2023 Illinois Compiled Statutes › Chapter 15 - EXECUTIVE OFFICERS › 15 ILCS 322/ - Illinois Literacy Act.

(15 ILCS 322/1)
Sec. 1. 
		Short Title. 
		This Act may be cited as the Illinois Literacy Act.
(Source: P.A. 87-992.)
(15 ILCS 322/5)
Sec. 5. 
		Legislative findings, purpose.
(a) The General Assembly finds that:
(1) one in 5 Illinois citizens is unable to read,     write, and speak in English, and compute and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job and in society, to achieve one's goals, and develop one's knowledge and potential;
(2) Illinois ranks 34th among the states in the     literacy level of its citizens;
(3) literacy problems are intergenerational and the     cycle must be broken to stem further growth of illiteracy;
(4) less than 5% of the Illinois population in need     of basic skills is now being served;
(5) one in 8 workers nationwide reads below the sixth     grade level, yet the materials they are required to use are written between the ninth and twelfth grade levels;
(6) one-half of all new jobs between now and the year     2000 will require some education beyond high school and one-third will be filled by college graduates; and
(7) fully one-half of the incarcerated persons in     Illinois read below the eighth grade level.
(b) The General Assembly declares that this Act is created
to ensure the improvement of literacy and basic skill
levels of Illinois citizens by coordinating, integrating,
and investing in adult and family literacy programs in
Illinois communities.  This Act will facilitate the
implementation of the objectives of the National Education
Goals and the National Literacy Act which state that, by
the year 2000, all children will start school ready to
learn and every adult will possess the knowledge and skills
necessary to compete in a global economy and exercise the
rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
(Source: P.A. 87-992.)
(15 ILCS 322/10)
Sec. 10. 
		Definitions. 
		For purposes of this Act:
"Basic skills" means the ability of an individual to
read, write, and speak in English, and compute and solve
problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on
the job and in society, to achieve one's goals, and develop
one's knowledge and potential.
"Community based organization" means a private or
public not-for-profit organization, including volunteer
organizations, located in an Illinois community that
provides services to citizens within that community and the
surrounding area.
"Council" means the Illinois Literacy Council.
"Literacy Office" means the Literacy Office of the
Secretary of State.
(Source: P.A. 87-992.)
(15 ILCS 322/15)
Sec. 15. 
		Grants.
(a) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the
Literacy Advisory Board created by Section 7.2 of the State Library Act, is
authorized to
award grants that develop, expand, or support adult literacy
programs in Illinois through community programs
administered by education agencies, libraries, volunteer or
community-based organizations, or a coalition of any of those
groups.
(b) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the
Literacy Advisory Board created by Section 7.2 of the State Library Act, is
authorized to
award grants for workplace programs to public or private
employers or entities acting on behalf of a coalition of
employers to improve the basic skills of current and prospective
employees.
Current and prospective employees' lack of basic skills may impede
hiring, effective
job performance, or eligibility for advancement.
Public funds awarded under this grant program must be
matched by the business with funds at least equal to the
amount of public funds awarded.
(c) The Secretary of State is authorized to make family literacy
grants that will assist in breaking the intergenerational
cycle of illiteracy.  The grants must involve an adult
literacy component and an entity working with children at
risk of school failure.  Programs will focus on
parents or guardians and children involved in reciprocal
learning and teaching.
In addition to other grants authorized in this subsection, the Secretary of
State may make family literacy grants, upon his or her approval of application
from entities, for innovative programming in the area of parent and child
learning activities.  The Secretary of State shall establish criteria for
awarding the grants by rule.  The Secretary of State may expend appropriations
statewide for direct purchases of equipment and services that support families
learning together.
(Source: P.A. 89-697, eff. 1-6-97; 90-783, eff. 8-14-98.)
(15 ILCS 322/20)
Sec. 20. Illinois Literacy Council.
(a) The Council
shall facilitate the improvement of literacy levels of
Illinois citizens by providing a forum from which
representatives from throughout the State can promote
literacy, share expertise, and recommend policy.
(b) The Council shall be appointed by and be responsible to the
Governor.  The Secretary of State shall serve as chairman.  The
Council shall advise the Governor and other
agencies on strategies that address the literacy needs of
the State, especially with respect to the needs of
workplace literacy, family literacy, program evaluation,
public awareness, and public and private partnerships.
(c) The Council will determine its own procedures and the
number, time, place, and conduct of its meetings.  It shall
meet at least 4 times a year.  The Council may be assisted
in its activities by the Literacy Office.  Council members
shall not receive compensation for their services.
(d) The Council's membership shall consist of representatives of public
education, public and private sector employment, labor organizations, community
literacy organizations, libraries, volunteer organizations, the Office of the
Secretary of State, the
Illinois Community College Board, the Department of Employment Security,
the Department of Human Services, the
State Board of Education, and the Department of Corrections.
(e) The Council members representing State agencies shall
act as an interagency coordinating committee to improve the
system for delivery of literacy services, provide pertinent
information and agency comments to Council members, and
implement the recommendations forwarded by the Council and
approved by the Governor.
(f) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Council, shall
expend moneys to perform Council functions as authorized by
this Act from the Literacy Advancement Fund, a special fund hereby created
in the State Treasury.  All moneys received from an income tax checkoff for
the Literacy Advancement Fund as provided in Section 507I of the Illinois
Income Tax Act shall be deposited into the Fund.
(Source: P.A. 102-276, eff. 8-6-21.)
(15 ILCS 322/25)
Sec. 25. 
		Technical assistance.
(a) The Literacy Office of the State Library shall provide
technical assistance to public and private
efforts for the purpose of facilitating the elimination of
illiteracy.  Assistance to those entities shall include:
(1) dissemination of information on model programs     and exemplary practices;
(2) development of a universal system for evaluation     and assessment that ensures public funds are being used in the best possible manner;
(3) provision of program and technical assistance in     order to improve the effectiveness of literacy programs;
(4) provision of literacy materials and information,     capitalizing on the resources and delivery network available through the State Library System, which will foster better coordination of literacy efforts throughout the State;
(5) provision of training for those education     agencies or organizations who wish to work with employers to provide literacy services and certifying those who have participated in the training as qualified to deliver literacy services.
(b) The Literacy Office may receive funds and collect fees to provide these
services and may accept funds for these purposes from the federal government,
its agencies or officers, to provide any or all of these
services.  All funds received under this subsection shall be deposited into
the Literacy Services Fund, a
special fund hereby created in the State treasury.
(Source: P.A. 87-992.)
(15 ILCS 322/30)
Sec. 30. 
		Coordinated efforts.
(a) In the interest of interagency coordination, this Act
directs State agencies involved in the delivery of literacy
services, education or training programs, related
support services, and economic development activities,  to
cooperate, under the auspices of the Illinois Literacy
Council, in the consolidation and improvement of the
delivery of literacy services.  Pilot programs funded by
multiple agencies are encouraged.
(b) In order to facilitate the delivery of basic skills
that may need to precede training or more advanced
education programs, the Literacy Office may receive funds
for the administration of those basic skills programs that
act as initial components of training or educational
programs established in and funded through other State
agencies.
(Source: P.A. 87-992.)
(15 ILCS 322/35)
Sec. 35. 
		
		Rules and regulations, requests for service,
assistance, and data.
(a) The Secretary of State shall make, promulgate, and
enforce such reasonable rules and regulations relating to
the duties of the Office of the Secretary of State under
this Act as he may deem appropriate.
(b) To effectuate the purposes of this Act, the Secretary
of State may request from any
department, division, board, bureau, commission, or other
agency of the State or from any public corporation, and those entities
that are authorized to provide any services, assistance,
and data that will enable the Office of the Secretary of
State to properly carry out its
functions, powers, and duties under this Act.
(Source: P.A. 87-992.)
(15 ILCS 322/40) (from Ch. 128, par. 240)
Sec. 40. 
		Illinois Literacy Foundation.
(a) The Secretary of State is authorized in accordance with Section 10
of the State Agency Entity Creation Act to create a not-for-profit
foundation which shall be known as the Illinois Literacy Foundation.  The
Secretary shall file articles of incorporation and bylaws as required under the
General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986 to create the Foundation.  There
shall be not less than 6 nor more than 11 Directors to the Foundation to be
appointed by the Secretary of State.  The Secretary of State or his or her
designee shall serve as an ex-officio Director of the Foundation.  No Director
may receive compensation for his or her services to the Foundation.
(b) The purposes of the Foundation are to promote literacy among the
residents of the State of Illinois by supporting literacy programs and
enhancing Statewide literacy awareness; to make grants and gifts in aid and
support of the goal; and to engage generally in other lawful endeavors
consistent with the foregoing purposes.  The Foundation shall not exceed the
provisions of the General Not For Profit Corporation Act of 1986.
(c) As soon as practicable after the Foundation is created, the Directors
shall meet, organize, and designate, by majority vote, a Chairman, Secretary,
and any additional officers as may be needed to carry out the activities of the
Foundation.  The Secretary of State may adopt rules and regulations as deemed
necessary to govern Foundation procedures.
(d) The Foundation may accept gifts or grants from the federal
government, its agencies or officers, or from any person, firm, or
corporation; and may expend receipts on activities that it considers
suitable to the performance of its duties under this Section.  Funds
collected by the Foundation shall be considered private funds and shall
be held in an appropriate account outside of the State Treasury.  The
treasurer of the Foundation shall be custodian of all Foundation funds.
The Foundation's accounts and books shall be set up and maintained in a manner
approved by the Auditor General and the Foundation and its officers shall be
responsible for the approval of recording of receipts, approval of payments,
and the proper filing of required reports.  The Foundation may be assisted in
carrying out its functions by personnel of the Office of the Secretary of State
with respect to matters falling within their scope and function.  The
Foundation shall cooperate fully with the boards, commissions, agencies,
departments and institutions of the State. The funds held and made available by
the Illinois Literacy Foundation shall be subject to financial and compliance
audits by the Auditor General in compliance with the Illinois State Auditing
Act.
(Source: P.A. 87-1249.)
(15 ILCS 322/60)
Sec. 60. 
		This Act takes effect upon becoming law.
(Source: P.A. 87-992.)