HB3573 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 12055 CMG 17392 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
HB3573

Introduced 2/22/2021, by Rep. Thomas M. Bennett

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/10-19	from Ch. 122, par. 10-19
105 ILCS 5/10-19.05
105 ILCS 5/10-20.56
105 ILCS 5/10-29
105 ILCS 5/10-30
105 ILCS 5/10-31 new
105 ILCS 5/18-12	from Ch. 122, par. 18-12
105 ILCS 5/34-18.66
105 ILCS 5/34-18.67 new

Amends the School Code. Allows a school district to utilize a remote learning day instead of an emergency day provided for in the school calendar. Provides that the number of remote learning days used in a school year may not exceed the number of emergency days provided for in the school calendar and the district superintendent must approve a remote learning plan for the district before the district may utilize a remote learning day. Sets forth what the plan must address, the term of approval, and how the plan must be posted. Sets forth district requirements. Allows statutory and regulatory curricular mandates and offerings to be administered via remote learning, allows for electronic communication for instruction and interaction between educators and students, and provides for rulemaking. Makes related changes. Effective July 1, 2021.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning education.

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

Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections 10-19, 10-19.05, 10-20.56, 10-29, 10-30, 18-12, and 34-18.66 and by adding Sections 10-31 and 34-18.67 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/10-19) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-19)

Sec. 10-19. Length of school term - experimental programs. Each school board shall annually prepare a calendar for the school term, specifying the opening and closing dates and providing a minimum term of at least 185 days to insure 176 days of actual pupil attendance, computable under Section 10-19.05, except that for the 1980-1981 school year only 175 days of actual pupil attendance shall be required because of the closing of schools pursuant to Section 24-2 on January 29, 1981 upon the appointment by the President of that day as a day of thanksgiving for the freedom of the Americans who had been held hostage in Iran. Any days allowed by law for teachers' institutes but not used as such or used as parental institutes as provided in Section 10-22.18d shall increase the minimum term by the school days not so used. Except as provided in Section 10-19.1, the board may not extend the school term beyond such closing date unless that extension of term is necessary to provide the minimum number of computable days. In case of such necessary extension school employees shall be paid for such additional time on the basis of their regular contracts. A school board may specify a closing date earlier than that set on the annual calendar when the schools of the district have provided the minimum number of computable days under this Section. Nothing in this Section prevents the board from employing superintendents of schools, principals and other nonteaching personnel for a period of 12 months, or in the case of superintendents for a period in accordance with Section 10-23.8, or prevents the board from employing other personnel before or after the regular school term with payment of salary proportionate to that received for comparable work during the school term. Remote learning days, blended remote learning days, and up to 5 remote and blended remote learning planning days established under Section 10-30 or 34-18.66 or remote learning days established under Section 10-31 or 34-18.67 shall be deemed pupil attendance days for calculation of the length of a school term under this Section.

A school board may make such changes in its calendar for the school term as may be required by any changes in the legal school holidays prescribed in Section 24-2. A school board may make changes in its calendar for the school term as may be necessary to reflect the utilization of teachers' institute days as parental institute days as provided in Section 10-22.18d.

The calendar for the school term and any changes must be submitted to and approved by the regional superintendent of schools before the calendar or changes may take effect.

With the prior approval of the State Board of Education and subject to review by the State Board of Education every 3 years, any school board may, by resolution of its board and in agreement with affected exclusive collective bargaining agents, establish experimental educational programs, including but not limited to programs for e-learning days or remote learning as authorized under Sections Section 10-20.56, 10-31 or 34-18.67 of this Code, self-directed learning, or outside of formal class periods, which programs when so approved shall be considered to comply with the requirements of this Section as respects numbers of days of actual pupil attendance and with the other requirements of this Act as respects courses of instruction.

(Source: P.A. 100-465, eff. 8-31-17; 101-12, eff. 7-1-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)

(105 ILCS 5/10-19.05)

Sec. 10-19.05. Daily pupil attendance calculation.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, for a pupil of legal school age and in kindergarten or any of grades 1 through 12, a day of attendance shall be counted only for sessions of not less than 5 clock hours of school work per day under direct supervision of (i) teachers or (ii) non-teaching personnel or volunteer personnel when engaging in non-teaching duties and supervising in those instances specified in subsection (a) of Section 10-22.34 and paragraph 10 of Section 34-18. Days of attendance by pupils through verified participation in an e-learning program adopted by a school board and verified by the regional office of education or intermediate service center for the school district under Section 10-20.56, remote or blended remote learning under Section 10-30 or 34-18.66, or remote learning under Section 10-31 or 34-18.67 of this Code shall be considered as full days of attendance under this Section.

(b) A pupil regularly enrolled in a public school for only a part of the school day may be counted on the basis of one-sixth of a school day for every class hour of instruction of 40 minutes or more attended pursuant to such enrollment, unless a pupil is enrolled in a block-schedule format of 80 minutes or more of instruction, in which case the pupil may be counted on the basis of the proportion of minutes of school work completed each day to the minimum number of minutes that school work is required to be held that day.

(c) A session of 4 or more clock hours may be counted as a day of attendance upon certification by the regional superintendent of schools and approval by the State Superintendent of Education to the extent that the district has been forced to use daily multiple sessions.

(d) A session of 3 or more clock hours may be counted as a day of attendance (1) when the remainder of the school day or at least 2 hours in the evening of that day is utilized for an in-service training program for teachers, up to a maximum of 10 days per school year, provided that a district conducts an in-service training program for teachers in accordance with Section 10-22.39 of this Code, or, in lieu of 4 such days, 2 full days may be used, in which event each such day may be counted as a day required for a legal school calendar pursuant to Section 10-19 of this Code; (2) when, of the 5 days allowed under item (1), a maximum of 4 days are used for parent-teacher conferences, or, in lieu of 4 such days, 2 full days are used, in which case each such day may be counted as a calendar day required under Section 10-19 of this Code, provided that the full-day, parent-teacher conference consists of (i) a minimum of 5 clock hours of parent-teacher conferences, (ii) both a minimum of 2 clock hours of parent-teacher conferences held in the evening following a full day of student attendance and a minimum of 3 clock hours of parent-teacher conferences held on the day immediately following evening parent-teacher conferences, or (iii) multiple parent-teacher conferences held in the evenings following full days of student attendance in which the time used for the parent-teacher conferences is equivalent to a minimum of 5 clock hours; and (3) when days in addition to those provided in items (1) and (2) are scheduled by a school pursuant to its school improvement plan adopted under Article 34 or its revised or amended school improvement plan adopted under Article 2, provided that (i) such sessions of 3 or more clock hours are scheduled to occur at regular intervals, (ii) the remainder of the school days in which such sessions occur are utilized for in-service training programs or other staff development activities for teachers, and (iii) a sufficient number of minutes of school work under the direct supervision of teachers are added to the school days between such regularly scheduled sessions to accumulate not less than the number of minutes by which such sessions of 3 or more clock hours fall short of 5 clock hours. Days scheduled for in-service training programs, staff development activities, or parent-teacher conferences may be scheduled separately for different grade levels and different attendance centers of the district.

(e) A session of not less than one clock hour of teaching hospitalized or homebound pupils on-site or by telephone to the classroom may be counted as a half day of attendance; however, these pupils must receive 4 or more clock hours of instruction to be counted for a full day of attendance.

(f) A session of at least 4 clock hours may be counted as a day of attendance for first grade pupils and pupils in full-day kindergartens, and a session of 2 or more hours may be counted as a half day of attendance by pupils in kindergartens that provide only half days of attendance.

(g) For children with disabilities who are below the age of 6 years and who cannot attend 2 or more clock hours because of their disability or immaturity, a session of not less than one clock hour may be counted as a half day of attendance; however, for such children whose educational needs require a session of 4 or more clock hours, a session of at least 4 clock hours may be counted as a full day of attendance.

(h) A recognized kindergarten that provides for only a half day of attendance by each pupil shall not have more than one half day of attendance counted in any one day. However, kindergartens may count 2 and a half days of attendance in any 5 consecutive school days. When a pupil attends such a kindergarten for 2 half days on any one school day, the pupil shall have the following day as a day absent from school, unless the school district obtains permission in writing from the State Superintendent of Education. Attendance at kindergartens that provide for a full day of attendance by each pupil shall be counted the same as attendance by first grade pupils. Only the first year of attendance in one kindergarten shall be counted, except in the case of children who entered the kindergarten in their fifth year whose educational development requires a second year of kindergarten as determined under rules of the State Board of Education.

(i) On the days when the State's final accountability assessment is administered under subsection (c) of Section 2-3.64a-5 of this Code, the day of attendance for a pupil whose school day must be shortened to accommodate required testing procedures may be less than 5 clock hours and shall be counted toward the 176 days of actual pupil attendance required under Section 10-19 of this Code, provided that a sufficient number of minutes of school work in excess of 5 clock hours are first completed on other school days to compensate for the loss of school work on the examination days.

(j) Pupils enrolled in a remote educational program established under Section 10-29 of this Code may be counted on the basis of a one-fifth day of attendance for every clock hour of instruction attended in the remote educational program, provided that, in any month, the school district may not claim for a student enrolled in a remote educational program more days of attendance than the maximum number of days of attendance the district can claim (i) for students enrolled in a building holding year-round classes if the student is classified as participating in the remote educational program on a year-round schedule or (ii) for students enrolled in a building not holding year-round classes if the student is not classified as participating in the remote educational program on a year-round schedule.

(j-5) The clock hour requirements of subsections (a) through (j) of this Section do not apply if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. The State Superintendent of Education may establish minimum clock hour requirements under Sections 10-30 and 34-18.66 if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.

(k) Pupil participation in any of the following activities shall be counted toward the calculation of clock hours of school work per day:

(1) Instruction in a college course in which a student is dually enrolled for both high school credit and college credit.

(2) Participation in a Supervised Career Development Experience, as defined in Section 10 of the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act, in which student participation and learning outcomes are supervised by an educator licensed under Article 21B.

(3) Participation in a youth apprenticeship, as jointly defined in rules of the State Board of Education and Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, in which student participation and outcomes are supervised by an educator licensed under Article 21B.

(4) Participation in a blended learning program approved by the school district in which course content, student evaluation, and instructional methods are supervised by an educator licensed under Article 21B.

(Source: P.A. 101-12, eff. 7-1-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)

(105 ILCS 5/10-20.56)

Sec. 10-20.56. E-learning days.

(a) The State Board of Education shall establish and maintain, for implementation in school districts, a program for use of electronic-learning (e-learning) days, as described in this Section. School districts may utilize a program approved under this Section for use during remote learning days and blended remote learning days under Section 10-30 or 34-18.66.

(b) The school board of a school district may, by resolution, adopt a research-based program or research-based programs for e-learning days district-wide that shall permit student instruction to be received electronically while students are not physically present in lieu of the district's scheduled emergency days as required by Section 10-19 of this Code. The research-based program or programs may not exceed the minimum number of emergency days in the approved school calendar and must be verified by the regional office of education or intermediate service center for the school district on or before September 1st annually to ensure access for all students. The regional office of education or intermediate service center shall ensure that the specific needs of all students are met, including special education students and English learners, and that all mandates are still met using the proposed research-based program. The e-learning program may utilize the Internet, telephones, texts, chat rooms, or other similar means of electronic communication for instruction and interaction between teachers and students that meet the needs of all learners. The e-learning program shall address the school district's responsibility to ensure that all teachers and staff who may be involved in the provision of e-learning have access to any and all hardware and software that may be required for the program. If a proposed program does not address this responsibility, the school district must propose an alternate program.

(c) Before its adoption by a school board, the school board must hold a public hearing on a school district's initial proposal for an e-learning program or for renewal of such a program, at a regular or special meeting of the school board, in which the terms of the proposal must be substantially presented and an opportunity for allowing public comments must be provided. Notice of such public hearing must be provided at least 10 days prior to the hearing by:

(1) publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the school district;

(2) written or electronic notice designed to reach the parents or guardians of all students enrolled in the school district; and

(3) written or electronic notice designed to reach any exclusive collective bargaining representatives of school district employees and all those employees not in a collective bargaining unit.

(d) The regional office of education or intermediate service center for the school district must timely verify that a proposal for an e-learning program has met the requirements specified in this Section and that the proposal contains provisions designed to reasonably and practicably accomplish the following:

(1) to ensure and verify at least 5 clock hours of instruction or school work, as required under Section 10-19.05, for each student participating in an e-learning day;

(2) to ensure access from home or other appropriate remote facility for all students participating, including computers, the Internet, and other forms of electronic communication that must be utilized in the proposed program;

(2.5) to ensure that non-electronic materials are made available to students participating in the program who do not have access to the required technology or to participating teachers or students who are prevented from accessing the required technology;

(3) to ensure appropriate learning opportunities for students with special needs;

(4) to monitor and verify each student's electronic participation;

(5) to address the extent to which student participation is within the student's control as to the time, pace, and means of learning;

(6) to provide effective notice to students and their parents or guardians of the use of particular days for e-learning;

(7) to provide staff and students with adequate training for e-learning days' participation;

(8) to ensure an opportunity for any collective bargaining negotiations with representatives of the school district's employees that would be legally required, including all classifications of school district employees who are represented by collective bargaining agreements and who would be affected in the event of an e-learning day;

(9) to review and revise the program as implemented to address difficulties confronted; and

(10) to ensure that the protocol regarding general expectations and responsibilities of the program is communicated to teachers, staff, and students at least 30 days prior to utilizing an e-learning day.

The school board's approval of a school district's initial e-learning program and renewal of the e-learning program shall be for a term of 3 years. Any e-learning program adopted or renewed before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General may continue until the expiration of its term, at which time the school district shall implement remote learning days under Section 10-31 or Section 34-18.67 of this Code rather than an e-learning program under this Section.

(e) The State Board of Education may adopt rules consistent with the provision of this Section.

(Source: P.A. 100-760, eff. 8-10-18; 101-12, eff. 7-1-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)

(105 ILCS 5/10-29)

Sec. 10-29. Remote educational programs.

(a) For purposes of this Section, "remote educational program" means an educational program delivered to students in the home or other location outside of a school building that meets all of the following criteria:

(1) A student may participate in the program only after the school district, pursuant to adopted school board policy, and a person authorized to enroll the student under Section 10-20.12b of this Code determine that a remote educational program will best serve the student's individual learning needs. The adopted school board policy shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(A) Criteria for determining that a remote educational program will best serve a student's individual learning needs. The criteria must include consideration of, at a minimum, a student's prior attendance, disciplinary record, and academic history.

(B) Any limitations on the number of students or grade levels that may participate in a remote educational program.

(C) A description of the process that the school district will use to approve participation in the remote educational program. The process must include without limitation a requirement that, for any student who qualifies to receive services pursuant to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, the student's participation in a remote educational program receive prior approval from the student's individualized education program team.

(D) A description of the process the school district will use to develop and approve a written remote educational plan that meets the requirements of subdivision (5) of this subsection (a).

(E) A description of the system the school district will establish to determine student participation in instruction in accordance with the remote educational program.

(F) A description of the process for renewing a remote educational program at the expiration of its term.

(G) Such other terms and provisions as the school district deems necessary to provide for the establishment and delivery of a remote educational program.

(2) The school district has determined that the remote educational program's curriculum is aligned to State learning standards and that the program offers instruction and educational experiences consistent with those given to students at the same grade level in the district.

(3) The remote educational program is delivered by instructors that meet the following qualifications:

(A) they are certificated under Article 21 of this Code;

(B) (blank); and

(C) they have responsibility for all of the following elements of the program: planning instruction, diagnosing learning needs, prescribing content delivery through class activities, assessing learning, reporting outcomes to administrators and parents and guardians, and evaluating the effects of instruction.

(4) During the period of time from and including the opening date to the closing date of the regular school term of the school district established pursuant to Section 10-19 of this Code, participation in a remote educational program may be claimed for evidence-based funding purposes under Section 18-8.15 of this Code on any calendar day, notwithstanding whether the day is a day of pupil attendance or institute day on the school district's calendar or any other provision of law restricting instruction on that day. If the district holds year-round classes in some buildings, the district shall classify each student's participation in a remote educational program as either on a year-round or a non-year-round schedule for purposes of claiming evidence-based funding. Outside of the regular school term of the district, the remote educational program may be offered as part of any summer school program authorized by this Code.

(5) Each student participating in a remote educational program must have a written remote educational plan that has been approved by the school district and a person authorized to enroll the student under Section 10-20.12b of this Code. The school district and a person authorized to enroll the student under Section 10-20.12b of this Code must approve any amendment to a remote educational plan. The remote educational plan must include, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(A) Specific achievement goals for the student aligned to State learning standards.

(B) A description of all assessments that will be used to measure student progress, which description shall indicate the assessments that will be administered at an attendance center within the school district.

(C) A description of the progress reports that will be provided to the school district and the person or persons authorized to enroll the student under Section 10-20.12b of this Code.

(D) Expectations, processes, and schedules for interaction between a teacher and student.

(E) A description of the specific responsibilities of the student's family and the school district with respect to equipment, materials, phone and Internet service, and any other requirements applicable to the home or other location outside of a school building necessary for the delivery of the remote educational program.

(F) If applicable, a description of how the remote educational program will be delivered in a manner consistent with the student's individualized education program required by Section 614(d) of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 or plan to ensure compliance with Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

(G) A description of the procedures and opportunities for participation in academic and extracurricular activities and programs within the school district.

(H) The identification of a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult who will provide direct supervision of the program. The plan must include an acknowledgment by the parent, guardian, or other responsible adult that he or she may engage only in non-teaching duties not requiring instructional judgment or the evaluation of a student. The plan shall designate the parent, guardian, or other responsible adult as non-teaching personnel or volunteer personnel under subsection (a) of Section 10-22.34 of this Code.

(I) The identification of a school district administrator who will oversee the remote educational program on behalf of the school district and who may be contacted by the student's parents with respect to any issues or concerns with the program.

(J) The term of the student's participation in the remote educational program, which may not extend for longer than 12 months, unless the term is renewed by the district in accordance with subdivision (7) of this subsection (a).

(K) A description of the specific location or locations in which the program will be delivered. If the remote educational program is to be delivered to a student in any location other than the student's home, the plan must include a written determination by the school district that the location will provide a learning environment appropriate for the delivery of the program. The location or locations in which the program will be delivered shall be deemed a long distance teaching reception area under subsection (a) of Section 10-22.34 of this Code.

(L) Certification by the school district that the plan meets all other requirements of this Section.

(6) Students participating in a remote educational program must be enrolled in a school district attendance center pursuant to the school district's enrollment policy or policies. A student participating in a remote educational program must be tested as part of all assessments administered by the school district pursuant to Section 2-3.64a-5 of this Code at the attendance center in which the student is enrolled and in accordance with the attendance center's assessment policies and schedule. The student must be included within all accountability determinations for the school district and attendance center under State and federal law.

(7) The term of a student's participation in a remote educational program may not extend for longer than 12 months, unless the term is renewed by the school district. The district may only renew a student's participation in a remote educational program following an evaluation of the student's progress in the program, a determination that the student's continuation in the program will best serve the student's individual learning needs, and an amendment to the student's written remote educational plan addressing any changes for the upcoming term of the program.

For purposes of this Section, a remote educational program does not include instruction delivered to students through an e-learning program approved under Section 10-20.56, remote or blended remote learning under Section 10-30 or 34-18.66, or remote learning under Section 10-31 or 34-18.67 of this Code.

(b) A school district may, by resolution of its school board, establish a remote educational program.

(c) (Blank).

(d) The impact of remote educational programs on wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment of educational employees within the school district shall be subject to local collective bargaining agreements.

(e) The use of a home or other location outside of a school building for a remote educational program shall not cause the home or other location to be deemed a public school facility.

(f) A remote educational program may be used, but is not required, for instruction delivered to a student in the home or other location outside of a school building that is not claimed for evidence-based funding purposes under Section 18-8.15 of this Code.

(g) School districts that, pursuant to this Section, adopt a policy for a remote educational program must submit to the State Board of Education a copy of the policy and any amendments thereto, as well as data on student participation in a format specified by the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education may perform or contract with an outside entity to perform an evaluation of remote educational programs in this State.

(h) The State Board of Education may adopt any rules necessary to ensure compliance by remote educational programs with the requirements of this Section and other applicable legal requirements.

(Source: P.A. 100-465, eff. 8-31-17; 100-1046, eff. 8-23-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19.)

(105 ILCS 5/10-30)

Sec. 10-30. Remote and blended remote learning; public health emergency. This Section applies if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.

(1) If the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, the State Superintendent of Education may declare a requirement to use remote learning days or blended remote learning days for a school district, multiple school districts, a region, or the entire State. During remote learning days, schools shall conduct instruction remotely. During blended remote learning days, schools may utilize hybrid models of in-person and remote instruction. Once declared, remote learning days or blended remote learning days shall be implemented in grades pre-kindergarten through 12 as days of attendance and shall be deemed pupil attendance days for calculation of the length of a school term under Section 10-19.

(2) For purposes of this Section, a remote learning day or blended remote learning day may be met through a district's implementation of an e-learning program under Section 10-20.56 or remote learning under Section 10-31.

(3) For any district that does not implement an e-learning program under Section 10-20.56 or remote learning under Section 10-31, the district shall adopt a remote and blended remote learning day plan approved by the district superintendent. Each district may utilize remote and blended remote learning planning days, consecutively or in separate increments, to develop, review, or amend its remote and blended remote learning day plan or provide professional development to staff regarding remote education. Up to 5 remote and blended remote learning planning days may be deemed pupil attendance days for calculation of the length of a school term under Section 10-19.

(4) Each remote and blended remote learning day plan shall address the following:

(i) accessibility of the remote instruction to all students enrolled in the district;

(ii) if applicable, a requirement that the remote learning day and blended remote learning day activities reflect State learning standards;

(iii) a means for students to confer with an educator, as necessary;

(iv) the unique needs of students in special populations, including, but not limited to, students eligible for special education under Article 14, students who are English learners as defined in Section 14C-2, and students experiencing homelessness under the Education for Homeless Children Act, or vulnerable student populations;

(v) how the district will take attendance and monitor and verify each student's remote participation; and

(vi) transitions from remote learning to on-site learning upon the State Superintendent's declaration that remote learning days or blended remote learning days are no longer deemed necessary.

(5) The district superintendent shall periodically review and amend the district's remote and blended remote learning day plan, as needed, to ensure the plan meets the needs of all students.

(6) Each remote and blended remote learning day plan shall be posted on the district's Internet website where other policies, rules, and standards of conduct are posted and shall be provided to students and faculty.

(7) This Section does not create any additional employee bargaining rights and does not remove any employee bargaining rights.

(8) Statutory and regulatory curricular mandates and offerings may be administered via a district's remote and blended remote learning day plan, except that a district may not offer individual behind-the-wheel instruction required by Section 27-24.2 via a district's remote and blended remote learning day plan. This Section does not relieve schools and districts from completing all statutory and regulatory curricular mandates and offerings.

(Source: P.A. 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)

(105 ILCS 5/10-31 new)

Sec. 10-31. Remote learning.

(a) A school district may utilize a remote learning day meeting the requirements of this Section instead of an emergency day provided for in the school calendar. However, the number of remote learning days used in a school year under this Section may not exceed the number of emergency days provided for in the school calendar. A remote learning day under this Section shall be deemed a pupil attendance day for calculation of the length of the school term under Section 10-19.

(b) The district superintendent must approve a remote learning plan for the district before the district may utilize a remote learning day under this Section. The remote learning plan must address all of the following:

(1) The accessibility of remote instruction, including non-electronic materials, to all students enrolled in the district.

(2) The requirement that remote learning day activities reflect State learning standards, if applicable.

(3) A means for a student to confer with an educator, as necessary.

(4) The unique needs of a student in a special population, including, but not limited to, a student eligible for special education services under Article 14, a student who is an English learner, as defined in Section 14C-2, or a student who is a homeless person, child, or youth, as defined in the Education for Homeless Children Act, or other vulnerable student population.

(5) How the district will take attendance and monitor and verify each student's remote participation.

(6) An assurance of at least 5 clock hours of school work, as required under Section 10-19.05, for each student participating in the remote learning day.

Approval of a remote learning plan by the district superintendent shall be for an initial term of 3 years. Every 3 years thereafter, the district superintendent shall review the plan and make any necessary changes. During the 3-year term of a remote learning plan, the district superintendent may periodically review and amend the plan as needed to ensure that the plan meets the needs of all students and faculty.

The remote learning plan must be posted on the district's Internet website where other policies, rules, and standards of conduct are posted and must be provided to students and faculty. Any changes to the remote learning plan must be posted on the district's Internet website.

(c) The district must provide effective notice to students and their parents or guardians of the use of a particular day as a remote learning day.

(d) The district must provide students and faculty with adequate training on how to participate in a remote learning day.

(e) The district shall ensure an opportunity for any collective bargaining negotiations with representatives of the district's employees that would be legally required, including all classifications of district employees who are represented by a collective bargaining agreement and who would be affected in the event a remote learning day is used.

(f) Statutory and regulatory curricular mandates and offerings may be administered via remote learning under the remote learning plan. This Section does not relieve a school or district from completing all statutory and regulatory curricular mandates and offerings.

(g) A remote learning day may utilize the Internet, telephones, texts, chat rooms, or other similar means of electronic communication for instruction and interaction between educators and students if such utilization meets the needs of all learners.

(h) The State Board of Education may adopt rules consistent with the provisions of this Section that are necessary to implement this Section.

(105 ILCS 5/18-12) (from Ch. 122, par. 18-12)

Sec. 18-12. Dates for filing State aid claims. The school board of each school district, a regional office of education, a laboratory school, or a State-authorized charter school shall require teachers, principals, or superintendents to furnish from records kept by them such data as it needs in preparing and certifying to the State Superintendent of Education its report of claims provided in Section 18-8.05 or 18-8.15 of this Code. The claim shall be based on the latest available equalized assessed valuation and tax rates, as provided in Section 18-8.05 or 18-8.15, shall use the average daily attendance as determined by the method outlined in Section 18-8.05 or 18-8.15, and shall be certified and filed with the State Superintendent of Education by June 21 for districts and State-authorized charter schools with an official school calendar end date before June 15 or within 2 weeks following the official school calendar end date for districts, regional offices of education, laboratory schools, or State-authorized charter schools with a school year end date of June 15 or later. Failure to so file by these deadlines constitutes a forfeiture of the right to receive payment by the State until such claim is filed. The State Superintendent of Education shall voucher for payment those claims to the State Comptroller as provided in Section 18-11.

Except as otherwise provided in this Section, if any school district fails to provide the minimum school term specified in Section 10-19, the State aid claim for that year shall be reduced by the State Superintendent of Education in an amount equivalent to 1/176 or .56818% for each day less than the number of days required by this Code.

If the State Superintendent of Education determines that the failure to provide the minimum school term was occasioned by an act or acts of God, or was occasioned by conditions beyond the control of the school district which posed a hazardous threat to the health and safety of pupils, the State aid claim need not be reduced.

If a school district is precluded from providing the minimum hours of instruction required for a full day of attendance due to (A) an adverse weather condition, (B) a condition beyond the control of the school district that poses a hazardous threat to the health and safety of students, or (C) beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, the utilization of the school district's facilities for not more than 2 school days per school year by local or county authorities for the purpose of holding a memorial or funeral services in remembrance of a community member, then the partial day of attendance may be counted if (i) the school district has provided at least one hour of instruction prior to the closure of the school district, (ii) a school building has provided at least one hour of instruction prior to the closure of the school building, or (iii) the normal start time of the school district is delayed.

If, prior to providing any instruction, a school district must close one or more but not all school buildings after consultation with a local emergency response agency or due to a condition beyond the control of the school district, then the school district may claim attendance for up to 2 school days based on the average attendance of the 3 school days immediately preceding the closure of the affected school building or, if approved by the State Board of Education, utilize the provisions of an e-learning program for the affected school building as prescribed in Section 10-20.56, a remote and blended remote learning day plan under Section 10-30 or 34-18.66, or a remote learning plan under Section 10-31 or 34-18.67 of this Code. The partial or no day of attendance described in this Section and the reasons therefore shall be certified within a month of the closing or delayed start by the school district superintendent to the regional superintendent of schools for forwarding to the State Superintendent of Education for approval.

Other than the utilization of any e-learning days as prescribed in Section 10-20.56, a remote or blended remote learning day under Section 10-30 or 34-18.66, or a remote learning day under Section 10-31 or 34-18.67 of this Code, no exception to the requirement of providing a minimum school term may be approved by the State Superintendent of Education pursuant to this Section unless a school district has first used all emergency days provided for in its regular calendar.

If the State Superintendent of Education declares that an energy shortage exists during any part of the school year for the State or a designated portion of the State, a district may operate the school attendance centers within the district 4 days of the week during the time of the shortage by extending each existing school day by one clock hour of school work, and the State aid claim shall not be reduced, nor shall the employees of that district suffer any reduction in salary or benefits as a result thereof. A district may operate all attendance centers on this revised schedule, or may apply the schedule to selected attendance centers, taking into consideration such factors as pupil transportation schedules and patterns and sources of energy for individual attendance centers.

Electronically submitted State aid claims shall be submitted by duly authorized district individuals over a secure network that is password protected. The electronic submission of a State aid claim must be accompanied with an affirmation that all of the provisions of Section 18-8.05 or 18-8.15 and Sections 10-22.5 and 24-4 of this Code are met in all respects.

(Source: P.A. 99-194, eff. 7-30-15; 99-657, eff. 7-28-16; 100-28, eff. 8-4-17; 100-465, eff. 8-31-17; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.66)

Sec. 34-18.66. Remote and blended remote learning; public health emergency. This Section applies if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.

(1) If the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, the State Superintendent of Education may declare a requirement to use remote learning days or blended remote learning days for the school district, multiple school districts, a region, or the entire State. During remote learning days, schools shall conduct instruction remotely. During blended remote learning days, schools may utilize hybrid models of in-person and remote instruction. Once declared, remote learning days or blended remote learning days shall be implemented in grades pre-kindergarten through 12 as days of attendance and shall be deemed pupil attendance days for calculation of the length of a school term under Section 10-19.

(2) For purposes of this Section, a remote learning day or blended remote learning day may be met through the district's implementation of an e-learning program under Section 10-20.56 or remote learning under Section 34-18.67.

(3) If the district does not implement an e-learning program under Section 10-20.56 or remote learning under Section 34-18.67, the district shall adopt a remote and blended remote learning day plan approved by the general superintendent of schools. The district may utilize remote and blended remote learning planning days, consecutively or in separate increments, to develop, review, or amend its remote and blended remote learning day plan or provide professional development to staff regarding remote education. Up to 5 remote and blended remote learning planning days may be deemed pupil attendance days for calculation of the length of a school term under Section 10-19.

(4) Each remote and blended remote learning day plan shall address the following:

(i) accessibility of the remote instruction to all students enrolled in the district;

(ii) if applicable, a requirement that the remote learning day and blended remote learning day activities reflect State learning standards;

(iii) a means for students to confer with an educator, as necessary;

(iv) the unique needs of students in special populations, including, but not limited to, students eligible for special education under Article 14, students who are English learners as defined in Section 14C-2, and students experiencing homelessness under the Education for Homeless Children Act, or vulnerable student populations;

(v) how the district will take attendance and monitor and verify each student's remote participation; and

(vi) transitions from remote learning to on-site learning upon the State Superintendent's declaration that remote learning days or blended remote learning days are no longer deemed necessary.

(5) The general superintendent of schools shall periodically review and amend the district's remote and blended remote learning day plan, as needed, to ensure the plan meets the needs of all students.

(6) Each remote and blended remote learning day plan shall be posted on the district's Internet website where other policies, rules, and standards of conduct are posted and shall be provided to students and faculty.

(7) This Section does not create any additional employee bargaining rights and does not remove any employee bargaining rights.

(8) Statutory and regulatory curricular mandates and offerings may be administered via the district's remote and blended remote learning day plan, except that the district may not offer individual behind-the-wheel instruction required by Section 27-24.2 via the district's remote and blended remote learning day plan. This Section does not relieve schools and the district from completing all statutory and regulatory curricular mandates and offerings.

(Source: P.A. 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.67 new)

Sec. 34-18.67. Remote learning.

(a) The school district may utilize a remote learning day meeting the requirements of this Section instead of an emergency day provided for in the school calendar. However, the number of remote learning days used in a school year under this Section may not exceed the number of emergency days provided for in the school calendar. A remote learning day under this Section shall be deemed a pupil attendance day for calculation of the length of the school term under Section 10-19.

(b) The general superintendent of schools must approve a remote learning plan for the district before the district may utilize a remote learning day under this Section. The remote learning plan must address all of the following:

(1) The accessibility of remote instruction, including non-electronic materials, to all students enrolled in the district.

(2) The requirement that remote learning day activities reflect State learning standards, if applicable.

(3) A means for a student to confer with an educator, as necessary.

(4) The unique needs of a student in a special population, including, but not limited to, a student eligible for special education services under Article 14, a student who is an English learner, as defined in Section 14C-2, or a student who is a homeless person, child, or youth, as defined in the Education for Homeless Children Act, or other vulnerable student population.

(5) How the district will take attendance and monitor and verify each student's remote participation.

(6) An assurance of at least 5 clock hours of school work, as required under Section 10-19.05, for each student participating in the remote learning day.

Approval of a remote learning plan by the general superintendent of schools shall be for an initial term of 3 years. Every 3 years thereafter, the general superintendent of schools shall review the plan and make any necessary changes. During the 3-year term of a remote learning plan, the general superintendent of schools may periodically review and amend the plan as needed to ensure that the plan meets the needs of all students and faculty.

The remote learning plan must be posted on the district's Internet website where other policies, rules, and standards of conduct are posted and must be provided to students and faculty. Any changes to the remote learning plan must be posted on the district's Internet website.

(c) The district must provide effective notice to students and their parents or guardians of the use of a particular day as a remote learning day.

(d) The district must provide students and faculty with adequate training on how to participate in a remote learning day.

(e) The district shall ensure an opportunity for any collective bargaining negotiations with representatives of the district's employees that would be legally required, including all classifications of district employees who are represented by a collective bargaining agreement and who would be affected in the event a remote learning day is used.

(f) Statutory and regulatory curricular mandates and offerings may be administered via remote learning under the remote learning plan. This Section does not relieve a school or the district from completing all statutory and regulatory curricular mandates and offerings.

(g) A remote learning day may utilize the Internet, telephones, texts, chat rooms, or other similar means of electronic communication for instruction and interaction between educators and students if such utilization meets the needs of all learners.

(h) The State Board of Education may adopt rules consistent with the provisions of this Section that are necessary to implement this Section.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2021.