Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/10-22.18e) creates the Full-Day Kindergarten Task Force, which is created for the purpose of conducting a statewide audit to inform the planning and implementation of full-day kindergarten in the State and shall, at a minimum, collect, analyze, and report the following:
- the number of elementary and unit school districts in the State that are currently offering kindergarten, including the number offering full-day kindergarten, the number offering part-day kindergarten, and the number offering both part-day kindergarten and full-day kindergarten.
- the number of students currently enrolled in kindergarten in the State, including the number enrolled in full-day kindergarten, the number enrolled in part-day kindergarten, the total number enrolled in either part-day kindergarten or full-day kindergarten, and the number of children on any waitlists for part-day or full-day kindergarten.
- for all elementary and unit school districts, an estimate of the number of students eligible for kindergarten.
- for all elementary and unit school districts that do not currently offer full-day kindergarten, an analysis of their space utilization rate and an assessment of district capacity to provide space for full-day kindergarten classrooms.
- for all elementary and unit school districts that do not currently offer full-day kindergarten and are found to have insufficient capacity to provide space for full-day kindergarten classrooms, an estimate of the costs associated with providing full-day kindergarten classrooms.
- recommendations on how available capital funds for full-day kindergarten might be disbursed to school districts to prioritize districts most in need of State resources; and
- other data or recommendations that would support the State or individual school districts in offering full-day kindergarten. Such recommendations may include an analysis of other start-up or categorical costs associated with offering full-day kindergarten.
Based on the findings, the Task Force may recommend that the State Board of Education consider an additional criterion when granting a waiver under subsection (b) of Section 10-22.18. The State Board of Education shall make a final determination regarding this additional factor and provide public notice of that determination by no later than July 1, 2025.
Task Force Information