Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford

Filed: 4/5/2019

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 2075

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 2075 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
510-20.12, 10-20.19a, 10-22.18, 26-1, 26-2, and 34-19 as
6follows:
 
7    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.12)  (from Ch. 122, par. 10-20.12)
8    Sec. 10-20.12. School year - School age. To establish and
9keep in operation in each year during a school term of at least
10the minimum length required by Section 10-19, a sufficient
11number of free schools for the accommodation of all persons in
12the district who are 5 years of age or older but under 21 years
13of age, and to secure for all such persons the right and
14opportunity to an equal education in such schools; provided
15that (i) children who will attain the age of 5 years on or
16before September 1 of the year of the 1990-1991 school term

 

 

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1through the 2019-2020 and each school term or on or before May
231 of the year of the 2020-2021 school term and each school
3term thereafter may attend school upon the commencement of such
4term and (ii) based upon an assessment of the child's
5readiness, children who have attended a non-public preschool
6and continued their education at that school through
7kindergarten, were taught in kindergarten by an appropriately
8certified teacher, and will attain the age of 6 years on or
9before December 31 of the year of the 2009-2010 school term and
10each school term thereafter may attend first grade upon
11commencement of such term. However, Section 33 of the
12Educational Opportunity for Military Children Act shall apply
13to children of active duty military personnel. Based upon an
14assessment of a child's readiness to attend school, a school
15district may permit a child to attend school prior to the dates
16contained in this Section. In any school district operating on
17a full year school basis children who will attain age 5 within
1830 days after the commencement of a term may attend school upon
19the commencement of such term and, based upon an assessment of
20the child's readiness, children who have attended a non-public
21preschool and continued their education at that school through
22kindergarten, were taught in kindergarten by an appropriately
23certified teacher, and will attain age 6 within 4 months after
24the commencement of a term may attend first grade upon the
25commencement of such term. The school district may, by
26resolution of its board, allow for a full year school plan.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 98-673, eff. 6-30-14.)
 
2    (105 ILCS 5/10-20.19a)  (from Ch. 122, par. 10-20.19a)
3    Sec. 10-20.19a. Kindergartens. After July 1, 1970, to
4establish and maintain kindergartens for the instruction of
5children in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by
6the State Board of Education. Such kindergartens may provide
7for either a 1/2 day or a full day of attendance for pupils
8enrolled therein. This Section is subject to Section 10-22.18.
9(Source: P.A. 84-18.)
 
10    (105 ILCS 5/10-22.18)  (from Ch. 122, par. 10-22.18)
11    Sec. 10-22.18. Kindergartens. To establish kindergartens
12for the instruction of children between the ages of 4 and 6
13years, if in their judgment the public interest requires it,
14and to pay the necessary expenses thereof out of the school
15funds of the district. Upon petition of at least 50 parents or
16guardians of children between the ages of 4 and 6, residing
17within any school district and within one mile of the public
18school where such kindergarten is proposed to be established,
19the board of directors shall, if funds are available, establish
20a kindergarten in connection with the public school designated
21in the petition and maintain it as long as the annual average
22daily attendance therein is not less than 15. The board may
23establish a kindergarten with half-day attendance or with
24full-day attendance. If the board establishes full-day

 

 

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1kindergarten, it shall also establish half-day kindergarten.
2No one shall be employed to teach in a kindergarten who does
3not hold a certificate as provided by law.
4    Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, each school
5district, including a school district organized under Article
634, must establish kindergarten for the instruction of children
7who are 5 years of age or older.
8(Source: P.A. 84-1308.)
 
9    (105 ILCS 5/26-1)  (from Ch. 122, par. 26-1)
10    Sec. 26-1. Compulsory school age; exemptions. Whoever has
11custody or control of any child (i) between the ages of 7 and
1217 years (unless the child has already graduated from high
13school) for school years before the 2014-2015 school year or
14(ii) between the ages of 6 (on or before September 1) and 17
15years (unless the child has already graduated from high school)
16for school years before the 2020-2021 beginning with the
172014-2015 school year or (ii) between the ages of 5 (on or
18before May 31) and 17 (unless the child has already graduated
19from high school) beginning with the 2020-2021 school year
20shall cause such child to attend some public school in the
21district wherein the child resides the entire time it is in
22session during the regular school term, except as provided in
23Section 10-19.1, and during a required summer school program
24established under Section 10-22.33B; provided, that the
25following children shall not be required to attend the public

 

 

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1schools:
2        1. Any child attending a private or a parochial school
3    where children are taught the branches of education taught
4    to children of corresponding age and grade in the public
5    schools, and where the instruction of the child in the
6    branches of education is in the English language;
7        2. Any child who is physically or mentally unable to
8    attend school, such disability being certified to the
9    county or district truant officer by a competent physician
10    licensed in Illinois to practice medicine and surgery in
11    all its branches, a chiropractic physician licensed under
12    the Medical Practice Act of 1987, a licensed advanced
13    practice registered nurse, a licensed physician assistant,
14    or a Christian Science practitioner residing in this State
15    and listed in the Christian Science Journal; or who is
16    excused for temporary absence for cause by the principal or
17    teacher of the school which the child attends; the
18    exemptions in this paragraph (2) do not apply to any female
19    who is pregnant or the mother of one or more children,
20    except where a female is unable to attend school due to a
21    complication arising from her pregnancy and the existence
22    of such complication is certified to the county or district
23    truant officer by a competent physician;
24        3. Any child necessarily and lawfully employed
25    according to the provisions of the law regulating child
26    labor may be excused from attendance at school by the

 

 

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1    county superintendent of schools or the superintendent of
2    the public school which the child should be attending, on
3    certification of the facts by and the recommendation of the
4    school board of the public school district in which the
5    child resides. In districts having part-time continuation
6    schools, children so excused shall attend such schools at
7    least 8 hours each week;
8        4. Any child over 12 and under 14 years of age while in
9    attendance at confirmation classes;
10        5. Any child absent from a public school on a
11    particular day or days or at a particular time of day for
12    the reason that he is unable to attend classes or to
13    participate in any examination, study or work requirements
14    on a particular day or days or at a particular time of day,
15    because the tenets of his religion forbid secular activity
16    on a particular day or days or at a particular time of day.
17    Each school board shall prescribe rules and regulations
18    relative to absences for religious holidays including, but
19    not limited to, a list of religious holidays on which it
20    shall be mandatory to excuse a child; but nothing in this
21    paragraph 5 shall be construed to limit the right of any
22    school board, at its discretion, to excuse an absence on
23    any other day by reason of the observance of a religious
24    holiday. A school board may require the parent or guardian
25    of a child who is to be excused from attending school due
26    to the observance of a religious holiday to give notice,

 

 

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1    not exceeding 5 days, of the child's absence to the school
2    principal or other school personnel. Any child excused from
3    attending school under this paragraph 5 shall not be
4    required to submit a written excuse for such absence after
5    returning to school;
6        6. Any child 16 years of age or older who (i) submits
7    to a school district evidence of necessary and lawful
8    employment pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Section and (ii)
9    is enrolled in a graduation incentives program pursuant to
10    Section 26-16 of this Code or an alternative learning
11    opportunities program established pursuant to Article 13B
12    of this Code;
13        7. A child in any of grades 6 through 12 absent from a
14    public school on a particular day or days or at a
15    particular time of day for the purpose of sounding "Taps"
16    at a military honors funeral held in this State for a
17    deceased veteran. In order to be excused under this
18    paragraph 7, the student shall notify the school's
19    administration at least 2 days prior to the date of the
20    absence and shall provide the school's administration with
21    the date, time, and location of the military honors
22    funeral. The school's administration may waive this 2-day
23    notification requirement if the student did not receive at
24    least 2 days advance notice, but the student shall notify
25    the school's administration as soon as possible of the
26    absence. A student whose absence is excused under this

 

 

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1    paragraph 7 shall be counted as if the student attended
2    school for purposes of calculating the average daily
3    attendance of students in the school district. A student
4    whose absence is excused under this paragraph 7 must be
5    allowed a reasonable time to make up school work missed
6    during the absence. If the student satisfactorily
7    completes the school work, the day of absence shall be
8    counted as a day of compulsory attendance and he or she may
9    not be penalized for that absence; and
10        8. Any child absent from a public school on a
11    particular day or days or at a particular time of day for
12    the reason that his or her parent or legal guardian is an
13    active duty member of the uniformed services and has been
14    called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately
15    returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat-support
16    postings. Such a student shall be granted 5 days of excused
17    absences in any school year and, at the discretion of the
18    school board, additional excused absences to visit the
19    student's parent or legal guardian relative to such leave
20    or deployment of the parent or legal guardian. In the case
21    of excused absences pursuant to this paragraph 8, the
22    student and parent or legal guardian shall be responsible
23    for obtaining assignments from the student's teacher prior
24    to any period of excused absence and for ensuring that such
25    assignments are completed by the student prior to his or
26    her return to school from such period of excused absence.

 

 

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1(Source: P.A. 99-173, eff. 7-29-15; 99-804, eff. 1-1-17;
2100-185, eff. 8-18-17; 100-513, eff. 1-1-18; 100-863, eff.
38-14-18.)
 
4    (105 ILCS 5/26-2)  (from Ch. 122, par. 26-2)
5    Sec. 26-2. Enrolled pupils not of compulsory school age.
6    (a) For school years before the 2020-2021 2014-2015 school
7year, any person having custody or control of a child who is
8below the age of 7 years or is 17 years of age or above and who
9is enrolled in any of grades kindergarten through 12 in the
10public school shall cause him to attend the public school in
11the district wherein he resides when it is in session during
12the regular school term, unless he is excused under paragraph
132, 3, 4, 5, or 6 of Section 26-1. Beginning with the 2014-2015
14school year, any person having custody or control of a child
15who is below the age of 6 years or is 17 years of age or above
16and who is enrolled in any of grades kindergarten through 12 in
17the public school shall cause the child to attend the public
18school in the district wherein he or she resides when it is in
19session during the regular school term, unless the child is
20excused under paragraph 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 of Section 26-1 of
21this Code. Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, any person
22having custody or control of a child who is below the age of 5
23years or is 17 years of age or above and who is enrolled in any
24of grades kindergarten through 12 in the public school shall
25cause the child to attend the public school in the district

 

 

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1wherein he or she resides when it is in session during the
2regular school term, unless the child is excused under
3paragraph 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 of Section 26-1 of this Code.
4    (b) A school district shall deny reenrollment in its
5secondary schools to any child 19 years of age or above who has
6dropped out of school and who could not, because of age and
7lack of credits, attend classes during the normal school year
8and graduate before his or her twenty-first birthday. A
9district may, however, enroll the child in a graduation
10incentives program under Section 26-16 of this Code or an
11alternative learning opportunities program established under
12Article 13B. No child shall be denied reenrollment for the
13above reasons unless the school district first offers the child
14due process as required in cases of expulsion under Section
1510-22.6. If a child is denied reenrollment after being provided
16with due process, the school district must provide counseling
17to that child and must direct that child to alternative
18educational programs, including adult education programs, that
19lead to graduation or receipt of a high school equivalency
20certificate.
21    (c) A school or school district may deny enrollment to a
22student 17 years of age or older for one semester for failure
23to meet minimum attendance standards if all of the following
24conditions are met:
25        (1) The student was absent without valid cause for 20%
26    or more of the attendance days in the semester immediately

 

 

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1    prior to the current semester.
2        (2) The student and the student's parent or guardian
3    are given written notice warning that the student is
4    subject to denial from enrollment for one semester unless
5    the student is absent without valid cause less than 20% of
6    the attendance days in the current semester.
7        (3) The student's parent or guardian is provided with
8    the right to appeal the notice, as determined by the State
9    Board of Education in accordance with due process.
10        (4) The student is provided with attendance
11    remediation services, including without limitation
12    assessment, counseling, and support services.
13        (5) The student is absent without valid cause for 20%
14    or more of the attendance days in the current semester.
15    A school or school district may not deny enrollment to a
16student (or reenrollment to a dropout) who is at least 17 years
17of age or older but below 19 years for more than one
18consecutive semester for failure to meet attendance standards.
19    (d) No child may be denied reenrollment under this Section
20in violation of the federal Individuals with Disabilities
21Education Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act.
22    (e) In this subsection (e), "reenrolled student" means a
23dropout who has reenrolled full-time in a public school. Each
24school district shall identify, track, and report on the
25educational progress and outcomes of reenrolled students as a
26subset of the district's required reporting on all enrollments.

 

 

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1A reenrolled student who again drops out must not be counted
2again against a district's dropout rate performance measure.
3The State Board of Education shall set performance standards
4for programs serving reenrolled students.
5    (f) The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules
6necessary to implement the changes to this Section made by
7Public Act 93-803.
8(Source: P.A. 100-825, eff. 8-13-18.)
 
9    (105 ILCS 5/34-19)  (from Ch. 122, par. 34-19)
10    Sec. 34-19. By-laws, rules and regulations; business
11transacted at regular meetings; voting; records. The board
12shall, subject to the limitations in this Article, establish
13by-laws, rules and regulations, which shall have the force of
14ordinances, for the proper maintenance of a uniform system of
15discipline for both employees and pupils, and for the entire
16management of the schools, and may fix the school age of
17pupils, the minimum of which in kindergartens (which, beginning
18with the 2020-2021 school year, must be established under
19Section 10-22.18 for children 5 years of age or older) shall
20not be under 4 years, except that, based upon an assessment of
21the child's readiness, children who have attended a non-public
22preschool and continued their education at that school through
23kindergarten, were taught in kindergarten by an appropriately
24certified teacher, and will attain the age of 6 years on or
25before December 31 of the year of the 2009-2010 school term and

 

 

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1each school term thereafter may attend first grade upon
2commencement of such term, and in grade schools shall not be
3under 6 years. It may expel, suspend or, subject to the
4limitations of all policies established or adopted under
5Section 10-22.6 or 14-8.05, otherwise discipline any pupil
6found guilty of gross disobedience, misconduct, or other
7violation of the by-laws, rules, and regulations, including
8gross disobedience or misconduct perpetuated by electronic
9means. An expelled pupil may be immediately transferred to an
10alternative program in the manner provided in Article 13A or
1113B of this Code. A pupil must not be denied transfer because
12of the expulsion, except in cases in which such transfer is
13deemed to cause a threat to the safety of students or staff in
14the alternative program. A pupil who is suspended in excess of
1520 school days may be immediately transferred to an alternative
16program in the manner provided in Article 13A or 13B of this
17Code. A pupil must not be denied transfer because of the
18suspension, except in cases in which such transfer is deemed to
19cause a threat to the safety of students or staff in the
20alternative program. The bylaws, rules and regulations of the
21board shall be enacted, money shall be appropriated or
22expended, salaries shall be fixed or changed, and textbooks,
23electronic textbooks, and courses of instruction shall be
24adopted or changed only at the regular meetings of the board
25and by a vote of a majority of the full membership of the
26board; provided that notwithstanding any other provision of

 

 

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1this Article or the School Code, neither the board or any local
2school council may purchase any textbook for use in any public
3school of the district from any textbook publisher that fails
4to furnish any computer diskettes as required under Section
528-21. Funds appropriated for textbook purchases must be
6available for electronic textbook purchases and the
7technological equipment necessary to gain access to and use
8electronic textbooks at the local school council's discretion.
9The board shall be further encouraged to provide opportunities
10for public hearing and testimony before the adoption of bylaws,
11rules and regulations. Upon all propositions requiring for
12their adoption at least a majority of all the members of the
13board the yeas and nays shall be taken and reported. The
14by-laws, rules and regulations of the board shall not be
15repealed, amended or added to, except by a vote of 2/3 of the
16full membership of the board. The board shall keep a record of
17all its proceedings. Such records and all by-laws, rules and
18regulations, or parts thereof, may be proved by a copy thereof
19certified to be such by the secretary of the board, but if they
20are printed in book or pamphlet form which are purported to be
21published by authority of the board they need not be otherwise
22published and the book or pamphlet shall be received as
23evidence, without further proof, of the records, by-laws, rules
24and regulations, or any part thereof, as of the dates thereof
25as shown in such book or pamphlet, in all courts and places
26where judicial proceedings are had.

 

 

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1    Notwithstanding any other provision in this Article or in
2the School Code, the board may delegate to the general
3superintendent or to the attorney the authorities granted to
4the board in the School Code, provided such delegation and
5appropriate oversight procedures are made pursuant to board
6by-laws, rules and regulations, adopted as herein provided,
7except that the board may not delegate its authorities and
8responsibilities regarding (1) budget approval obligations;
9(2) rule-making functions; (3) desegregation obligations; (4)
10real estate acquisition, sale or lease in excess of 10 years as
11provided in Section 34-21; (5) the levy of taxes; or (6) any
12mandates imposed upon the board by "An Act in relation to
13school reform in cities over 500,000, amending Acts herein
14named", approved December 12, 1988 (P.A. 85-1418).
15(Source: P.A. 99-456, eff. 9-15-16.)".