§ 34-8 — Powers and duties of general superintendent

The general superintendent of schools shall prescribe and control, subject to the approval of the board and to other provisions of this Article, the courses of study mandated by State law, textbooks, educational apparatus and equipment, discipline in and conduct of the schools, and shall perform such other duties as the board may by rule prescribe. The superintendent shall also notify the State Board of Education, the board and the chief administrative official, other than the alleged perpetrator himself, in the school where the alleged perpetrator serves, that any person who is employed in a school or otherwise comes into frequent contact with children in the school has been named as a perpetrator in an indicated report filed pursuant to the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, approved June 26, 1975, as amended. The general superintendent may be granted the authority by the board to hire a specific number of employees to assist in meeting immediate responsibilities. Conditions of employment for such personnel shall not be subject to the provisions of Section 34-85. The general superintendent may, pursuant to a delegation of authority by the board and Section 34-18, approve contracts and expenditures. Pursuant to other provisions of this Article, sites shall be selected, schoolhouses located thereon and plans therefor approved, and textbooks and educational apparatus and equipment shall be adopted and purchased by the board only upon the recommendation of the general superintendent of schools or by a majority vote of the full membership of the board and, in the case of textbooks, subject to Article 28 of this Act. The board may furnish free textbooks to pupils and may publish its own textbooks and manufacture its own apparatus, equipment and supplies. In addition, in January of each year, the general superintendent of schools shall report to the State Board of Education the number of high school students in the district who are enrolled in accredited courses (for which high school credit will be awarded upon successful completion of the courses) at any community college, together with the name and number of the course or courses which each such student is taking. The general superintendent shall also have the authority to monitor the performance of attendance centers, to identify and place an attendance center on remediation and probation, and to recommend to the board that the attendance center be placed on intervention and be reconstituted, subject to the provisions of Sections 34-8.3 and 8.4. The general superintendent, or his or her designee, shall conduct an annual evaluation of each principal in the district pursuant to guidelines promulgated by the Board and the Board approved principal evaluation form. The evaluation shall be based on factors, including the following: (i) student academic improvement, as defined by the school improvement plan; (ii) student absenteeism rates at the school; (iii) instructional leadership; (iv) effective implementation of programs, policies, or strategies to improve student academic achievement; (v) school management; and (vi) other factors, including, without limitation, the principal's communication skills and ability to create and maintain a student-centered learning environment, to develop opportunities for professional development, and to encourage parental involvement and community partnerships to achieve school improvement. The general superintendent or his or her designee shall develop a written principal evaluation plan. The evaluation plan must be in writing and shall supersede the evaluation requirements set forth in this Section. The evaluation plan must do at least all of the following: (1) Provide for annual evaluation of all principals employed under a performance contract by the general superintendent or his or her designee, no later than July 1st of each year. (2) Consider the principal's specific duties, responsibilities, management, and competence as a principal. (3) Specify the principal's strengths and weaknesses, with supporting reasons. (4) Align with research-based standards. (5) Until July 1, 2025, use data and indicators on student growth as a significant factor in rating principal performance. Beginning July 1, 2025, the evaluation plan may provide for the use of data and indicators on student growth as a factor in rating performance.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 104-20, eff. 7-1-25.)