State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

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[ Engrossed ][ House Amendment 001 ]

91_HB0440

 
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 1        AN ACT to amend the School Code by changing Sections 26-2
 2    and 26-2a.

 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:

 5        Section  5.   The  School  Code  is  amended  by changing
 6    Sections 26-2 and 26-2a as follows:

 7        (105 ILCS 5/26-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-2)
 8        Sec. 26-2.  Enrolled pupils  below  7  or  over  16.  Any
 9    person  having custody or control of a child who is below the
10    age of 7 years or above the  age  of  16  years  and  who  is
11    enrolled  in  (i)  any  of grades 1 through 12, in the public
12    school until the  1999-2000  school  year  or  (ii)  for  the
13    1999-2000 school year and each school year thereafter, any of
14    grades  kindergarten  through  12  in the public school shall
15    cause him to attend the public school in the district wherein
16    he resides when it is in session during  the  regular  school
17    term  unless  he  is excused under paragraphs 2, 3, 4 or 5 of
18    Section 26-1.
19        A  school  district  shall  deny  reenrollment   in   its
20    secondary  schools to any child above the age of 16 years who
21    has dropped out of school and who could not, because  of  age
22    and  lack of credits, attend classes during the normal school
23    year and graduate before his or  her  twenty-first  birthday.
24    No  child  shall be denied reenrollment for the above reasons
25    unless the school district first offers the child due process
26    as required in cases of expulsion under Section 10-22.6.   If
27    a  child is denied reenrollment after being provided with due
28    process, the school district must provide counseling to  that
29    child  and  must direct that child to alternative educational
30    programs, including adult education programs,  that  lead  to
31    graduation  or  receipt  of  a  GED diploma.  No child may be
 
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 1    denied reenrollment in  violation  of  the  Individuals  with
 2    Disabilities Education Act or the Americans with Disabilities
 3    Act.
 4    (Source: P.A. 88-199; 88-555, eff. 7-27-94.)

 5        (105 ILCS 5/26-2a) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-2a)
 6        Sec.  26-2a.  Until the 1999-2000 school year, a "truant"
 7    is defined as a child subject to compulsory school attendance
 8    and who is absent without valid cause  from  such  attendance
 9    for  a  school  day  or  portion  thereof.  For the 1999-2000
10    school year and each school year thereafter,  a  "truant"  is
11    defined  as  a  child  enrolled in any of grades kindergarten
12    through 12 whose attendance is required under Section 26-1 or
13    26-2, except a child who is 16 years of age or older, and who
14    is absent without valid cause  from  such  attendance  for  a
15    school day or portion thereof.
16        "Valid cause" for absence shall be illness, observance of
17    a  religious  holiday,  death in the immediate family, family
18    emergency, and shall include such other situations beyond the
19    control  of  the  student  as  determined  by  the  board  of
20    education in each district, or such other circumstances which
21    cause reasonable concern to the  parent  for  the  safety  or
22    health of the student.
23        Until  the  1999-2000  school  year, "chronic or habitual
24    truant" shall be defined as a  child  subject  to  compulsory
25    school  attendance and who is absent without valid cause from
26    such attendance for 10% or more of the previous  180  regular
27    attendance  days.    For  the  1999-2000 school year and each
28    school year thereafter, "chronic or habitual truant" shall be
29    defined  as  a  child  who  is  enrolled  in  any  of  grades
30    kindergarten through 12 whose attendance  is  required  under
31    Section  26-1  or 26-2, except a child who is 16 years of age
32    or older, and who is absent without  valid  cause  from  such
33    attendance  for  10%  or  more  of  the  previous 180 regular
 
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 1    attendance days.
 2        "Truant minor" is defined as a  chronic  truant  to  whom
 3    supportive   services,   including   prevention,  diagnostic,
 4    intervention and remedial services, alternative programs  and
 5    other  school  and community resources have been provided and
 6    have failed to result in the cessation of chronic truancy, or
 7    have been offered and refused.
 8        A "dropout" is defined as any child  enrolled  in  grades
 9    kindergarten  1  through  12 whose name has been removed from
10    the district enrollment roster for any reason other than  his
11    death,  extended  illness,  graduation  or  completion  of  a
12    program  of  studies  and  who has not transferred to another
13    public or private school.
14        "Religion" for the purposes of this Article, includes all
15    aspects of religious observance  and  practice,  as  well  as
16    belief.
17    (Source: P.A. 84-1308; 84-1420; 84-1424; 84-1438.)

18        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
19    becoming law.

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