Article 7. Boundary Change  

    (105 ILCS 5/7-01) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-01)
    Sec. 7-01. For purposes of this Article 7, "county board of school trustees" means the regional board of school trustees elected under Article 6 of this Act, and "county" means an educational service region, as determined under Article 3A of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 78-514.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-02) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-02)
    Sec. 7-02. Limitations. The provisions of this Article providing for the change in school district boundaries by detachment, annexation, division or dissolution, or by any combination of those methods, are subject to the provisions of this Section. Whenever due to fire, explosion, tornado or any Act of God the school buildings or one or more of the principal school buildings comprising an attendance center within a school district are destroyed or substantially destroyed and rendered unfit for school purposes, the provisions of this Article shall not be available to permit a division of that district, or a dissolution, detachment or annexation of any part thereof, or any combination of such results during a period from the date of such destruction or substantial destruction until 30 days after the second regular election of board members following such destruction or substantial destruction. Nothing in this Section shall be deemed to prohibit the combining of the entire district with another entire district or with other entire districts during such period pursuant to the provisions of Article 11E.
(Source: P.A. 94-1019, eff. 7-10-06.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-03)
    Sec. 7-03. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 85-1020. Repealed by P.A. 94-1105, eff. 6-1-07.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-04) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-04)
    Sec. 7-04. Districts in educational service regions of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants.
    (a) In all proceedings under this Article to change by detachment, annexation, division, dissolution, or any combination of those methods the boundaries of any school district (other than a school district organized under Article 34) located in an educational service region of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants in which the regional board of school trustees is abolished as provided in subsection (a) of Section 6-2, the trustees of schools of the township in which that school district is located, as the successor under subsection (b) of Section 6-2 to the former regional board of school trustees with respect to all territory located in that school township, shall have, exercise, and perform all powers, duties, and responsibilities required under this Article to be exercised and performed in those proceedings by a regional board of school trustees; provided that if any school district affected by those proceedings is located in a school township referred to in subsection (b) of Section 5-1 and there are no trustees of schools acting in that township then the school board of any such district, as the successor under subsection (b) of Section 6-2 to the former regional board of school trustees with respect to the territory comprising that school district, shall have, exercise, and perform all powers, duties, and responsibilities required under this Article to be exercised and performed in those proceedings with respect to the territory of that school district by a regional board of school trustees; and provided further that: (i) when any school district affected by those proceedings is located not only in an educational service region of 2,000,000 or more inhabitants but also in 2 or more school townships in that region that each have trustees of schools of the township, then the boundaries of that school district may be changed under this Article by detachment, annexation, division, dissolution, or any combination of those methods only by the concurrent action of, taken following a joint hearing before the trustees of schools of those townships (in that educational service region) in which that school district is located; and (ii) if any part of the school district referred to in item (i) of this subsection also lies within an educational service region that has a regional board of school trustees, the boundaries of that district may be changed under this Article only by the concurrent action of, taken following a joint hearing before the trustees of schools of the townships referred to in item (i) of this subsection and the regional board of school trustees of the educational service region referred to in this item (ii) of this subsection. Whenever concurrent action and joint hearings are required under this subsection, the original petition shall be filed with the trustees of schools of the township in which the territory or greatest portion of the territory being detached is located, or if the territory is being detached from more than one educational service region then with the regional board of school trustees of the region or the trustees of schools of the township in which the territory or greatest portion of the territory being detached is located.
    (b) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, all other provisions of this Article shall apply to any proceedings under this Article to change the boundaries of any school district located in an educational service region having 2,000,000 or more inhabitants in the same manner that those provisions apply to any proceedings to change the boundaries of any school district located in any other educational service region; provided, that any reference in those other provisions to the regional board of school trustees shall mean, with respect to all territory within an educational service region containing 2,000,000 or more inhabitants that formerly was served by a regional board of school trustees abolished under subsection (a) of Section 6-2, the trustees of schools of the township or the school board of the school district that is the successor under subsection (b) of Section 6-2 to the former regional board of school trustees with respect to the territory included within that school township or school district.
(Source: P.A. 87-969.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-1)
    Sec. 7-1. Districts in one educational service region - changing boundaries.
    (a) School district boundaries lying entirely within any educational service region may be changed by detachment, annexation, division or dissolution or any combination thereof by the regional board of school trustees of such region, or by the State Superintendent of Education as provided in subsection (l) of Section 7-6, when petitioned by the boards of each district affected or by a majority of the registered voters in each district affected or by two-thirds of the registered voters in any territory proposed to be detached from one or more districts or in each of one or more districts proposed to be annexed to another district. Registered voters shall be determined by the official voter registration lists as of the date the petition is filed. No signatures shall be added after the date the petition is filed. If there are no registered voters within the territory proposed to be detached from one or more districts, then the petition may be signed by all of the owners of record of the real estate of the territory. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article, if pursuant to a petition filed under this subsection all of the territory of a school district is to be annexed to another school district, any action by the regional board of school trustees or State Superintendent of Education in granting or approving the petition and any change in school district boundaries pursuant to that action is subject to and the change in school district boundaries shall not be made except upon approval at a regular scheduled election, in the manner provided by Section 7-7.7, of a proposition for the annexation of all of the territory of that school district to the other school district.
    Each page of the circulated petition shall include the full prayer of the petition, and each signature contained therein shall match the official signature and address of the registered voters as recorded in the office of the election authority having jurisdiction over the county. Each petitioner shall also record the date of his signing. Each page of the petition shall be signed by a circulator who has witnessed the signature of each petitioner on that page. The length of time for signatures to be valid, before filing of the petition, shall not exceed 6 months.
    Where there is only one school building in an approved operating district, the building and building site may not be included in any detachment proceeding unless petitioned by two-thirds of the registered voters within the entire district wherein the school is located.
    (b) Any elementary or high school district with 100 or more of its students residing upon territory located entirely within a military base or installation operated and maintained by the government of the United States, or any unit school district or any combination of the above mentioned districts with 300 or more of its students residing upon territory located entirely within a military base or installation operated and maintained by the government of the United States, shall, upon the filing with the regional board of school trustees of a petition adopted by resolution of the board of education or a petition signed by a majority of the registered voters residing upon such military base or installation, have all of the territory lying entirely within such military base or installation detached from such school district, and a new school district comprised of such territory shall be created. The petition shall be filed with and decided solely by the regional board of school trustees of the region in which the regional superintendent of schools has supervision of the school district affected. The regional board of school trustees shall have no authority to deny the detachment and creation of a new school district requested in a proper petition filed under this subsection. This subsection shall apply only to those school districts having a population of not fewer than 1,000 and not more than 500,000 residents, as ascertained by any special or general census.
    The new school district shall tuition its students to the same districts that its students were previously attending and the districts from which the new district was detached shall continue to educate the students from the new district, until the federal government provides other arrangements. The federal government shall pay for the education of such children as required by Section 6 of Public Law 81-874.
    If a school district created under this subsection (b) has not elected a school board and has not become operational within 2 years after the date of detachment, then this district is automatically dissolved and the territory of this district reverts to the school district from which the territory was detached or any successor district thereto. Any school district created under this subsection (b) on or before September 1, 1996 that has not elected a school board and has not been operational since September 1, 1996 is automatically dissolved on the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1999, and on this date the territory of this district reverts to the school district from which the territory was detached. For the automatic dissolution of a school district created under this subsection (b), the regional superintendent of schools who has supervision of the school district from which the territory was detached shall certify to the regional board of school trustees that the school district created under this subsection (b) has been automatically dissolved.
(Source: P.A. 90-459, eff. 8-17-97; 91-460, eff. 8-6-99.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-2)
    Sec. 7-2. Districts in two or more counties; Change of boundaries. Boundaries of existing school districts lying within two or more counties may be changed by detachment, annexation, division, dissolution or any combination thereof by the concurrent action of, taken following a joint hearing before, the regional boards of school trustees of each region affected. For purposes of this Section and Section 7-6, an educational service region shall be deemed to be a region affected if any portion of the territory which the petition seeks to have detached from any school district is located in the region. The petition may be by the boards of each district affected, or by a majority of the legal voters residing in each district affected, or by two-thirds of the legal voters residing in any territory proposed to be detached from one or more districts or in each of one or more districts proposed to be annexed to another district. The original petition shall be filed with the regional board of school trustees of the region in which the territory being detached is located or if territory is being detached from more than one region then the petition shall be filed with the regional board of school trustees of the region in which the regional superintendent has supervision over the greatest portion of such territory. A certified true copy of the petition shall be filed with the regional board of school trustees of each other region affected. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Article, if pursuant to a petition filed under this Section all of the territory of a school district is to be annexed to another school district, any action by the regional boards of school trustees in granting the petition and any changes in school district boundaries pursuant to that action is subject to and the change in school district boundaries shall not be made except upon approval at a regular scheduled election, in the manner provided by Section 7-7.7, of a proposition for the annexation of all of the territory of that school district to the other school district.
    The regional board of school trustees in whose region the joint hearing on the original petition is conducted shall send a certified true copy of the transcript of the hearing to each other region affected. If there are no legal voters residing within the territory proposed to be detached from one or more districts, then the petition may be signed by all of the owners of record of the real estate of the territory. The annexing district is that district to which territory is proposed to be added.
    Where there is only one school building in an approved operating district, the building and building site may not be included in any detachment proceeding unless petitioned by two-thirds of the eligible voters within the entire district wherein the school is located.
    After September 23, 1983, no petition shall be filed under Sections 7-1 and 7-2 to form a new school district under this Article except that such a petition may be filed under Section 7-1 to form a new school district where the boundaries of such new school district lie entirely within the boundaries of a military base or installation operated and maintained by the government of the United States.
(Source: P.A. 90-459, eff. 8-17-97.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-2a) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-2a)
    Sec. 7-2a. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this Section, any petition for dissolution filed under this Article must specify the school district or districts to which all of the territory of the district proposed to be dissolved will be annexed. Any petition for dissolution may be made by the board of education of the district or a majority of the legal voters residing in the district proposed to be dissolved. No petition from any other district affected by the proposed dissolution shall be required.
    (b) Any school district with a population of less than 5,000 residents or an enrollment of less than 750 students, as determined by the district's current fall housing report filed with the State Board of Education, shall be dissolved and its territory annexed as provided in Section 7-11 by the regional board of school trustees upon the filing with the regional board of school trustees of a petition adopted by resolution of the board of education or a petition signed by a majority of the registered voters of the district seeking such dissolution. No petition shall be adopted or signed under this subsection until the board of education or the petitioners, as the case may be, shall have given at least 10 days' notice to be published once in a newspaper having general circulation in the district and shall have conducted a public informational meeting to inform the residents of the district of the proposed dissolution and to answer questions concerning the proposed dissolution. The petition shall be filed with and decided solely by the regional board of school trustees of the region in which the regional superintendent of schools has supervision of the school district being dissolved. The regional board of school trustees shall not act on a petition filed by a board of education if within 45 days after giving notice of the hearing required under Section 7-11 a petition in opposition to the petition of the board to dissolve, signed by a majority of the registered voters of the district, is filed with the regional board of school trustees. The regional board of school trustees shall have no authority to deny dissolution requested in a proper petition for dissolution filed under this subsection (b), but shall exercise its discretion in accordance with Section 7-11 on the issue of annexing the territory of a district being dissolved, giving consideration to but not being bound by the wishes expressed by the residents of the various school districts that may be affected by such annexation.
    When dissolution and annexation become effective for purposes of administration and attendance as determined pursuant to Section 7-11, the positions of teachers in contractual continued service in the district being dissolved are transferred to an annexing district or to annexing districts pursuant to the provisions of Section 24-12 relative to teachers having contractual continued service status whose positions are transferred from one board to the control of a different board, and those said provisions of Section 24-12 shall apply to said transferred teachers. In the event that the territory is added to 2 or more districts, the decision on which positions shall be transferred to which annexing districts shall be made giving consideration to the proportionate percent of pupils transferred and the annexing districts' staffing needs, and the transfer of specific individuals into such positions shall be based upon the request of those teachers in order of seniority in the dissolving district. The contractual continued service status of any teacher thereby transferred to an annexing district is not lost and the different board is subject to this Act with respect to such transferred teacher in the same manner as if such teacher was that district's employee and had been its employee during the time such teacher was actually employed by the board of the dissolving district from which the position was transferred.
(Source: P.A. 98-125, eff. 8-2-13.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-2b) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-2b)
    Sec. 7-2b. Annexation of non-coterminous territory from an elementary or high school district.
    (a) Any contiguous portion of a high school district that constitutes 5% or less of the equalized assessed value of the district and 5% or less of the territory of the district shall upon petition of two-thirds of the registered voters of the territory proposed to be detached and annexed be so detached and annexed by the regional board of school trustees if granting such petition shall make the affected segment of the boundaries of the high school district the territory is proposed to be annexed to identical, for the entirety of such affected segment, to the boundaries of the elementary school district in which the territory is located.
    Any contiguous portion of an elementary school district that constitutes 5% or less of the equalized assessed value of the district and 5% or less of the territory of the district shall upon petition of two-thirds of the registered voters of the territory proposed to be detached and annexed be so detached and annexed by the regional board of school trustees if granting such petition shall make the affected segment of the boundaries of the elementary school district the territory is proposed to be annexed to identical, for the entirety of such affected segment, to the boundaries of the high school district in which the territory is located.
    The regional board of school trustees shall have no authority or discretion to hear any evidence or consider any issues except those that may be necessary to determine whether the limitations and conditions of this Section have been met.
    No district may lose more than 5% of its equalized assessed value or more than 5% of its territory through petitions filed under this Section. If a petition seeks to detach territory that would result in a cumulative total of more than 5% of a district's equalized assessed value or more than 5% of the district's territory being detached under this Section, the petition shall be denied without prejudice to its being filed pursuant to Section 7-6 of this Code. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, this paragraph shall apply to any detachments effected pursuant to the provisions of this Section as they existed prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly.
    (b) At any time prior to the granting of the petition calling for the detachment and annexation of non-coterminous territory under this Section, the Committee of Ten designated in the petition may amend the petition to withdraw the detachment and annexation proposal and substitute in its place a proposal to require the school district from which the territory would have been detached to pay the per capita tuition costs for each pupil residing in the non-coterminous territory to attend the school district to which the territory would have been annexed. If such amended petition is granted, the school district from which the territory would have been detached shall pay to the school district to which the territory would have been annexed the per capita tuition costs as determined under Section 10-20.12a for each pupil residing in the territory who chooses to attend the school district to which the territory would have been annexed. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 10-22.5, the school district to which the territory would have been annexed shall admit any pupil that resides in the non-coterminous territory and provide such pupils with any services of the school. The payment and collection of tuition and any other such matters as may need to be resolved shall be established by an intergovernmental agreement developed between the two affected school districts. Section 7-6 of this Code shall apply to petitions filed under this Section except as otherwise provided in this Section.
    The changes made by this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly shall not apply to petitions pending on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly.
(Source: P.A. 91-46, eff. 6-30-99.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-2c)
    Sec. 7-2c. Change of school district boundaries following annexation of vacant and unincorporated territory to a contiguous municipality.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, any contiguous portion of an elementary school district may be detached from that district and annexed to an adjoining elementary school district, and any contiguous portion of a high school district may be detached from that district and annexed to an adjoining high school district, upon a petition or petitions filed under this Section, when all of the following conditions are met with respect to each petition so filed:
        (1) The portion of the district to be so detached and

    (105 ILCS 5/7-2.3) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-2.3)
    Sec. 7-2.3. Annexation to special charter district.
    (a) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in any special act or special charter of any school district, annexation of territory to any city or village under the Illinois Municipal Code after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1967 does not constitute annexation of the territory to the special charter school district nor detachment from any school district adjacent to the special charter district. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this Section, the boundaries of a special charter district may be changed as provided in Sections 7-2.4 through 7-2.7.
    (b) If all or any part of a special charter school district is located in a special charter city, then upon the filing with the governing body of the special charter school district of a petition to detach the territory described in the petition from the school district of which that territory forms a part and to annex that territory to the special charter school district, the territory described in the petition shall be deemed to be so detached and annexed to the special charter school district by operation of law, if all of the following conditions are met: (i) the petition is signed by at least 51% of the owners of record and 51% of the electors, if any, residing in the territory described in the petition; and (ii) the territory described in the petition is located in the special charter city, is contiguous to the special charter school district, and does not include any commercially zoned properties that are contiguous to each other and together constitute in excess of 100 acres of land and are not separated by a State highway and that are used solely for office/research and hotel purposes. A certified copy of the petition and the resolution or order of the governing body of the special charter school district evidencing the annexation of the territory described in the petition to the special charter school district by operation of law shall be mailed by that governing body to each school district affected and to the regional board or boards of school trustees for the educational service region or regions in which the affected school districts are located. A person who is a resident of any territory described in the petition at the time of its detachment from one school district and its annexation to a special charter school district under this subsection, and whose child or children are then attending school in the district from which that territory is being detached, may elect to have that child or those children and their siblings attend the schools of the district from which the territory is being detached. However, in that event the special charter school district shall pay tuition in the amount provided by law to the school district from which the territory is detached for each of those children and siblings who attend the schools of that district.
(Source: P.A. 89-494, eff. 6-21-96.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-2.4) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-2.4)
    Sec. 7-2.4. A petition for annexation to or detachment of territory from a special charter school district must be filed with the governing body of the special charter district and a certified copy thereof must be sent to each district affected and to the county board of school trustees of the county in which the county superintendent has supervision of the district from which the petition seeks to have territory detached, or if territory is being detached from more than one county, to the county board of school trustees of the county in which the county superintendent has supervision over the greatest portion of such territory. A request for such annexation or detachment of territory may be initiated by any district affected by such proposed annexation or detachment of territory by a petition signed by the board of education and by 25% or 1,000 of the legal voters of the district, whichever is less, or by 50% of the legal voters residing in any territory requesting to be annexed or detached. If there are no legal voters residing within the territory proposed to be detached or annexed, then the petition may be signed by 50% of the owners of record of the real estate of the territory.
    Where there is only one school building in an approved operating school district, the building and building site may not be included in any detachment proceeding unless the petition is signed by 2/3 of the eligible voters within the entire district wherein the school is located.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 2540.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-2.5) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-2.5)
    Sec. 7-2.5. If no objection to the annexation or detachment of territory, prayed for in a petition under Section 7-2.4, is filed with the special charter school district or with the regional board of school trustees within 30 days after notice of the filing of such petition for annexation or detachment is given to each district affected, the annexation or detachment of territory takes effect, subject to Section 7-9 of this Act. However, if an objection to the proposed annexation or detachment of territory is filed with either the special charter district or the regional board of school trustees, the regional board of school trustees, within 15 days after receiving the objection, shall appoint 2 legal voters from the district or districts under their jurisdiction and involved in the proposed annexation or detachment of territory, subject to the approval of the boards of education of the districts affected, and the board or governing body of the special charter district shall appoint 2 legal voters from the special charter district. Those 4 appointees shall meet within 20 days of their appointment and by a majority vote select 3 persons who reside outside the jurisdiction of the districts affected by the proposed annexation or detachment of territory and who have a demonstrated interest and background in education. If a majority of the original 4 appointees cannot agree on the selection of the 3 additional members within 20 days of their appointment, the State Board of Education shall select the 3 additional persons, subject to the same criteria as required when selection is by the 4 appointees. The 4 appointees and the 3 additional persons selected under this Section constitute the Hearing Board and 4 members shall constitute a quorum.
    Within 10 days after the Hearing Board has been selected the regional superintendent of schools of the region in which the special charter district is located shall call an organization meeting of said Hearing Board.
(Source: P.A. 81-1508.)

    (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.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-2.7) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-2.7)
    Sec. 7-2.7. The decision of the Hearing Board under Section 7-2.6 is an "administrative decision" as defined in Section 3-101 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and any resident who appears at the hearings, or any petitioner or board of education of any district affected, may, within 35 days after a copy of the decision sought to be reviewed was served by registered mail upon the party affected thereby, file a complaint for a review of that decision in accordance with the Administrative Review Law. The commencement of any action for judicial review operates as a stay of enforcement, and no further proceedings may be had until final disposition of such review. Any change in boundaries resulting from the proceedings under Sections 7-2.4 through 7-2.7 takes effect on the date determined pursuant to Section 7-9 of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 84-551.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-3)
    Sec. 7-3. Limitation on change of boundaries when bond election pending.
    No petition affecting the boundaries of any school district may be filed under this Article after the district has published the required legal notice calling an election to authorize the issuance of bonds to be held on a date not later than 21 days after such publication until the first of the following events shall have occurred (1) the voters did not authorize the issuance of the bonds at the election, (2) the bonds have been issued, (3) the school board of the district has adopted a resolution abandoning its plan to issue such bonds, or (4) seventy-five days have elapsed since such election, provided that if proceedings are pending hereunder affecting the boundaries of such district at the time the notice of such election is published or if the district is a party to litigation affecting the legality of its existence or its boundaries at such time, the said seventy-five days shall not begin to run until the final determination of such proceedings or litigation and the expiration of the time for review, appeal or rehearing, and provided that the provisions of this section shall be applicable only to the first such election called to be held in any one calendar year.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-4) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-4)
    Sec. 7-4. Requirements for granting petitions. No petition shall be granted under Section 7-1 or 7-2 of this Code:
    (a) If there will be any non-high school territory resulting from the granting of the petition.
    (b) Unless after granting the petition any community unit district, community consolidated district, elementary district or high school district created shall have a population of at least 2,000 and an equalized assessed valuation of at least $6,000,000 based upon the last value as equalized by the Department of Revenue as of the date of filing of the petition.
    (c) Unless the territory within any district so created or any district whose boundaries are affected by the granting of a petition shall after the granting thereof be compact and contiguous, except as provided in Section 7-6 of this Code or as otherwise provided in this subdivision (c). The fact that a district is divided by territory lying within the corporate limits of the city of Chicago shall not render it non-compact or non-contiguous. If, pursuant to a petition filed under Section 7-1 or 7-2 of this Code, all of the territory of a district is to be annexed to another district, then the annexing district and the annexed district need not be contiguous if the following requirements are met and documented within 2 calendar years prior to the petition filing date:
        (1) the distance between each district administrative

    (105 ILCS 5/7-4.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-4.1)
    Sec. 7-4.1. Copies of petition. Each petition submitted under the provisions of Section 7-1 or 7-2 shall be accompanied by sufficient copies thereof for distribution to the board of each school district involved. The copies need not be signed by the petitioners as is required of the original petition.
(Source: Laws 1963, p. 3037.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-5) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-5)
    Sec. 7-5. Detachment set aside upon petition. If there is a recognized school district which as a result of detachment is without a school building, the detachment may be set aside by the county board of school trustees of the county over which the county superintendent of schools had supervision and control prior to the detachment upon petition by two-thirds of the eligible voters in the school district after such detachment and the detached area. The county board of school trustees shall conduct a hearing upon the petition as prescribed and in the manner provided in Section 7-6.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-6) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-6)
    Sec. 7-6. Petition filing; Notice; Hearing; Decision.
    (a) Upon the filing of a petition with the secretary of the regional board of school trustees under the provisions of Section 7-1 or 7-2 of this Act the secretary shall cause a copy of such petition to be given 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.
    (b) When a joint hearing is required under the provisions of Section 7-2, the secretary also shall cause a copy of the notice to be sent to the regional board of school trustees of each region affected. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, if the secretary of the regional board of school trustees with whom a petition is filed under Section 7-2 fails, within 30 days after the filing of such petition, to cause notice thereof to be published and sent as required by this Section, then the secretary of the regional board of school trustees of any other region affected may cause the required notice to be published and sent, and the joint hearing may be held in any region affected as provided in the notice so published.
    (b-5) If a petition filed under subsection (a) of Section 7-1 or under Section 7-2 proposes to annex all the territory of a school district to another school district, the petition shall request the submission of a proposition at a regular scheduled election for the purpose of voting for or against the annexation of the territory described in the petition to the school district proposing to annex that territory. No petition filed or election held under this Article shall be null and void, invalidated, or deemed in noncompliance with the Election Code because of a failure to publish a notice with respect to the petition or referendum as required under subsection (g) of Section 28-2 of that Code for petitions that are not filed under this Article or Article 11E of this Code.
    (c) When a petition contains more than 10 signatures the petition shall designate a committee of 10 of the petitioners as attorney in fact for all petitioners, any 7 of whom may make binding stipulations on behalf of all petitioners as to any question with respect to the petition or hearing or joint hearing, and the regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing may accept such stipulation in lieu of evidence or proof of the matter stipulated. The committee of petitioners shall have the same power to stipulate to accountings or waiver thereof between school districts; however, the regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing may refuse to accept such stipulation. Those designated as the committee of 10 shall serve in that capacity until such time as the regional superintendent of schools or the committee of 10 determines that, because of death, resignation, transfer of residency from the territory, or failure to qualify, the office of a particular member of the committee of 10 is vacant. Upon determination that a vacancy exists, the remaining members shall appoint a petitioner to fill the designated vacancy on the committee of 10. The appointment of any new members by the committee of 10 shall be made by a simple majority vote of the remaining designated members.
    (d) The petition may be amended to withdraw not to exceed a total of 10% of the territory in the petition at any time prior to the hearing or joint hearing; provided that the petition shall after amendment comply with the requirements as to the number of signatures required on an original petition.
    (e) The petitioners shall pay the expenses of publishing the notice and of any transcript taken at the hearing or joint hearing; and in case of an appeal from the decision of the regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing, or State Superintendent of Education in cases determined under subsection (l) of this Section, the appellants shall pay the cost of preparing the record for appeal.
    (f) The notice shall state when the petition was filed, the description of the territory, the prayer of the petition and the return day on which the hearing or joint hearing upon the petition will be held which shall not be more than 15 nor less than 10 days after the publication of notice.
    (g) On such return day or on a day to which the regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing shall continue the hearing or joint hearing the regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing shall hear the petition but may adjourn the hearing or joint hearing from time to time or may continue the matter for want of sufficient notice or other good cause.
    (h) Prior to the hearing or joint hearing the secretary of the regional board of school trustees shall submit to the regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing maps showing the districts involved, a written report of financial and educational conditions of districts involved and the probable effect of the proposed changes. The reports and maps submitted shall be made a part of the record of the proceedings of the regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing. A copy of the report and maps submitted shall be sent by the secretary of the regional board of school trustees to each board of the districts involved, not less than 5 days prior to the day upon which the hearing or joint hearing is to be held.
    (i) The regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing 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, and shall take into consideration the division of funds and assets which will result from the change of boundaries and shall determine whether it is to the best interests of the schools of the area and the educational welfare of the pupils that such change in boundaries be granted, and in case non-high school territory is contained in the petition the normal high school attendance pattern of the children shall be taken into consideration. If the non-high school territory overlies an elementary district, a part of which is in a high school district, such territory may be annexed to such high school district even though not contiguous to the high school district. However, upon resolution by the regional board of school trustees, or regional boards of school trustees in cases of a joint hearing the secretary or secretaries thereof shall conduct the hearing or joint hearing upon any boundary petition and present a transcript of such hearing to the trustees who shall base their decision upon the transcript, maps and information and any presentation of counsel.
    (j) At the hearing or joint hearing any resident of the territory described in the petition or any resident in any district affected by the proposed change of boundaries may appear in person or by an attorney in support of the petition or to object to the granting of the petition and may present evidence in support of his position.
    (k) At the conclusion of the hearing, other than a joint hearing, the regional superintendent of schools as ex officio member of the regional board of school trustees shall within 30 days enter an order either granting or denying the petition and shall deliver to the committee of petitioners, if any, and any person who has filed his appearance in writing at the hearing and any attorney who appears for any person and any objector who testifies at the hearing and the regional superintendent of schools a certified copy of its order.
    (l) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, if within 9 months after a petition is submitted under the provisions of Section 7-1 the petition is not approved or denied by the regional board of school trustees and the order approving or denying that petition entered and a copy thereof served as provided in this Section, the school boards or registered voters of the districts affected that submitted the petition (or the committee of 10, or an attorney acting on its behalf, if designated in the petition) may submit a copy of the petition directly to the State Superintendent of Education for approval or denial. The copy of the petition as so submitted shall be accompanied by a record of all proceedings had with respect to the petition up to the time the copy of the petition is submitted to the State Superintendent of Education (including a copy of any notice given or published, any certificate or other proof of publication, copies of any maps or written report of the financial and educational conditions of the school districts affected if furnished by the secretary of the regional board of school trustees, copies of any amendments to the petition and stipulations made, accepted or refused, a transcript of any hearing or part of a hearing held, continued or adjourned on the petition, and any orders entered with respect to the petition or any hearing held thereon). The school boards, registered voters or committee of 10 submitting the petition and record of proceedings to the State Superintendent of Education shall give written notice by certified mail, return receipt requested to the regional board of school trustees and to the secretary of that board that the petition has been submitted to the State Superintendent of Education for approval or denial, and shall furnish a copy of the notice so given to the State Superintendent of Education. The cost of assembling the record of proceedings for submission to the State Superintendent of Education shall be the responsibility of the school boards, registered voters or committee of 10 that submits the petition and record of proceedings to the State Superintendent of Education. When a petition is submitted to the State Superintendent of Education in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph:
        (1) The regional board of school trustees loses all

    (105 ILCS 5/7-7) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-7)
    Sec. 7-7. Administrative Review Law. The decision of the regional board of school trustees, or the decision of the regional boards of school trustees following a joint hearing, or the decision of the State Superintendent of Education in cases determined pursuant to subsection (l) of Section 7-6, shall be deemed an "administrative decision" as defined in Section 3-101 of the Code of Civil Procedure; and any resident who appears at the hearing or any petitioner or board of education of any district affected may within 35 days after a copy of the decision sought to be reviewed was served by registered mail upon the party affected thereby file a complaint for a judicial review of such decision in accordance with the Administrative Review Law and the rules adopted pursuant thereto. The commencement of any action for judicial review shall operate as a stay of enforcement, and no further proceedings shall be had until final disposition of such review. If the transcript of the hearing is required to be presented to another county board of school trustees the time within which a complaint for review must be filed shall not begin to run until the decision of the regional board of school trustees hearing the petition has been granted or denied by the regional board of school trustees conducting a hearing on the transcript. The circuit court of the county in which the petition is filed with the regional board of school trustees shall have sole jurisdiction to entertain a complaint for such review when only one regional board of school trustees must act; however, when the regional boards of school trustees act following a joint hearing, the circuit court of the county in which the joint hearing on the original petition is conducted shall have sole jurisdiction of the complaint for such review.
(Source: P.A. 87-210.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-7.5)
    Sec. 7-7.5. Holding of elections.
    (a) Elections provided by this Article shall be conducted in accordance with the general election law.
    (b) The notice shall be in substantially the following form:

    (105 ILCS 5/7-7.6)
    Sec. 7-7.6. Ballots. The ballot shall be in substantially the following form:

    (105 ILCS 5/7-7.7)
    Sec. 7-7.7. Passage requirements. The proposition for the annexation of all of the territory of one or more school districts to another school district shall be submitted to the voters of the annexing district and the voters of each district all of the territory of which is to be annexed to the annexing district, and if a majority of the voters in each such district who vote on the proposition vote in favor of the proposition, the proposition shall be deemed to have passed.
(Source: P.A. 90-459, eff. 8-17-97.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-8) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-8)
    Sec. 7-8. Limitation on successive petitions. No territory, nor any part thereof, which is involved in any proceeding to change the boundaries of a school district by detachment from or annexation to such school district of such territory, and which is not so detached nor annexed, shall be again involved in proceedings to change the boundaries of such school district for at least two years after final determination of such first proceeding unless during that 2 year period a petition filed is substantially different than any other previously filed petition during the previous 2 years or if a school district involved is placed on academic watch status or the financial watch list by the State Board of Education or is certified as being in financial difficulty during that 2 year period or if such first proceeding involved a petition brought under Section 7-2b of this Article 7.
(Source: P.A. 93-470, eff. 8-8-03.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-9) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-9)
    Sec. 7-9. Effective date of change. In case a petition is filed for the creation of or the change of boundaries of or for an election to vote upon a proposition of creating or annexing territory to a school district after August 1, as provided in this Article, and the change is granted or the election carries, and no appeal is taken such 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 the petition is granted or upon which the election is held and the school boards of the districts as they existed prior to the change shall exercise the same power and authority over such territory until such date; however, new districts shall be permitted to organize and elect officers within the time prescribed by the general election law.
    In the event that the granting of a petition has become final, either through failure to seek Administrative Review or by the final decision of a court on review, the change in boundaries shall become effective forthwith. However, if the granting of the petition becomes final between September 1 and June 30 of any year, the administration of and attendance at the schools shall not be affected until the following July 1, when the change in boundaries shall become effective for all purposes. After the granting of a petition has become final, the date when the change shall become effective for purposes of administration and attendance may be accelerated or postponed by stipulation of each of the school boards of each district affected and approved by the regional board of school trustees or by the board of a special charter district with which the original petition is required to be filed.
(Source: P.A. 90-459, eff. 8-17-97.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-10) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-10)
    Sec. 7-10. Map showing change-Filed. Within thirty days after the boundaries of any school district have been changed or a new district created under any of the provisions of this Article the county superintendent of schools of any county involved shall make and file with the county clerk of his county a map of any districts involved in any change of boundaries or creation of a new district whereupon the county clerks shall extend taxes against the territory in accordance therewith: Provided that if an action to review such decision under Section 7-7 is taken, the County Superintendent of Schools shall not file the map with the county clerk until after he is served with a certified copy of the order of the final disposition of such review.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-11) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-11)
    Sec. 7-11. Annexation of dissolved non-operating districts. If any school district has become dissolved as provided in Section 5-32, or if a petition for dissolution is filed under subsection (b) of Section 7-2a, the regional board of school trustees shall attach the territory of such dissolved district to one or more districts and, if the territory is added to 2 or more districts, shall divide the property of the dissolved district among the districts to which its territory is added, in the manner provided for the division of property in case of the organization of a new district from a part of another district. The regional board of school trustees of the region in which the regional superintendent has supervision over the school district that is dissolved shall have all power necessary to annex the territory of the dissolved district as provided in this Section, including the power to attach the territory to a school district under the supervision of the regional superintendent of another educational service region and, in the case of Leepertown CCSD 175, the power to attach the territory to a non-contiguous school district if deemed in the best interests of the schools of the area and the educational welfare of the pupils involved. The annexation of the territory of a dissolved school district under this Section shall entitle the school districts involved in the annexation to payments from the State Board of Education in the same manner and to the same extent authorized in the case of other annexations under this Article. Other provisions of this Article 7 of The School Code shall apply to and govern dissolutions and annexations under this Section and Section 7-2a, except that it is the intent of the General Assembly that in the case of conflict the provisions of this Section and Section 7-2a shall control over the other provisions of this Article.
    The regional board of school trustees shall give notice of a hearing, to be held not less than 50 days nor more than 70 days after a school district is dissolved under Section 5-32 or a petition is filed under subsection (b) of Section 7-2a, on the disposition of the territory of such school district by publishing a notice thereof at least once each week for 2 successive weeks in at least one newspaper having a general circulation within the area of the territory involved. At such hearing, the regional board of school trustees shall hear evidence as to the school needs and conditions of the territory and of the area within and adjacent thereto, and shall take into consideration the educational welfare of the pupils of the territory and the normal high school attendance pattern of the children. In the case of an elementary school district, except for Leepertown CCSD 175, if all the eighth grade graduates of such district customarily attend high school in the same high school district, the regional board of school trustees shall, unless it be impossible because of the restrictions of a special charter district, annex the territory of the district to a contiguous elementary school district whose eighth grade graduates customarily attend that high school, and that has an elementary school building nearest to the center of the territory to be annexed, but if such eighth grade graduates customarily attend more than one high school the regional board of school trustees shall determine the attendance pattern of such graduates and divide the territory of the district among the contiguous elementary districts whose graduates attend the same respective high schools.
    The decision of the regional board of school trustees in such matter shall be issued within 10 days after the conclusion of the hearing and deemed an "administrative decision" as defined in Section 3-101 of the Code of Civil Procedure and any resident who appears at the hearing or any petitioner may within 10 days after a copy of the decision sought to be reviewed was served by registered mail upon the party affected thereby file a complaint for the judicial review of such decision in accordance with the "Administrative Review Law", and all amendments and modifications thereof and the rules adopted pursuant thereto. The commencement of any action for review shall operate as a stay of enforcement, and no further proceedings shall be had until final disposition of such review. The final decision of the regional board of school trustees or of any court upon judicial review shall become effective under Section 7-9 in the case of a petition for dissolution filed under subsection (b) of Section 7-2a, and a final decision shall become effective immediately following the date no further appeal is allowable in the case of a district dissolved under Section 5-32.
    Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section or any other provision of law to the contrary, the school board of the Mt. Morris School District is authorized to donate to the City of Mount Morris, Illinois the school building and other real property used as a school site by the Mt. Morris School District at the time of its dissolution, by appropriate resolution adopted by the school board of the district prior to the dissolution of the district; and upon the adoption of a resolution by the school board donating the school building and school site to the City of Mount Morris, Illinois as authorized by this Section, the regional board of school trustees or other school officials holding legal title to the school building and school site so donated shall immediately convey the same to the City of Mt. Morris, Illinois.
(Source: P.A. 97-656, eff. 1-13-12.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-12) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-12)
    Sec. 7-12. Termination of office.
    Upon the close of the then current school year during which any school district is annexed to another school district under any of the provisions of this Article, the terms of office of the school directors or board of education members of the annexed school district shall be terminated and the school board of the annexing district shall perform all the duties and have all the powers of the school board of the annexed district. The annexing district as it is constituted on and after the time of such annexation shall receive all the assets and assume all the obligations and liabilities including the bonded indebtedness of the original annexing district and of the district annexed. The tax rate for such assumed bonded indebtedness shall be determined in the manner provided in Article 19 of this Act.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-13) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-13)
    Sec. 7-13. Election ordered by Regional Superintendent. Upon the creation of a new school district under any of the provisions of this Article the regional superintendent of schools shall order an election for the purpose of electing a school board for such district in the manner provided by the general election law and in Article 9 of this Act for the election of school boards.
(Source: P.A. 81-1490.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-14) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-14)
    Sec. 7-14. Bonded indebtedness-Tax rate.
    (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), whenever the boundaries of any school district are changed by the annexation or detachment of territory, each such district as it exists on and after such action shall assume the bonded indebtedness, as well as financial obligations to the Capital Development Board pursuant to Section 35-15 (now repealed) of this Code, of all the territory included therein after such change. The tax rate for bonded indebtedness shall be determined in the manner provided in Section 19-7 of this Act, except the County Clerk shall annually extend taxes against all the taxable property situated in the county and contained in each such district as it exists after the action. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, if the boundaries of a school district are changed by annexation or detachment of territory after June 30, 1987, and prior to September 15, 1987, and if the school district to which territory is being annexed has no outstanding bonded indebtedness on the date such annexation occurs, then the annexing school district shall not be liable for any bonded indebtedness of the district from which the territory is detached, and the school district from which the territory is detached shall remain liable for all of its bonded indebtedness.
    (b) Whenever a school district with bonded indebtedness has become dissolved under this Article and its territory annexed to another district, the annexing district or districts shall not, except by action pursuant to resolution of the school board of the annexing district prior to the effective date of the annexation, assume the bonded indebtedness of the dissolved district; nor, except by action pursuant to resolution of the school board of the dissolving district, shall the territory of the dissolved district assume the bonded indebtedness of the annexing district or districts. If the annexing district or districts do not assume the bonded indebtedness of the dissolved district, a tax rate for the bonded indebtedness shall be determined in the manner provided in Section 19-7, and the county clerk or clerks shall annually extend taxes for each outstanding bond issue against all the taxable property that was situated within the boundaries of the district as the boundaries existed at the time of the issuance of each bond issue regardless of whether the property is still contained in that same district at the time of the extension of the taxes by the county clerk or clerks.
    (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 19-18 of this Code, upon resolution of the school board, the county clerk must extend taxes to pay the principal of and interest on any bonds issued exclusively to refund any bonded indebtedness of the annexing school district against all of the taxable property that was situated within the boundaries of the annexing district as the boundaries existed at the time of the issuance of the bonded indebtedness being refunded and not against any of the taxable property in the dissolved school district, provided that (i) the net interest rate on the refunding bonds may not exceed the net interest rate on the refunded bonds, (ii) the final maturity date of the refunding bonds may not extend beyond the final maturity date of the refunded bonds, and (iii) the tax levy to pay the refunding bonds in any levy year may not exceed the tax levy that would have been required to pay the refunded bonds for that levy year. The provisions of this subsection (c) are applicable to school districts that were dissolved and their territory annexed to another school district pursuant to a referendum held in April of 2003. The provisions of this subsection (c), other than this sentence, are inoperative 2 years after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly.
(Source: P.A. 94-1105, eff. 6-1-07; 95-1025, eff. 1-6-09.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-14A) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-14A)
    Sec. 7-14A. Annexation Compensation. There shall be no accounting made after a mere change in boundaries when no new district is created, except that those districts whose enrollment increases by 90% or more as a result of annexing territory detached from another district pursuant to this Article are eligible for supplementary State aid payments in accordance with Section 11E-135 of this Code. Eligible annexing districts shall apply to the State Board of Education for supplementary State aid payments by submitting enrollment figures for the year immediately preceding and the year immediately following the effective date of the boundary change for both the district gaining territory and the district losing territory. Copies of any intergovernmental agreements between the district gaining territory and the district losing territory detailing any transfer of fund balances and staff must also be submitted. In all instances of changes in boundaries, the district losing territory shall not count the average daily attendance of pupils living in the territory during the year preceding the effective date of the boundary change in its claim for reimbursement under Section 18-8 for the school year following the effective date of the change in boundaries and the district receiving the territory shall count the average daily attendance of pupils living in the territory during the year preceding the effective date of the boundary change in its claim for reimbursement under Section 18-8 for the school year following the effective date of the change in boundaries. The changes to this Section made by this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly are intended to be retroactive and applicable to any annexation taking effect on or after July 1, 2004.
(Source: P.A. 95-707, eff. 1-11-08.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-27) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-27)
    Sec. 7-27. Annexation of territory eliminated from non-high school district. When any territory is eliminated from a non-high school district by the provisions of Section 12-24 of this Act, the county board of school trustees of the county in which such territory lies shall within thirty days after such date hold one or more public hearings with respect to the attachment of such territory to one or more districts maintaining grades nine to twelve, each inclusive.
    Notice of such hearing shall be given in writing by the county board of school trustees to each elementary school board in the territory to be considered at the hearing and to each school board of any district adjoining such territory maintaining grades nine to twelve, each inclusive. The notice shall be published once at least ten days before such hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the territory and of general circulation in the districts adjoining such territory maintaining grades nine to twelve, each inclusive. The notice shall describe the territory to be annexed and shall give the time and place of the hearing.
    The county board of school trustees shall hold a hearing and annex the territory to the district that they determine will best serve the interests of the pupils in the area and will best serve the educational welfare of the pupils in the area and to which the pupils of the underlying elementary school district normally attend high school where possible. The order annexing the territory shall be issued not more than ten days after the hearing and shall be effective immediately unless the order provides for the attachment of the eliminated non-high school territory to a district in an adjacent county or to a district whose school board is elected and has been given the powers of school trustees in which case a copy thereof, certified by the secretary of the county board of school trustees making such annexation, shall be given to the county board of school trustees in the adjacent county or to the school board in the district whose board is elected and has been given the powers of school trustees. Upon receipt of such order the county board of school trustees or school board, as the case may be, shall give 10 days notice of the hearing once in a newspaper of general circulation in the district and shall give a notice in writing by registered mail at least 10 days prior to the hearing to each school board which was given notice of the hearing conducted by the county board of school trustees of the county in which the territory is located. The notice shall describe the territory to be annexed and give the time and place of the hearing. The board conducting the hearing shall make its determination based upon the same factors as the county board of school trustees wherein the territory is located is required to consider and shall issue an order not more than ten days after such hearing either approving or rejecting the original order. The order rejecting or approving the annexation shall be effective immediately.
    If the former non-high school territory is annexed to a district maintaining grades one to twelve, each inclusive, the elementary district, or parts thereof, underlying the territory which is annexed shall automatically be detached from such elementary district and become a part of the district to which the territory is annexed. Any order of the county board of school trustees concerning annexation of territory which was eliminated from the non-high school district from which an appeal is pending on June 30, 1955, shall be valid unless reversed by higher authority.
    The action of the county board of school trustees and other elected boards having the power of school trustees shall be subject to review as provided in Section 7-7 of this Act, and when a review is made of the action wherein two separate county boards of school trustees acted then such review shall be of the action of both boards, and shall be before the circuit court of the county in which the non-high school territory is located.
(Source: Laws 1967, p. 470.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-28) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-28)
    Sec. 7-28. Title to school sites and buildings.
    (a) On the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1993: (i) the legal title to all school buildings and school sites used or occupied for school purposes by a school district located in a Class I county school unit, or held for the use of any such school district by and in the name of the regional board of school trustees, shall vest in the school board of the school district, and the legal title to those school buildings and school sites shall be deemed transferred by operation of law to the school board of the school district, to be used for school purposes and held, sold, leased, exchanged, or otherwise transferred in accordance with law; and (ii) the legal title to all school buildings and school sites used or occupied for school purposes by a school district that is located in a Class II county school unit and that has withdrawn from the jurisdiction and authority of the trustees of schools of a township and the township treasurer under subsection (b) of Section 5-1, or held for the use of any such school district by and in the name of the regional board of school trustees at the time that regional board of school trustees was abolished by P.A. 87-969, shall vest in the school board of the school district, and the legal title to those school buildings and school sites shall be deemed transferred by operation of law to the school district, to be used for school purposes and held, sold, leased, exchanged or otherwise transferred in accordance with law.
    (b) The school board of each school district to which subsection (a) of this Section is applicable may receive any gift, grant, donation or legacy made for the use of any school or for any school purpose within their jurisdiction, and shall succeed to any gift, grant, donation or legacy heretofore received by the regional board of school trustees, either from the township school trustees within their jurisdiction or from any other source, for the use of any school of the district served by the school board or for any other school purpose of that school district. All conveyances of real estate made to the school board of a school district under this Section shall be made to the school board in its corporate name and to its successors in office.
    (c) All school districts and high school districts may take and convey title to real estate to be improved by buildings or other structures for vocational or other educational training as provided in Section 10-23.3.
    (d) Nothing in this Section shall be deemed to apply to any common school lands or lands granted or exchanged therefor, or to the manner in which such lands are managed and controlled for the use and benefit of the school township and the schools of the township by the township land commissioners, the regional board of school trustees (acting as the township land commissioners), or the trustees of schools of the township, which hold legal title to those lands; and they may continue to receive gifts, grants, donations or legacies made for the use of the school township and for the schools of the township generally in the same manner as such gifts, grants, donations, or legacies were made prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1993.
(Source: P.A. 87-473; 88-155.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-29) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-29)
    Sec. 7-29. Limitation on contesting boundary change.
    Neither the People of the State of Illinois nor any person, corporation, private or public, nor any association of persons shall commence an action contesting either directly or indirectly the annexation of any territory to a school district or the creation of any new school district unless within 2 years after the order annexing the territory or creating the new district shall have become final or within 2 years after the date of the election creating the new school district if no proceedings to contest such election are duly instituted within the time permitted by law, or within two years after the final disposition of any proceedings which may be so instituted to contest such election; however where a limitation of a shorter period is prescribed by statute such shorter limitation shall apply, and the limitation set forth in this section shall not apply to any order where the judge, body or officer entering the order annexing the territory or creating the new district did not at the time of the entry of such order have jurisdiction of the subject matter.
(Source: P.A. 86-1334.)

    (105 ILCS 5/7-30) (from Ch. 122, par. 7-30)
    Sec. 7-30. Distribution of accumulated funds.
    Whenever there has been an accumulation of school funds in the possession of county collectors in counties in which, after a reorganization of school districts, there has been no distribution of such funds for a period of 3 years, such funds shall be distributed as follows:
    Each district which lies in whole or in part within such county shall receive that proportion of the funds computed by dividing the number of students in such county enrolled in the common schools of that district by the total number of students in the county enrolled in all common schools.
    Each such county collector shall obtain from the county superintendent of schools the necessary enrollment figures and shall thereupon distribute such funds as hereinabove provided for.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)