Illinois Administrative Code › Title 23 - EDUCATION AND CULTURAL RESOURCES › Part 1 - PUBLIC SCHOOLS EVALUATION, RECOGNITION AND SUPERVISION › Subpart D - THE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM › Section 1.423 - Competency-Based High School Graduation Requirements Pilot Program

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
Section 20 of the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act
				  authorizes a pilot program for school districts to provide career-oriented
				  education through competency-based instruction. This Section sets forth the
				  process to apply for approval to participate in the Competency-Based High
				  School Graduation Requirements Pilot Program and the reporting requirements and
				  conditions for removal from the Program.
a) Definitions
"Act" means the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act [
				  110 ILCS 48 ].
"Adaptive Competencies" means foundational skills
				  needed for success in college, careers and life, such as, but not limited to,
				  work ethic, professionalism, communication, collaboration and interpersonal
				  skills, and problem-solving.
"Community College" means a public community college
				  organized under the Public Community College Act
[ 110 ILCS 805
				  ]
.
(Section 10 of the Act)
"Program" means the Competency-Based High School Graduation
				  Requirements Pilot Program.
"School Code" means 105 ILCS 5.
b) Eligible Applicants
School districts participating in the Program may select the
				  year and course graduation requirement it wishes to replace with a
				  competency-based learning system. A school district with a student population
				  of fewer than 500,000 may participate in the pilot program for some or all of
				  its schools. Those with more than 500,000 students may select only six schools
				  to participate in the project. (See Section 25(g) of the Act.)
c) A school district wishing to participate
				in the Program shall submit an application to the State Board of Education that
				addresses each of the components listed in Section 20 of the Act and subsection
				(d) of this Section. If a school district withdraws its application, the State
				Board will consider additional school districts. Two or more school districts
				may collaborate and apply in one application as specified in Section 25(g) of
				the Act.
d) In addition to
				addressing each of the components in Section 20 of the Act, each application
				shall include:
1) Cover Packet
A) School district contact information,
				including the name, email, and telephone number of the Program
				Director;
B) Year the Program will
				be implemented;
C) List of schools
				participating in the Program;
D)
				Graduation requirements from Section 27-22 of the School Code the Program will
				replace;
E) The name of each
				teacher participating in the Program and the subject/grade he or she teaches
				for each participating school;
F) A
				description of how teachers have been engaged throughout the application
				process;
G) A description of how
				the local community college and an institution of higher education have been
				involved in the application process;
H) A description of the school district's
				prior professional development and stakeholder engagement efforts during the
				application process, including any prior implementation of professional
				development for major district instructional initiatives;
I) Identification of community partners and
				how they will support the Program;
J) Name, position, and signature of all
				standing Planning and Implementation Committee members;
K) Any waivers of the School Code or
				administrative rules in accordance with Section 2-3.25(g) of the School Code;
				and
L) For each participating
				school district, signatures of the district superintendent; school board
				president; exclusive bargaining unit president, if there is one, or, if there
				is no bargaining unit president, a representative selected by the district
				educators; community college representative; and institution of higher
				education representative.