105 ILCS 5/ School Code.

(105 ILCS 5/26-7) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-7)

Sec. 26-7. Notice to custodian-Notice of non-compliance. If any person fails to send any child under his custody or control to some lawful school, the truant officer or, in a school district that does not have a truant officer, the regional superintendent of schools or his or her designee shall, as soon as practicable after he is notified thereof, give notice in person or by mail to such person that such child shall be present at the proper public school on the day following the receipt of such notice. The notice shall state the date that attendance at school must begin and that such attendance must be continuous and consecutive in the district during the remainder of the school year. The truant officer or, in a school district that does not have a truant officer, the regional superintendent of schools or his or her designee shall at the same time that such notice is given notify the teacher or superintendent of the proper public school thereof and the teacher or superintendent shall notify the truant officer or regional superintendent of schools of any non-compliance therewith.

(Source: P.A. 93-858, eff. 1-1-05.)

(105 ILCS 5/26-8) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-8)

Sec. 26-8. Determination as to compliance - Complaint in circuit court. A truant officer or, in a school district that does not have a truant officer, the regional superintendent of schools or his or her designee, after giving the notice provided in Section 26-7, shall determine whether the notice has been complied with. If 3 notices have been given and the notices have not been complied with, and if the persons having custody or control have knowingly and wilfully permitted the truant behavior to continue, the regional superintendent of schools, or his or her designee, of the school district where the child resides shall conduct a truancy hearing. If the regional superintendent determines as a result of the hearing that the child is truant, the regional superintendent shall, if age appropriate at the discretion of the regional superintendent, require the student to complete 20 to 40 hours of community service over a period of 90 days. If the truancy persists, the regional superintendent shall (i) make complaint against the persons having custody or control to the state's attorney or in the circuit court in the county where such person resides for failure to comply with the provisions of this Article or (ii) conduct truancy mediation and encourage the student to enroll in a graduation incentives program under Section 26-16 of this Code. If, however, after giving the notice provided in Section 26-7 the truant behavior has continued, and the child is beyond the control of the parents, guardians or custodians, a truancy petition shall be filed under the provisions of Article III of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.

(Source: P.A. 93-858, eff. 1-1-05; 93-1079, eff. 1-21-05.)

(105 ILCS 5/26-8a) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-8a)

Sec. 26-8a. The petition for court action shall include the name of the truant minor, the names and addresses of persons having custody or control of the student, the dates of the truant behavior, the dates and nature of contacts or conferences with the student and the persons having custody or control of the student, and the nature of the supportive services, alternative programs and other school resources the school district provided to that child in an effort to correct that child's truant behavior.

(Source: P.A. 80-908.)

(105 ILCS 5/26-8b) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-8b)

Sec. 26-8b. When a petition is filed, it shall be set for an adjudicatory hearing within 10 days and acted upon within 30 days, subject to the provisions of the Juvenile Court Act or the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 if filed thereunder.

(Source: P.A. 85-1209.)

(105 ILCS 5/26-9) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-9)

Sec. 26-9. School officers and teachers to assist truant officers.

School officers, superintendents, teachers or other persons shall render such assistance and furnish such information as they have to aid truant officers in the performance of their duties.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

(105 ILCS 5/26-10) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-10)

Sec. 26-10. Fine for noncompliance.) Any person having custody or control of a child subject to the provisions of this Article to whom notice has been given of the child's truancy and who knowingly and wilfully permits such a child to persist in his truancy within that school year, upon conviction thereof shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor and shall be subject to not more than 30 days imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $500.

(Source: P.A. 80-908.)

(105 ILCS 5/26-11) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-11)

Sec. 26-11. Punishment for certain offenses.

Any person who induces or attempts to induce any child to be absent from school unlawfully, or who knowingly employs or harbors, while school is in session, any child absent unlawfully from school for 3 consecutive school days, is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.

(Source: P.A. 77-2267.)

(105 ILCS 5/26-12) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-12)

Sec. 26-12. Punitive action. No punitive action including out of school suspensions, expulsions or court action, shall be taken against chronic truants for such truancy unless available supportive services and other school resources have been provided to the student.

(Source: P.A. 85-234.)

(105 ILCS 5/26-13) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-13)

Sec. 26-13. Absenteeism and truancy policies. School districts shall adopt policies, consistent with rules adopted by the State Board of Education, which identify the appropriate supportive services and available resources which are provided for truants and chronic truants.

(Source: P.A. 84-1420.)

(105 ILCS 5/26-14) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-14)

Sec. 26-14. Truancy programs for dropouts. Any dropout, as defined in Section 26-2a, who is 17 years of age may apply to a school district for status as a truant, and the school district shall permit such person to participate in the district's various programs and resources for truants. At the time of the person's application, the district may request documentation of his dropout status for the previous 6 months.

(Source: P.A. 93-858, eff. 1-1-05.)

(105 ILCS 5/26-15) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-15)

Sec. 26-15. Truant minors. When a regional superintendent has reason to believe that a pupil is a truant minor as defined in Section 26-2a, the regional superintendent may report such pupil under the provisions of the Juvenile Court Act.

(Source: P.A. 85-1209.)

(105 ILCS 5/26-16)

Sec. 26-16. Graduation incentives program.

(a) The General Assembly finds that it is critical to provide options for children to succeed in school. The purpose of this Section is to provide incentives for and encourage all Illinois students who have experienced or are experiencing difficulty in the traditional education system to enroll in alternative programs.

(b) Any student who is below the age of 20 years is eligible to enroll in a graduation incentives program if he or she:

(1) is considered a dropout pursuant to Section 26-2a of this Code;

(2) has been suspended or expelled pursuant to Section 10-22.6 or 34-19 of this Code;

(3) is pregnant or is a parent;

(4) has been assessed as chemically dependent; or

(5) is enrolled in a bilingual education or LEP program.

(c) The following programs qualify as graduation incentives programs for students meeting the criteria established in this Section:

(1) Any public elementary or secondary education graduation incentives program established by a school district or by a regional office of education.

(2) Any alternative learning opportunities program established pursuant to Article 13B of this Code.

(3) Vocational or job training courses approved by the State Superintendent of Education that are available through the Illinois public community college system. Students may apply for reimbursement of 50% of tuition costs for one course per semester or a maximum of 3 courses per school year. Subject to available funds, students may apply for reimbursement of up to 100% of tuition costs upon a showing of employment within 6 months after completion of a vocational or job training program. The qualifications for reimbursement shall be established by the State Superintendent of Education by rule.

(4) Job and career programs approved by the State Superintendent of Education that are available through Illinois-accredited private business and vocational schools. Subject to available funds, pupils may apply for reimbursement of up to 100% of tuition costs upon a showing of employment within 6 months after completion of a job or career program. The State Superintendent of Education shall establish, by rule, the qualifications for reimbursement, criteria for determining reimbursement amounts, and limits on reimbursement.

(5) Adult education courses that offer preparation for the General Educational Development Test.

(d) Graduation incentives programs established by school districts are entitled to claim general State aid, subject to Sections 13B-50, 13B-50.5, and 13B-50.10 of this Code. Graduation incentives programs operated by regional offices of education are entitled to receive general State aid at the foundation level of support per pupil enrolled. A school district must ensure that its graduation incentives program receives supplemental general State aid, transportation reimbursements, and special education resources, if appropriate, for students enrolled in the program.

(Source: P.A. 93-858, eff. 1-1-05; 93-1079, eff. 1-21-05.)

(105 ILCS 5/26-17)

Sec. 26-17. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 97-911, eff. 8-8-12. Repealed internally, eff. 11-2-12.)

(105 ILCS 5/Art. 27 heading) ARTICLE 27. COURSES OF STUDY--SPECIAL INSTRUCTION

(105 ILCS 5/27-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-1)

Sec. 27-1. Areas of education taught - discrimination on account of sex. The State of Illinois, having the responsibility of defining requirements for elementary and secondary education, establishes that the primary purpose of schooling is the transmission of knowledge and culture through which children learn in areas necessary to their continuing development and entry into the world of work. Such areas include the language arts, mathematics, the biological, physical and social sciences, the fine arts and physical development and health.

Each school district shall give priority in the allocation of resources, including funds, time allocation, personnel, and facilities, to fulfilling the primary purpose of schooling.

The State Board of Education shall establish goals and learning standards consistent with the above purposes and define the knowledge and skills which the State expects students to master and apply as a consequence of their education.

Each school district shall establish learning objectives consistent with the State Board of Education's goals and learning standards for the areas referred to in this Section, shall develop appropriate testing and assessment systems for determining the degree to which students are achieving the objectives, and shall develop reporting systems to apprise the community and State of the assessment results.

Each school district shall make available to all students academic and vocational courses for the attainment of learning objectives.

No student shall be refused admission into or be excluded from any course of instruction offered in the common schools by reason of that person's sex. No student shall, solely by reason of that person's sex, be denied equal access to physical education and interscholastic athletic programs or comparable programs supported from school district funds. This Section is violated when a high school subject to this Act participates in the post-season basketball tournament of any organization or association that does not conduct post-season high school basketball tournaments for both boys and girls, which tournaments are identically structured. Conducting identically structured tournaments includes having the same number of girls' teams as boys' teams playing, in their respective tournaments, at any common location chosen for the final series of games in a tournament; provided, that nothing in this paragraph shall be deemed to prohibit the selection for the final series of games in the girls' tournaments of a common location that is different than the common location selected for the final series of games in the boys' tournaments. Except as specifically stated in this Section, equal access to programs supported by school district funds and comparable programs will be defined in rules promulgated by the State Board of Education in consultation with the Illinois High School Association.

(Source: P.A. 94-875, eff. 7-1-06.)

(105 ILCS 5/27-1.5)

Sec. 27-1.5. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 96-1374, eff. 7-29-10. Repealed internally, eff. 7-1-12.)

(105 ILCS 5/27-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-2)

Sec. 27-2. Instruction in English language. Instruction in all public elementary and secondary schools of the State shall be in the English language except in second language programs and except in conjunction with programs which the school board may provide, with the approval of the State Board of Education pursuant to Article 14C, in a language other than English for children whose first language is other than English.

(Source: P.A. 85-1389.)