§ 11E-70 — Effective date of change

(a) Except as provided in subsections (a-5) and (a-10) of this Section, if a petition is filed under the authority of this Article, the change is granted and approved at election, and no appeal is taken, then the change shall become effective after the time for appeal has run for the purpose of all elections; however, the change shall not affect the administration of the schools until July 1 following the date that the school board election is held for the new district or districts and the school boards of the districts as they existed prior to the change shall exercise the same power and authority over the territory until that date. (a-5) If a petition is filed under the authority of this Article for the consolidation of Christopher Unit School District 99 and Zeigler-Royalton Community Unit School District 188, the change is granted and approved at election, and no appeal is taken, then the change shall become effective after one or both of the school districts have been awarded school construction grants under the School Construction Law. (a-10) If (i) a petition is filed under the authority of this Article for the reorganization of 2 or more school districts that requires a new school building to effectively educate students, (ii) the change is granted and approved at an election, and (iii) no appeal is taken, then, with the approval of the regional superintendent of schools, the change may become effective after one or more of the school districts have been awarded school construction grants, in accordance with the School Construction Law. The intent to postpone the reorganization's effective date must be documented in the petition, and the petition is void if it does not take effect within 5 years after being filed. After the referendum approval and before the effective date of the reorganization, the petition becomes void if the following requirements are met: (1) the board of each affected district, by proper resolution, causes the proposition to void the petition to be submitted to the voters of each affected district at a regularly scheduled election; and (2) a majority of the electors voting at the election in each affected district votes in favor of voiding the petition. (b) If any school district is dissolved in accordance with this Article, upon the close of the then current school year, the terms of office of the school board of the dissolved district shall terminate. (c) New districts shall be permitted to organize and elect officers within the time prescribed by the general election law. Additionally, between the date of the organization and the election of officers and the date on which the new district takes effect for all purposes, the new district shall also be permitted, with the stipulation of the districts from which the new district is formed and the approval of the regional superintendent of schools, to take all action necessary or appropriate to do the following: (1) Establish the tax levy for the new district, in lieu of the levies by the districts from which the new district is formed, within the time generally provided by law and in accordance with this Article. The funds produced by the levy shall be transferred to the new district as generally provided by law at such time as they are received by the county collector. (2) Enter into agreements with depositories and direct the deposit and investment of any funds received from the county collector or any other source, all as generally provided by law. (3) Conduct a search for the superintendent of the new district and enter into a contract with the person selected to serve as the superintendent of the new district in accordance with the provisions of this Code generally applicable to the employment of a superintendent. (4) Conduct a search for other administrators and staff of the new district and enter into a contract with these persons in accordance with the provisions of this Code generally applicable to the employment of administrators and other staff. (5) Engage the services of accountants, architects, attorneys, and other consultants, including but not limited to consultants to assist in the search for the superintendent. (6) Plan for the transition from the administration of the schools by the districts from which the new district is formed. (7) Bargain collectively, pursuant to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act, with the certified exclusive bargaining representative or certified exclusive bargaining representatives of the new district's employees. (8) Expend the funds received from the levy and any funds received from the districts from which the new district is formed to meet payroll and other essential operating expenses or otherwise in the exercise of the foregoing powers until the new district takes effect for all purposes. (9) Issue bonds authorized in the proposition to form the new district or bonds pursuant to and in accordance with all of the requirements of Section 17-2.11 of this Code, levy taxes upon all of the taxable property within the new district to pay the principal of and interest on those bonds as provided by statute, expend the proceeds of the bonds and enter into any necessary contracts for the work financed therewith as authorized by statute, and avail itself of the provisions of other applicable law, including the Omnibus Bond Acts, in connection with the issuance of those bonds. (d) After the granting of a petition has become final and approved at election, the date when the change becomes effective for purposes of administration and attendance may be accelerated or postponed by stipulation of the school board of each district affected and approval by the regional superintendent of schools with which the original petition is required to be filed.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 97-925, eff. 8-10-12; 98-125, eff. 8-2-13.)