Bill Text: IL HB5795 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Engrossed

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Bill Title: Amends the School Code. In the Article governing compulsory attendance of pupils, provides that the term "truant" means a child who is subject to compulsory school attendance and who is absent without valid cause, as defined in the Article, from such attendance for more than 1% but less than 5% of the past 180 days (rather than absent without valid cause from such attendance for a school day or portion thereof). Effective July 1, 2018.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2018-08-17 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 100-0918 [HB5795 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-HB5795-Engrossed.html

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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
26-2a as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/26-2a) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-2a)
Sec. 26-2a. A "truant" is defined as a child who is subject
to compulsory school attendance and who is absent without valid
cause, as defined under this Section, from such attendance for
more than 1% but less than 5% of the past 180 school days a
school day or portion thereof.
"Valid cause" for absence shall be illness, observance of a
religious holiday, death in the immediate family, family
emergency, and shall include such other situations beyond the
control of the student as determined by the board of education
in each district, or such other circumstances which cause
reasonable concern to the parent for the safety or health of
the student.
"Chronic or habitual truant" shall be defined as a child
who is subject to compulsory school attendance and who is
absent without valid cause from such attendance for 5% or more
of the previous 180 regular attendance days.
"Truant minor" is defined as a chronic truant to whom

HB5795 Engrossed - 2 - LRB100 19595 AXK 34866 b
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. 96-1423, eff. 8-3-10; 97-218, eff. 7-28-11.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
2018.