(105 ILCS 5/Art. 3A heading)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-1) Sec. 3A-1. County or portion of county as educational service region. Each county of the State shall, except as otherwise provided in this Article, be designated as an educational service region, referred to in this Article as a "region". Beginning the first Monday of August, 1995, that portion of a Class II county outside a city of at least 500,000 shall constitute a region. References in this Code to a county as a region shall also mean a portion of a county as a region when appropriate. (Source: P.A. 88-89.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-2) Sec. 3A-2. Regional superintendent-County superintendent of schools. The chief administrative officer of an educational service region shall be designated and referred to as "Regional Superintendent of Schools" or "regional superintendent." Such person shall, in his region, have the powers and duties and perform the functions required of or exercisable by a county superintendent of schools, except as otherwise provided by law. Any reference to "county superintendent of schools" in The School Code or any other Illinois statute means and refers to the regional superintendent of schools for an educational service region. (Source: P.A. 79-1057.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-3) Sec. 3A-3. Voluntary consolidation of educational service regions. Any 2 or more educational service regions may be consolidated into a single region in the manner provided in this Section. All of the territory of any educational service region shall be determined by county boundaries, but supervision and control over school districts that are divided by a county line shall be determined under Section 3-14.2 of this Act. Each regional superintendent of a region that does not conform to the population requirements of Section 3A-4 and seeks voluntary consolidation under this Section shall appoint a nonpartisan citizens committee consisting of 5 members to consider the advisability of such a consolidation. Such regional superintendent shall serve as ex officio secretary to the citizens committee. This citizens committee may petition the regional board of school trustees serving each of the regions involved for consolidation of those regions into a single educational service region. When such a petition is filed, the regional board of school trustees shall conduct a hearing on the petition, after notice of the hearing has been published once, not more than 15 nor less than 10 days before the day of the hearing, in a newspaper having general circulation in the region. The secretary of the regional board of school trustees shall also notify the secretary of each school board affected by the proposed consolidation, the chairman of the county board of each county affected thereby and the State Board of Education that such petition has been filed. The notice shall state the date when the petition was filed, the prayer of the petition and the date, time and place of the hearing. Such hearing shall be held jointly by all of the regional boards of school trustees affected by such petition and the State Board of Education shall arrange for such joint hearing and pay the expenses thereof. Evidence admissible at the hearing shall include, but not be limited to, the school needs and conditions in the territory affected by the proposed consolidation, whether or not such area is compact and contiguous; and whether or not the proposed consolidation would be in the best interests of the schools of the area and the educational welfare of the pupils of such schools. At the hearing each resident of the region shall have the rights provided for residents under Section 7-6 and the final order of the regional board of school trustees shall be subject to review as provided in Sections 7-6 and 7-7. Within 10 days after the conclusion of the joint hearing each regional board of school trustees shall meet and render a decision with regard to the hearing on the petition. A copy of the final order of each regional board of school trustees shall be filed with the State Board of Education within 30 days after the conclusion of the joint hearing. If the regional board of school trustees in each of those regions enters an order approving the consolidation, those regions shall be consolidated into a single educational service region, and the State Board of Education shall authorize the establishment of such single educational service region and to notify all interested parties, including the county clerks of the counties affected thereby and the State Board of Elections. (Source: P.A. 88-89.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-4) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-4) Sec. 3A-4. Mandatory consolidation of educational service regions. (a) After July 1, 2015, each region must contain at least 61,000 inhabitants. Before June 30, 2013, regions may be consolidated voluntarily under Section 3A-3 or by joint resolution of the county boards of regions seeking to join a voluntary consolidation, effective July 1, 2015, to meet these population requirements. The boundaries of regions already meeting these population requirements on the effective date of Public Act 97-703 may not be changed except to consolidate with another region or a whole county portion of another region which does not meet these population requirements. If, before November 1, 2013, locally determined consolidation decisions result in more than 35 regions of population greater than 61,000 each, the State Board of Education shall, before November 23, 2013, direct further consolidation, beginning with the region of lowest population, until the number of 35 regions is achieved. (b) (Blank). (c) If, within 90 days after the most recent certified federal census, a region does not meet the population requirements of this Section, then regions may be consolidated voluntarily under Section 3A-3 of this Code or by joint resolution of the county boards of regions seeking to join a voluntary consolidation to meet these population requirements. If locally determined consolidation decisions result in a region not meeting the population requirements of this Section or result in more than 35 regions, then the State Board of Education shall have the authority to impose further consolidation by order of the State Superintendent of Education. Such an order shall be a final order and is subject to the Administrative Review Law. (d) All population determinations shall be based on the most recent federal census. (Source: P.A. 97-703, eff. 6-25-12; 98-594, eff. 11-15-13.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-5) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-5) Sec. 3A-5. Effective date of consolidation. Any consolidation of regions, whether under Section 3A-3 or 3A-4, shall take effect at the expiration of the terms of office of the regional superintendents in office at the time the consolidation is approved under Section 3A-3 or directed under Section 3A-4. However, at the regular election immediately preceding the effective date of the consolidation at which regional superintendents are to be elected in accordance with the general election law, regional superintendents shall not be elected from each of the regions comprising the consolidated region, but one regional superintendent shall be elected to take office on the effective date of the consolidation. (Source: P.A. 88-89.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-6) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-6) Sec. 3A-6. Election of Superintendent for consolidated region - Bond - Vacancies in any educational service region.(a) The regional superintendent to be elected under Section 3A-5 shall be elected at the time provided in the general election law and must possess the qualifications described in Section 3-1 of this Act. (b) The bond required under Section 3-2 shall be filed in the office of the county clerk in the county where the regional office is situated, and a certified copy of that bond shall be filed in the office of the county clerk in each of the other counties in the region. (c) When a vacancy occurs in the office of regional superintendent of schools of any educational service region which is not located in a county which is a home rule unit, such vacancy shall be filled within 60 days (i) by appointment of the chairman of the county board, with the advice and consent of the county board, when such vacancy occurs in a single county educational service region; or (ii) by appointment of a committee composed of the chairmen of the county boards of those counties comprising the affected educational service region when such vacancy occurs in a multicounty educational service region, each committeeman to be entitled to one vote for each vote that was received in the county represented by such committeeman on the committee by the regional superintendent of schools whose office is vacant at the last election at which a regional superintendent was elected to such office, and the person receiving the highest number of affirmative votes from the committeemen for such vacant office to be deemed the person appointed by such committee to fill the vacancy. The appointee shall be a member of the same political party as the regional superintendent of schools the appointee succeeds was at the time such regional superintendent of schools last was elected. The appointee shall serve for the remainder of the term. However, if more than 28 months remain in that term, the appointment shall be until the next general election, at which time the vacated office shall be filled by election for the remainder of the term. Nominations shall be made and any vacancy in nomination shall be filled as follows: (1) If the vacancy in office occurs before the first

date provided in Section 7-12 of the Election Code for filing nomination papers for county offices for the primary in the next even-numbered year following commencement of the term of office in which the vacancy occurs, nominations for the election for filling the vacancy shall be made pursuant to Article 7 of the Election Code.

(2) If the vacancy in office occurs during the time

provided in Section 7-12 of the Election Code for filing nomination papers for county offices for the primary in the next even-numbered year following commencement of the term of office in which the vacancy occurs, the time for filing nomination papers for the primary shall not be more than 91 days nor less than 85 days prior to the date of the primary.

(3) If the vacancy in office occurs after the last

day provided in Section 7-12 of the Election Code for filing nomination papers for county offices for the primary in the next even-numbered year following commencement of the term of office in which the vacancy occurs, a vacancy in nomination shall be deemed to have occurred and the county central committee of each established political party (if the vacancy occurs in a single county educational service region) or the multi-county educational service region committee of each established political party (if the vacancy occurs in a multi-county educational service region) shall nominate, by resolution, a candidate to fill the vacancy in nomination for election to the office at the general election. In the nomination proceedings to fill the vacancy in nomination, each member of the county central committee or the multi-county educational service region committee, whichever applies, shall have the voting strength as set forth in Section 7-8 or 7-8.02 of the Election Code, respectively. The name of the candidate so nominated shall not appear on the ballot at the general primary election. The vacancy in nomination shall be filled prior to the date of certification of candidates for the general election.

(4) The resolution to fill the vacancy shall be duly

acknowledged before an officer qualified to take acknowledgments of deeds and shall include, upon its face, the following information: (A) the name of the original nominee and the office vacated; (B) the date on which the vacancy occurred; and (C) the name and address of the nominee selected to fill the vacancy and the date of selection. The resolution to fill the vacancy shall be accompanied by a statement of candidacy, as prescribed in Section 7-10 of the Election Code, completed by the selected nominee, a certificate from the State Board of Education, as prescribed in Section 3-1 of this Code, and a receipt indicating that the nominee has filed a statement of economic interests as required by the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act.

The provisions of Sections 10-8 through 10-10.1 of the Election Code relating to objections to nomination papers, hearings on objections, and judicial review shall also apply to and govern objections to nomination papers and resolutions for filling vacancies in nomination filed pursuant to this Section. Unless otherwise specified in this Section, the nomination and election provided for in this Section is governed by the general election law. Except as otherwise provided by applicable county ordinance or by law, if a vacancy occurs in the office of regional superintendent of schools of an educational service region that is located in a county that is a home rule unit and that has a population of less than 2,000,000 inhabitants, that vacancy shall be filled by the county board of such home rule county. Any person appointed to fill a vacancy in the office of regional superintendent of schools of any educational service region must possess the qualifications required to be elected to the position of regional superintendent of schools, and shall obtain a certificate of eligibility from the State Superintendent of Education and file same with the county clerk of the county in which the regional superintendent's office is located. If the regional superintendent of schools is called into the active military service of the United States, his office shall not be deemed to be vacant, but a temporary appointment shall be made as in the case of a vacancy. The appointee shall perform all the duties of the regional superintendent of schools during the time the regional superintendent of schools is in the active military service of the United States, and shall be paid the same compensation apportioned as to the time of service, and such appointment and all authority thereunder shall cease upon the discharge of the regional superintendent of schools from such active military service. The appointee shall give the same bond as is required of a regularly elected regional superintendent of schools. (Source: P.A. 96-893, eff. 7-1-10.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-7) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-7) Sec. 3A-7. Expenses of regional office - Budget. When 2 or more regions have been consolidated into a single educational service region, the costs of secretarial service, office space and other expenses necessarily incurred in the operation of the office of the regional superintendent shall be allocated to and borne by the counties comprising the region in the proportion that the equalized and assessed value of the taxable property in the county bears to the total equalized and assessed value of all taxable property in the region. For the purposes of calculating equalized assessed valuation of taxable property under this Section for any tax year beginning January 1, 1981 or thereafter, the equalized assessed valuation for a county shall be determined by adding to the real property equalized assessed valuation for the county an amount computed by dividing the amount of money received by the county under the provisions of "An Act in relation to the abolition of ad valorem personal property tax and the replacement of revenues lost thereby, and amending and repealing certain Acts and parts of Acts in connection therewith", certified August 14, 1979, as amended, by the total tax rate for the county. By October 1 annually, the regional superintendent shall prepare a budget, setting out the anticipated income for his educational service region and a statement of the costs of secretarial services, office space and other expenses to be incurred in the operation of his office, and shall submit that budget to the county board of each of the counties in his region for approval. No such costs or expenses may be incurred except pursuant to that budget as approved by each of the county boards concerned. The budget may be amended, modified or supplemented upon the vote of a 2/3 majority of each of those county boards. (Source: P.A. 82-646.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-8) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-8) Sec. 3A-8. The location of the office for a multi-county educational service region, which has been consolidated pursuant to the terms of this Article, shall be determined by a committee composed of the chairmen of the county boards of all counties in the region. In the event of a tie vote by such committee, the chairman of the regional board of school trustees shall cast the deciding vote. (Source: P.A. 86-1028.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-9) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-9) Sec. 3A-9. Disconnection. An educational service region, consisting of 2 or more counties, may be restructured by the disconnection of a county from the educational service region as provided in this Article. However, no educational service region involved in the disconnection may contain less than 33,000 inhabitants after the disconnection, unless it is a region which after the disconnection contains an area that was formed from the consolidation of 3 or more regions. Disconnection may be initiated by a petition requesting an election on whether the county should be disconnected from the present educational service region and whether the county should be consolidated with a different specified educational service region. A petition shall be signed by 10% of the legal resident voters of the county to which the petition refers; the petitioners' addresses shall be included. A petition shall be filed with the regional superintendent of the educational service region of which the county is a part not more than 99 nor less than 92 days prior to a regular scheduled election. The regional superintendent and the county clerk shall determine the sufficiency of the petition. If the petition is deemed sufficient by the regional superintendent and the county clerk, the regional superintendent shall call an election at the next regular scheduled election for the purpose of presenting a public measure, in accord with the petition, to the voters of the county to be disconnected as specified in the petition. (Source: P.A. 81-1489.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-10) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-10) Sec. 3A-10. Notice of Election. A notice of the election shall be given in accordance with the general election law. In addition to the requirements of the general election law the notice shall be in substantially the following form:

(105 ILCS 5/3A-12) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-12) Sec. 3A-12. Limitation on successive petitions. If a majority of those voting in a disconnection election do not favor disconnection, no petition for a disconnection election shall be submitted to the regional superintendent unless the resulting election would be held at a regular election in accordance with the general election law. (Source: P.A. 82-458.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-13) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-13) Sec. 3A-13. Petition for Consolidation. If a majority of those voting in the disconnection election favor disconnection and requesting consolidation with another educational service region, the regional superintendent shall notify, within 30 days of the declaration of official results, the regional board of school trustees for the educational service region approved by the voters in the election of the official results. When the official results are received, the regional board of school trustees shall conduct a hearing on the petition, after notice of hearing has been published once, not more than 15 nor less than 10 days before the day of the hearing, in one or more newspapers having general circulation in the region and in one or more newspapers having general circulation in the county which is petitioning for the consolidation. The secretary of the regional board of school trustees shall notify the secretary of each school board affected by the proposed consolidation, the chairman of the county board of each county affected thereby and the State Superintendent of Education that the petition has been filed. The notice shall state the prayer of the petition and the date, time and place of the hearing. The State Board of Education shall pay the expenses of the hearing. Evidence admissible at the hearing shall include, but not be limited to, the school needs and conditions in the territory affected by the proposed consolidation, whether or not the area is compact and contiguous; and whether or not the proposed consolidation would be in the best interests of the schools in the area and the educational welfare of the pupils of these schools. A record of the proceedings shall be kept and a competent reporter shall be employed to take stenographic or stenotype notes of all testimony. At the hearing each resident of the region or of the county petitioning for consolidation shall have the rights provided for residents under Section 7-6 and the final order of the regional board of school trustees shall be subject to review as provided in Sections 7-6 and 7-7. Within 10 days of the hearing the regional board of school trustees shall meet and render a decision with regard to the hearing on the petition. A copy of the final decision of the regional board of school trustees shall be filed with the State Board of Education within 30 days after the conclusion of the hearing. If the regional board of school trustees renders a decision approving the consolidation, the region and the county shall be consolidated into a single educational service region and the State Board of Education shall notify all interested parties, including the county clerks of the counties affected thereby and the Secretary of State. The effective date of the consolidation shall be immediately after the time for appeal of the order of consolidation has passed or after the final disposition of any appeal taken from a consolidation order. If the regional board of school trustees renders a decision denying the consolidation, a majority of the school boards located within the county disconnected, upon the adoption of appropriate resolutions, may petition another educational service region for consolidation. The proceedings on this petition shall be consistent with this Section. (Source: P.A. 86-1028.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-14) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-14) Sec. 3A-14. Interim Period. An educational service region shall continue to serve a county as herein provided until the time the consolidation is effective as provided for in Section 3A-13. (Source: P.A. 80-951.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-15) (from Ch. 122, par. 3A-15) Sec. 3A-15. Legal representation. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, upon request the State's attorney of the county where the regional superintendent's office is located shall act as the legal representative of the regional superintendent of schools; however, where matters arise which are within the exclusive jurisdiction of another State's attorney, said State's attorney shall provide legal representation. If, in multicounty educational service regions, the county boards grant approval through an intergovernmental agreement, or if, in educational service regions serving only one county, the county board grants approval, then the regional superintendent of schools is authorized to hire private legal counsel to represent him or her in legal matters, and each county located within the region shall pay a per capita share of the legal fees incurred, based on the number of people in the county according to the most recent U.S. census. (Source: P.A. 94-153, eff. 7-8-05.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-16) Sec. 3A-16. Regional office of education advisory board. (a) Beginning October 1, 2009, a regional office of education advisory board shall be established within each region serving Class I counties or within each group of regions participating in an intergovernmental agreement for the provision of professional development to advise the regional superintendent of schools of the region or regions involved concerning the planning and delivery of professional development programs and services. (b) The advisory board shall consist of at least 9 members. All members of the advisory board shall be certified pursuant to Article 21 of this Code and be currently employed in positions requiring certification by a school district, special education cooperative, joint agreement, or regional office of education program. A majority of members shall be nominated by statewide organizations representing teachers within the region or regions and selected by the regional superintendent of the region or regions involved. Administrators shall be nominated by statewide organizations representing administrators within the region or regions and selected by the regional superintendent of the region or regions involved. (c) The regional office of education advisory board shall meet at least annually for the performance of its advisory duties. (Source: P.A. 96-568, eff. 8-18-09.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-17) Sec. 3A-17. (Repealed). (Source: P.A. 89-335, eff. 1-1-96. Repealed by P.A. 96-893, eff. 7-1-10.)

(105 ILCS 5/3A-18) Sec. 3A-18. (Repealed). (Source: P.A. 97-619, eff. 11-14-11. Repealed internally, eff. 8-2-12.)