(105 ILCS 5/Art. 1C heading)

(105 ILCS 5/1C-1) Sec. 1C-1. Purpose. The purpose of this Article is to permit greater flexibility and efficiency in the distribution and use of certain State funds available to local education agencies for the improvement of the quality of educational services pursuant to locally established priorities. Through fiscal year 2017, this Article does not apply to school districts having a population in excess of 500,000 inhabitants. (Source: P.A. 100-465, eff. 8-31-17.)

(105 ILCS 5/1C-2) Sec. 1C-2. Block grants. (a) For fiscal year 1999, and each fiscal year thereafter, the State Board of Education shall award to school districts block grants as described in subsection (c). The State Board of Education may adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement this Section. In accordance with Section 2-3.32, all state block grants are subject to an audit. Therefore, block grant receipts and block grant expenditures shall be recorded to the appropriate fund code. (b) (Blank). (c) An Early Childhood Education Block Grant shall be created by combining the following programs: Preschool Education, Parental Training and Prevention Initiative. These funds shall be distributed to school districts and other entities on a competitive basis, except that the State Board of Education shall award to a school district having a population exceeding 500,000 inhabitants 37% of the funds in each fiscal year. Not less than 14% of the Early Childhood Education Block Grant allocation of funds shall be used to fund programs for children ages 0-3. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2016, at least 25% of any additional Early Childhood Education Block Grant funding over and above the previous fiscal year's allocation shall be used to fund programs for children ages 0-3. Once the percentage of Early Childhood Education Block Grant funding allocated to programs for children ages 0-3 reaches 20% of the overall Early Childhood Education Block Grant allocation for a full fiscal year, thereafter in subsequent fiscal years the percentage of Early Childhood Education Block Grant funding allocated to programs for children ages 0-3 each fiscal year shall remain at least 20% of the overall Early Childhood Education Block Grant allocation. However, if, in a given fiscal year, the amount appropriated for the Early Childhood Education Block Grant is insufficient to increase the percentage of the grant to fund programs for children ages 0-3 without reducing the amount of the grant for existing providers of preschool education programs, then the percentage of the grant to fund programs for children ages 0-3 may be held steady instead of increased. (Source: P.A. 99-589, eff. 7-21-16; 100-465, eff. 8-31-17.)

(105 ILCS 5/1C-3) Sec. 1C-3. Application. Block grants shall be available, pursuant to appropriation, upon applications made pursuant to school improvement plans. Block grants shall be made utilizing a per pupil basis to determine entitlement. (Source: P.A. 88-555, eff. 7-27-94; 89-397, eff. 8-20-95.)

(105 ILCS 5/1C-4) Sec. 1C-4. Reports. A school district that receives an Early Childhood Education Block Grant shall report to the State Board of Education on its use of the block grant in such form and detail as the State Board of Education may specify. In addition, the report must include the following description for the district, which must also be reported to the General Assembly: block grant allocation and expenditures by program; population and service levels by program; and administrative expenditures by program. The State Board of Education shall ensure that the reporting requirements for a district organized under Article 34 of this Code are the same as for all other school districts in this State. (Source: P.A. 99-30, eff. 7-10-15.)

(105 ILCS 5/1C-5) Sec. 1C-5. Rules. The State Board of Education shall adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this Article. (Source: P.A. 88-555, eff. 7-27-94.)