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Illinois Compiled Statutes

Information maintained by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Updating the database of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) is an ongoing process. Recent laws may not yet be included in the ILCS database, but they are found on this site as Public Acts soon after they become law. For information concerning the relationship between statutes and Public Acts, refer to the Guide.

Because the statute database is maintained primarily for legislative drafting purposes, statutory changes are sometimes included in the statute database before they take effect. If the source note at the end of a Section of the statutes includes a Public Act that has not yet taken effect, the version of the law that is currently in effect may have already been removed from the database and you should refer to that Public Act to see the changes made to the current law.

SCHOOLS
(105 ILCS 5/) School Code.

105 ILCS 5/24A-5.5

    (105 ILCS 5/24A-5.5)
    Sec. 24A-5.5. Local appeal process for unsatisfactory ratings. Beginning with the first school year following the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 101st General Assembly, each school district shall, in good faith cooperation with its teachers or, if applicable, through good faith bargaining with the exclusive bargaining representative of its teachers, develop and implement an appeals process for "unsatisfactory" ratings under Section 24A-5 that includes, but is not limited to, an assessment of the original rating by a panel of qualified evaluators agreed to by the joint committee referred to in subsection (b) of Section 24A-4 that has the power to revoke the "unsatisfactory" rating it deems to be erroneous. The joint committee shall determine the criteria for successful appeals; however, the issuance of a rating to replace an "unsatisfactory" rating must be determined through bargaining between the exclusive bargaining representative, if any, and the school district.
(Source: P.A. 101-591, eff. 8-27-19.)

105 ILCS 5/24A-6

    (105 ILCS 5/24A-6)
    Sec. 24A-6. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 86-201. Repealed by P.A. 96-861, eff. 1-15-10.)

105 ILCS 5/24A-7

    (105 ILCS 5/24A-7) (from Ch. 122, par. 24A-7)
    Sec. 24A-7. Rules. The State Board of Education is authorized to adopt such rules as are deemed necessary to implement and accomplish the purposes and provisions of this Article, including, but not limited to, rules:
        (1) relating to the methods for measuring student
    
growth (including, but not limited to, limitations on the age of usable data; the amount of data needed to reliably and validly measure growth for the purpose of teacher and principal evaluations; and whether and at what time annual State assessments may be used as one of multiple measures of student growth);
        (2) defining the term "significant factor" for
    
purposes of including consideration of student growth in performance ratings;
        (3) controlling for such factors as student
    
characteristics (including, but not limited to, students receiving special education and English Learner services), student attendance, and student mobility so as to best measure the impact that a teacher, principal, school and school district has on students' academic achievement;
        (4) establishing minimum requirements for district
    
teacher and principal evaluation instruments and procedures; and
        (5) establishing a model evaluation plan for use by
    
school districts in which student growth shall comprise 50% of the performance rating.
    Notwithstanding any other provision in this Section, such rules shall not preclude a school district having 500,000 or more inhabitants from using an annual State assessment as the sole measure of student growth for purposes of teacher or principal evaluations.
    The State Superintendent of Education shall convene a Performance Evaluation Advisory Council, which shall be staffed by the State Board of Education. Members of the Council shall be selected by the State Superintendent and include, without limitation, representatives of teacher unions and school district management, persons with expertise in performance evaluation processes and systems, as well as other stakeholders. The Council shall meet at least quarterly and may also meet at the call of the chairperson of the Council, following August 18, 2017 (the effective date of Public Act 100-211) until June 30, 2024. The Council shall advise the State Board of Education on the ongoing implementation of performance evaluations in this State, which may include gathering public feedback, sharing best practices, consulting with the State Board on any proposed rule changes regarding evaluations, and other subjects as determined by the chairperson of the Council.
    Prior to the applicable implementation date, these rules shall not apply to teachers assigned to schools identified in an agreement entered into between the board of a school district operating under Article 34 of this Code and the exclusive representative of the district's teachers in accordance with Section 34-85c of this Code.
(Source: P.A. 102-252, eff. 1-1-22; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)

105 ILCS 5/24A-7.1

    (105 ILCS 5/24A-7.1)
    Sec. 24A-7.1. Teacher, principal, and superintendent performance evaluations. Except as otherwise provided under this Act, disclosure of public school teacher, principal, and superintendent performance evaluations is prohibited.
(Source: P.A. 96-861, eff. 1-15-10.)

105 ILCS 5/24A-8

    (105 ILCS 5/24A-8) (from Ch. 122, par. 24A-8)
    Sec. 24A-8. Evaluation of teachers not in contractual continued service. Each teacher not in contractual continued service shall be evaluated at least once each school year.
(Source: P.A. 96-861, eff. 1-15-10.)

105 ILCS 5/24A-15

    (105 ILCS 5/24A-15)
    Sec. 24A-15. Development of evaluation plan for principals and assistant principals.
    (a) Each school district, except for a school district organized under Article 34 of this Code, shall establish a principal and assistant principal evaluation plan in accordance with this Section. The plan must ensure that each principal and assistant principal is evaluated as follows:
        (1) For a principal or assistant principal on a
    
single-year contract, the evaluation must take place by March 1 of each year.
        (2) For a principal or assistant principal on a
    
multi-year contract under Section 10-23.8a of this Code, the evaluation must take place by March 1 of the final year of the contract.
    On and after September 1, 2012, the plan must:
        (i) rate the principal's or assistant principal's
    
performance as "excellent", "proficient", "needs improvement" or "unsatisfactory"; and
        (ii) ensure that each principal and assistant
    
principal is evaluated at least once every school year.
    Nothing in this Section prohibits a school district from conducting additional evaluations of principals and assistant principals.
    For the 2022-2023 school year only, if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, a school district may waive the evaluation requirement of all principals or assistant principals whose performances were rated as either "excellent" or "proficient" during the last school year in which the principals or assistant principals were evaluated under this Section.
    (b) The evaluation shall include a description of the principal's or assistant principal's duties and responsibilities and the standards to which the principal or assistant principal is expected to conform.
    (c) The evaluation for a principal must be performed by the district superintendent, the superintendent's designee, or, in the absence of the superintendent or his or her designee, an individual appointed by the school board who holds a registered Type 75 State administrative certificate.
    Prior to September 1, 2012, the evaluation must be in writing and must at least do all of the following:
        (1) Consider the principal's specific duties,
    
responsibilities, management, and competence as a principal.
        (2) Specify the principal's strengths and weaknesses,
    
with supporting reasons.
        (3) Align with research-based standards established
    
by administrative rule.
    On and after September 1, 2012, the evaluation must, in addition to the requirements in items (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection (c), provide for the use of data and indicators on student growth as a significant factor in rating performance.
    (c-5) The evaluation of an assistant principal must be performed by the principal, the district superintendent, the superintendent's designee, or, in the absence of the superintendent or his or her designee, an individual appointed by the school board who holds a registered Type 75 State administrative certificate. The evaluation must be in writing and must at least do all of the following:
        (1) Consider the assistant principal's specific
    
duties, responsibilities, management, and competence as an assistant principal.
        (2) Specify the assistant principal's strengths and
    
weaknesses with supporting reasons.
        (3) Align with the Illinois Professional Standards
    
for School Leaders or research-based district standards.
    On and after September 1, 2012, the evaluation must, in addition to the requirements in items (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection (c-5), provide for the use of data and indicators on student growth as a significant factor in rating performance.
    (d) One copy of the evaluation must be included in the principal's or assistant principal's personnel file and one copy of the evaluation must be provided to the principal or assistant principal.
    (e) Failure by a district to evaluate a principal or assistant principal and to provide the principal or assistant principal with a copy of the evaluation at least once during the term of the principal's or assistant principal's contract, in accordance with this Section, is evidence that the principal or assistant principal is performing duties and responsibilities in at least a satisfactory manner and shall serve to automatically extend the principal's or assistant principal's contract for a period of one year after the contract would otherwise expire, under the same terms and conditions as the prior year's contract. The requirements in this Section are in addition to the right of a school board to reclassify a principal or assistant principal pursuant to Section 10-23.8b of this Code.
    (f) Nothing in this Section prohibits a school board from ordering lateral transfers of principals or assistant principals to positions of similar rank and salary.
(Source: P.A. 102-729, eff. 5-6-22.)

105 ILCS 5/24A-20

    (105 ILCS 5/24A-20)
    Sec. 24A-20. State Board of Education data collection and evaluation assessment and support systems.
    (a) On or before the date established in subsection (b) of this Section, the State Board of Education shall, through a process involving collaboration with the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council, develop or contract for the development of and implement all of the following data collection and evaluation assessment and support systems:
        (1) A system to annually collect and publish data by
    
district and school on teacher and administrator performance evaluation outcomes. The system must ensure that no teacher or administrator can be personally identified by publicly reported data.
        (2) Both a teacher and principal model evaluation
    
template. The model templates must incorporate the requirements of this Article and any other requirements established by the State Board by administrative rule, but allow customization by districts in a manner that does not conflict with such requirements.
        (3) An evaluator pre-qualification program based on
    
the model teacher evaluation template.
        (4) An evaluator training program based on the model
    
teacher evaluation template. The training program shall provide multiple training options that account for the prior training and experience of the evaluator.
        (5) A superintendent training program based on the
    
model principal evaluation template.
        (6) One or more instruments to provide feedback to
    
principals on the instructional environment within a school.
        (7) A State Board-provided or approved technical
    
assistance system that supports districts with the development and implementation of teacher and principal evaluation systems.
        (8) Web-based systems and tools supporting
    
implementation of the model templates and the evaluator pre-qualification and training programs.
        (9) A process for measuring and reporting
    
correlations between local principal and teacher evaluations and (A) student growth in tested grades and subjects and (B) retention rates of teachers.
        (10) A process for assessing whether school district
    
evaluation systems developed pursuant to this Act and that consider student growth as a significant factor in the rating of a teacher's and principal's performance are valid and reliable, contribute to the development of staff, and improve student achievement outcomes. By no later than September 1, 2014, a research-based study shall be issued assessing such systems for validity and reliability, contribution to the development of staff, and improvement of student performance and recommending, based on the results of this study, changes, if any, that need to be incorporated into teacher and principal evaluation systems that consider student growth as a significant factor in the rating performance for remaining school districts to be required to implement such systems.
    (b) If the State of Illinois receives a Race to the Top Grant, the data collection and support systems described in subsection (a) must be developed on or before September 30, 2011. If the State of Illinois does not receive a Race to the Top Grant, the data collection and support systems described in subsection (a) must be developed on or before September 30, 2012; provided, however, that the data collection and support systems set forth in items (3) and (4) of subsection (a) of this Section must be developed by September 30, 2011 regardless of whether the State of Illinois receives a Race to the Top Grant. By no later than September 1, 2011, if the State of Illinois receives a Race to the Top Grant, or September 1, 2012, if the State of Illinois does not receive a Race to the Top Grant, the State Board of Education must execute or contract for the execution of the assessment referenced in item (10) of subsection (a) of this Section to determine whether the school district evaluation systems developed pursuant to this Act have been valid and reliable, contributed to the development of staff, and improved student performance.
    (c) Districts shall submit data and information to the State Board on teacher and principal performance evaluations and evaluation plans in accordance with procedures and requirements for submissions established by the State Board. Such data shall include, without limitation, (i) data on the performance rating given to all teachers in contractual continued service, (ii) data on district recommendations to renew or not renew teachers not in contractual continued service, and (iii) data on the performance rating given to all principals.
    (d) If the State Board of Education does not timely fulfill any of the requirements set forth in Sections 24A-7 and 24A-20, and adequate and sustainable federal, State, or other funds are not provided to the State Board of Education and school districts to meet their responsibilities under this Article, the applicable implementation date shall be postponed by the number of calendar days equal to those needed by the State Board of Education to fulfill such requirements and for the adequate and sustainable funds to be provided to the State Board of Education and school districts. The determination as to whether the State Board of Education has fulfilled any or all requirements set forth in Sections 24A-7 and 24A-20 and whether adequate and sustainable funds have been provided to the State Board of Education and school districts shall be made by the State Board of Education in consultation with the P-20 Council.
    (e) The State Board of Education shall report teacher evaluation data from each school in the State. The State Board's report shall include:
        (1) data from the most recent performance evaluation
    
ratings issued prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly for all nontenured teachers and teachers in contractual continued service broken down by the race and ethnicity of teachers; and
        (2) data from the most recent performance evaluation
    
ratings issued prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly for all nontenured teachers and teachers in contractual continued service broken down by the race, ethnicity, and eligibility status for free or reduced-price lunch of students in the school where the teachers work.
    The report shall contain data in an aggregate format. The report with the aggregate data is not confidential pursuant to Section 24A-7.1 of this Code unless an individual teacher is personally identifiable in the report. With respect to the report, the underlying data and any personally identifying information of a teacher shall be confidential. The State Board shall provide the data in the report in a format that prevents identification of individual teachers.
(Source: P.A. 103-452, eff. 1-1-24.)

105 ILCS 5/Art. 26

 
    (105 ILCS 5/Art. 26 heading)
ARTICLE 26. PUPILS--COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE

105 ILCS 5/26-1

    (105 ILCS 5/26-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-1)
    Sec. 26-1. Compulsory school age; exemptions. Whoever has custody or control of any child (i) between the ages of 7 and 17 years (unless the child has already graduated from high school) for school years before the 2014-2015 school year or (ii) between the ages of 6 (on or before September 1) and 17 years (unless the child has already graduated from high school) beginning with the 2014-2015 school year shall cause such child to attend some public school in the district wherein the child resides the entire time it is in session during the regular school term, except as provided in Section 10-19.1, and during a required summer school program established under Section 10-22.33B; provided, that the following children shall not be required to attend the public schools:
        1. Any child attending a private or a parochial
    
school where children are taught the branches of education taught to children of corresponding age and grade in the public schools, and where the instruction of the child in the branches of education is in the English language;
        2. Any child who is physically or mentally unable to
    
attend school, such disability being certified to the county or district truant officer by a competent physician licensed in Illinois to practice medicine and surgery in all its branches, a chiropractic physician licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987, a licensed advanced practice registered nurse, a licensed physician assistant, or a Christian Science practitioner residing in this State and listed in the Christian Science Journal; or who is excused for temporary absence for cause by the principal or teacher of the school which the child attends, with absence for cause by illness being required to include the mental or behavioral health of the child for up to 5 days for which the child need not provide a medical note, in which case the child shall be given the opportunity to make up any school work missed during the mental or behavioral health absence and, after the second mental health day used, may be referred to the appropriate school support personnel; the exemptions in this paragraph (2) do not apply to any female who is pregnant or the mother of one or more children, except where a female is unable to attend school due to a complication arising from her pregnancy and the existence of such complication is certified to the county or district truant officer by a competent physician;
        3. Any child necessarily and lawfully employed
    
according to the provisions of the law regulating child labor may be excused from attendance at school by the county superintendent of schools or the superintendent of the public school which the child should be attending, on certification of the facts by and the recommendation of the school board of the public school district in which the child resides. In districts having part-time continuation schools, children so excused shall attend such schools at least 8 hours each week;
        4. Any child over 12 and under 14 years of age while
    
in attendance at confirmation classes;
        5. Any child absent from a public school on a
    
particular day or days or at a particular time of day for the reason that he is unable to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirements on a particular day or days or at a particular time of day because of religious reasons, including the observance of a religious holiday or participation in religious instruction, or because the tenets of his religion forbid secular activity on a particular day or days or at a particular time of day. A school board may require the parent or guardian of a child who is to be excused from attending school because of religious reasons to give notice, not exceeding 5 days, of the child's absence to the school principal or other school personnel. Any child excused from attending school under this paragraph 5 shall not be required to submit a written excuse for such absence after returning to school. A district superintendent shall develop and distribute to schools appropriate procedures regarding a student's absence for religious reasons, how schools are notified of a student's impending absence for religious reasons, and the requirements of Section 26-2b of this Code;
        6. Any child 16 years of age or older who (i)
    
submits to a school district evidence of necessary and lawful employment pursuant to paragraph 3 of this Section and (ii) is enrolled in a graduation incentives program pursuant to Section 26-16 of this Code or an alternative learning opportunities program established pursuant to Article 13B of this Code;
        7. A child in any of grades 6 through 12 absent from
    
a public school on a particular day or days or at a particular time of day for the purpose of sounding "Taps" at a military honors funeral held in this State for a deceased veteran. In order to be excused under this paragraph 7, the student shall notify the school's administration at least 2 days prior to the date of the absence and shall provide the school's administration with the date, time, and location of the military honors funeral. The school's administration may waive this 2-day notification requirement if the student did not receive at least 2 days advance notice, but the student shall notify the school's administration as soon as possible of the absence. A student whose absence is excused under this paragraph 7 shall be counted as if the student attended school for purposes of calculating the average daily attendance of students in the school district. A student whose absence is excused under this paragraph 7 must be allowed a reasonable time to make up school work missed during the absence. If the student satisfactorily completes the school work, the day of absence shall be counted as a day of compulsory attendance and he or she may not be penalized for that absence; and
        8. Any child absent from a public school on a
    
particular day or days or at a particular time of day for the reason that his or her parent or legal guardian is an active duty member of the uniformed services and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat-support postings. Such a student shall be granted 5 days of excused absences in any school year and, at the discretion of the school board, additional excused absences to visit the student's parent or legal guardian relative to such leave or deployment of the parent or legal guardian. In the case of excused absences pursuant to this paragraph 8, the student and parent or legal guardian shall be responsible for obtaining assignments from the student's teacher prior to any period of excused absence and for ensuring that such assignments are completed by the student prior to his or her return to school from such period of excused absence.
    Any child from a public middle school or high school, subject to guidelines established by the State Board of Education, shall be permitted by a school board one school day-long excused absence per school year for the child who is absent from school to engage in a civic event. The school board may require that the student provide reasonable advance notice of the intended absence to the appropriate school administrator and require that the student provide documentation of participation in a civic event to the appropriate school administrator.
(Source: P.A. 102-266, eff. 1-1-22; 102-321, eff. 1-1-22; 102-406, eff. 8-19-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22; 102-981, eff. 1-1-23.)

105 ILCS 5/26-2

    (105 ILCS 5/26-2) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-2)
    Sec. 26-2. Enrolled pupils not of compulsory school age.
    (a) Any person having custody or control of a child who is below the age of 6 years or is 17 years of age or above and who is enrolled in any of grades kindergarten through 12 in the public school shall cause the child to attend the public school in the district wherein he or she resides when it is in session during the regular school term, unless the child is excused under Section 26-1 of this Code.
    (b) A school district shall deny reenrollment in its secondary schools to any child 19 years of age or above who has dropped out of school and who could not, because of age and lack of credits, attend classes during the normal school year and graduate before his or her twenty-first birthday. A district may, however, enroll the child in a graduation incentives program under Section 26-16 of this Code or an alternative learning opportunities program established under Article 13B. No child shall be denied reenrollment for the above reasons unless the school district first offers the child due process as required in cases of expulsion under Section 10-22.6. If a child is denied reenrollment after being provided with due process, the school district must provide counseling to that child and must direct that child to alternative educational programs, including adult education programs, that lead to graduation or receipt of a State of Illinois High School Diploma.
    (c) A school or school district may deny enrollment to a student 17 years of age or older for one semester for failure to meet minimum attendance standards if all of the following conditions are met:
        (1) The student was absent without valid cause for
    
20% or more of the attendance days in the semester immediately prior to the current semester.
        (2) The student and the student's parent or guardian
    
are given written notice warning that the student is subject to denial from enrollment for one semester unless the student is absent without valid cause less than 20% of the attendance days in the current semester.
        (3) The student's parent or guardian is provided with
    
the right to appeal the notice, as determined by the State Board of Education in accordance with due process.
        (4) The student is provided with attendance
    
remediation services, including without limitation assessment, counseling, and support services.
        (5) The student is absent without valid cause for 20%
    
or more of the attendance days in the current semester.
    A school or school district may not deny enrollment to a student (or reenrollment to a dropout) who is at least 17 years of age or older but below 19 years for more than one consecutive semester for failure to meet attendance standards.
    (d) No child may be denied reenrollment under this Section in violation of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act.
    (e) In this subsection (e), "reenrolled student" means a dropout who has reenrolled full-time in a public school. Each school district shall identify, track, and report on the educational progress and outcomes of reenrolled students as a subset of the district's required reporting on all enrollments. A reenrolled student who again drops out must not be counted again against a district's dropout rate performance measure. The State Board of Education shall set performance standards for programs serving reenrolled students.
    (f) The State Board of Education shall adopt any rules necessary to implement the changes to this Section made by Public Act 93-803.
(Source: P.A. 102-981, eff. 1-1-23; 102-1100, eff. 1-1-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23.)

105 ILCS 5/26-2a

    (105 ILCS 5/26-2a) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-2a)
    (Text of Section before amendment by 102-466)
    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, including the mental or behavioral health of the student, observance of a religious holiday, death in the immediate family, attendance at a civic event, or 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.
    "Civic event" means an event sponsored by a non-profit organization or governmental entity that is open to the public. "Civic event" includes, but is not limited to, an artistic or cultural performance or educational gathering that supports the mission of the sponsoring non-profit organization. The State Board of Education may adopt rules to further define "civic event".
    "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. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 102-266, eff. 1-1-22; 102-321, eff. 1-1-22; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22; 102-981, eff. 1-1-23.)
 
    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 102-466)
    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, including the mental or behavioral health of the student, attendance at a verified medical or therapeutic appointment, appointment with a victim services provider, observance of a religious holiday, death in the immediate family, attendance at a civic event, or 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. For purposes of a student who is an expectant parent, or parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence, "valid cause" for absence includes (i) the fulfillment of a parenting responsibility, including, but not limited to, arranging and providing child care, caring for a sick child, attending prenatal or other medical appointments for the expectant student, and attending medical appointments for a child, and (ii) addressing circumstances resulting from domestic or sexual violence, including, but not limited to, experiencing domestic or sexual violence, recovering from physical or psychological injuries, seeking medical attention, seeking services from a domestic or sexual violence organization, as defined in Article 26A, seeking psychological or other counseling, participating in safety planning, temporarily or permanently relocating, seeking legal assistance or remedies, or taking any other action to increase the safety or health of the student or to protect the student from future domestic or sexual violence. A school district may require a student to verify his or her claim of domestic or sexual violence under Section 26A-45 prior to the district approving a valid cause for an absence of 3 or more consecutive days that is related to domestic or sexual violence.
    "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.
    "Civic event" means an event sponsored by a non-profit organization or governmental entity that is open to the public. "Civic event" includes, but is not limited to, an artistic or cultural performance or educational gathering that supports the mission of the sponsoring non-profit organization. The State Board of Education may adopt rules to further define "civic event".
    "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. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 102-266, eff. 1-1-22; 102-321, eff. 1-1-22; 102-466, eff. 7-1-25; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22; 102-981, eff. 1-1-23.)

105 ILCS 5/26-2b

    (105 ILCS 5/26-2b) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-2b)
    Sec. 26-2b. Any child enrolled in a public school who is unable, because of the observance of a religious holiday, to attend classes on a particular day or days or at a particular time of day shall be excused from any examination or any study or work assignments on such particular day or days or at such particular time of day. It shall be the responsibility of the teachers and of the administrative officials of each public school to make available to each child who is absent from school because of the observance of a religious holiday an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study or work requirements which he has missed because of such absence on any particular day or days or at any particular time of day. No special fees of any kind shall be charged to the child for making available to such child such equivalent opportunity. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any child because of his availing himself of the provisions of this Section.
(Source: P.A. 102-406, eff. 8-19-21.)

105 ILCS 5/26-3

    (105 ILCS 5/26-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-3)
    Sec. 26-3. Teachers furnished list-Report of non-attendance-Report of persons not on list.
    The clerk or secretary of the school board of all school districts except those employing district truant officers shall furnish the superintendent of schools at the beginning of the school year a list of the names and addresses of the children living in the district who come under the provisions of this Article and of persons having custody or control of such children. The superintendent shall at the opening of school and at other times when required by the regional superintendent of schools compare the list with the enrollment of the school or schools and report to the regional superintendent of schools the names of persons having custody or control of children included under the provisions of this Article who are truant or who are chronic or habitual truants for whom supportive services and other school resources have failed to correct the truant behavior and who are not in regular attendance at the public school, and the names of such children and their ages, stating in each case, if known, the cause of such absence. The report shall also contain the names of any other persons who were not enumerated in the list at the beginning of school and who have the custody or control of children not attending school. The regional superintendent shall, without delay, place such information at the disposal of the regional truant officer.
(Source: P.A. 80-908.)

105 ILCS 5/26-3a

    (105 ILCS 5/26-3a) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-3a)
    Sec. 26-3a. Report of pupils no longer enrolled in school.
    The clerk or secretary of the school board of all school districts shall furnish quarterly on the first school day of October, January, April and July to the regional superintendent and to the Secretary of State a list of pupils, excluding transferees, who have been expelled or have withdrawn or who have left school and have been removed from the regular attendance rolls during the period of time school was in regular session from the time of the previous quarterly report. Such list shall include the names and addresses of pupils formerly in attendance, the names and addresses of persons having custody or control of such pupils, the reason, if known, such pupils are no longer in attendance and the date of removal from the attendance rolls. The list shall also include the names of: pupils whose withdrawal is due to extraordinary circumstances, including but not limited to economic or medical necessity or family hardship, as determined by the criteria established by the school district; pupils who have re-enrolled in school since their names were removed from the attendance rolls; any pupil certified to be a chronic or habitual truant, as defined in Section 26-2a; and pupils previously certified as chronic or habitual truants who have resumed regular school attendance. The regional superintendent shall inform the county or district truant officer who shall investigate to see that such pupils are in compliance with the requirements of this Article.
    Each local school district shall establish, in writing, a set of criteria for use by the local superintendent of schools in determining whether a pupil's failure to attend school is the result of extraordinary circumstances, including but not limited to economic or medical necessity or family hardship.
    If a pupil re-enrolls in school after his or her name was removed from the attendance rolls or resumes regular attendance after being certified a chronic or habitual truant, the pupil must obtain and forward to the Secretary of State, on a form designated by the Secretary of State, verification of his or her re-enrollment. The verification may be in the form of a signature or seal or in any other form determined by the school board.
    The State Board of Education shall, if possible, make available to any person, upon request, a comparison of drop out rates before and after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly.
(Source: P.A. 94-916, eff. 7-1-07; 95-496, eff. 8-28-07.)

105 ILCS 5/26-3b

    (105 ILCS 5/26-3b) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-3b)
    Sec. 26-3b. Beginning July 1, 1986, if any child enrolled in a public school in grades Kindergarten through 8 is absent from school, and there is no record that such absence is for a valid cause, as defined under Article 26 of this Code, nor notification that the absence has been authorized by the parent, legal guardian or other person having legal custody of such child, an employee or other agent, whether a volunteer or otherwise, designated by the public school in which the child is enrolled shall, within 2 hours after the first class in which the child is enrolled, make a reasonable effort to promptly telephone and notify the parent, legal guardian, or other person having legal custody of the child, of the child's absence from school. Such notification shall not be given for an absence authorized by the parent, legal guardian or other person having legal custody of such child. Prior to any enrollment of a child in a public school, the school district shall notify parents, legal guardians, or other persons having legal custody of a child, of their responsibility to authorize any absence and to notify the school in advance or at the time of any such absence, and that the school requires at least one and not more than 2 telephone numbers be given for purposes of this Section. The school district shall require that such telephone numbers be given at the time of enrollment of the child in school, which said numbers may be changed from time to time upon notification to the school.
    The requirements of this Section shall have been met by the school if notification of an absence has been attempted by telephoning the 1 or 2 numbers given the school by the parent, legal guardian or other person having legal custody of a child, whether or not there is any answer at such telephone number or numbers. Further, the requirements of this Section shall have been met if the said notification is given to a member of the household of the child's parent, legal guardian or other person having legal custody of the child, which said member of the household must be 10 years of age or older.
    An employee or other agent designated by the public school who in good faith makes a reasonable effort to notify the parent, legal guardian or other person having legal custody of a child of the child's absence from school, when required by this Section, shall not, as a result of his acts or omissions, except wilful or wanton misconduct on the part of such employee or agent in attempting to comply with the notification requirements of this Section, be liable for civil damages.
(Source: P.A. 84-178; 84-682.)

105 ILCS 5/26-3d

    (105 ILCS 5/26-3d) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-3d)
    Sec. 26-3d. All regional superintendents, district superintendents, and special education joint agreement directors shall collect data concerning truants, chronic truants, and truant minor pupils as designated by the State Board of Education. On or before August 15 of each year, this data must be submitted to the State Board of Education.
(Source: P.A. 96-734, eff. 8-25-09.)

105 ILCS 5/26-4

    (105 ILCS 5/26-4)
    Sec. 26-4. (Repealed).
(Source: Repealed by P.A. 88-50.)

105 ILCS 5/26-5

    (105 ILCS 5/26-5) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-5)
    Sec. 26-5. Duties of truant officers.
    The truant officer of the school district, whenever notified by the Superintendent, teacher, or other person of violations of this Article, or the county truant officer, when notified by the County Superintendent, shall investigate all cases of truancy or non-attendance at school in their respective jurisdictions, and if the children complained of are not exempt under the provisions of this Article, the truant officer shall proceed as is provided in this Article. The county truant officer, within the county and the district truant officers, within their respective districts, shall in the exercise of their duties be conservators of the peace and shall keep the same, suppress riots, routs, affray, fighting, breaches of the peace, and prevent crime; and may arrest offenders on view and cause them to be brought before proper officials for trial or examination.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

105 ILCS 5/26-6

    (105 ILCS 5/26-6) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-6)
    Sec. 26-6. List and reports in districts employing truant officers.
    In school districts which employ truant officers the clerk or secretary of the school board shall at the beginning of each school year furnish a copy of the last school census to the superintendent of schools (or principal teacher) in the district, together with the names and addresses of the truant officers in the district, and the superintendent, (or principal teacher) shall compare the census list with the enrollment of the school or schools and, from time to time, report to the proper truant officers the names and addresses of persons having custody or control of children included under the provisions of this Article who are truant or who are chronic or habitual truants for whom supportive services and other school resources have failed to correct the truant behavior and who are not in regular attendance at public schools and also the names of persons having custody or control of children who are not in regular attendance at school and whose names are not included in the census list.
(Source: P.A. 80-908.)

105 ILCS 5/26-7

    (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

    (105 ILCS 5/26-8) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-8)
    Sec. 26-8. Determination as to compliance - Complaint in circuit court. Except for a school district organized under Article 34 of this Code, 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 willfully 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. 102-456, eff. 1-1-22.)

105 ILCS 5/26-8a

    (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

    (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

    (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

    (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

    (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

    (105 ILCS 5/26-12) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-12)
    Sec. 26-12. Punitive action.
    (a) No punitive action, including out-of-school suspensions, expulsions, or court action, shall be taken against truant minors for such truancy unless appropriate and available supportive services and other school resources have been provided to the student. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 10-22.6 of this Code, a truant minor may not be expelled for nonattendance unless he or she has accrued 15 consecutive days of absences without valid cause and the student cannot be located by the school district or the school district has located the student but cannot, after exhausting all available supportive services, compel the student to return to school.
    (b) A school district may not refer a truant, chronic truant, or truant minor to any other local public entity, as defined under Section 1-206 of the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act, for that local public entity to issue the child a fine or a fee as punishment for his or her truancy.
    (c) A school district may refer any person having custody or control of a truant, chronic truant, or truant minor to any other local public entity, as defined under Section 1-206 of the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act, for that local public entity to issue the person a fine or fee for the child's truancy only if the school district's truant officer, regional office of education, or intermediate service center has been notified of the truant behavior and the school district, regional office of education, or intermediate service center has offered all appropriate and available supportive services and other school resources to the child. Before a school district may refer a person having custody or control of a child to a municipality, as defined under Section 1-1-2 of the Illinois Municipal Code, the school district must provide the following appropriate and available services:
        (1) For any child who is a homeless child, as defined
    
under Section 1-5 of the Education for Homeless Children Act, a meeting between the child, the person having custody or control of the child, relevant school personnel, and a homeless liaison to discuss any barriers to the child's attendance due to the child's transitional living situation and to construct a plan that removes these barriers.
        (2) For any child with a documented disability, a
    
meeting between the child, the person having custody or control of the child, and relevant school personnel to review the child's current needs and address the appropriateness of the child's placement and services. For any child subject to Article 14 of this Code, this meeting shall be an individualized education program meeting and shall include relevant members of the individualized education program team. For any child with a disability under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794), this meeting shall be a Section 504 plan review and include relevant members of the Section 504 plan team.
        (3) For any child currently being evaluated by a
    
school district for a disability or for whom the school has a basis of knowledge that the child is a child with a disability under 20 U.S.C. 1415(k)(5), the completion of the evaluation and determination of the child's eligibility for special education services.
    (d) Before a school district may refer a person having custody or control of a child to a local public entity under this Section, the school district must document any appropriate and available supportive services offered to the child. In the event a meeting under this Section does not occur, a school district must have documentation that it made reasonable efforts to convene the meeting at a mutually convenient time and date for the school district and the person having custody or control of the child and, but for the conduct of that person, the meeting would have occurred.
(Source: P.A. 100-810, eff. 1-1-19; 100-825, eff. 8-13-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19.)

105 ILCS 5/26-13

    (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 and Section 22-92, which identify the appropriate supportive services and available resources which are provided for truants and chronic truants.
(Source: P.A. 102-157, eff. 7-1-22; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22.)

105 ILCS 5/26-14

    (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

    (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

    (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 high school equivalency testing.
    (d) Graduation incentives programs established by school districts are entitled to claim general State aid and evidence-based funding, 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 and evidence-based funding 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. 100-465, eff. 8-31-17.)

105 ILCS 5/26-17

    (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 5/26-18

    (105 ILCS 5/26-18)
    Sec. 26-18. Chronic absenteeism report and support.
    (a) As used in this Section:
    "Chronic absence" means absences that total 10% or more of school days of the most recent academic school year, including absences with and without valid cause, as defined in Section 26-2a of this Code, and out-of-school suspensions for an enrolled student.
    "Student" means any enrolled student that is subject to compulsory attendance under Section 26-1 of this Code but does not mean a student for whom a documented homebound or hospital record is on file during the student's absence from school.
    (b) The General Assembly finds that:
        (1) The early years are a critical period in
    
children's learning and development. Every child should be counted present every day. Every day of school matters.
        (2) Being absent too many days from school can make
    
it difficult for students to stay on-track academically and maintain the momentum to graduate from high school in order to be college- or career-ready.
        (3) Every day of school attendance matters for all
    
students and their families. It is crucial, therefore, that the implications of chronic absence be understood and reviewed regularly.
    (c) Beginning July 1, 2018, every school district, charter school, or alternative school or any school receiving public funds shall collect and review its chronic absence data and determine what systems of support and resources are needed to engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage the habit of daily attendance and promote success. The review shall include an analysis of chronic absence data from each attendance center or campus of the school district, charter school, or alternative school or other school receiving public funds.
    (d) School districts, charter schools, or alternative schools or any school receiving public funds are encouraged to provide a system of support to students who are at risk of reaching or exceeding chronic absence levels with strategies such as those available through the Illinois Multi-tiered Systems of Support Network. Schools additionally are encouraged to make resources available to families such as those available through the State Board of Education's Family Engagement Framework to support and engage students and their families to encourage heightened school engagement and improved daily school attendance.
(Source: P.A. 100-156, eff. 1-1-18.)

105 ILCS 5/26-19

    (105 ILCS 5/26-19)
    Sec. 26-19. Chronic absenteeism in preschool children.
    (a) In this Section, "chronic absence" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 26-18 of this Code.
    (b) The General Assembly makes all of the following findings:
        (1) The early years are an extremely important period
    
in a child's learning and development.
        (2) Missed learning opportunities in the early years
    
make it difficult for a child to enter kindergarten ready for success.
        (3) Attendance patterns in the early years serve as
    
predictors of chronic absenteeism and reduced educational outcomes in later school years. Therefore, it is crucial that the implications of chronic absence be understood and reviewed regularly under the Preschool for All Program and Preschool for All Expansion Program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code.
    (c) The Preschool for All Program and Preschool for All Expansion Program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code shall collect and review its chronic absence data and determine what support and resources are needed to positively engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage the habit of daily attendance and promote success.
    (d) The Preschool for All Program and Preschool for All Expansion Program under Section 2-3.71 of this Code are encouraged to do all of the following:
        (1) Provide support to students who are at risk of
    
reaching or exceeding chronic absence levels.
        (2) Make resources available to families, such as
    
those available through the State Board of Education's Family Engagement Framework, to support and encourage families to ensure their children's daily program attendance.
        (3) Include information about chronic absenteeism as
    
part of their preschool to kindergarten transition resources.
    (e) On or before July 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, the Preschool for All Program and Preschool for All Expansion Program shall report all data collected under subsection (c) of this Section to the State Board of Education, which shall make the report publicly available via the Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map Internet website and the Preschool for All Program or Preschool for All Expansion Program triennial report.
(Source: P.A. 102-539, eff. 8-20-21.)

105 ILCS 5/Art. 26A

 
    (105 ILCS 5/Art. 26A heading)
ARTICLE 26A. CHILDREN AND STUDENTS WHO ARE PARENTS,
EXPECTANT PARENTS, OR VICTIMS OF
DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE
(Source: P.A. 102-466, eff. 7-1-25.)

105 ILCS 5/26A-1

    (105 ILCS 5/26A-1)
    (This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)
    Sec. 26A-1. Scope of Article. This Article applies to all school districts and schools governed by this Code, including schools operating under Article 13, 13A, 13B, 27A, 32, 33, or 34. However, this Article does not apply to the Department of Juvenile Justice School District.
(Source: P.A. 102-466, eff. 7-1-25.)

105 ILCS 5/26A-5

    (105 ILCS 5/26A-5)
    (This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)
    Sec. 26A-5. Purpose. The purpose of this Article is to ensure that Illinois schools have policies, procedures, or both, in place that enable children and students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence to be identified by schools in a manner respectful of their privacy and safety, treated with dignity and regard, and provided the protection, instruction, and related services necessary to enable them to meet State educational standards and successfully attain a school diploma. This Article shall be interpreted liberally to aid in this purpose. Nothing in this Article precludes or may be used to preclude a mandated reporter from reporting child abuse or child neglect as required under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
(Source: P.A. 102-466, eff. 7-1-25.)

105 ILCS 5/26A-10

    (105 ILCS 5/26A-10)
    (This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)
    Sec. 26A-10. Definitions. In this Article:
    "Confidential" means information or facts expected and intended to be kept private or protected by an existing privilege in the Code of Civil Procedure. Confidential information may be disclosed by a school or school district if such disclosure is required by State or federal law or is necessary to complete proceedings relevant to this Article. Designation of student information as confidential applies to the school and school district and does not limit a student's right to speak about the student's experiences.
    "Consent" includes, at a minimum, a recognition that (i) consent is a freely given agreement to sexual activity, (ii) an individual's lack of verbal or physical resistance or submission resulting from the use of threat of force does not constitute consent, (iii) an individual's manner of dress does not constitute consent, (iv) an individual's consent to past sexual activity does not constitute consent to future sexual activity, (v) an individual's consent to engage in one type of sexual activity with one person does not constitute consent to engage in any other type of sexual activity or sexual activity with another person, (vi) an individual can withdraw consent at any time, and (vii) an individual cannot consent to sexual activity if that individual is unable to understand the nature of the activity or give knowing consent due to the circumstances that include, but are not limited to, all the following:
        (1) The individual is incapacitated due to the use or
    
influence of alcohol or drugs.
        (2) The individual is asleep or unconscious.
        (3) The individual is under the age of consent.
        (4) The individual is incapacitated due to a mental
    
disability.
    "Domestic or sexual violence" means domestic violence, gender-based harassment, sexual activity without consent, sexual assault, sexual violence, or stalking. Domestic or sexual violence may occur through electronic communication. Domestic or sexual violence exists regardless of when or where the violence occurred, whether or not the violence is the subject of a criminal investigation or the perpetrator has been criminally charged or convicted of a crime, whether or not an order of protection or a no-contact order is pending before or has been issued by a court, or whether or not any domestic or sexual violence took place on school grounds, during regular school hours, or during a school-sponsored event.
    "Domestic or sexual violence organization" means a nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that provides assistance to victims of domestic or sexual violence or advocates for those victims, including an organization carrying out a domestic or sexual violence program, an organization operating a shelter or a rape crisis center or providing counseling services, an accredited children's advocacy center, an organization that provides services to or advocates on behalf of children and students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or gender nonconforming, an organization that provides services to or advocates on behalf of children and students who are parents or expectant parents, or an organization seeking to eliminate domestic or sexual violence or to address the consequences of that violence for its victims through legislative advocacy or policy change, public education, or service collaboration.
    "Domestic violence" means abuse, as defined in the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986, by family or household members, as defined in the Illinois Domestic Violence Act of 1986.
    "Electronic communication" includes communications via telephone, mobile phone, computer, email, video recorder, fax machine, telex, pager, apps or applications, or any other electronic communication or cyberstalking under Section 12-7.5 of the Criminal Code of 2012.
    "Expectant parent" means a student who (i) is pregnant and (ii) has not yet received a diploma for completion of a secondary education, as defined in Section 22-22.
    "Gender-based harassment" means any harassment or discrimination on the basis of an individual's actual or perceived sex or gender, including unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, or unwelcome conduct, including verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct that is not sexual in nature but is related to a student's status as a parent, expectant parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence.
    "Harassment" means any unwelcome conduct on the basis of a student's actual or perceived race, gender, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, order of protection status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, or citizenship status that has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with the individual's academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive learning environment.
    "Perpetrator" means an individual who commits or is alleged to have committed any act of domestic or sexual violence. The term "perpetrator" must be used with caution when applied to children, particularly young children.
    "Poor academic performance" means a student who has (i) scored in the 50th percentile or below on a school district-administered standardized test, (ii) received a score on a State assessment that does not meet standards in one or more of the fundamental learning areas under Section 27-1, as applicable for the student's grade level, or (iii) not met grade-level expectations on a school district-designated assessment.
    "Representative" means an adult who is authorized to act on behalf of a student during a proceeding, including an attorney, parent, or guardian.
    "School" means a school district or school governed by this Code, including a school operating under Article 13, 13A, 13B, 27A, 32, 33, or 34, other than the Department of Juvenile Justice School District. "School" includes any other entity responsible for administering public schools, such as cooperatives, joint agreements, charter schools, special charter districts, regional offices of education, local agencies, or the Department of Human Services, and nonpublic schools recognized by the State Board of Education.
    "Sexual activity" means any knowingly touching or fondling by one person, either directly or through clothing, of the sex organs, anus, mouth, or breast of another person for the purpose of sexual gratification or arousal.
    "Sexual assault" or "sexual violence" means any conduct of an adult or minor child proscribed in Article 11 of the Criminal Code of 2012, except for Sections 11-35, 11-40, and 11-45 of the Criminal Code of 2012, including conduct committed by a perpetrator who is a stranger to the victim and conduct by a perpetrator who is known or related by blood or marriage to the victim.
    "Stalking" means any conduct proscribed in Section 12-7.3, 12-7.4, or 12-7.5 of the Criminal Code of 2012, including stalking committed by a perpetrator who is a stranger to the victim and stalking committed by a perpetrator who is known or related by blood or marriage to the victim.
    "Student" or "pupil" means any child who has not yet received a diploma for completion of a secondary education. "Student" includes, but is not limited to, an unaccompanied minor not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.
    "Student at risk of academic failure" means a student who is at risk of failing to meet the Illinois Learning Standards or failing to graduate from elementary or high school and who demonstrates a need for educational support or social services beyond those provided by the regular school program.
    "Student parent" means a student who is a custodial or noncustodial parent taking an active role in the care and supervision of a child and who has not yet received a diploma for completion of a secondary education.
    "Support person" means any person whom the victim has chosen to include in proceedings for emotional support or safety. A support person does not participate in proceedings but is permitted to observe and support the victim with parent or guardian approval. "Support person" may include, but is not limited to, an advocate, clergy, a counselor, and a parent or guardian. If a student is age 18 years or older, the student has the right to choose a support person without parent or guardian approval.
    "Survivor-centered" means a systematic focus on the needs and concerns of a survivor of sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking that (i) ensures the compassionate and sensitive delivery of services in a nonjudgmental manner, (ii) ensures an understanding of how trauma affects survivor behavior, (iii) maintains survivor safety, privacy, and, if possible, confidentiality, and (iv) recognizes that a survivor is not responsible for the sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking.
    "Trauma-informed response" means a response involving an understanding of the complexities of sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking through training centered on the neurobiological impact of trauma, the influence of societal myths and stereotypes surrounding sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking, and understanding the behavior of perpetrators.
    "Victim" means an individual who has been subjected to one or more acts of domestic or sexual violence.
(Source: P.A. 102-466, eff. 7-1-25.)

105 ILCS 5/26A-15

    (105 ILCS 5/26A-15)
    (Section scheduled to be repealed on December 1, 2025)
    Sec. 26A-15. Ensuring Success in School Task Force.
    (a) The Ensuring Success in School Task Force is created to draft and publish model policies and intergovernmental agreements for inter-district transfers; draft and publish model complaint resolution procedures as required in subsection (c) of Section 26A-25; identify current mandatory educator and staff training and additional new trainings needed to meet the requirements as required in Section 26A-25 and Section 26A-35. These recommended policies and agreements shall be survivor-centered and rooted in trauma-informed responses and used to support all students, from pre-kindergarten through grade 12, who are survivors of domestic or sexual violence, regardless of whether the perpetrator is school-related or not, or who are parenting or pregnant, regardless of whether the school is a public school, nonpublic school, or charter school.
    (b) The Task Force shall be representative of the geographic, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, gender identity, and cultural diversity of this State. The Task Force shall consist of all of the following members, who must be appointed no later than 60 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly:
        (1) One Representative appointed by the Speaker of
    
the House of Representatives.
        (2) One Representative appointed by the Minority
    
Leader of the House of Representatives.
        (3) One Senator appointed by the President of the
    
Senate.
        (4) One Senator appointed by the Minority Leader of
    
the Senate.
        (5) One member who represents a State-based
    
organization that advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (6) One member who represents a State-based,
    
nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that advocates for survivors of domestic violence appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (7) One member who represents a statewide, nonprofit,
    
nongovernmental organization that advocates for survivors of sexual violence appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (8) One member who represents a statewide, nonprofit,
    
nongovernmental organization that offers free legal services, including victim's rights representation, to survivors of domestic violence or sexual violence appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (9) One member who represents an organization that
    
advocates for pregnant or parenting youth appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (10) One member who represents a youth-led
    
organization with expertise in domestic and sexual violence appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (11) One member who represents the Children's
    
Advocacy Centers of Illinois appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (12) One representative of the State Board of
    
Education appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (13) One member who represents a statewide
    
organization of social workers appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (14) One member who represents a statewide
    
organization for school psychologists appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (15) One member who represents a statewide
    
organization of school counselors appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (16) One member who represents a statewide
    
professional teachers' organization appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (17) One member who represents a different statewide
    
professional teachers' organization appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (18) One member who represents a statewide
    
organization for school boards appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (19) One member who represents a statewide
    
organization for school principals appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (20) One member who represents a school district
    
organized under Article 34 appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
        (21) One member who represents an association
    
representing rural school superintendents appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
    (c) The Task Force shall first meet at the call of the State Superintendent of Education, and each subsequent meeting shall be called by the chairperson, who shall be designated by the State Superintendent of Education. The State Board of Education shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Members of the Task Force shall serve without compensation.
    (d) On or before June 30, 2024, the Task Force shall report its work, including model policies, guidance recommendations, and agreements, to the Governor and the General Assembly. The report must include all of the following:
        (1) Model school and district policies to facilitate
    
inter-district transfers for student survivors of domestic or sexual violence, expectant parents, and parents. These policies shall place high value on being accessible and expeditious for student survivors and pregnant and parenting students.
        (2) Model school and district policies to ensure
    
confidentiality and privacy considerations for student survivors of domestic or sexual violence, expectant parents, and parents. These policies must include guidance regarding appropriate referrals for nonschool-based services.
        (3) Model school and district complaint resolution
    
procedures as prescribed by Section 26A-25.
        (4) Guidance for schools and districts regarding
    
which mandatory training that is currently required for educator licenses or under State or federal law would be suitable to fulfill training requirements for resource personnel as prescribed by Section 26A-35 and for the staff tasked with implementing the complaint resolution procedure as prescribed by Section 26A-25. The guidance shall evaluate all relevant mandatory or recommended training, including, but not limited to, the training required under subsection (j) of Section 4 of the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, Sections 3-11, 10-23.12, 10-23.13, and 27-23.7 of this Code, and subsections (d) and (f) of Section 10-22.39 of this Code. The guidance must also identify what gaps in training exist, including, but not limited to, training on trauma-informed responses and racial and gender equity, and make recommendations for future training programs that should be required or recommended for the positions as prescribed by Sections 26A-25 and 26A-35.
    (e) The Task Force is dissolved upon submission of its report under subsection (d).
    (f) This Section is repealed on December 1, 2025.
(Source: P.A. 102-466, eff. 5-20-22 (see Section 5 of P.A. 102-894 for effective date of P.A. 102-466).)

105 ILCS 5/26A-20

    (105 ILCS 5/26A-20)
    (This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)
    Sec. 26A-20. Review and revision of policies and procedures.
    (a) No later than July 1, 2024 and every 2 years thereafter, each school district must review all existing policies and procedures and must revise any existing policies and procedures that may act as a barrier to the immediate enrollment and re-enrollment, attendance, graduation, and success in school of any student who is a student parent, expectant student parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence or any policies or procedures that may compromise a criminal investigation relating to domestic or sexual violence or may re-victimize students. A school district must adopt new policies and procedures, as needed, to implement this Section and to ensure that immediate and effective steps are taken to respond to students who are student parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence.
    (b) A school district's policy must be consistent with the model policy and procedures adopted by the State Board of Education and under Public Act 101-531.
    (c) A school district's policy on the procedures that a student or his or her parent or guardian may follow if he or she chooses to report an incident of alleged domestic or sexual violence must, at a minimum, include all of the following:
        (1) The name and contact information for domestic or
    
sexual violence and parenting resource personnel, the Title IX coordinator, school and school district resource officers or security, and a community-based domestic or sexual violence organization.
        (2) The name, title, and contact information for
    
confidential resources and a description of what confidential reporting means.
        (3) An option for the student or the student's parent
    
or guardian to electronically, anonymously, and confidentially report the incident.
        (4) An option for reports by third parties and
    
bystanders.
        (5) Information regarding the various individuals,
    
departments, or organizations to whom a student may report an incident of domestic or sexual violence, specifying for each individual or entity (i) the extent of the individual's or entity's reporting obligation to the school's or school district's administration, Title IX coordinator, or other personnel or entity, (ii) the individual's or entity's ability to protect the student's privacy, and (iii) the extent of the individual's or entity's ability to have confidential communications with the student or his or her parent or guardian.
        (6) The adoption of a complaint resolution procedure
    
as provided in Section 26A-25.
    (d) A school district must post its revised policies and procedures on its website, distribute them at the beginning of each school year to each student, and make copies available to each student and his or her parent or guardian for inspection and copying at no cost to the student or parent or guardian at each school within a school district.
(Source: P.A. 102-466, eff. 7-1-25.)

105 ILCS 5/26A-25

    (105 ILCS 5/26A-25)
    (This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)
    Sec. 26A-25. Complaint resolution procedure.
    (a) On or before July 1, 2024, each school district must adopt one procedure to resolve complaints of violations of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly. The respondent must be one or more of the following: the school, school district, or school personnel. These procedures shall comply with the confidentiality provisions of Sections 26A-20 and 26A-30. The procedures must include, at minimum, all of the following:
        (1) The opportunity to consider the most appropriate
    
means to execute the procedure considering school safety, the developmental level of students, methods to reduce trauma during the procedure, and how to avoid multiple communications with students involved with an alleged incident of domestic or sexual violence.
        (2) Any proceeding, meeting, or hearing held to
    
resolve complaints of any violation of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly must protect the privacy of the participating parties and witnesses. A school, school district, or school personnel may not disclose the identity of parties or witnesses, except as necessary to resolve the complaint or to implement interim protective measures and reasonable support services or when required by State or federal law.
        (3) Complainants alleging violations of this
    
amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly must have the opportunity to request that the complaint resolution procedure begin promptly and proceed in a timely manner.
    (b) A school district must determine the individuals who will resolve complaints of violations of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.
        (1) All individuals whose duties include resolution
    
of complaints of violations of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly must complete a minimum of 8 hours of training on issues related to domestic and sexual violence and how to conduct the school's complaint resolution procedure, which may include the in-service training required under subsection (d) of Section 10-22.39, before commencement of those duties, and must receive a minimum of 6 hours of such training annually thereafter. This training must be conducted by an individual or individuals with expertise in domestic or sexual violence in youth and expertise in developmentally appropriate communications with elementary and secondary school students regarding topics of a sexual, violent, or sensitive nature.
        (2) Each school must have a sufficient number of
    
individuals trained to resolve complaints so that (i) a substitution can occur in the case of a conflict of interest or recusal, (ii) an individual with no prior involvement in the initial determination or finding may hear any appeal brought by a party, and (iii) the complaint resolution procedure proceeds in a timely manner.
        (3) The complainant and any witnesses shall (i)
    
receive notice of the name of the individual with authority to make a finding or approve an accommodation in the proceeding before the individual may initiate contact with the complainant and any witnesses and (ii) have the opportunity to request a substitution if the participation of an individual with authority to make a finding or approve an accommodation poses a conflict of interest.
    (c) When the alleged violation of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly involves making a determination or finding of responsibility of causing harm:
        (1) The individual making the finding must use a
    
preponderance of evidence standard to determine whether the incident occurred.
        (2) The complainant and respondent and any witnesses
    
may not directly or through a representative question one another. At the discretion of the individual resolving the complaint, the complainant and the respondent may suggest questions to be posed by the individual resolving the complaint and if the individual resolving the complaint decides to pose such questions.
        (3) A live hearing is not required. If the complaint
    
resolution procedure includes a hearing, no student who is a witness, including the complainant, may be compelled to testify in the presence of a party or other witness. If a witness invokes this right to testify outside the presence of the other party or other witnesses, then the school district must provide an option by which each party may, at a minimum, hear such witnesses' testimony.
    (d) Each party and witness may request and must be allowed to have a representative or support persons of their choice accompany them to any meeting or proceeding related to the alleged violence or violation of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly if the involvement of the representative or support persons does not result in undue delay of the meeting or proceeding. This representative or support persons must comply with any rules of the school district's complaint resolution procedure. If the representative or support persons violate the rules or engage in behavior or advocacy that harasses, abuses, or intimidates either part, a witness, or an individual resolving the complaint, the representative or support person may be prohibited from further participation in the meeting or proceeding.
    (e) The complainant, regardless of the level of involvement in the complaint resolution procedure, and the respondent must have the opportunity to provide or present evidence and witnesses on their behalf during the complaint resolution procedure.
    (f) The complainant and respondent and any named perpetrator directly impacted by the results of the complaint resolution procedure, are entitled to simultaneous written notification of the results of the complaint resolution procedure, including information regarding appeals rights and procedures, within 10 business days after a decision or sooner if required by State or federal law or district policy.
        (1) The complainant, respondents, and named
    
perpetrator if directly impacted by the results of the complaint resolution procedure must, at a minimum, have the right to timely appeal the complaint resolution procedure's findings or remedies if a party alleges (i) a procedural error occurred, (ii) new information exists that would substantially change the outcome of the proceeding, (iii) the remedy is not sufficiently related to the finding, or (iv) the decision is against the weight of the evidence.
        (2) An individual reviewing the findings or remedies
    
may not have previously participated in the complaint resolution procedure and may not have a conflict of interest with either party.
        (3) The complainant and respondent and any
    
perpetrators directly impacted by the results of the complaint resolution procedure must receive the appeal decision, in writing, within 10 business days, but never more than 15 business days, after the conclusion of the review of findings or remedies or sooner if required by State or federal law.
    (g) Each school district must have a procedure to determine interim protective measures and support services available pending the resolution of the complaint including the implementation of court orders.
(Source: P.A. 102-466, eff. 7-1-25.)

105 ILCS 5/26A-30

    (105 ILCS 5/26A-30)
    (This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)
    Sec. 26A-30. Confidentiality.
    (a) Each school district must adopt and ensure that it has and implements a policy to ensure that all information concerning a student's status and related experiences as a parent, expectant parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence, or a student who is a named perpetrator of domestic or sexual violence, provided to or otherwise obtained by the school district or its employees or agents pursuant to this Code or otherwise, including a statement of the student or any other documentation, record, or corroborating evidence that the student has requested or obtained assistance, support, or services pursuant to this Code, shall be retained in the strictest of confidence by the school district or its employees or agents and may not be disclosed to any other individual outside of the district, including any other employee, except if such disclosure is (i) permitted by the Illinois School Student Records Act, the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, or other applicable State or federal laws, or (ii) requested or consented to, in writing, by the student or the student's parent or guardian if it is safe to obtain written consent from the student's parent or guardian.
    (b) Prior to disclosing information about a student's status as a parent, expectant parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence, a school must notify the student and discuss and address any safety concerns related to the disclosure, including instances in which the student indicates or the school or school district or its employees or agents are otherwise aware that the student's health or safety may be at risk if his or her status is disclosed to the student's parent or guardian, except as otherwise permitted by applicable State or federal law, including the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act, the Illinois School Student Records Act, the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, and professional ethics policies that govern professional school personnel.
    (c) No student may be required to testify publicly concerning his or her status as a victim of domestic or sexual violence, allegations of domestic or sexual violence, his or her status as a parent or expectant parent, or the student's efforts to enforce any of his or her rights under provisions of this Code relating to students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence.
    (d) In the case of domestic or sexual violence, except as permitted under State or federal law, or to the extent that a school official determines that the school official has an obligation to do so based on safety concerns or threats to the community, including the victim, a school district must not contact the person named to be the perpetrator, the perpetrator's family, or any other person named by the student or named by the student's parent or guardian to be unsafe to contact to verify the violence. A school district must not contact the perpetrator, the perpetrator's family, or any other person named by the student or the student's parent or guardian to be unsafe for any other reason without providing prior written notice to the student's parent or guardian. Nothing in this Section prohibits the school or school district from taking other steps to investigate the violence or from contacting persons not named by the student or the student's parent or guardian as unsafe to contact. Nothing in this Section prohibits the school or school district from taking reasonable steps to protect students. If the reasonable steps taken to protect students involve conduct that is prohibited under this subsection, the school must provide notice to the reporting student, in writing and in a developmentally appropriate communication format, of its intent to contact the parties named to be unsafe.
    (e) This Section shall not apply to notification of parents or guardians if the perpetrator of the alleged sexual misconduct is an employee, agent, or contractor of a school district, charter school, or nonpublic school with direct contact with children or students.
(Source: P.A. 102-466, eff. 7-1-25; 102-702, eff. 7-1-23.)

105 ILCS 5/26A-35

    (105 ILCS 5/26A-35)
    (This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)
    Sec. 26A-35. Domestic or sexual violence and parenting resource personnel.
    (a) Each school district shall designate or appoint at least one staff person at each school in the district who is employed at least part time at the school and who is a school social worker, school psychologist, school counselor, school nurse, or school administrator trained to address, in a survivor-centered, trauma responsive, culturally responsive, confidential, and sensitive manner, the needs of students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence. The designated or appointed staff person must have all of the following duties:
        (1) To connect students who are parents, expectant
    
parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence to appropriate in-school services or other agencies, programs, or services as needed.
        (2) To coordinate the implementation of the school's
    
and school district's policies, procedures, and protocols in cases involving student allegations of domestic or sexual violence.
        (3) To coordinate the implementation of the school's
    
and school district's policies and procedures as set forth in provisions of this Code concerning students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence.
        (4) To assist students described in paragraph (1) in
    
their efforts to exercise and preserve their rights as set forth in provisions of this Code concerning students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence.
        (5) To assist in providing staff development to
    
establish a positive and sensitive learning environment for students described in paragraph (1).
    (b) A member of staff who is designated or appointed under subsection (a) must (i) be trained to understand, provide information and referrals, and address issues pertaining to youth who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence, including the theories and dynamics of domestic and sexual violence, the necessity for confidentiality and the law, policy, procedures, and protocols implementing confidentiality, and the notification of the student's parent or guardian regarding the student's status as a parent, expectant parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence or the enforcement of the student's rights under this Code if the notice of the student's status or the involvement of the student's parent or guardian may put the health or safety of the student at risk, including the rights of minors to consent to counseling services and psychotherapy under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code, or (ii) at a minimum, have participated in an in-service training program under subsection (d) of Section 10-22.39 that includes training on the rights of minors to consent to counseling services and psychotherapy under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code within 12 months prior to his or her designation or appointment.
    (c) A school district must designate or appoint and train all domestic or sexual violence and parenting resource personnel, and the personnel must assist in implementing the duties as described in this Section no later than June 30, 2024, except in those school districts in which there exists a collective bargaining agreement on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly and the implementation of this Section would be a violation of that collective bargaining agreement. If implementation of some activities required under this Section is prevented by an existing collective bargaining agreement, a school district must comply with this Section to the fullest extent allowed by the existing collective bargaining agreement no later than June 30, 2024. In those instances in which a collective bargaining agreement that either fully or partially prevents full implementation of this Section expires after June 30, 2024, a school district must designate or appoint and train all domestic and sexual violence and parenting resource personnel, who shall implement the duties described in this Section no later than the effective date of the new collective bargaining agreement that immediately succeeds the collective bargaining agreement in effect on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.
(Source: P.A. 102-466, eff. 7-1-25.)

105 ILCS 5/26A-40

    (105 ILCS 5/26A-40)
    (This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)
    Sec. 26A-40. Support and services.
    (a) To facilitate the full participation of students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence, each school district must provide those students with in-school support services and information regarding nonschool-based support services, and the ability to make up work missed on account of circumstances related to the student's status as a parent, expectant parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence. Victims of domestic or sexual violence must have access to those supports and services regardless of when or where the violence for which they are seeking supports and services occurred. All supports and services must be offered for as long as necessary to maintain the mental and physical well-being and safety of the student. Schools may periodically check on students receiving supports and services to determine whether each support and service continues to be necessary to maintain the mental and physical well-being and safety of the student or whether termination is appropriate.
    (b) Supports provided under subsection (a) shall include, but are not limited to (i) the provision of sufficiently private settings to ensure confidentiality and time off from class for meetings with counselors or other service providers, (ii) assisting the student with a student success plan, (iii) transferring a victim of domestic or sexual violence or the student perpetrator to a different classroom or school, if available, (iv) changing a seating assignment, (v) implementing in-school, school grounds, and bus safety procedures, (vi) honoring court orders, including orders of protection and no-contact orders to the fullest extent possible, and (vii) providing any other supports that may facilitate the full participation in the regular education program of students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence.
    (c) If a student who is a parent, expectant parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence is a student at risk of academic failure or displays poor academic performance, the student or the student's parent or guardian may request that the school district provide the student with or refer the student to education and support services designed to assist the student in meeting State learning standards. A school district may either provide education or support services directly or may collaborate with public or private State, local, or community-based organizations or agencies that provide these services. A school district must also inform those students about support services of nonschool-based organizations and agencies from which those students typically receive services in the community.
    (d) Any student who is unable, because of circumstances related to the student's status as a parent, expectant parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence, to participate in classes on a particular day or days or at the particular time of day must be excused in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Code. Upon student or parent or guardian's request, the teachers and of the school administrative personnel and officials shall make available to each student who is unable to participate because of circumstances related to the student's status as a parent, expectant parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence a meaningful opportunity to make up any examination, study, or work requirement that the student has missed because of the inability to participate on any particular day or days or at any particular time of day. For a student receiving homebound instruction, it is the responsibility of the student and parent to work with the school or school district to meet academic standards for matriculation, as defined by school district policy. Costs assessed by the school district on the student for participation in those activities shall be considered waivable fees for any student whose parent or guardian is unable to afford them, consistent with Section 10-20.13. Each school district must adopt written policies for waiver of those fees in accordance with rules adopted by the State Board of Education.
    (e) If a school or school district employee or agent becomes aware of or suspects a student's status as a parent, expectant parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence, it is the responsibility of the employee or agent of the school or school district to refer the student to the school district's domestic or sexual violence and parenting resource personnel set forth in Section 26A-35. A school district must make respecting a student's privacy, confidentiality, mental and physical health, and safety a paramount concern.
    (f) Each school must honor a student's and a parent's or guardian's decision to obtain education and support services and nonschool-based support services, to terminate the receipt of those education and support services, or nonschool-based support services, or to decline participation in those education and support services, or nonschool-based support services. No student is obligated to use education and support services, or nonschool-based support services. In developing educational support services, the privacy, mental and physical health, and safety of the student shall be of paramount concern. No adverse or prejudicial effects may result to any student because of the student's availing of or declining the provisions of this Section as long as the student is working with the school to meet academic standards for matriculation as defined by school district policy.
    (g) Any support services must be available in any school or by home or hospital instruction to the highest quality and fullest extent possible for the individual setting.
    (h) School-based counseling services, if available, must be offered to students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence consistent with the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. At least once every school year, each school district must inform, in writing, all school personnel and all students 12 years of age or older of the availability of counseling without parental or guardian consent under Section 3-5A-105 (to be renumbered as Section 3-550 in a revisory bill as of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly) of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. This information must also be provided to students immediately after any school personnel becomes aware that a student is a parent, expectant parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence.
    (i) All domestic or sexual violence organizations and their staff and any other nonschool organization and its staff shall maintain confidentiality under federal and State laws and their professional ethics policies regardless of when or where information, advice, counseling, or any other interaction with students takes place. A school or school district may not request or require those organizations or individuals to breach confidentiality.
(Source: P.A. 102-466, eff. 7-1-25.)

105 ILCS 5/26A-45

    (105 ILCS 5/26A-45)
    (This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)
    Sec. 26A-45. Verification.
    (a) For purposes of students asserting their rights under provisions relating to domestic or sexual violence in Sections 10-21.3a, 10-22.6, 10-22.6a, 26-2a, 26A-40, and 34-18.24, a school district may require verification of the claim. The student or the student's parents or guardians shall choose which form of verification to submit to the school district. A school district may only require one form of verification, unless the student is requesting a transfer to another school, in which case the school district may require 2 forms of verification. All forms of verification received by a school district under this subsection (a) must be kept in a confidential temporary file, in accordance with the Illinois School Student Records Act. Any one of the following shall be an acceptable form of verification of a student's claim of domestic or sexual violence:
        (1) A written statement from the student or anyone
    
who has knowledge of the circumstances that support the student's claim. This may be in the form of a complaint.
        (2) A police report, governmental agency record, or
    
court record.
        (3) A statement or other documentation from a
    
domestic or sexual violence organization or any other organization from which the student sought services or advice.
        (4) Documentation from a lawyer, clergy person,
    
medical professional, or other professional from whom the student sought services or advice related to domestic or sexual violence.
        (5) Any other evidence, such as physical evidence of
    
violence, which supports the claim.
    (b) A student or a student's parent or guardian who has provided acceptable verification that the student is or has been a victim of domestic or sexual violence may not be required to provide any additional verification if the student's efforts to assert rights under this Code stem from a claim involving the same perpetrator or the same incident of violence. No school or school district shall request or require additional documentation.
    (c) The person named to be the perpetrator, the perpetrator's family, or any other person named by the student or the student's parent or guardian to be unsafe to contact may not be contacted to verify the violence, except to the extent that the district determines that it has an obligation to do so based on federal or State law or safety concerns for the school community, including such concerns for the victim. Prior to making contact, a school must notify the student and his or his parent or guardian in writing and in a developmentally appropriate manner, and discuss and address any safety concerns related to making such contact.
(Source: P.A. 102-466, eff. 7-1-25.)

105 ILCS 5/26A-50

    (105 ILCS 5/26A-50)
    (This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)
    Sec. 26A-50. Prohibited practices. No school or school district may take any adverse action against a student who is a parent, expectant parent, or victim of domestic or sexual violence because the student or his or her parent or guardian (i) exercises or attempts to exercise his or her rights under this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, (ii) opposes practices that the student or his or her parent or guardian believes to be in violation of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, or (iii) supports the exercise of the rights of another under this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly. Exercising rights under this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly includes, but is not limited to, filing a complaint with the school district as set forth in this Code or in any manner requesting, availing himself or herself of, or declining any of the provisions of this Code, including, but not limited to, supports and services.
(Source: P.A. 102-466, eff. 7-1-25.)

105 ILCS 5/Art. 27

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

105 ILCS 5/27-1

    (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

    (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

    (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.)

105 ILCS 5/27-3

    (105 ILCS 5/27-3) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-3)
    Sec. 27-3. Patriotism and principles of representative government - Proper use of flag - Method of voting - Pledge of Allegiance. American patriotism and the principles of representative government, as enunciated in the American Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States of America and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and the proper use and display of the American flag, shall be taught in all public schools and other educational institutions supported or maintained in whole or in part by public funds. No student shall receive a certificate of graduation without passing a satisfactory examination upon such subjects, which may be administered remotely.
    Instruction shall be given in all such schools and institutions in the method of voting at elections by means of the Australian Ballot system and the method of the counting of votes for candidates.
    The Pledge of Allegiance shall be recited each school day by pupils in elementary and secondary educational institutions supported or maintained in whole or in part by public funds.
(Source: P.A. 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)

105 ILCS 5/27-3.5

    (105 ILCS 5/27-3.5)
    Sec. 27-3.5. Congressional Medal of Honor film. Each school district shall require that all students in grade 7 and all high school students enrolled in a course concerning history of the United States or a combination of history of the United States and American government view a Congressional Medal of Honor film made by the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. This requirement does not apply if the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation charges the school district a fee for a film.
(Source: P.A. 96-99, eff. 7-27-09.)

105 ILCS 5/27-3.10

    (105 ILCS 5/27-3.10)
    Sec. 27-3.10. Elementary school civics course of study. In addition to the instruction required to be provided under Section 27-3 of this Code, every public elementary school shall include in its 6th, 7th, or 8th grade curriculum, beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, at least one semester of civics education, which shall help young people acquire and learn to use the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare them to be competent and responsible citizens throughout their lives. Civics education course content shall focus on government institutions, the discussion of current and societal issues, service learning, and simulations of the democratic process. Civics education in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade shall be in accordance with Illinois Learning Standards for social science. Additionally, school districts may consult with civics education stakeholders, deemed appropriate by the State Board of Education, with regard to civics education curriculum for 6th, 7th, or 8th grade. School districts may utilize private funding available for the purposes of offering civics education.
(Source: P.A. 101-254, eff. 7-1-20.)

105 ILCS 5/27-4

    (105 ILCS 5/27-4) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-4)
    Sec. 27-4. Time devoted to subjects mentioned in Section 27-3. Not less than one hour of each school week shall be devoted to the study of the subject mentioned in Section 27-3 in the seventh and eighth grades or their equivalent, and not less than one hour of each school week to the advanced study thereof in all high school grades, in the public schools and other institutions mentioned in such Section.
    This Section does not prevent the study of such subjects in any of the lower grades in such schools or institutions.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

105 ILCS 5/27-5

    (105 ILCS 5/27-5) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-5)
    Sec. 27-5. Physical education and training. School boards of public schools and the Board of Governors of State Colleges and Universities shall provide for the physical education and training of pupils of the schools and laboratory schools under their respective control, and shall include physical education and training in the courses of study regularly taught therein. The physical education and training course offered in grades 5 through 10 may include the health education course required in the Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act.
(Source: P.A. 89-618, eff. 8-9-96.)

105 ILCS 5/27-6

    (105 ILCS 5/27-6) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-6)
    Sec. 27-6. Courses in physical education required; special activities.
    (a) Pupils enrolled in the public schools and State universities engaged in preparing teachers shall be required to engage during the school day, except on block scheduled days for those public schools engaged in block scheduling, in courses of physical education for such periods as are compatible with the optimum growth and developmental needs of individuals at the various age levels except when appropriate excuses are submitted to the school by a pupil's parent or guardian or by a person licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987 and except as provided in subsection (b) of this Section. A school board may determine the schedule or frequency of physical education courses, provided that a pupil engages in a course of physical education for a minimum of 3 days per 5-day week.
    Special activities in physical education shall be provided for pupils whose physical or emotional condition, as determined by a person licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987, prevents their participation in the courses provided for normal children.
    (b) A school board is authorized to excuse pupils enrolled in grades 11 and 12 from engaging in physical education courses if those pupils request to be excused for any of the following reasons: (1) for ongoing participation in an interscholastic athletic program; (2) to enroll in academic classes which are required for admission to an institution of higher learning, provided that failure to take such classes will result in the pupil being denied admission to the institution of his or her choice; or (3) to enroll in academic classes which are required for graduation from high school, provided that failure to take such classes will result in the pupil being unable to graduate. A school board may also excuse pupils in grades 9 through 12 enrolled in a marching band program for credit from engaging in physical education courses if those pupils request to be excused for ongoing participation in such marching band program. A school board may also, on a case-by-case basis, excuse pupils in grades 7 through 12 who participate in an interscholastic or extracurricular athletic program from engaging in physical education courses. In addition, a pupil in any of grades 3 through 12 who is eligible for special education may be excused if the pupil's parent or guardian agrees that the pupil must utilize the time set aside for physical education to receive special education support and services or, if there is no agreement, the individualized education program team for the pupil determines that the pupil must utilize the time set aside for physical education to receive special education support and services, which agreement or determination must be made a part of the individualized education program. However, a pupil requiring adapted physical education must receive that service in accordance with the individualized education program developed for the pupil. If requested, a school board is authorized to excuse a pupil from engaging in a physical education course if the pupil has an individualized educational program under Article 14 of this Code, is participating in an adaptive athletic program outside of the school setting, and documents such participation as determined by the school board. A school board may also excuse pupils in grades 9 through 12 enrolled in a Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC) program sponsored by the school district from engaging in physical education courses. School boards which choose to exercise this authority shall establish a policy to excuse pupils on an individual basis.
    (b-5) A pupil shall be excused from engaging in any physical activity components of a physical education course during a period of religious fasting if the pupil's parent or guardian notifies the school principal in writing that the pupil is participating in religious fasting.
    (c) The provisions of this Section are subject to the provisions of Section 27-22.05.
(Source: P.A. 102-405, eff. 8-19-21.)

105 ILCS 5/27-6.3

    (105 ILCS 5/27-6.3)
    Sec. 27-6.3. Play time required in elementary school.
    (a) All public schools shall provide daily time for supervised, unstructured, child-directed play for all students in kindergarten through grade 5. Play time must allow unstructured play, and may include organized games, but shall not include the use of computers, tablets, phones, or videos. Schools are encouraged to provide play time outdoors, but it may be held indoors. If play time is held indoors, schools are encouraged to provide it in a space that promotes physical activity. Time spent dressing or undressing for outdoor play time shall not count towards the daily time for play.
    (b) Play time shall not count as a course of physical education that fulfills the requirements of Section 27-6, nor shall time spent in a course of physical education count towards the daily time for play.
    (c) Play time shall be considered clock hours for the purposes of Section 10-19.05. For any school day 5 clock hours or longer in length, the total time allotted for play for students in kindergarten through grade 5 must be at least 30 minutes. For any school day less than 5 clock hours in length, the total time allotted for play each school day must be at least one-tenth of a day of attendance for the student pursuant to Section 10-19.05. Play time may be divided into play periods of at least 15 consecutive minutes in length.
    (d) For students with disabilities, play time shall comply with a student's applicable individualized education program (IEP) or federal Section 504 plan.
    (e) All public schools shall prohibit the withholding of play time as a disciplinary or punitive action, except when a student's participation in play time poses an immediate threat to the safety of the student or others. School officials shall make all reasonable efforts to resolve such threats and minimize the use of exclusion from play to the greatest extent practicable and in accordance with subsection (d).
(Source: P.A. 102-357, eff. 8-13-21.)

105 ILCS 5/27-6.5

    (105 ILCS 5/27-6.5)
    Sec. 27-6.5. Physical fitness assessments in schools.
    (a) As used in this Section, "physical fitness assessment" means a series of assessments to measure aerobic capacity, body composition, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility.
    (b) To measure the effectiveness of State Goal 20 of the Illinois Learning Standards for Physical Development and Health, beginning with the 2016-2017 school year and every school year thereafter, the State Board of Education shall require all public schools to use a scientifically-based, health-related physical fitness assessment for grades 3 through 12 and periodically report fitness information to the State Board of Education, as set forth in subsections (c) and (e) of this Section, to assess student fitness indicators.
    Public schools shall integrate health-related fitness testing into the curriculum as an instructional tool, except in grades before the 3rd grade. Fitness tests must be appropriate to students' developmental levels and physical abilities. The testing must be used to teach students how to assess their fitness levels, set goals for improvement, and monitor progress in reaching their goals. Fitness scores shall not be used for grading students or evaluating teachers.
    (c) (Blank).
    (d) The State Board of Education must adopt rules for the implementation of physical fitness assessments under this Section by each public school. The requirements 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.
    (e) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for data submission by school districts and develop a system for collecting and reporting the aggregated fitness information from the physical fitness assessments. This system shall also support the collection of data from school districts that use a fitness testing software program.
    (f) School districts may report the aggregate findings of physical fitness assessments by grade level and school to parents and members of the community through typical communication channels, such as Internet websites, school newsletters, school board reports, and presentations. Districts may also provide individual fitness assessment reports to students' parents.
    (g) Nothing in this Section precludes schools from implementing a physical fitness assessment before the 2016-2017 school year or from implementing more robust forms of a physical fitness assessment.
(Source: P.A. 101-643, eff. 6-18-20; 102-539, eff. 8-20-21.)

105 ILCS 5/27-7

    (105 ILCS 5/27-7) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-7)
    Sec. 27-7. Physical education course of study. A physical education course of study shall include a developmentally planned and sequential curriculum that fosters the development of movement skills, enhances health-related fitness, increases students' knowledge, offers direct opportunities to learn how to work cooperatively in a group setting, and encourages healthy habits and attitudes for a healthy lifestyle. A physical education course of study shall provide students with an opportunity for an appropriate amount of physical activity. A physical education course of study must be part of the regular school curriculum and not extra-curricular in nature or organization.
    The State Board of Education shall prepare and make available guidelines for the various grades and types of schools in order to make effective the purposes set forth in this Section and the requirements provided in Section 27-6, and shall see that the general provisions and intent of Sections 27-5 to 27-9, inclusive, are enforced.
(Source: P.A. 100-465, eff. 8-31-17.)

105 ILCS 5/27-8.1

    (105 ILCS 5/27-8.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-8.1)
    Sec. 27-8.1. Health examinations and immunizations.
    (1) In compliance with rules and regulations which the Department of Public Health shall promulgate, and except as hereinafter provided, all children in Illinois shall have a health examination as follows: within one year prior to entering kindergarten or the first grade of any public, private, or parochial elementary school; upon entering the sixth and ninth grades of any public, private, or parochial school; prior to entrance into any public, private, or parochial nursery school; and, irrespective of grade, immediately prior to or upon entrance into any public, private, or parochial school or nursery school, each child shall present proof of having been examined in accordance with this Section and the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder. Any child who received a health examination within one year prior to entering the fifth grade for the 2007-2008 school year is not required to receive an additional health examination in order to comply with the provisions of Public Act 95-422 when he or she attends school for the 2008-2009 school year, unless the child is attending school for the first time as provided in this paragraph.
    A tuberculosis skin test screening shall be included as a required part of each health examination included under this Section if the child resides in an area designated by the Department of Public Health as having a high incidence of tuberculosis. Additional health examinations of pupils, including eye examinations, may be required when deemed necessary by school authorities. Parents are encouraged to have their children undergo eye examinations at the same points in time required for health examinations.
    (1.5) In compliance with rules adopted by the Department of Public Health and except as otherwise provided in this Section, all children in kindergarten and the second, sixth, and ninth grades of any public, private, or parochial school shall have a dental examination. Each of these children shall present proof of having been examined by a dentist in accordance with this Section and rules adopted under this Section before May 15th of the school year. If a child in the second, sixth, or ninth grade fails to present proof by May 15th, the school may hold the child's report card until one of the following occurs: (i) the child presents proof of a completed dental examination or (ii) the child presents proof that a dental examination will take place within 60 days after May 15th. A school may not withhold a child's report card during a school year in which the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. The Department of Public Health shall establish, by rule, a waiver for children who show an undue burden or a lack of access to a dentist. Each public, private, and parochial school must give notice of this dental examination requirement to the parents and guardians of students at least 60 days before May 15th of each school year.
    (1.10) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, all children enrolling in kindergarten in a public, private, or parochial school on or after January 1, 2008 (the effective date of Public Act 95-671) and any student enrolling for the first time in a public, private, or parochial school on or after January 1, 2008 (the effective date of Public Act 95-671) shall have an eye examination. Each of these children shall present proof of having been examined by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches or a licensed optometrist within the previous year, in accordance with this Section and rules adopted under this Section, before October 15th of the school year. If the child fails to present proof by October 15th, the school may hold the child's report card until one of the following occurs: (i) the child presents proof of a completed eye examination or (ii) the child presents proof that an eye examination will take place within 60 days after October 15th. A school may not withhold a child's report card during a school year in which the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. The Department of Public Health shall establish, by rule, a waiver for children who show an undue burden or a lack of access to a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches who provides eye examinations or to a licensed optometrist. Each public, private, and parochial school must give notice of this eye examination requirement to the parents and guardians of students in compliance with rules of the Department of Public Health. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to allow a school to exclude a child from attending because of a parent's or guardian's failure to obtain an eye examination for the child.
    (2) The Department of Public Health shall promulgate rules and regulations specifying the examinations and procedures that constitute a health examination, which shall include an age-appropriate developmental screening, an age-appropriate social and emotional screening, and the collection of data relating to asthma and obesity (including at a minimum, date of birth, gender, height, weight, blood pressure, and date of exam), and a dental examination and may recommend by rule that certain additional examinations be performed. The rules and regulations of the Department of Public Health shall specify that a tuberculosis skin test screening shall be included as a required part of each health examination included under this Section if the child resides in an area designated by the Department of Public Health as having a high incidence of tuberculosis. With respect to the developmental screening and the social and emotional screening, the Department of Public Health must, no later than January 1, 2019, develop rules and appropriate revisions to the Child Health Examination form in conjunction with a statewide organization representing school boards; a statewide organization representing pediatricians; statewide organizations representing individuals holding Illinois educator licenses with school support personnel endorsements, including school social workers, school psychologists, and school nurses; a statewide organization representing children's mental health experts; a statewide organization representing school principals; the Director of Healthcare and Family Services or his or her designee, the State Superintendent of Education or his or her designee; and representatives of other appropriate State agencies and, at a minimum, must recommend the use of validated screening tools appropriate to the child's age or grade, and, with regard to the social and emotional screening, require recording only whether or not the screening was completed. The rules shall take into consideration the screening recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and must be consistent with the State Board of Education's social and emotional learning standards. The Department of Public Health shall specify that a diabetes screening as defined by rule shall be included as a required part of each health examination. Diabetes testing is not required.
    Physicians licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, licensed advanced practice registered nurses, or licensed physician assistants shall be responsible for the performance of the health examinations, other than dental examinations, eye examinations, and vision and hearing screening, and shall sign all report forms required by subsection (4) of this Section that pertain to those portions of the health examination for which the physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant is responsible. If a registered nurse performs any part of a health examination, then a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches must review and sign all required report forms. Licensed dentists shall perform all dental examinations and shall sign all report forms required by subsection (4) of this Section that pertain to the dental examinations. Physicians licensed to practice medicine in all its branches or licensed optometrists shall perform all eye examinations required by this Section and shall sign all report forms required by subsection (4) of this Section that pertain to the eye examination. For purposes of this Section, an eye examination shall at a minimum include history, visual acuity, subjective refraction to best visual acuity near and far, internal and external examination, and a glaucoma evaluation, as well as any other tests or observations that in the professional judgment of the doctor are necessary. Vision and hearing screening tests, which shall not be considered examinations as that term is used in this Section, shall be conducted in accordance with rules and regulations of the Department of Public Health, and by individuals whom the Department of Public Health has certified. In these rules and regulations, the Department of Public Health shall require that individuals conducting vision screening tests give a child's parent or guardian written notification, before the vision screening is conducted, that states, "Vision screening is not a substitute for a complete eye and vision evaluation by an eye doctor. Your child is not required to undergo this vision screening if an optometrist or ophthalmologist has completed and signed a report form indicating that an examination has been administered within the previous 12 months.".
    (2.5) With respect to the developmental screening and the social and emotional screening portion of the health examination, each child may present proof of having been screened in accordance with this Section and the rules adopted under this Section before October 15th of the school year. With regard to the social and emotional screening only, the examining health care provider shall only record whether or not the screening was completed. If the child fails to present proof of the developmental screening or the social and emotional screening portions of the health examination by October 15th of the school year, qualified school support personnel may, with a parent's or guardian's consent, offer the developmental screening or the social and emotional screening to the child. Each public, private, and parochial school must give notice of the developmental screening and social and emotional screening requirements to the parents and guardians of students in compliance with the rules of the Department of Public Health. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to allow a school to exclude a child from attending because of a parent's or guardian's failure to obtain a developmental screening or a social and emotional screening for the child. Once a developmental screening or a social and emotional screening is completed and proof has been presented to the school, the school may, with a parent's or guardian's consent, make available appropriate school personnel to work with the parent or guardian, the child, and the provider who signed the screening form to obtain any appropriate evaluations and services as indicated on the form and in other information and documentation provided by the parents, guardians, or provider.
    (3) Every child shall, at or about the same time as he or she receives a health examination required by subsection (1) of this Section, present to the local school proof of having received such immunizations against preventable communicable diseases as the Department of Public Health shall require by rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this Section and the Communicable Disease Prevention Act.
    (4) The individuals conducting the health examination, dental examination, or eye examination shall record the fact of having conducted the examination, and such additional information as required, including for a health examination data relating to asthma and obesity (including at a minimum, date of birth, gender, height, weight, blood pressure, and date of exam), on uniform forms which the Department of Public Health and the State Board of Education shall prescribe for statewide use. The examiner shall summarize on the report form any condition that he or she suspects indicates a need for special services, including for a health examination factors relating to asthma or obesity. The duty to summarize on the report form does not apply to social and emotional screenings. The confidentiality of the information and records relating to the developmental screening and the social and emotional screening shall be determined by the statutes, rules, and professional ethics governing the type of provider conducting the screening. The individuals confirming the administration of required immunizations shall record as indicated on the form that the immunizations were administered.
    (5) If a child does not submit proof of having had either the health examination or the immunization as required, then the child shall be examined or receive the immunization, as the case may be, and present proof by October 15 of the current school year, or by an earlier date of the current school year established by a school district. To establish a date before October 15 of the current school year for the health examination or immunization as required, a school district must give notice of the requirements of this Section 60 days prior to the earlier established date. If for medical reasons one or more of the required immunizations must be given after October 15 of the current school year, or after an earlier established date of the current school year, then the child shall present, by October 15, or by the earlier established date, a schedule for the administration of the immunizations and a statement of the medical reasons causing the delay, both the schedule and the statement being issued by the physician, advanced practice registered nurse, physician assistant, registered nurse, or local health department that will be responsible for administration of the remaining required immunizations. If a child does not comply by October 15, or by the earlier established date of the current school year, with the requirements of this subsection, then the local school authority shall exclude that child from school until such time as the child presents proof of having had the health examination as required and presents proof of having received those required immunizations which are medically possible to receive immediately. During a child's exclusion from school for noncompliance with this subsection, the child's parents or legal guardian shall be considered in violation of Section 26-1 and subject to any penalty imposed by Section 26-10. This subsection (5) does not apply to dental examinations, eye examinations, and the developmental screening and the social and emotional screening portions of the health examination. If the student is an out-of-state transfer student and does not have the proof required under this subsection (5) before October 15 of the current year or whatever date is set by the school district, then he or she may only attend classes (i) if he or she has proof that an appointment for the required vaccinations has been scheduled with a party authorized to submit proof of the required vaccinations. If the proof of vaccination required under this subsection (5) is not submitted within 30 days after the student is permitted to attend classes, then the student is not to be permitted to attend classes until proof of the vaccinations has been properly submitted. No school district or employee of a school district shall be held liable for any injury or illness to another person that results from admitting an out-of-state transfer student to class that has an appointment scheduled pursuant to this subsection (5).
    (6) Every school shall report to the State Board of Education by November 15, in the manner which that agency shall require, the number of children who have received the necessary immunizations and the health examination (other than a dental examination or eye examination) as required, indicating, of those who have not received the immunizations and examination as required, the number of children who are exempt from health examination and immunization requirements on religious or medical grounds as provided in subsection (8). On or before December 1 of each year, every public school district and registered nonpublic school shall make publicly available the immunization data they are required to submit to the State Board of Education by November 15. The immunization data made publicly available must be identical to the data the school district or school has reported to the State Board of Education.
    Every school shall report to the State Board of Education by June 30, in the manner that the State Board requires, the number of children who have received the required dental examination, indicating, of those who have not received the required dental examination, the number of children who are exempt from the dental examination on religious grounds as provided in subsection (8) of this Section and the number of children who have received a waiver under subsection (1.5) of this Section.
    Every school shall report to the State Board of Education by June 30, in the manner that the State Board requires, the number of children who have received the required eye examination, indicating, of those who have not received the required eye examination, the number of children who are exempt from the eye examination as provided in subsection (8) of this Section, the number of children who have received a waiver under subsection (1.10) of this Section, and the total number of children in noncompliance with the eye examination requirement.
    The reported information under this subsection (6) shall be provided to the Department of Public Health by the State Board of Education.
    (7) Upon determining that the number of pupils who are required to be in compliance with subsection (5) of this Section is below 90% of the number of pupils enrolled in the school district, 10% of each State aid payment made pursuant to Section 18-8.05 or 18-8.15 to the school district for such year may be withheld by the State Board of Education until the number of students in compliance with subsection (5) is the applicable specified percentage or higher.
    (8) Children of parents or legal guardians who object to health, dental, or eye examinations or any part thereof, to immunizations, or to vision and hearing screening tests on religious grounds shall not be required to undergo the examinations, tests, or immunizations to which they so object if such parents or legal guardians present to the appropriate local school authority a signed Certificate of Religious Exemption detailing the grounds for objection and the specific immunizations, tests, or examinations to which they object. The grounds for objection must set forth the specific religious belief that conflicts with the examination, test, immunization, or other medical intervention. The signed certificate shall also reflect the parent's or legal guardian's understanding of the school's exclusion policies in the case of a vaccine-preventable disease outbreak or exposure. The certificate must also be signed by the authorized examining health care provider responsible for the performance of the child's health examination confirming that the provider provided education to the parent or legal guardian on the benefits of immunization and the health risks to the student and to the community of the communicable diseases for which immunization is required in this State. However, the health care provider's signature on the certificate reflects only that education was provided and does not allow a health care provider grounds to determine a religious exemption. Those receiving immunizations required under this Code shall be provided with the relevant vaccine information statements that are required to be disseminated by the federal National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, which may contain information on circumstances when a vaccine should not be administered, prior to administering a vaccine. A healthcare provider may consider including without limitation the nationally accepted recommendations from federal agencies such as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the information outlined in the relevant vaccine information statement, and vaccine package inserts, along with the healthcare provider's clinical judgment, to determine whether any child may be more susceptible to experiencing an adverse vaccine reaction than the general population, and, if so, the healthcare provider may exempt the child from an immunization or adopt an individualized immunization schedule. The Certificate of Religious Exemption shall be created by the Department of Public Health and shall be made available and used by parents and legal guardians by the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year. Parents or legal guardians must submit the Certificate of Religious Exemption to their local school authority prior to entering kindergarten, sixth grade, and ninth grade for each child for which they are requesting an exemption. The religious objection stated need not be directed by the tenets of an established religious organization. However, general philosophical or moral reluctance to allow physical examinations, eye examinations, immunizations, vision and hearing screenings, or dental examinations does not provide a sufficient basis for an exception to statutory requirements. The local school authority is responsible for determining if the content of the Certificate of Religious Exemption constitutes a valid religious objection. The local school authority shall inform the parent or legal guardian of exclusion procedures, in accordance with the Department's rules under Part 690 of Title 77 of the Illinois Administrative Code, at the time the objection is presented.
    If the physical condition of the child is such that any one or more of the immunizing agents should not be administered, the examining physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant responsible for the performance of the health examination shall endorse that fact upon the health examination form.
    Exempting a child from the health, dental, or eye examination does not exempt the child from participation in the program of physical education training provided in Sections 27-5 through 27-7 of this Code.
    (8.5) The school board of a school district shall include informational materials regarding influenza and influenza vaccinations and meningococcal disease and meningococcal vaccinations developed, provided, or approved by the Department of Public Health under Section 2310-700 of the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois when the board provides information on immunizations, infectious diseases, medications, or other school health issues to the parents or guardians of students.
    (9) For the purposes of this Section, "nursery schools" means those nursery schools operated by elementary school systems or secondary level school units or institutions of higher learning.
(Source: P.A. 100-238, eff. 1-1-18; 100-465, eff. 8-31-17; 100-513, eff. 1-1-18; 100-829, eff. 1-1-19; 100-863, eff. 8-14-18; 100-977, eff. 1-1-19; 100-1011, eff. 8-21-18; 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)

105 ILCS 5/27-9

    (105 ILCS 5/27-9) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-9)
    Sec. 27-9. Training teachers to teach physical education. The curriculum in all elementary educator preparation programs approved by the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board shall contain instruction in methods and materials of physical education and training for teachers. No teacher candidate shall be graduated from such an educator preparation program who has not successfully completed instruction in methods and materials in the teaching of physical education and training, whether by way of a specific course or as incorporated in existing courses taught in the educator preparation program.
(Source: P.A. 99-58, eff. 7-16-15.)

105 ILCS 5/27-9.1

    (105 ILCS 5/27-9.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-9.1)
    Sec. 27-9.1. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 102-412, eff. 8-20-21. Repealed by P.A. 102-522, eff. 8-20-21.)

105 ILCS 5/27-9.1a

    (105 ILCS 5/27-9.1a)
    Sec. 27-9.1a. Comprehensive personal health and safety and comprehensive sexual health education.
    (a) In this Section:
    "Adapt" means to modify an evidence-based or evidence-informed program model for use with a particular demographic, ethnic, linguistic, or cultural group.
    "Age and developmentally appropriate" means suitable to particular ages or age groups of children and adolescents, based on the developing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the age or age group.
    "Characteristics of effective programs" includes development, content, and implementation of such programs that (i) have been shown to be effective in terms of increasing knowledge, clarifying values and attitudes, increasing skills, and impacting behavior, (ii) are widely recognized by leading medical and public health agencies to be effective in changing sexual behaviors that lead to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, unintended pregnancy, interpersonal violence, and sexual violence among young people, and (iii) are taught by professionals who provide a safe learning space, free from shame, stigma, and ideology and are trained in trauma-informed teaching methodologies.
    "Complete" means information that aligns with the National Sex Education Standards, including information on consent and healthy relationships, anatomy and physiology, puberty and adolescent sexual development, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation and identity, sexual health, and interpersonal violence.
    "Comprehensive personal health and safety education" means age and developmentally appropriate education that aligns with the National Sex Education Standards, including information on consent and healthy relationships, anatomy and physiology, puberty and adolescent sexual development, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation and identity, sexual health, and interpersonal violence.
    "Comprehensive sexual health education" means age and developmentally appropriate education that aligns with the National Sex Education Standards, including information on consent and healthy relationships, anatomy and physiology, puberty and adolescent sexual development, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation and identity, sexual health, and interpersonal violence.
    "Consent" means an affirmative, knowing, conscious, ongoing, and voluntary agreement to engage in interpersonal, physical, or sexual activity, which can be revoked at any point, including during the course of interpersonal, physical, or sexual activity.
    "Culturally appropriate" means affirming culturally diverse individuals, families, and communities in an inclusive, respectful, and effective manner, including materials and instruction that are inclusive of race, ethnicity, language, cultural background, immigration status, religion, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and sexual behavior.
    "Evidence-based program" means a program for which systematic, empirical research or evaluation has provided evidence of effectiveness.
    "Evidence-informed program" means a program that uses the best available research and practice knowledge to guide program design and implementation.
    "Gender stereotype" means a generalized view or preconception about what attributes, characteristics, or roles are or ought to be taught, possessed by, or performed by people based on their gender identity.
    "Healthy relationships" means relationships between individuals that consist of mutual respect, trust, honesty, support, fairness, equity, separate identities, physical and emotional safety, and good communication.
    "Identity" means people's understanding of how they identify their sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression without stereotypes, shame, or stigma.
    "Inclusive" means inclusion of marginalized communities that include, but are not limited to, people of color, immigrants, people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions, people who are intersex, people with disabilities, people who have experienced interpersonal or sexual violence, and others.
    "Interpersonal violence" means violent behavior used to establish power and control over another person.
    "Medically accurate" means verified or supported by the weight of research conducted in compliance with accepted scientific methods and published in peer-reviewed journals, if applicable, or comprising information recognized as accurate and objective.
    "Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)" means medications approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and recommended by the United States Public Health Service or the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and related pre-exposure prophylaxis services, including, but not limited to, HIV and sexually transmitted infection screening, treatment for sexually transmitted infections, medical monitoring, laboratory services, and sexual health counseling, to reduce the likelihood of HIV infection for individuals who are not living with HIV but are vulnerable to HIV exposure.
    "Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PeP)" means the medications that are recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health authorities to help prevent HIV infection after potential occupational or non-occupational HIV exposure.
    "Sexual violence" means discrimination, bullying, harassment, including sexual harassment, sexual abuse, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, incest, rape, and human trafficking.
    "Trauma informed" means to address vital information about sexuality and well-being that takes into consideration how adverse life experiences may potentially influence a person's well-being and decision making.
    (b) All classes that teach comprehensive personal health and safety and comprehensive sexual health education shall satisfy the following criteria:
        (1) Course material and instruction shall be age and
    
developmentally appropriate, medically accurate, complete, culturally appropriate, inclusive, and trauma informed.
        (2) Course material and instruction shall replicate
    
evidence-based or evidence-informed programs or substantially incorporate elements of evidence-based programs or evidence-informed programs or characteristics of effective programs.
        (3) Course material and instruction shall be
    
inclusive and sensitive to the needs of students based on their status as pregnant or parenting, living with STIs, including HIV, sexually active, asexual, or intersex or based on their gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, sexual behavior, or disability.
        (4) Course material and instruction shall be
    
accessible to students with disabilities, which may include the use of a modified curriculum, materials, instruction in alternative formats, assistive technology, and auxiliary aids.
        (5) Course material and instruction shall help
    
students develop self-advocacy skills for effective communication with parents or guardians, health and social service professionals, other trusted adults, and peers about sexual health and relationships.
        (6) Course material and instruction shall provide
    
information to help students develop skills for developing healthy relationships and preventing and dealing with interpersonal violence and sexual violence.
        (7) Course material and instruction shall provide
    
information to help students safely use the Internet, including social media, dating or relationship websites or applications, and texting.
        (8) Course material and instruction shall provide
    
information about local resources where students can obtain additional information and confidential services related to parenting, bullying, interpersonal violence, sexual violence, suicide prevention, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, substance abuse, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and other related issues.
        (9) Course material and instruction shall include
    
information about State laws related to minor confidentiality and minor consent, including exceptions, consent education, mandated reporting of child abuse and neglect, the safe relinquishment of a newborn child, minors' access to confidential health care and related services, school policies addressing the prevention of and response to interpersonal and sexual violence, school breastfeeding accommodations, and school policies addressing the prevention of and response to sexual harassment.
        (10) Course material and instruction may not reflect
    
or promote bias against any person on the basis of the person's race, ethnicity, language, cultural background, citizenship, religion, HIV status, family structure, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or sexual behavior.
        (11) Course material and instruction may not employ
    
gender stereotypes.
        (12) Course material and instruction shall be
    
inclusive of and may not be insensitive or unresponsive to the needs of survivors of interpersonal violence and sexual violence.
        (13) Course material and instruction may not
    
proselytize any religious doctrine.
        (14) Course material and instruction may not
    
deliberately withhold health-promoting or life-saving information about culturally appropriate health care and services, including reproductive health services, hormone therapy, and FDA-approved treatments and options, including, but not limited to, Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PeP).
        (15) Course material and instruction may not be
    
inconsistent with the ethical imperatives of medicine and public health.
    (c) A school may utilize guest lecturers or resource persons to provide instruction or presentations in accordance with Section 10-22.34b. Comprehensive personal health and safety and comprehensive sexual health education instruction and materials provided by guest lecturers or resource persons may not conflict with the provisions of this Section.
    (d) No student shall be required to take or participate in any class or course in comprehensive personal health and safety and comprehensive sexual health education. A student's parent or guardian may opt the student out of comprehensive personal health and safety and comprehensive sexual health education by submitting the request in writing. Refusal to take or participate in such a course or program may not be a reason for disciplinary action, academic penalty, suspension, or expulsion or any other sanction of a student. A school district may not require active parental consent for comprehensive personal health and safety and comprehensive sexual health education.
    (e) An opportunity shall be afforded to individuals, including parents or guardians, to review the scope and sequence of instructional materials to be used in a class or course under this Section, either electronically or in person. A school district shall annually post, on its Internet website if one exists, which curriculum is used to provide comprehensive personal health and safety and comprehensive sexual health education and the name and contact information, including an email address, of school personnel who can respond to inquiries about instruction and materials.
    (f) On or before August 1, 2022, the State Board of Education, in consultation with youth, parents, sexual health and violence prevention experts, health care providers, advocates, and education practitioners, including, but not limited to, administrators, regional superintendents of schools, teachers, and school support personnel, shall develop and adopt rigorous learning standards in the area of comprehensive personal health and safety education for pupils in kindergarten through the 5th grade and comprehensive sexual health education for pupils in the 6th through 12th grades, including, but not limited to, all of the National Sex Education Standards, including information on consent and healthy relationships, anatomy and physiology, puberty and adolescent sexual development, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation and identity, sexual health, and interpersonal violence, as authored by the Future of Sex Education Initiative. As the National Sex Education Standards are updated, the State Board of Education shall update these learning standards.
    (g) By no later than August 1, 2022, the State Board of Education shall make available resource materials developed in consultation with stakeholders, with the cooperation and input of experts that provide and entities that promote age and developmentally appropriate, medically accurate, complete, culturally appropriate, inclusive, and trauma-informed comprehensive personal health and safety and comprehensive sexual health education policy. Materials may include, without limitation, model comprehensive personal health and safety and comprehensive sexual health education resources and programs. The State Board of Education shall make these resource materials available on its Internet website, in a clearly identified and easily accessible place.
    (h) Schools may choose and adapt the age and developmentally appropriate, medically accurate, complete, culturally appropriate, inclusive, and trauma-informed comprehensive personal health and safety and comprehensive sexual health education curriculum that meets the specific needs of their community. All instruction and materials, including materials provided or presented by outside consultants, community groups, or organizations, may not conflict with the provisions of this Section.
    (i) The State Board of Education shall, through existing reporting mechanisms if available, direct each school district to identify the following:
        (1) if instruction on comprehensive personal health
    
and safety and comprehensive sexual health education is provided;
        (2) whether the instruction was provided by a teacher
    
in the school, a consultant, or a community group or organization and specify the name of the outside consultant, community group, or organization;
        (3) the number of students receiving instruction;
        (4) the number of students excused from instruction;
    
and
        (5) the duration of instruction.
    The State Board of Education shall report the results of this inquiry to the General Assembly annually, for a period of 5 years beginning one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.
(Source: P.A. 102-522, eff. 8-20-21.)

105 ILCS 5/27-9.1b

    (105 ILCS 5/27-9.1b)
    Sec. 27-9.1b. Consent education.
    (a) In this Section:
    "Age and developmentally appropriate" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 27-9.1a.
    "Consent" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 27-9.1a.
    (b) A school district may provide age and developmentally appropriate consent education in kindergarten through the 12th grade.
        (1) In kindergarten through the 5th grade,
    
instruction and materials shall include age and developmentally appropriate instruction on consent and how to give and receive consent, including a discussion that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
            (A) Setting appropriate physical boundaries with
        
others.
            (B) Respecting the physical boundaries of others.
            (C) The right to refuse to engage in behaviors or
        
activities that are uncomfortable or unsafe.
            (D) Dealing with unwanted physical contact.
            (E) Helping a peer deal with unwanted physical
        
contact.
        (2) In the 6th through 12th grades, instruction and
    
materials shall include age and developmentally appropriate instruction on consent and how to give and receive consent, including a discussion that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
            (A) That consent is a freely given agreement to
        
sexual activity.
            (B) That consent to one particular sexual
        
activity does not constitute consent to other types of sexual activities.
            (C) That a person's lack of verbal or physical
        
resistance or submission resulting from the use or threat of force does not constitute consent.
            (D) That a person's manner of dress does not
        
constitute consent.
            (E) That a person's consent to past sexual
        
activity does not constitute consent to future sexual activity.
            (F) That a person's consent to engage in sexual
        
activity with one person does not constitute consent to engage in sexual activity with another person.
            (G) That a person can withdraw consent at any
        
time.
            (H) That a person cannot consent to sexual
        
activity if that person is unable to understand the nature of the activity or give knowing consent due to certain circumstances that include, but are not limited to:
                (i) the person is incapacitated due to the
            
use or influence of alcohol or drugs;
                (ii) the person is asleep or unconscious;
                (iii) the person is a minor; or
                (iv) the person is incapacitated due to a
            
mental disability.
            (I) The legal age of consent in this State.
(Source: P.A. 102-522, eff. 8-20-21.)

105 ILCS 5/27-9.2

    (105 ILCS 5/27-9.2)
    Sec. 27-9.2. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 86-941. Repealed by P.A. 102-522, eff. 8-20-21.)

105 ILCS 5/27-11

    (105 ILCS 5/27-11)
    Sec. 27-11. (Repealed).
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31. Repealed by P.A. 102-522, eff. 8-20-21.)

105 ILCS 5/27-12

    (105 ILCS 5/27-12) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-12)
    Sec. 27-12. Character education. Every public school teacher shall teach character education, which includes the teaching of respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, trustworthiness, and citizenship, in order to raise pupils' honesty, kindness, justice, discipline, respect for others, and moral courage for the purpose of lessening crime and raising the standard of good character.
(Source: P.A. 94-187, eff. 7-12-05.)

105 ILCS 5/27-12.1

    (105 ILCS 5/27-12.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-12.1)
    Sec. 27-12.1. Consumer education.
    (a) Pupils in the public schools in grades 9 through 12 shall be taught and be required to study courses which include instruction in the area of consumer education, including but not necessarily limited to (i) understanding the basic concepts of financial literacy, including consumer debt and installment purchasing (including credit scoring, managing credit debt, and completing a loan application), budgeting, savings and investing, banking (including balancing a checkbook, opening a deposit account, and the use of interest rates), understanding simple contracts, State and federal income taxes, personal insurance policies, the comparison of prices, higher education student loans, identity-theft security, and homeownership (including the basic process of obtaining a mortgage and the concepts of fixed and adjustable rate mortgages, subprime loans, and predatory lending), and (ii) understanding the roles of consumers interacting with agriculture, business, labor unions and government in formulating and achieving the goals of the mixed free enterprise system. The State Board of Education shall devise or approve the consumer education curriculum for grades 9 through 12 and specify the minimum amount of instruction to be devoted thereto.
    (b) (Blank).
    (c) The Financial Literacy Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. State funds and private contributions for the promotion of financial literacy shall be deposited into the Financial Literacy Fund. All money in the Financial Literacy Fund shall be used, subject to appropriation, by the State Board of Education to award grants to school districts for the following:
        (1) Defraying the costs of financial literacy
    
training for teachers.
        (2) Rewarding a school or teacher who wins or
    
achieves results at a certain level of success in a financial literacy competition.
        (3) Rewarding a student who wins or achieves
    
results at a certain level of success in a financial literacy competition.
        (4) Funding activities, including books, games,
    
field trips, computers, and other activities, related to financial literacy education.
    In awarding grants, every effort must be made to ensure that all geographic areas of the State are represented.
    (d) A school board may establish a special fund in which to receive public funds and private contributions for the promotion of financial literacy. Money in the fund shall be used for the following:
        (1) Defraying the costs of financial literacy
    
training for teachers.
        (2) Rewarding a school or teacher who wins or
    
achieves results at a certain level of success in a financial literacy competition.
        (3) Rewarding a student who wins or achieves
    
results at a certain level of success in a financial literacy competition.
        (4) Funding activities, including books, games,
    
field trips, computers, and other activities, related to financial literacy education.
    (e) The State Board of Education, upon the next comprehensive review of the Illinois Learning Standards, is urged to include the basic principles of personal insurance policies and understanding simple contracts.
(Source: P.A. 99-284, eff. 8-5-15.)

105 ILCS 5/27-13.1

    (105 ILCS 5/27-13.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-13.1)
    Sec. 27-13.1. In every public school there shall be instruction, study and discussion of current problems and needs in the conservation of natural resources, including but not limited to air pollution, water pollution, waste reduction and recycling, the effects of excessive use of pesticides, preservation of wilderness areas, forest management, protection of wildlife and humane care of domestic animals.
(Source: P.A. 86-229.)

105 ILCS 5/27-13.2

    (105 ILCS 5/27-13.2) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-13.2)
    Sec. 27-13.2. Required instruction.
    (a) In every public school there shall be instruction, study, and discussion of effective methods by which pupils may recognize the danger of and avoid abduction, and in every public school maintaining any of grades kindergarten through 8, there shall be, for such grades, instruction, study, and discussion of effective methods for the prevention and avoidance of drugs and the dangers of opioid and substance abuse. School boards may include such required instruction, study, and discussion in the courses of study regularly taught in the public schools of their respective districts; provided, however, that such instruction shall be given each year to all pupils in grades kindergarten through 8. The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make available to all public and non-public schools instructional materials which may be used by such schools as guidelines for development of a program of instruction under this subsection (a); provided, however, that each school board shall itself determine the minimum amount of instruction time which shall qualify as a program of instruction which will satisfy the requirements of this subsection (a).
    The State Superintendent of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Children and Family Services, shall prepare and disseminate to all public schools and non-public schools, information on instructional materials and programs about child sexual abuse which may be used by such schools for their own or community programs. Such information may also be disseminated by such schools to parents.
    (b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this Section, no pupil in any of grades kindergarten through 8 shall be required to take or participate in any class or course providing instruction in recognizing and avoiding sexual abuse if the parent or guardian of the pupil submits written objection thereto; and refusal to take or participate in such class or course after such written objection is made shall not be reason for failing, suspending or expelling such pupil. Each school board intending to offer any such class or course to pupils in any of grades kindergarten through 8 shall give not less than 5 days written notice to the parents or guardians of such pupils before commencing the class or course.
    (c) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, in every State-required health course for grades 9 through 12, a school district shall provide instruction, study, and discussion on the dangers of fentanyl. Information for the instruction, study, and discussion of fentanyl shall come from information provided by the National Institutes of Health, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, or the United States Department of Health and Human Services. This instruction, study, and discussion shall include, at a minimum, all of the following:
        (1) Information on fentanyl itself, including an
    
explanation of the differences between synthetic and nonsynthetic opioids and illicit drugs, the variations of fentanyl itself, and the differences between the legal and illegal uses of fentanyl.
        (2) The side effects and the risk factors of using
    
fentanyl, along with information comparing the lethal amounts of fentanyl to other drugs. Information on the risk factors may include, but is not limited to:
            (A) the lethal dose of fentanyl;
            (B) how often fentanyl is placed in drugs
        
without a person's knowledge;
            (C) an explanation of what fentanyl does to a
        
person's body and the severity of fentanyl's addictive properties; and
            (D) how the consumption of fentanyl can lead to
        
hypoxia, as well as an explanation of what hypoxia precisely does to a person's body.
        (3) Details about the process of lacing fentanyl in
    
other drugs and why drugs get laced with fentanyl.
        (4) Details about how to detect fentanyl in drugs
    
and how to save someone from an overdose of fentanyl, which shall include:
            (A) how to buy and use fentanyl test strips;
            (B) how to buy and use naloxone, either through
        
a nasal spray or an injection; and
            (C) how to detect if someone is overdosing on
        
fentanyl.
    Students shall be assessed on the instruction required under this subsection (c). The assessment may include, but is not limited to:
        (1) the differences between synthetic and
    
nonsynthetic drugs;
        (2) hypoxia;
        (3) the effects of fentanyl on a person's body;
        (4) the lethal dose of fentanyl; and
        (5) how to detect and prevent overdoses.
    The instruction required under this subsection (c) shall be taught by a licensed educator, school nurse, or school counselor.
(Source: P.A. 102-195, eff. 7-30-21; 103-365, eff. 1-1-24.)

105 ILCS 5/27-13.3

    (105 ILCS 5/27-13.3)
    Sec. 27-13.3. Internet safety education curriculum.
    (a) The purpose of this Section is to inform and protect students from inappropriate or illegal communications and solicitation and to encourage school districts to provide education about Internet threats and risks, including without limitation child predators, fraud, and other dangers.
    (b) The General Assembly finds and declares the following:
        (1) it is the policy of this State to protect
    
consumers and Illinois residents from deceptive and unsafe communications that result in harassment, exploitation, or physical harm;
        (2) children have easy access to the Internet at
    
home, school, and public places;
        (3) the Internet is used by sexual predators and
    
other criminals to make initial contact with children and other vulnerable residents in Illinois; and
        (4) education is an effective method for preventing
    
children from falling prey to online predators, identity theft, and other dangers.
    (c) Each school may adopt an age-appropriate curriculum for Internet safety instruction of students in grades kindergarten through 12. However, beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, a school district must incorporate into the school curriculum a component on Internet safety to be taught at least once each school year to students in grades 3 through 12. The school board shall determine the scope and duration of this unit of instruction. The age-appropriate unit of instruction may be incorporated into the current courses of study regularly taught in the district's schools, as determined by the school board, and it is recommended that the unit of instruction include the following topics:
        (1) Safe and responsible use of social networking
    
websites, chat rooms, electronic mail, bulletin boards, instant messaging, and other means of communication on the Internet.
        (2) Recognizing, avoiding, and reporting online
    
solicitations of students, their classmates, and their friends by sexual predators.
        (3) Risks of transmitting personal information on the
    
Internet.
        (4) Recognizing and avoiding unsolicited or deceptive
    
communications received online.
        (5) Recognizing and reporting online harassment and
    
cyber-bullying.
        (6) Reporting illegal activities and communications
    
on the Internet.
        (7) Copyright laws on written materials, photographs,
    
music, and video.
    (d) Curricula devised in accordance with subsection (c) of this Section may be submitted for review to the Office of the Illinois Attorney General.
    (e) The State Board of Education shall make available resource materials for educating children regarding child online safety and may take into consideration the curriculum on this subject developed by other states, as well as any other curricular materials suggested by education experts, child psychologists, or technology companies that work on child online safety issues. Materials may include without limitation safe online communications, privacy protection, cyber-bullying, viewing inappropriate material, file sharing, and the importance of open communication with responsible adults. The State Board of Education shall make these resource materials available on its Internet website.
(Source: P.A. 95-509, eff. 8-28-07; 95-869, eff. 1-1-09; 96-734, eff. 8-25-09.)

105 ILCS 5/27-14

    (105 ILCS 5/27-14) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-14)
    Sec. 27-14. Experiments upon animals.
    No experiment upon any living animal for the purpose of demonstration in any study shall be made in any public school. No animal provided by, or killed in the presence of any pupil of a public school shall be used for dissection in such school, and in no case shall dogs or cats be killed for such purposes. Dissection of dead animals, or parts thereof, shall be confined to the classroom and shall not be practiced in the presence of any pupil not engaged in the study to be illustrated thereby.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

105 ILCS 5/27-15

    (105 ILCS 5/27-15) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-15)
    Sec. 27-15. Moral and humane education - In institute programs. The superintendent of each region and city shall include once each year moral and humane education in the program of the teachers' institute which is held under his supervision.
(Source: P.A. 79-597.)

105 ILCS 5/27-16

    (105 ILCS 5/27-16)
    Sec. 27-16. (Repealed).
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31. Repealed by P.A. 94-1105, eff. 6-1-07.)

105 ILCS 5/27-17

    (105 ILCS 5/27-17) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-17)
    Sec. 27-17. Safety education. School boards of public schools and all boards in charge of educational institutions supported wholly or partially by the State may provide instruction in safety education in all grades and include such instruction in the courses of study regularly taught therein.
    In this Section, "safety education" means and includes instruction in the following:
        1. automobile safety, including traffic regulations,
    
highway safety, and the consequences of alcohol consumption and the operation of a motor vehicle;
        2. safety in the home, including safe gun storage;
        3. safety in connection with recreational activities;
        4. safety in and around school buildings;
        5. safety in connection with vocational work or
    
training;
        6. cardio-pulmonary resuscitation for students
    
enrolled in grades 9 through 11;
        7. for students enrolled in grades 6 through 8,
    
cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and how to use an automated external defibrillator by watching a training video on those subjects; and
        8. for students enrolled in prekindergarten through
    
grade 6, water safety that incorporates evidence-based water safety instructional materials and resources.
    Such boards may make suitable provisions in the schools and institutions under their jurisdiction for instruction in safety education for not less than 16 hours during each school year.
    The curriculum in all educator preparation programs approved by the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board shall contain instruction in safety education for teachers that is appropriate to the grade level of the educator license. This instruction may be by specific courses in safety education or may be incorporated in existing subjects taught in the educator preparation program.
(Source: P.A. 102-971, eff. 1-1-23; 103-567, eff. 12-8-23.)

105 ILCS 5/27-18

    (105 ILCS 5/27-18) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-18)
    Sec. 27-18. Arbor and bird day. The last Friday in April is designated as "Arbor and Bird Day," to be observed throughout the State as a day for planting trees, shrubs and vines about public grounds, and as a day on which to hold appropriate exercises in the public schools and elsewhere tending to show the value of trees and birds and the necessity for their protection.
(Source: P.A. 92-85, eff. 7-12-01.)

105 ILCS 5/27-19

    (105 ILCS 5/27-19) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-19)
    Sec. 27-19. Leif Erickson day.
    October 9, if a school day, otherwise the school day nearest such date, is designated as Leif Erikson Day. On such day one-half hour may be devoted in the schools to instruction and appropriate exercises relative to and in commemoration of the life and history of Leif Erickson and the principles and ideals he fostered.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

105 ILCS 5/27-20

    (105 ILCS 5/27-20) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-20)
    Sec. 27-20. American Indian day.
    The fourth Friday of September is designated "American Indian Day," to be observed throughout the State as a day on which to hold appropriate exercises in commemoration of the American Indians.
(Source: Laws 1961, p. 31.)

105 ILCS 5/27-20.05

    (105 ILCS 5/27-20.05)
    Sec. 27-20.05. Native American history study.
    (a) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, every public elementary school and high school social studies course pertaining to American history or government shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of the Native American experience and Native American history within the Midwest and this State since time immemorial. These events shall include the contributions of Native Americans in government and the arts, humanities, and sciences, as well as the contributions of Native Americans to the economic, cultural, social, and political development of their own nations and of the United States. The unit of instruction must describe large urban Native American populations in this State, including the history and experiences of contemporary Native Americans living in this State. Instruction in grades 6 through 12 shall include the study of the genocide of and discrimination against Native Americans, as well as tribal sovereignty, treaties made between tribal nations and the United States, and the circumstances around forced Native American relocation. This unit of instruction may be integrated as part of the unit of instruction required under Section 27-20.03 or 27-21 of this Code.
    (b) The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials and professional development opportunities that may be used as guidelines for development of a unit of instruction under this Section. However, each school board shall itself determine the minimum amount of instructional time that qualifies as a unit of instruction satisfying the requirements of this Section.
    (c) The regional superintendent of schools shall monitor a school district's compliance with this Section's curricular requirements during the regional superintendent's annual compliance visit and make recommendations for improvement, including professional development.
(Source: P.A. 103-422, eff. 8-4-23.)

105 ILCS 5/27-20.08

    (105 ILCS 5/27-20.08)
    Sec. 27-20.08. Media literacy.
    (a) In this Section, "media literacy" means the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and communicate using a variety of objective forms, including, but not limited to, print, visual, audio, interactive, and digital texts.
    (b) Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, every public high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction on media literacy. The unit of instruction shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following topics:
        (1) Accessing information: Evaluating multiple media
    
platforms to better understand the general landscape and economics of the platforms, as well as issues regarding the trustworthiness of the source of information.
        (2) Analyzing and evaluating media messages:
    
Deconstructing media representations according to the authors, target audience, techniques, agenda setting, stereotypes, and authenticity to distinguish fact from opinion.
        (3) Creating media: Conveying a coherent message
    
using multimodal practices to a specific target audience. This may include, but is not limited to, writing blogs, composing songs, designing video games, producing podcasts, making videos, or coding a mobile or software application.
        (4) Reflecting on media consumption: Assessing how
    
media affects the consumption of information and how it triggers emotions and behavior.
        (5) Social responsibility and civics: Suggesting a
    
plan of action in the class, school, or community to engage others in a respectful, thoughtful, and inclusive dialogue over a specific issue using facts and reason.
    (c) The State Board of Education shall determine how to prepare and make available instructional resources and professional learning opportunities for educators that may be used for the development of a unit of instruction under this Section.
(Source: P.A. 102-55, eff. 7-9-21.)

105 ILCS 5/27-20.1

    (105 ILCS 5/27-20.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.1)
    Sec. 27-20.1. Illinois Law Week. The first full school week in May is designated "Illinois Law Week". During that week, the public schools may devote appropriate time, instruction, study, and exercises in the procedures of the legislature and the enactment of laws, the courts and the administration of justice, the police and the enforcement of law, citizen responsibilities, and other principles and ideals to promote the importance of government under law in the State.
(Source: P.A. 92-85, eff. 7-12-01.)

105 ILCS 5/27-20.2

    (105 ILCS 5/27-20.2) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.2)
    Sec. 27-20.2. "Just Say No" Day. May 15, 1987, and in each calendar year thereafter, a school day in May designated by official proclamation of the Governor, shall be known as "Just Say No" Day, to be observed throughout the State as a day on which children and teenagers declare and reaffirm their commitment to living a life free of drugs and alcohol abuse, and as a day on which to hold and participate in appropriate special programs, ceremonies and exercises, in the public schools and elsewhere, tending to encourage children to lead a healthy lifestyle, aware and free of the dangers of using drugs and alcohol abuse.
(Source: P.A. 85-386.)

105 ILCS 5/27-20.3

    (105 ILCS 5/27-20.3) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-20.3)
    Sec. 27-20.3. Holocaust and Genocide Study.
    (a) Every public elementary school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of the Nazi atrocities of 1933 to 1945. This period in world history is known as the Holocaust, during which 6,000,000 Jews and millions of non-Jews were exterminated. One of the universal lessons of the Holocaust is that national, ethnic, racial, or religious hatred can overtake any nation or society, leading to calamitous consequences. To reinforce that lesson, such curriculum shall include an additional unit of instruction studying other acts of genocide across the globe. This unit shall include, but not be limited to, the Native American genocide in North America, the Armenian Genocide, the Famine-Genocide in Ukraine, and more recent atrocities in Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda, and Sudan. The studying of this material is a reaffirmation of the commitment of free peoples from all nations to never again permit the occurrence of another Holocaust and a recognition that crimes of genocide continue to be perpetrated across the globe as they have been in the past and to deter indifference to crimes against humanity and human suffering wherever they may occur.
    (b) The State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials which may be used as guidelines for development of a unit of instruction under this Section; provided, however, that each school board shall itself determine the minimum amount of instruction time which shall qualify as a unit of instruction satisfying the requirements of this Section.
    Instructional materials that include the addition of content related to the Native American genocide in North America shall be prepared and made available to all school boards on the State Board of Education's Internet website no later than July 1, 2024. Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this Section, a school is not required to teach the additional content related to the Native American genocide in North America until instructional materials are made available on the State Board's Internet website.
    Instructional materials related to the Native American genocide in North America shall be developed in consultation with members of the Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative who are members of a federally recognized tribe, are documented descendants of Indigenous communities, or are other persons recognized as contributing community members by the Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative and who currently reside in this State or their designees.
(Source: P.A. 103-422, eff. 8-4-23; 103-564, eff. 11-17-23.)