Illinois School History
After the Revolutionary War the Confederation, Congress was broke. The Articles of Confederation didn’t allow the federal government to tax its citizens. The Land Ordinance of 1785-helped deal with this problem. As the states and Indians gave up their land, government surveyors divided the Illinois into townships. Each township was a square with sides six miles in length. The square would be 36 square miles. The township would then be divided into one-mile squares sections. Section 16 was to use for a public school. Section 8,11, 26, and 29 would be given to veterans of the American Revolution for service during the war. The federal government would sell the rest for not less than $640 per section or $1.00 per area. Congress hoped to encourage the orderly growth of west of the Appalachians and make money.
Illinois Education Timeline
1818 - 1849
1818 Illinois becomes the 21st state, with a population under 50,000.
1825 The Illinois Legislature passes the Free School Law which calls for common schools in each county. Counties can create school districts and levy taxes to support schools. The law states that 2% of all state income must be used to support education. States can create school districts and levy taxes to support schools.
1829 The Office of School Commissioner is established with each county.
1845 The Illinois Secretary of State is charged with the administration of schools and is designated as “State Superintendent of Public Instruction”.
1850 - 1859
1854 The Superintendent of Public Instruction becomes a separate office and is no longer a responsibility of the Secretary of State.
The Office of the Supt. of Public Instruction is established.
1855 Legislation is approved to provide a free public school system.
1856 Springfield establishes a public school system. Within a short time, a separate school is created for black students.
1857 William Powell becomes Illinois’ first elected state superintendent of education.
1860 - 1869
1865 The School Law of 1865 makes the position of state superintendent a four-year term. County School Commissioners become County Superintendents of Schools.
1870 - 1879
1870 A new state constitution states “The General Assembly shall provide a thorough and efficient system of free schools, whereby all the children of this state may receive a good common school education.”
The new constitution provides for the creation of local school boards and designates the state superintendent a constitutional officer.
1872 The General Township High School Law enables voters to create and support a township high school.
1874 An attempt to require compulsory school attendance fails in the legislature.
A new law forbids segregation in public schools.
1876 In Illinois there are:
- 973,589 school-aged children between the ages of 6 and 21 (70% attend public schools)
- 1,563 school districts with 11,083 grade schools, 110 high schools and 20,000 teachers
The average school year is just under seven months long.
1880 - 1889
1882 By this time, most land assets set aside for school use (Section 16 land) had been sold. There are 164 high schools in Illinois.
1883 The Compulsory School Attendance Law passes. It requires all children between 8 and 14 to attend public or private school at least 12 weeks during a year. (This law is not strictly enforced until after World War II.)
1889 The compulsory age for school attendance is lowered to 7. The minimum school year is extended to 16 weeks.
1890 - 1899
1890 The average school year was 7.5 months long. For most students, instruction included reading, arithmetic, science and music.
Female teachers earned an average of $44 per month. Male teachers made about $10 more.
1891 The right of suffrage in school elections is granted to women.
1900 - 1909
1900 National statistics for education:
- average cost per pupil - $17
- illiteracy rate - 10.7%
- average public school salary - $325
1905 Illinois legislation provides that any school district can establish a high school.
County superintendents begin to receive salaries.
1907 The State Education Commission is created.
Francis G. Blair begins to serve as the State Superintendent. He holds the position for 28 years – longer than anyone in Illinois history.
1909 The state appropriation to the Common School Fund for the 09/11 biennium is $2.1million.
1910 - 1919
1911 A state act provides for the election of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, County Superintendent and boards of education.
1912 In Illinois, 69,512 students attend high school.
1915 The Illinois State Teacher’s Pension Fund passes, which helps attract citizens to the profession.
1917 A special tax authorizes the payment of tuition for grade 8 graduates in non high school districts to attend nearby high school districts.
1919 A school consolidation law goes into effect. Within two years there were 60 consolidations across the state.
1920 - 1929
1920 In Illinois there are:
- 1.2 million students
- 38,000 teachers
The state appropriates $6 million for K-12 public education.
Illinois ranks 23rd with 27.5% of state and local funds supporting education.
Illinois ranks 38th in the amount of per student state tax support - $1.47.
1925 Forty-three Illinois districts have junior high schools.
1926 In Stark County, the per pupil expenditure is $4,374. In Williamson County, the amount is $728.
1927 The Illinois legislature allows for greater state aid to poorer districts. Each district receives $9 per students. Additional funds - as much as $25 per student – are directed to districts with low evaluations.
1930 - 1939
1931 The state of Illinois begins providing funds on a per student basis to assure equity between rich and poor districts.
1934 The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction has as staff of 34.
1936 The Illinois Curriculum Conference meets for the first time.
1938 The General Assembly passes a bill, which appropriate $500,000 for the bussing of students. This action promotes school consolidation. For the first time, Illinois high schools receive direct state aid.
1940 - 1949
1942 With over 12,000 districts, Illinois has more public school districts than any other state. Over 10,000 one-room schools have an average enrollment of 12 students. The population of rural students in Illinois is one-third of the number in 1900.
1945 Illinois citizens vote to reduce the number of school districts from 12,000 to 2,000.
1945 New School Laws
H.B. 267 increases State reimbursmeent for transportation to $20. per studentH.B. 684 No state aid for schools having an average daily attendance of less than seven.H.B. No teacher emplyed on a full time basis can be paid less than $1200 for the school year.1946 Wilder-Waite School becomes District #301
1946 The U.S. School Lunch Act begins to support school lunch programs.
1947 The Common Unit Law goes into effect and accelerates school consolidations.
1950 - 1959
1950 There are 4,480 school districts in Illinois.
1955 The number of school districts is reduced to 2,242.
1958 Responding in part to scientific advances in the Soviet Union, the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) serves to improve math, science and foreign language instruction.
1960 - 1969
1963 The population of Illinois is over 10 million and there are 1,430 school districts in the state.
1966 The number of school districts is reduced to 1,340.
Congress passes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which is designed to assure equality in education throughout the country. 1967 Illinois creates a state mandate for bilingual education. It provides resources for schools with
more than 20 students for whom English is not their first language.
1969 Wilder-Waite, Dunlap Grade, and Dunlap High become District #323
1970 - 1979
1970 Article X of the new state constitution creates the State Board of Education. A 17 member board replaces the elected Superintendent of Public Instruction.
1980 - 1989
1983 Illinois acknowledges the 100th anniversary of compulsory education.
1984 “Statements of Student Learning Outcomes” are developed – which lead to the Illinois Learning
Standards.
1985 The General Assembly passes the Education Reform Act which leads to numerous
educational changes. Illinois adopts 34 “State Goals for Learning”.
1986 The first Illinois School Report Cards were distributed to parents and citizens.
1988 The Illinois Goal Assessment Program (IGAP) began to assessment student achievement.
1990 - 1999
1991 Legislation provides for the creation of the Illinois Academic Watch List.
1995 School districts began to seek waivers and modifications to select Illinois laws or rules.
1996 A new Illinois law provided for the creation of charter schools.
1997 The Illinois Learning Standards are adopted. The assessment for students with limited English proficient – IMAGE – is first administered. Illinois reduces the number of State Board members from 17 to 9.
1999 The IGAP assessment program was replaced by the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT).
2000 - 2004
2000 The number of school districts is reduced to 894.
2001 The first Prairie State Achievement Exam (PSAE) is taken by Illinois 11th grade students.
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2002 President George Bush signed into law NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
2004 The compulsory age for school attendance is raised to 17.
In Illinois there are:
- over 2 million public school students and more than 300,000 nonpublic school students
- 888 public school districts
- 4,271 public schools
- over 130,000 people teach in grades K through 12 in Illinois public schools
New 2008 State School Laws affecting Illinois Schools
BILL TITLE INDEX
30 2008 NEW SCHOOL LAWS
Adult Entertainment Facility
Public Act 95-0047 (HB 0286) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Adult Entertainment-Facility
Public Act 95-0214 (HB 1608) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Advanced Placement Fees
Public Act 95-0491 (SB 0841) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
AEDs-Immunity
Public Act 95-0447 (SB 0404) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Affordable Housing Reimbursements
Public Act 95-0330 (SB 0220) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Agricultural Teacher Training
Public Act 95-0153 (HB 1922) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Agriculture Plates
Public Act 95-0094 (HB 1024) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Alcohol Consumption Instruction
Public Act 95-0168 (HB 3327) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Alcopop Ads Near Schools
Public Act 95-0618 (SB 1625) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Alternative Teacher Certificate Changes
Public Act 95-0270 (SB 0306) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2008
Public Act 95-0348 (HB 3866) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Appropriations-Supplemental
Public Act 95-0144 (SB 0241) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Background Check-Private School
Public Act 95-0351 (SB 0143) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Biometric Information
Public Act 95-0232 (SB 1702) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Bond Authority: Rochester, Prairie Grove, Prairie Hill
Public Act 95-0594 (HB 1969) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Bullying Policy
Public Act 95-0349 (HB 0018) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Canvass of Elections
Public Act 95-0141 (HB 1872) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Cell Phones-Prohibition
Public Act 95-0338 (SB 0140) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Certification-School Service Personnel
Public Act 95-0592 (HB 1647) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Chicago Teacher Evaluation
Public Act 95-0510 (SB 1474) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Child Abuse Reporting
Public Act 95-0461 (SB 1428) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Children with Disabilities
Public Act 95-0014 (HB 0817) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Civic Education Advancement
Public Act 95-0225 (HB 2787) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Civil Rights Act-Gender
Public Act 95-0541 (SB 1467) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Criminal History Information
Public Act 95-0599 (HB 3512) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Deactivation of School Facility
Public Act 95-0110 (HB 1651) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Diabetes Initiative Act
Public Act 95-0419 (SB 0654) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Driver Education Distractions
Public Act 95-0339 (SB 1557) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Driver Education-Enhanced Training
Public Act 95-0310 (SB 0172) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Driving Privileges-Denial
Public Act 95-0337 (HB 1080) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Driving Records-Minors
Public Act 95-0201 (HB 0518) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Eavesdropping Exemption for School Buses
Public Act 95-0352 (SB 0665) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Educational Partnership Act
Public Act 95-0039 (HB 0223) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Educational Support Personnel-Hours Reduced
Public Act 95-0396 (SB 1560) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Educational Support Personnel-Consolidation
Public Act 95-0148 (HB 1847) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Election-Poll Watchers
Public Act 95-0267 (SB 0299) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Elections-Change Primary Date
Public Act 95-0006 (HB 0426) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Employment Safety
Public Act 95-0623 (HB 1911) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Ensuring Success in School
Public Act 95-0558 (HB 1330) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Fire Sprinkler Inspection
Public Act 95-0305 (SB 0495) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
2008 NEW SCHOOL LAWS 31
Foreign Corporation Judgments
Public Act 95-0515 (SB 1576) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Gang Resistance Education
Public Act 95-0198 (HB 0438) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Grants-CPR/AED Training
Public Act 95-0043 (HB 0258) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Grants-Psychology Internships
Public Act 95-0102 (HB 1363) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Grants-Renewable Energy
Public Act 95-0046 (HB 0285) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Grants-Youthbuild
Public Act 95-0524 (HB 0202) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Green Cleaning Schools Act
Public Act 95-0084 (HB 0895) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Green Governments Illinois
Public Act 95-0657 (SB 0046) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Grow Your Own Teacher
Public Act 95-0476 (SB 0446) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Health Centers-Schools
Public Act 95-0488 (SB 0715) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
High School Equivalency Testing
Public Act 95-0609 (SB 0853) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Higher Education-Remedial Coursework
Public Act 95-0272 (SB 0313) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
HPV Vaccine
Public Act 95-0422 (SB 0937) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Human Rights Act
Public Act 95-0668 (SB 0593) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
IMRF-Military Service
Public Act 95-0483 (HB 0804) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
IMRF-Military Service
Public Act 95-0486 (SB 0647) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Insurance-Breast Exam
Public Act 95-0189 (HB 0147) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Insurance-Breast Ultrasound Screening
Public Act 95-0431 (SB 1365) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Interfund Transfers
Public Act 95-0053 (HB 0357) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Internet Safety Education
Public Act 95-0509 (SB 1472) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Kindergarten Enrollment Attendance
Public Act 95-0417 (SB 0543) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Laptop Computer Project
Public Act 95-0387 (SB 0746) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Life Skills Programs
Public Act 95-0391 (SB 0850) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Mandate Waiver Limit for P.E.
Public Act 95-0223 (HB 1839) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Mercury Added Products Ban
Public Act 95-0087 (HB 0943) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
P-20 Council
Public Act 95-0626 (HB 1648) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Pest Management Training
Public Act 95-0058 (HB 0425) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Professional Worker Definition
Public Act 95-0363 (SB 0122) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Property Tax Assessments
Public Act 95-0644 (HB 0664) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
PTELL Adjustments
Public Act 95-0404 (HB 0576) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Repeals-Provisions of School Code
Public Act 95-0496 (SB 1165) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Required High School Courses
Public Act 95-0299 (SB 0424) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Safety Education-Teachers
Public Act 95-0371 (SB 0395) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Sales Tax for Construction
Public Act 95-0675 (SB 0835) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
School Bus-Call Numbers
Public Act 95-0176 (HB 3624) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
School Bus-Illegal Passing
Public Act 95-0105 (HB 1475) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
School Bus Inspection
Public Act 95-0260 (SB 0166) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
School Bus Strobe Lamp
Public Act 95-0319 (HB 1238) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
School Construction Grant-Green Building
Public Act 95-0416 (SB 0505) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
School Crossings-Reckless Homicide
Public Act 95-0467 (HB 0508) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
School Crosswalk-Yield
Public Act 95-0302 (SB 0441) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
School Energy Conservation
Public Act 95-0612 (SB 1183) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
School Entrance Road-IDOT
Public Act 95-0271 (SB 0308) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
School Facilities-Community Use
Public Act 95-0308 (SB 0538) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
School Zone-Reckless Driving
Public Act 95-0587 (SB 0363) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Sex Offender-Early Voting
Public Act 95-0440 (HB 0263) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Sick Leave-Birth or Adoption
Public Act 95-0151 (HB 1877) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Silent Reflection Requirement
Public Act 95-0680 (SB 1463) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Social Security Number Task Force
Public Act 95-0482 (HB 0574) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Special Education-Autism
Public Act 95-0257 (SB 0079) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Special Education-Delegation of Rights
Public Act 95-0372 (SB 0396) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Special Education Expenses Report
Public Act 95-0555 (HB 1030) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Special Education-Orphanage Reimbursement
Public Act 95-0313 (SB 0398) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Special Education-Reimbursement
Public Act 95-0415 (SB 0397) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Speech Pathology Extension
Public Act 95-0465 (HB 0121) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
State Aid-Partial Day
Public Act 95-0152 (HB 1910) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Summer School Food Program
Public Act 95-0155 (HB 1964) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Task Force on African American Men
Public Act 95-0062 (SB 0776) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Tax Credit-Child Care
Public Act 95-0648 (HB 1242) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Teacher Homebuyer Assistance
Public Act 95-0449 (SB 1224) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Third Party Contracts
Public Act 95-0241 (HB 1347) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
TIF Extension-Mt Zion
Public Act 95-0662 (SB 0247) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
TIF Extension-Oak Forest
Public Act 95-0459 (SB 1363) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
TIF Extension-Villa Grove
Public Act 95-0653 (HB 2036) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
TIF Extension-Village of Riverdale
Public Act 95-0015 (HB 2307) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
TIF Extension-West Chicago
Public Act 95-0346 (SB 0561) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
TIF-Recovered EAV
Public Act 95-0090 (HB 0983) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
TIF Study
Public Act 95-0227 (HB 3434) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Tort Immunity Tax
Public Act 95-0244 (HB 1562) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Trustees of Schools-Withdraw
Public Act 95-0004 (SB 0423) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Video Taping Penalties
Public Act 95-0265 (SB 0273) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Vision Exam Requirement
Public Act 95-0671 (SB 0641) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Whistleblower Act
Public Act 95-0128 (HB 0742) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Wind Farms-Zoning
Public Act 95-0203 (HB 0620) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Wind Turbine Farms
Public Act 95-0390 (SB 0843) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Woodlands Assessment
Public Act 95-0633 (SB 0017) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
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