(105 ILCS 5/26-2a) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-2a) Sec. 26-2a. A "truant" is defined as a child who is subject to compulsory school
attendance and who is absent without valid cause, as defined under this Section, from such attendance for more than 1% but less than 5% of the past 180 school days. "Valid cause" for absence shall be illness, observance of a religious
holiday, death in the immediate family,
family emergency, and shall include such other situations beyond the control
of the student as determined by the board of education in each district,
or such other circumstances which cause reasonable concern to the parent
for the mental, emotional, or physical health or safety of the student. "Chronic or habitual truant" shall be defined as a child who is subject to compulsory
school attendance and who is absent without valid cause from such attendance
for 5% or more of the previous 180 regular attendance days. "Truant minor" is defined as a chronic truant to whom supportive
services, including prevention, diagnostic, intervention and remedial
services, alternative programs and other school and community resources
have been provided and have failed to result in the cessation of chronic
truancy, or have been offered and refused. A "dropout" is defined as any child enrolled in grades 9 through 12 whose
name has been removed from the district enrollment roster for any reason
other than the student's death, extended illness, removal for medical non-compliance, expulsion, aging out, graduation, or completion of a
program of studies and who has not transferred to another public or private school and is not known to be home-schooled by his or her parents or guardians or continuing school in another country. "Religion" for the purposes of this Article, includes all aspects of
religious observance and practice, as well as belief.(Source: P.A. 100-810, eff. 1-1-19; 100-918, eff. 8-17-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19.) |