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| | HB3097 Engrossed | | LRB104 10902 LNS 20984 b |
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| 1 | | AN ACT concerning education.
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| 2 | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, |
| 3 | | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | | Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section |
| 5 | | 22-87 as follows:
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| 6 | | (105 ILCS 5/22-87) |
| 7 | | Sec. 22-87. Graduation requirements; Free Application for |
| 8 | | Federal Student Aid. |
| 9 | | (a) Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, in addition |
| 10 | | to any other requirements under this Code, as a prerequisite |
| 11 | | to receiving a high school diploma from a public high school, |
| 12 | | the parent or guardian of each student or, if a student is at |
| 13 | | least 18 years of age or legally emancipated, the student must |
| 14 | | comply with either of the following: |
| 15 | | (1) File a Free Application for Federal Student Aid |
| 16 | | with the United States Department of Education or, if |
| 17 | | applicable, an application for State financial aid. |
| 18 | | (2) On a form created by the State Board of Education, |
| 19 | | file a waiver with the student's school district |
| 20 | | indicating that the parent or guardian or, if applicable, |
| 21 | | the student understands what the Free Application for |
| 22 | | Federal Student Aid and application for State financial |
| 23 | | aid are and has chosen not to file an application under |
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| | HB3097 Engrossed | - 2 - | LRB104 10902 LNS 20984 b |
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| 1 | | paragraph (1). |
| 2 | | (b) Each school district with a high school must require |
| 3 | | each high school student to comply with this Section and must |
| 4 | | provide to each high school student and, if applicable, his or |
| 5 | | her parent or guardian any support or assistance necessary to |
| 6 | | comply with this Section. |
| 7 | | Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, the school |
| 8 | | district shall provide appropriate support to each high school |
| 9 | | student to assist with education about and the completion of a |
| 10 | | financial aid application as described in subsection (a). This |
| 11 | | support may be offered in a variety of formats, times, and |
| 12 | | settings and shall include an opportunity for the student to |
| 13 | | request and receive help during the school day in completing |
| 14 | | the student's portion of the financial aid application. The |
| 15 | | high school may request assistance from the Illinois Student |
| 16 | | Assistance Commission to support the completion of financial |
| 17 | | aid applications, including application completion events and |
| 18 | | individual assistance, at no cost to the high school. |
| 19 | | A high school student may choose whether to use the |
| 20 | | support or assistance provided under this Section. |
| 21 | | A school district must award a high school diploma to a |
| 22 | | student who is unable to meet the requirements of subsection |
| 23 | | (a) due to extenuating circumstances, as determined by the |
| 24 | | school district, if (i) the student has met all other |
| 25 | | graduation requirements under this Code and (ii) the principal |
| 26 | | attests that the school district has made a good faith effort |