Section 829.50  Educational Programs and Activities

a)         General Practices

1)         All courses shall be open to students regardless of their sex, although students may be segregated by sex during class sessions or portions of class sessions that deal exclusively with human sexuality.

2)         Students shall be advised to take courses consistent with their interests and abilities, regardless of their sex.

3)         Neither course titles nor course descriptions shall discourage either sex from enrolling.

4)         Course prerequisites and course requirements shall be the same for both sexes.

5)         Course content and course objectives shall not discriminate on the basis of sex.

b)         Selected Program Areas

1)         Music

A)        Students shall not be separated according to sex when participating in voice instruction, although divisions within a class may be established on the basis of vocal range and quality.

B)        The study of musical instruments shall be suited to students' individual interests and abilities, regardless of their sex.

2)         Physical Education

A)        Each physical education class shall be open equally to both sexes.

i)          Instructional portions of all physical education classes shall be coeducational.

ii)         A student may be segregated by sex during participation in a contact sport, upon parental or guardian request or when the student's safety is at jeopardy.

B)        When assignments to classes or portions of classes are based on ability levels, group composition shall be determined by objective standards of individual performance developed and applied without regard to sex, and students shall be re-grouped at appropriate intervals, e.g., when substantial changes occur in either teaching objectives or student ability levels.

C)        If the use of a single standard for measuring skill or progress in a physical education class results in discrimination against members of either sex, appropriate standards that do not have that effect shall be used.

D)        Neither physical education classes nor areas where those classes are conducted shall be designated by sex.

3)         Special Education

A)        Special education referral, testing and placement practices shall not discriminate on the basis of sex.

B)        Classes and related services for students with disabilities shall not discriminate on the basis of sex.

4)         Gifted Education

A)        Gifted education referral, testing and placement practices shall not discriminate on the basis of sex.

B)        Programs and classes or related services for gifted students shall not discriminate on the basis of sex.

5)         Technical and Career Education

A)        Students shall be provided opportunities to acquire knowledge and understanding of technical and career options without discrimination on the basis of sex.

B)        Materials used in technical and career education shall not discriminate on the basis of sex.

c)         Classroom Practices

1)         Classroom practices shall not discriminate on the basis of sex.

2)         Teaching methods shall in no way inhibit the participation of any student on the basis of sex.

3)         The history, roles and contributions of both sexes shall be presented on a comparable basis in curricular areas.

4)         Teachers shall utilize methods designed to counteract sex bias in instructional materials.

5)         Instructional materials shall not be discriminatory against either sex.

(Source:  Amended at 37 Ill. Reg. 6368, effective April 25, 2013)