100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2017 and 2018
HB5795

 

Introduced , by Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/26-2a  from Ch. 122, par. 26-2a

    Amends the School Code. In the Article governing compulsory attendance of pupils, provides that the term "truant" means a child who is subject to compulsory school attendance and who is absent without valid cause, as defined in the Article, from such attendance for more than 1% but less than 5% of the past 180 days (rather than absent without valid cause from such attendance for a school day or portion thereof). Effective July 1, 2018.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
526-2a as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/26-2a)  (from Ch. 122, par. 26-2a)
7    Sec. 26-2a. A "truant" is defined as a child who is subject
8to compulsory school attendance and who is absent without valid
9cause, as defined under this Section, from such attendance for
10more than 1% but less than 5% of the past 180 school days a
11school day or portion thereof.
12    "Valid cause" for absence shall be illness, observance of a
13religious holiday, death in the immediate family, family
14emergency, and shall include such other situations beyond the
15control of the student as determined by the board of education
16in each district, or such other circumstances which cause
17reasonable concern to the parent for the safety or health of
18the student.
19    "Chronic or habitual truant" shall be defined as a child
20who is subject to compulsory school attendance and who is
21absent without valid cause from such attendance for 5% or more
22of the previous 180 regular attendance days.
23    "Truant minor" is defined as a chronic truant to whom

 

 

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1supportive services, including prevention, diagnostic,
2intervention and remedial services, alternative programs and
3other school and community resources have been provided and
4have failed to result in the cessation of chronic truancy, or
5have been offered and refused.
6    A "dropout" is defined as any child enrolled in grades 9
7through 12 whose name has been removed from the district
8enrollment roster for any reason other than the student's
9death, extended illness, removal for medical non-compliance,
10expulsion, aging out, graduation, or completion of a program of
11studies and who has not transferred to another public or
12private school and is not known to be home-schooled by his or
13her parents or guardians or continuing school in another
14country.
15    "Religion" for the purposes of this Article, includes all
16aspects of religious observance and practice, as well as
17belief.
18(Source: P.A. 96-1423, eff. 8-3-10; 97-218, eff. 7-28-11.)
 
19    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
202018.