The Commission and all local school boards that have a  | 
| 14 |  | charter school operating are required to develop and maintain  | 
| 15 |  | chartering policies and practices consistent with recognized  | 
| 16 |  | principles and standards for quality charter authorizing in all  | 
| 17 |  | major areas of authorizing responsibility, including all of the  | 
| 18 |  | following: | 
| 19 |  |   (1) Organizational capacity and infrastructure. | 
| 20 |  |   (2) Soliciting and evaluating charter applications. | 
| 21 |  |   (3) Performance contracting. | 
| 22 |  |   (4) Ongoing charter school oversight and evaluation. | 
| 23 |  |   (5) Charter renewal decision-making. | 
| 24 |  |  Authorizers shall carry out all their duties under this  | 
| 25 |  | Article in a manner consistent with nationally recognized  | 
| 26 |  | principles and standards and with the spirit and intent of this  | 
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 |  | SB2144 | - 3 - | LRB099 12669 NHT 36378 b |  
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| 1 |  | Article.
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| 2 |  |  (f) In any city having a population exceeding 500,000, a  | 
| 3 |  | 4-year university may serve as the authorizer for a multi-site  | 
| 4 |  | charter school devoted exclusively to re-enrolled high school  | 
| 5 |  | dropouts, in which case the university shall be deemed to mean  | 
| 6 |  | the local school board with respect to the provisions of this  | 
| 7 |  | Article concerning authorization of a charter school. | 
| 8 |  | (Source: P.A. 97-152, eff. 7-20-11.)
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