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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE RESOLUTION 244

2    AMENDMENT NO. ___. Amend House Resolution 244 by replacing
3everything after the heading with the following:
 
4    "WHEREAS, The Illinois School Code provides that each
5school board is required to annually prepare a calendar for
6each school term that specifies both the opening and closing
7dates of the term; and
 
8    WHEREAS, A school district's calendar must provide for a
9minimum of at least 185 days that generally includes five
10emergency days and four teacher institute days in order to
11ensure 176 days of actual pupil attendance; and
 
12    WHEREAS, While the School Code does not govern when a
13school term should begin or end, schools are increasingly
14starting their school year in mid-August; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Traditionally, especially prior to the mid-1990s,
2schools would begin their school term after Labor Day,
3according to a 2015 CNN article, "Back to school: Why August is
4the new September"; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Some states, including Michigan and Maryland,
6have implemented prohibitions on school terms beginning before
7Labor Day in an effort to boost their tourism industries; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan recently signed an
9executive order prohibiting schools from commencing their
10school term prior to Labor Day unless the school district has
11received a waiver; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Research shows that the date upon which a school
13term begins does not necessarily impact a student's academic
14success; therefore, be it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
16HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
17we urge the Illinois State Board of Education to study the
18impact of beginning a school term during various points
19throughout August as compared to after Labor Day; and be it
20further
 
21    RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education submit a report

 

 

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1to the General Assembly by December 31, 2019 including the
2following information:
3        (1) A summary of current school term start dates in
4    school districts throughout Illinois; and
5        (2) Laws in other states that govern when a school term
6    may commence; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8delivered to the State Superintendent of Education.