To increase the effectiveness of the Department of Juvenile Justice and thereby to better serve the interests of the people of Illinois the following bill is presented. Its purpose is to enhance the quality and scope of education for inmates and wards within the Department of Juvenile Justice so that they will be better motivated and better equipped to restore themselves to constructive and law-abiding lives in the community. The specific measure sought is the creation of a school district within the Department so that its educational programs can meet the needs of persons committed and so the resources of public education at the state and federal levels are best used, all of the same being contemplated within the provisions of the Illinois State Constitution of 1970 which provides that "A
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To increase the effectiveness of the Department of Juvenile Justice and thereby to better serve the interests of the people of Illinois the following bill is presented. Its purpose is to enhance the quality and scope of education for inmates and wards within the Department of Juvenile Justice so that they will be better motivated and better equipped to restore themselves to constructive and law-abiding lives in the community. The specific measure sought is the creation of a school district within the Department so that its educational programs can meet the needs of persons committed and so the resources of public education at the state and federal levels are best used, all of the same being contemplated within the provisions of the Illinois State Constitution of 1970 which provides that "A fundamental goal of the People of the State is the educational development of all persons to the limits of their capacities." Therefore, on July 1, 2006, the Department of Corrections school district shall be transferred to the Department of Juvenile Justice. It shall be responsible for the education of youth within the Department of Juvenile Justice and inmates age 21 or under within the Department of Corrections who have not yet earned a high school diploma or a State of Illinois High School Diploma, and the district may establish primary, secondary, vocational, adult, special, and advanced educational schools as provided in this Act. The Department of Corrections retains authority as provided for in subsection (d) of Section 3-6-2 of the Unified Code of Corrections. The Board of Education for this district shall with the aid and advice of professional educational personnel of the Department of Juvenile Justice and the State Board of Education determine the needs and type of schools and the curriculum for each school within the school district and may proceed to establish the same through existing means within present and future appropriations, federal and state school funds, vocational rehabilitation grants and funds and all other funds, gifts and grants, private or public, including federal funds, but not exclusive to the said sources but inclusive of all funds which might be available for school purposes.