(105 ILCS 5/7-2.6) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-2.6)
Sec. 7-2.6. At its organization meeting, the Hearing Board shall choose from its membership a chairman and a secretary. The secretary shall cause a copy of such petition to be sent to each board of any district involved in the proposed boundary change, and shall cause a notice thereof to be published once in a newspaper having general circulation within the area of the territory described in the petition for the proposed change of boundaries. The petitioners shall pay the expenses of publishing the notice and of any transcript taken at the hearing. In case of an appeal from the decision of the Hearing Board, the appellants shall pay the cost of preparing the record for appeal. The notice must state when the petition was filed, the description of the territory, the prayer of the petition, and the day on which the hearing upon the petition will be held, which day may not be more than 15 nor less than 10 days after the publication of notice. Any additional expense not enumerated above shall be borne equally by the school districts involved.
The Hearing Board shall hear the petition and determine the sufficiency thereof and may adjourn the hearing from time to time or continue the matter for want of sufficient notice or for other good cause. The Hearing Board (a) shall hear evidence as to the school needs and conditions of the territory in the area within and adjacent thereto, and as to the ability of the districts affected to meet the standards of recognition as prescribed by the State Board of Education, (b) shall take into consideration the division of funds and assets which will result from any change of boundaries, and the will of the people of the area affected, and (c) shall determine whether it is to the best interests of the schools of the area and the educational welfare of the pupils should such change in boundaries be granted.
The Hearing Board may administer oaths, determine the admissibility of evidence and issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and subpoena duces tecum for the production of documents. At the hearing any resident in the territory prescribed in the petition, or any resident in any district affected by the proposed change of boundaries, may appear in person or by attorney in support of the petition or to object to the granting of the petition and may give evidence in support of his or her position. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Hearing Board shall, within 30 days, enter an order either granting or denying the petition, and shall deliver to the petitioners, to all affected districts, to any person who has filed his or her appearance in writing at the hearing or to any attorney who appears for any person, to any objector who testified at such hearing, and to the regional superintendent of schools of each region in which the territory or any district affected lies, a certified copy of its order by registered mail.
Within 10 days after service of the certified copy of the order, any person so served may petition for rehearing and upon sufficient cause being shown, the Hearing Board may grant a rehearing. The filing of a petition for rehearing operates as a stay of enforcement until the board enters its final order on that petition for rehearing.
(Source: P.A. 84-551.)
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Last modified: February 18, 2015