105 ILCS 5/2-3.80
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 105 - SCHOOLS|105 ILCS 5/ - School Code.|Article 2 - State Board of Education - Powers and Duties

 (from Ch. 122, par. 2-3.80)(Text of Section from P.A. 102-463)Sec. 2-3.80. (a) The General Assembly recognizes that agriculture is  the most basic and singularly important industry in the State, that  agriculture is of central importance to the welfare and economic stability  of the State, and that the maintenance of this vital industry requires a  continued source of trained and qualified individuals for employment in  agriculture and agribusiness.  The General Assembly hereby declares that it  is in the best interests of the people of the State of Illinois that a  comprehensive education program in agriculture be created and maintained by  the State's public school system in order to ensure an adequate supply of  trained and skilled individuals and to ensure appropriate representation of  racial and ethnic groups in all phases of the industry.  It is the intent  of the General Assembly that a State program for agricultural education  shall be a part of the curriculum of the public school system K through  adult, and made readily available to all school districts which may, at  their option, include programs in education in agriculture as a part of the  curriculum of that district.(b) The State Board of Education shall adopt such rules and regulations  as are necessary to implement the provisions of this Section.  The rules  and regulations shall not create any new State mandates on school districts  as a condition of receiving federal, State, and local funds by those  entities.  It is in the intent of the General Assembly that, although this  Section does not create any new mandates, school districts are strongly  advised to follow the guidelines set forth in this Section.(c) The State Superintendent of Education shall assume responsibility  for the administration of the State program adopted under this Section  throughout the public school system as well as the articulation of the  State program to the requirements and mandates of federally assisted  education.  There is currently within the State Board of Education an  agricultural education unit to assist school districts in the establishment  and maintenance of educational programs pursuant to the provisions of this  Section.  The staffing of the unit shall at all times be comprised of an  appropriate number of full-time employees who shall serve as program  consultants in agricultural education and shall be available to provide  assistance to school districts.  At least one consultant shall be  responsible for the coordination of the State program, as Head Consultant.  At least one consultant shall be responsible for the coordination of the  activities of student and agricultural organizations and associations.(d) A committee of 13 agriculturalists representative of the various and  diverse areas of the agricultural industry in Illinois shall be established  to at least develop a curriculum and overview the implementation of the  Build Illinois through Quality Agricultural Education plans of the Illinois  Leadership Council for Agricultural Education and to advise  the State Board of Education on vocational agricultural education, including the administration of the agricultural education line item appropriation and agency rulemaking that affects agricultural education educators.  The  committee shall be composed of the following:(1) 3 agriculturalists representing the Illinois     Leadership Council for Agricultural Education;(2) 3 agriculturalists;(3) 2 secondary agriculture teachers;(4) one representative of "Ag In The Classroom";(5) one community college agriculture teacher;(6) one adult agriculture educator;(7) one university agriculture teacher educator; and(8) one FFA representative.All members of the committee shall be appointed by the  Governor by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.  The terms of  all members so appointed shall be for 3 years, except that of the members  initially appointed, 5 shall be appointed to serve for terms of one year, 4  shall be appointed to serve for terms of 2 years, and 4 shall be appointed  to serve for terms of 3 years.  All members of the committee shall serve  until their successors are appointed and qualified.  Subject to a requirement that committee members in office before the effective date of this amendatory Act of 102nd General Assembly may serve the full term to which they were appointed, the appointment of committee members to terms that commence on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly shall be made in a manner that gives effect at the earliest possible time to the changes that are required by this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly in the representative composition of the committee's membership.Vacancies in terms  shall be filled by appointment of the Governor with the advice and consent  of the Senate for the extent of the unexpired term.The State Board of  Education shall implement a Build Illinois through Quality Agricultural  Education plan following receipt of these recommendations, which  shall be made available on or before March 31, 1987.  Recommendations shall include, but not be limited to, the development of a  curriculum and a strategy for the purpose of establishing a source of  trained and qualified individuals in agriculture, a strategy for  articulating the State program in agricultural education throughout the  public school system, and a consumer education outreach strategy regarding  the importance of agriculture in Illinois.The committee of agriculturalists  shall serve without compensation.(e) A school district that offers a secondary agricultural education program that is approved for State and federal funding must ensure that, at a minimum, all of the following are available to its secondary agricultural education students:(1)  An instructional sequence of courses approved by     the State Board of Education.(2)  A State and nationally affiliated FFA (Future     Farmers of America) chapter that is integral to instruction and is not treated solely as an extracurricular activity.(3)  A mechanism for ensuring the involvement of all     secondary agricultural education students in formal, supervised, agricultural-experience activities and programs.(f)  Nothing in this Section may prevent those secondary agricultural education programs that are in operation before January 1, 2007 (the effective date of Public Act 94-855) and that do not have an active State and nationally affiliated FFA chapter from continuing to operate or from continuing to receive funding from the State Board of Education.  (Source: P.A. 102-463, eff. 1-1-22.)(Text of Section from P.A. 102-558)Sec. 2-3.80. (a) The General Assembly recognizes that agriculture is  the most basic and singularly important industry in the State, that  agriculture is of central importance to the welfare and economic stability  of the State, and that the maintenance of this vital industry requires a  continued source of trained and qualified individuals for employment in  agriculture and agribusiness.  The General Assembly hereby declares that it  is in the best interests of the people of the State of Illinois that a  comprehensive education program in agriculture be created and maintained by  the State's public school system in order to ensure an adequate supply of  trained and skilled individuals and to ensure appropriate representation of  racial and ethnic groups in all phases of the industry.  It is the intent  of the General Assembly that a State program for agricultural education  shall be a part of the curriculum of the public school system K through  adult, and made readily available to all school districts which may, at  their option, include programs in education in agriculture as a part of the  curriculum of that district.(b) The State Board of Education shall adopt such rules and regulations  as are necessary to implement the provisions of this Section.  The rules  and regulations shall not create any new State mandates on school districts  as a condition of receiving federal, State, and local funds by those  entities.  It is in the intent of the General Assembly that, although this  Section does not create any new mandates, school districts are strongly  advised to follow the guidelines set forth in this Section.(c) The State Superintendent of Education shall assume responsibility  for the administration of the State program adopted under this Section  throughout the public school system as well as the articulation of the  State program to the requirements and mandates of federally assisted  education.  There is currently within the State Board of Education an  agricultural education unit to assist school districts in the establishment  and maintenance of educational programs pursuant to the provisions of this  Section.  The staffing of the unit shall at all times be comprised of an  appropriate number of full-time employees who shall serve as program  consultants in agricultural education and shall be available to provide  assistance to school districts.  At least one consultant shall be  responsible for the coordination of the State program, as Head Consultant.  At least one consultant shall be responsible for the coordination of the  activities of student and agricultural organizations and associations.(d) A committee of 13 agriculturalists representative of the various and  diverse areas of the agricultural industry in Illinois shall be established  to at least develop a curriculum and overview the implementation of the  Build Illinois through Quality Agricultural Education plans of the Illinois  Leadership Council for Agricultural Education and to advise  the State Board of Education on vocational agricultural education.  The  Committee shall be composed of the following: 6 agriculturalists  representing the Illinois Leadership Council for Agricultural Education; 2   Secondary Agriculture Teachers; one "Ag In The Classroom" Teacher; one   Community College Agriculture Teacher; one Adult Agriculture Education  Teacher; one University Agriculture Teacher Educator; and one FFA  Representative.  All members of the Committee shall be appointed by the  Governor by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.  The terms of  all members so appointed shall be for 3 years, except that of the members  initially appointed, 5 shall be appointed to serve for terms of one year, 4  shall be appointed to serve for terms of 2 years, and 4 shall be appointed  to serve for terms of 3 years.  All members of the Committee shall serve  until their successors are appointed and qualified.  Vacancies in terms  shall be filled by appointment of the Governor with the advice and consent  of the Senate for the extent of the unexpired term.  The State Board of  Education shall implement a Build Illinois through Quality Agricultural  Education plan following receipt of these recommendations which  shall be made available on or before March 31, 1987.  Recommendations shall include, but not be limited to, the development of a  curriculum and a strategy for the purpose of establishing a source of  trained and qualified individuals in agriculture, a strategy for  articulating the State program in agricultural education throughout the  public school system, and a consumer education outreach strategy regarding  the importance of agriculture in Illinois.  The committee of agriculturalists  shall serve without compensation.(e) A school district that offers a secondary agricultural education program that is approved for State and federal funding must ensure that, at a minimum, all of the following are available to its secondary agricultural education students:(1)  An instructional sequence of courses approved by     the State Board of Education.(2)  A State and nationally affiliated FFA (Future     Farmers of America) chapter that is integral to instruction and is not treated solely as an extracurricular activity.(3)  A mechanism for ensuring the involvement of all     secondary agricultural education students in formal, supervised, agricultural-experience activities and programs.(f)  Nothing in this Section may prevent those secondary agricultural education programs that are in operation before January 1, 2007 (the effective date of Public Act 94-855) and that do not have an active State and nationally affiliated FFA chapter from continuing to operate or from continuing to receive funding from the State Board of Education.  (Source: P.A. 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)