105 ILCS 5/ School Code.

(105 ILCS 5/13A-7)

Sec. 13A-7. Employees. In all school districts, including special charter districts and districts located in cities having a population exceeding 500,000, the local school board shall grant, for a period of up to 5 years, a leave of absence to those of its employees who accept employment with an alternative school, provided that the employee shall satisfy any leave of absence provisions that may exist under a collective bargaining agreement or, if such an agreement does not exist, a school board policy. At the end of the authorized leave of absence, the employee must return to the school district in a comparable position or resign. The contractual continued service status and retirement benefits of an employee of the district who is granted a leave of absence to accept employment with an alternative school shall not be affected by that leave of absence.

(Source: P.A. 89-383, eff. 8-18-95.)

(105 ILCS 5/13A-8)

Sec. 13A-8. Funding.

(a) The State of Illinois shall provide funding for the alternative school programs within each educational service region and within the Chicago public school system by line item appropriation made to the State Board of Education for that purpose. This money, when appropriated, shall be provided to the regional superintendent and to the Chicago Board of Education, who shall establish a budget, including salaries, for their alternative school programs. Each program shall receive funding in the amount of $30,000 plus an amount based on the ratio of the region's or Chicago's best 3 months' average daily attendance in grades pre-kindergarten through 12 to the statewide totals of these amounts. For purposes of this calculation, the best 3 months' average daily attendance for each region or Chicago shall be calculated by adding to the best 3 months' average daily attendance the number of low-income students identified in the most recently available federal census multiplied by one-half times the percentage of the region's or Chicago's low-income students to the State's total low-income students. The State Board of Education shall retain up to 1.1% of the appropriation to be used to provide technical assistance, professional development, and evaluations for the programs.

(a-5) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section, for the 1998-1999 fiscal year, the total amount distributed under subsection (a) for an alternative school program shall be not less than the total amount that was distributed under that subsection for that alternative school program for the 1997-1998 fiscal year. If an alternative school program is to receive a total distribution under subsection (a) for the 1998-1999 fiscal year that is less than the total distribution that the program received under that subsection for the 1997-1998 fiscal year, that alternative school program shall also receive, from a separate appropriation made for purposes of this subsection (a-5), a supplementary payment equal to the amount by which its total distribution under subsection (a) for the 1997-1998 fiscal year exceeds the amount of the total distribution that the alternative school program receives under that subsection for the 1998-1999 fiscal year. If the amount appropriated for supplementary payments to alternative school programs under this subsection (a-5) is insufficient for that purpose, those supplementary payments shall be prorated among the alternative school programs entitled to receive those supplementary payments according to the aggregate amount of the appropriation made for purposes of this subsection (a-5).

(b) An alternative school program shall be entitled to receive general State aid as calculated in subsection (K) of Section 18-8.05 or evidence-based funding as calculated in subsection (g) of Section 18-8.15 upon filing a claim as provided therein. Any time that a student who is enrolled in an alternative school program spends in work-based learning, community service, or a similar alternative educational setting shall be included in determining the student's minimum number of clock hours of daily school work that constitute a day of attendance for purposes of calculating general State aid or evidence-based funding.

(c) An alternative school program may receive additional funding from its school districts in such amount as may be agreed upon by the parties and necessary to support the program. In addition, an alternative school program is authorized to accept and expend gifts, legacies, and grants, including but not limited to federal grants, from any source for purposes directly related to the conduct and operation of the program.

(Source: P.A. 100-465, eff. 8-31-17.)

(105 ILCS 5/13A-9)

Sec. 13A-9. Transportation. Subject to the requirements of Article 29 and except as otherwise agreed by the parents, school and regional superintendent, the school from which a student is administratively transferred shall provide for any transportation that the transfer necessitates, if transportation is required pursuant to Section 29-3. The regional superintendent shall coordinate all transportation arrangements with transferring school districts. The regional superintendent may also arrange for cooperation between school districts in the regional superintendent's educational service region regarding the transportation needs of transferred students in order to reduce the costs of that transportation and to provide greater convenience for the students involved.

(Source: P.A. 89-383, eff. 8-18-95; 89-629, eff. 8-9-96; 89-636, eff. 8-9-96; 90-14, eff. 7-1-97.)

(105 ILCS 5/13A-10)

Sec. 13A-10. Alternative School Programs in Class II Counties. The executive director of educational service centers located in Class II counties outside a city of 500,000 or more inhabitants shall, for the educational service center area, perform the duties assigned by this Article to regional superintendents.

(Source: P.A. 89-383, eff. 8-18-95; 89-629, eff. 8-9-96.)

(105 ILCS 5/13A-11)

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 102-466)

Sec. 13A-11. Chicago public schools.

(a) The Chicago Board of Education may establish alternative schools within Chicago and may contract with third parties for services otherwise performed by employees, including those in a bargaining unit, in accordance with Sections 34-8.1, 34-18, and 34-49.

(b) Alternative schools operated by third parties within Chicago shall be exempt from all provisions of this Code, except provisions concerning:

(1) student civil rights;

(2) staff civil rights;

(3) health and safety;

(4) performance and financial audits;

(5) the assessments required under Section 2-3.64a-5 of this Code;

(6) Chicago learning outcomes;

(7) Sections 2-3.25a through 2-3.25j of this Code;

(8) the Inspector General; and

(9) Section 34-2.4b of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 98-972, eff. 8-15-14.)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 102-466)

Sec. 13A-11. Chicago public schools.

(a) The Chicago Board of Education may establish alternative schools within Chicago and may contract with third parties for services otherwise performed by employees, including those in a bargaining unit, in accordance with Sections 34-8.1, 34-18, and 34-49.

(b) Alternative schools operated by third parties within Chicago shall be exempt from all provisions of this Code, except provisions concerning:

(1) student civil rights;

(2) staff civil rights;

(3) health and safety;

(4) performance and financial audits;

(5) the assessments required under Section 2-3.64a-5 of this Code;

(6) Chicago learning outcomes;

(7) Sections 2-3.25a through 2-3.25j of this Code;

(8) the Inspector General;

(9) Section 34-2.4b of this Code; and

(10) Article 26A and any other provision of this Code concerning students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence, as defined in Article 26A.

(Source: P.A. 102-466, eff. 7-1-25.)

(105 ILCS 5/Art. 13B heading) ARTICLE 13B. ALTERNATIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

(105 ILCS 5/13B-1)

Sec. 13B-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the Alternative Learning Opportunities Law.

(Source: P.A. 92-42, eff. 1-1-02.)

(105 ILCS 5/13B-5)

Sec. 13B-5. Legislative findings and declarations. The General Assembly finds and declares the following:

(1) It is the responsibility of each school district to provide educational support for every student to meet Illinois Learning Standards.

(2) School districts need flexibility and financial support to assist local schools in their efforts to provide students with educational and other services needed for students to successfully master the curriculum.

(3) Alternative education in this State has traditionally provided student-centered curriculum, social services, and other support needed to help students succeed.

(4) Standards-based reform requires a comprehensive approach to alternative education to ensure that every student has the opportunity to meet the State's rigorous learning standards.

(5) While school districts operating alternative learning opportunities programs must comply with all applicable State and federal laws and rules, these districts should do so in a manner consistent with the goals and policies stated in this Article.

(Source: P.A. 92-42, eff. 1-1-02.)

(105 ILCS 5/13B-10)

Sec. 13B-10. Purpose. The purpose of this Article is to specify the requirements for the operation of alternative learning opportunities programs, which are intended to provide students at risk of academic failure with the education and support services needed to meet Illinois Learning Standards and to complete their education in an orderly, safe, and secure learning environment. Services provided under this Article should be provided in a manner that addresses individual learning styles, career development, and social needs to enable students to successfully complete their education.

(Source: P.A. 92-42, eff. 1-1-02.)

(105 ILCS 5/13B-15)

Sec. 13B-15. Definitions. In this Article, words and phrases have the meanings set forth in the following Sections preceding Section 13B-20 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 92-42, eff. 1-1-02.)

(105 ILCS 5/13B-15.5)

Sec. 13B-15.5. State Board. "State Board" means the State Board of Education.

(Source: P.A. 92-42, eff. 1-1-02.)

(105 ILCS 5/13B-15.10)

Sec. 13B-15.10. Student at risk of academic failure. "Student at risk of academic failure" means a student at risk of not meeting the Illinois Learning Standards or not graduating from elementary or high school and who demonstrates a need for educational support or social services beyond that provided by the regular school program. Such students are eligible for services up to the age of 21.

(Source: P.A. 92-42, eff. 1-1-02.)

(105 ILCS 5/13B-15.15)

Sec. 13B-15.15. Student Success Plan. "Student Success Plan" means a plan based on an assessment of a student's educational and social functioning and skills and that establishes goals and objectives for satisfactory performance in an alternative learning opportunities program. The Plan must (i) specify the curriculum and instructional methods to be used in improving the student's educational performance, (ii) outline the support services needed to remove barriers to learning, (iii) specify, when appropriate, the career development experiences the student will receive to enhance his or her career awareness, (iv) set objectives to ensure a successful transition back to the regular school program or to post-secondary educational options, and (v) outline the student's responsibilities under the Plan.

(Source: P.A. 92-42, eff. 1-1-02.)

(105 ILCS 5/13B-15.20)

Sec. 13B-15.20. Support services. "Support services" include alcohol and drug rehabilitation; individual, group, and family counseling; mentoring; tutoring; school physicals; health and nutrition education; classroom aides; career counseling; child care; and any other social, health, or supplemental service approved as part of the Student Success Plan that is required by students for their academic success.

(Source: P.A. 92-42, eff. 1-1-02.)

(105 ILCS 5/13B-20)

Sec. 13B-20. Alternative learning opportunities program. An alternative learning opportunities program shall provide a flexible standards-based learning environment, innovative and varied instructional strategies, a student-centered curriculum, social programs, and supplemental social, health, and support services to improve the educational achievement of students at risk of academic failure.

(Source: P.A. 92-42, eff. 1-1-02.)