105 ILCS 5/10-22.22c — Illinois Code / Chapter 105 / Act 5 / Section 10-22.22c
Section 10-22.22c
Status: in_force

(105 ILCS 5/10-22.22c) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.22c) Sec. 10-22.22c. (a) Subject to the following provisions of this Section two or more contiguous school districts each of which has an enrollment in grades 9 through 12 of less than 600 students may, when in their judgment the interest of the districts and of the students therein will be best served, jointly operate one or more cooperative high schools. Such action shall be taken for a minimum period of 20 school years, and may be taken only with the approval of the voters of each district. A district with 600 or more students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 may qualify for inclusion with one or more districts having less than 600 such students by receiving a size waiver from the State Board of Education based on a finding that such inclusion would significantly increase the educational opportunities of the district's students, and by meeting the other prerequisites of this Section. The board of each district contemplating such joint operation shall, by proper resolution, cause the proposition to enter into such joint operation to be submitted to the voters of the district at a regularly scheduled election. Notice shall be published at least 10 days prior to the date of the election at least once in one or more newspapers published in the district or, if no newspaper is published in the district, in one or more newspapers with a general circulation within the district. The notice shall be substantially in the following form: NOTICE OF REFERENDUM FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. ....... AND SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. ....... TO JOINTLY OPERATE (A) COOPERATIVE HIGH SCHOOL (SCHOOLS) Notice is hereby given that on (insert date), a referendum will be held in ....... County (Counties) for the purpose of voting for or against the proposition for School District No. ....... and School District No. ....... to jointly operate (a) cooperative high school (schools). The polls will be open at ....... o'clock ... m., and close at ....... o'clock ... m., of the same day. A ........ B ........ Dated (insert date). Regional Superintendent of Schools The proposition shall be in substantially the following form: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Shall the Board of Education of School District No. ...., ..... YES County (Counties), Illinois be authorized to enter with into an agreement with School - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - District No. ...., .... County (Counties), Illinois to jointly operate (a) cooperative high NO school (schools)? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If the majority of those voting on the proposition in each district vote in favor of the proposition, the school boards of the participating districts may, if they agree on terms, execute a contract for such joint operation subject to the following provisions of this Section. (b) The agreement for joint operation of any such cooperative high school shall include, but not be limited to, provisions for administration, staff, programs, financing, facilities, and transportation. Such agreements may be modified, extended, or terminated by approval of each of the participating districts, provided that a district may withdraw from the agreement during its initial 20-year term only if the district is reorganizing with one or more districts under other provisions of this Code. Even if 2 or more of the participating district boards approve an extension of the agreement, any other participating district shall, upon failure of its board to approve such extension, disengage from such participation at the end of the then current agreement term. (c) A governing board, which shall govern the operation of any such cooperative high school, shall be composed of an equal number of board members from each of the participating districts, except that where all participating district boards concur, membership on the governing board may be apportioned to reflect the number of students in each respective district who attend the cooperative high school. The membership of the governing board shall be not less than 6 nor more than 10 and shall be set by the agreement entered into by the participating districts. The school board of each participating district shall select, from its membership, its representatives on the governing board. The governing board shall prepare and adopt a budget for the cooperative high school. The governing board shall administer the cooperative high school in accordance with the agreement of the districts and shall have the power to hire, supervise, and terminate staff; to enter into contracts; to adopt policies for the school; and to take all other actions necessary and proper for the operation of the school. However, the governing board may not levy taxes or incur any indebtedness except within the annual budget approved by the participating districts. (d) (Blank). (e) Each participating district shall pay its per capita cost of educating the students residing in its district and attending any such cooperative high school into the budget for the maintenance and operation of the cooperative high school. The manner of determining per capita cost shall be set forth in the agreement. Each district shall pay the amount owed the governing board under the terms of the agreement from the fund that the district would have used if the district had incurred the costs directly and may levy taxes and issue bonds as otherwise authorized for these purposes in order to make payments to the governing board. (f) Additional school districts having an enrollment in grades 9 through 12 of less than 600 students may be added to the agreement in accordance with the process described in subsection (a) of this Section. In the event additional districts are added, a new contract shall be executed in accordance with the provisions of this Section. (g) Upon formation of the cooperative high school, the school board of each participating district shall: (1) confer and coordinate with each other and the governing board, if the governing