Bill Text: IL HB3097 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, the required support regarding the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) shall include providing time during the school day, not requiring a student to be excused from regularly scheduled class time, to complete or receive help with completion of a financial aid application. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-03-05 - Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock [HB3097 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB3097-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3097 Introduced , by Rep. Theresa Mah SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/22-87
Amends the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, the required support regarding the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) shall include providing time during the school day, not requiring a student to be excused from regularly scheduled class time, to complete or receive help with completion of a financial aid application. Effective immediately.
LRB104 10902 LNS 20984 b
A BILL FOR
HB3097 LRB104 10902 LNS 20984 b
AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
22-87 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/22-87)
Sec. 22-87. Graduation requirements; Free Application for
Federal Student Aid.
(a) Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, in addition
to any other requirements under this Code, as a prerequisite
to receiving a high school diploma from a public high school,
the parent or guardian of each student or, if a student is at
least 18 years of age or legally emancipated, the student must
comply with either of the following:
(1) File a Free Application for Federal Student Aid
with the United States Department of Education or, if
applicable, an application for State financial aid.
(2) On a form created by the State Board of Education,
file a waiver with the student's school district
indicating that the parent or guardian or, if applicable,
the student understands what the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid and application for State financial
aid are and has chosen not to file an application under

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paragraph (1).
(b) Each school district with a high school must require
each high school student to comply with this Section and must
provide to each high school student and, if applicable, his or
her parent or guardian any support or assistance necessary to
comply with this Section.
Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, this support
shall include providing time during the school day, not
requiring a student to be excused from regularly scheduled
class time, to complete or receive help with completion of a
financial aid application as described in subsection (a). The
high school may request assistance from the Illinois Student
Assistance Commission to support financial aid application
completion events at no cost to the high school.
A school district must award a high school diploma to a
student who is unable to meet the requirements of subsection
(a) due to extenuating circumstances, as determined by the
school district, if (i) the student has met all other
graduation requirements under this Code and (ii) the principal
attests that the school district has made a good faith effort
to assist the student or, if applicable, his or her parent or
guardian in filing an application or a waiver under subsection
(a).
(c) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to
implement this Section.
(Source: P.A. 101-180, eff. 6-1-20; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)

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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.