101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2019 and 2020
SB4023

 

Introduced 1/4/2021, by Sen. Jacqueline Y. Collins

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/2-3.164

    Amends the School Code. Requires the Attendance Commission to include in its annual recommendations made to the General Assembly and the State Board of Education mechanisms to facilitate a statewide, cross-sector study and analysis of prekindergarten through grade 12 student attendance and absenteeism rates occurring throughout the duration of the use of remote learning as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Requires the study and analysis to focus on the ensuing impact that remote learning has had on students, schools, and communities while also examining the disparities in the equity of accessibility and availability of learning resources that have impeded the attendance and academic success of students and that have been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Extends the date that the Commission is abolished to December 16, 2022 (from December 16, 2020). Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB4023LRB101 22441 CMG 73520 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
52-3.164 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.164)
7    (Section scheduled to be repealed on December 16, 2020)
8    Sec. 2-3.164. Attendance Commission.
9    (a) The Attendance Commission is created within the State
10Board of Education to study the issue of chronic absenteeism in
11this State and make recommendations for strategies to prevent
12chronic absenteeism. The Commission shall consist of all of the
13following members:
14        (1) The Director of the Department of Children and
15    Family Services or his or her designee.
16        (2) The Chairperson of the State Board of Education or
17    his or her designee.
18        (3) The Chairperson of the Board of Higher Education or
19    his or her designee.
20        (4) The Secretary of the Department of Human Services
21    or his or her designee.
22        (5) The Director of the Department of Public Health or
23    his or her designee.

 

 

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1        (6) The Chairperson of the Illinois Community College
2    Board or his or her designee.
3        (7) The Chairperson of the State Charter School
4    Commission or his or her designee.
5        (8) An individual that deals with children's
6    disabilities, impairments, and social emotional issues,
7    appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
8        (9) One member from each of the following
9    organizations, appointed by the State Superintendent of
10    Education:
11            (A) A non-profit organization that advocates for
12        students in temporary living situations.
13            (B) An Illinois-focused, non-profit organization
14        that advocates for the well-being of all children and
15        families in this State.
16            (C) An Illinois non-profit, anti-crime
17        organization of law enforcement that researches and
18        recommends early learning and youth development
19        strategies to reduce crime.
20            (D) An Illinois non-profit organization that
21        conducts community-organizing around family issues.
22            (E) A statewide professional teachers'
23        organization.
24            (F) A different statewide professional teachers'
25        organization.
26            (G) A professional teachers' organization in a

 

 

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1        city having a population exceeding 500,000.
2            (H) An association representing school
3        administrators.
4            (I) An association representing school board
5        members.
6            (J) An association representing school principals.
7            (K) An association representing regional
8        superintendents of schools.
9            (L) An association representing parents.
10            (M) An association representing high school
11        districts.
12            (N) An association representing large unit
13        districts.
14            (O) An organization that advocates for healthier
15        school environments in Illinois.
16            (P) An organization that advocates for the health
17        and safety of Illinois youth and families by providing
18        capacity building services.
19            (Q) A statewide association of local philanthropic
20        organizations that advocates for effective
21        educational, health, and human service policies to
22        improve this State's communities.
23            (R) A statewide organization that advocates for
24        partnerships among schools, families, and the
25        community that provide access to support and remove
26        barriers to learning and development, using schools as

 

 

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1        hubs.
2            (S) An organization representing statewide
3        programs actively involved in truancy intervention.
4    Attendance Commission members shall serve without
5compensation but shall be reimbursed for their travel expenses
6from appropriations to the State Board of Education available
7for that purpose and subject to the rules of the appropriate
8travel control board.
9    (b) The Attendance Commission shall meet initially at the
10call of the State Superintendent of Education. The members
11shall elect a chairperson at their initial meeting. Thereafter,
12the Attendance Commission shall meet at the call of the
13chairperson. The Attendance Commission shall hold hearings on a
14periodic basis to receive testimony from the public regarding
15attendance.
16    (c) The Attendance Commission shall identify strategies,
17mechanisms, and approaches to help parents, educators,
18principals, superintendents, and the State Board of Education
19address and prevent chronic absenteeism and shall recommend to
20the General Assembly and State Board of Education:
21        (1) a standard for attendance and chronic absenteeism,
22    defining attendance as a calculation of standard clock
23    hours in a day that equal a full day based on instructional
24    minutes for both a half day and a full day per learning
25    environment;
26        (2) mechanisms to improve data systems to monitor and

 

 

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1    track chronic absenteeism across this State in a way that
2    identifies trends from prekindergarten through grade 12
3    and allows the identification of students who need
4    individualized chronic absenteeism prevention plans;
5        (3) mechanisms for reporting and accountability for
6    schools and districts across this State, including
7    creating multiple measure indexes for reporting;
8        (4) best practices for utilizing attendance and
9    chronic absenteeism data to create multi-tiered systems of
10    support and prevention that will result in students being
11    ready for college and career; and
12        (5) new initiatives and responses to ongoing
13    challenges presented by chronic absenteeism; and .
14        (6) mechanisms to facilitate a statewide, cross-sector
15    study and analysis of prekindergarten through grade 12
16    student attendance and absenteeism rates occurring
17    throughout the duration of the use of remote learning under
18    Sections 10-30 and 34-18.66 and initially implemented
19    during the spring term of the 2019-2020 school year as a
20    result of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The study
21    and analysis must focus on the ensuing impact that remote
22    learning has had on students, schools, and communities
23    while also examining the disparities in the equity of
24    accessibility and availability of learning resources that
25    have impeded the attendance and academic success of
26    students and that have been highlighted by the COVID-19

 

 

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1    pandemic.
2    (d) The State Board of Education shall provide
3administrative support to the Commission. The Attendance
4Commission shall submit an initial report to the General
5Assembly and the State Board of Education no later than March
615, 2016. The Attendance Commission shall submit an annual
7report to the General Assembly and the State Board of Education
8no later than December 15, 2016 and each December 15
9thereafter.
10    (e) The Attendance Commission is abolished and this Section
11is repealed on December 16, 2022 2020.
12(Source: P.A. 99-432, eff. 8-21-15; 99-601, eff. 7-22-16;
1399-642, eff. 7-28-16.)
 
14    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
15becoming law.