SB 3768

Abstract

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education shall maintain and operate, or contract for (instead of being empowered to establish, maintain, and operate or contract for) the operation of a permanent statewide residential education facility (instead of statewide service center), known as the Philip J. Rock Center and School. Provides that the State Board of Education shall include a line item in its budget to pay the costs of operating and maintaining the Philip J. Rock Center and School. Limits the specified services provided by the Philip J. Rock Center and School to eligible deaf-blind persons of all ages to being subject to appropriated funding for those specified services. Makes changes concerning provided services. Provides that for the purposes of employment, the Philip J. Rock Center and School shall be considered its own employer. Provides that the State Board of Education shall appoint a Chief Administrator of the Philip J. Rock Center and School who shall be employed by the Philip J. Rock Center and School. Specifies the duties of the Chief Administrator. Sets forth provisions concerning a student with an individualized education program at the Philip J. Rock Center and School. Makes changes concerning the Advisory Board for the Philip J. Rock Center and School. Makes other changes. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Makes changes concerning who qualifies as a person with deaf-blindness and who is eligible for deaf-blind services. Changes references of "auditory" to "hearing". Makes changes concerning the services the Philip J. Rock Center and School shall include. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill as amended by Senate Amendment No. 1 with the following changes. Changes references of "deaf-blind" to "deafblind". Provides that the Philip J. Rock Center and School shall service eligible students between the ages of 3 and 21, unless the student's 22nd birthday occurs during the school year, in which case the student is eligible for such services through the end of the school year (instead of providing that the School serves eligible children between the ages of 3 and 22). Removes the requirement that, in accordance with a student's individualized education program, the Philip J. Rock Center and School make every attempt to provide a free appropriate public education pursuant to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2001 to a student placed in its residential educational facility either in its own program or within a local school district program that is appropriate to the child and contracted for by the Philip J. Rock Center and School. Makes typographical and grammatical corrections. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill as engrossed with the following changes. Provides that priority of services shall be given to students referred to the Philip J. Rock Center and School who qualify as individuals with concomitant hearing and visual impairments or who are eligible for special education services under the category of deafblind. Provides that such a student may not be denied enrollment unless the student's placement in the Center and School would endanger the health or safety of any other student.