093_SB1146
LRB093 06202 NHT 06312 b
1 AN ACT relating to schools.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing
5 Section 27-23.1 as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/27-23.1) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-23.1)
7 Sec. 27-23.1. Parenting and family education. School
8 districts may provide instruction in parenting and family
9 education for grades 6 through 8. Beginning with the
10 2006-2007 school year, school districts shall provide and
11 students shall receive at least one unit of instruction in
12 parenting and family education (which unit must consist of at
13 least 23 hours of classroom instruction) in at least one of
14 grades 9 through 12. School districts may and include such
15 instruction in the courses of study regularly taught therein.
16 School districts may give regular school credit for
17 satisfactory completion by the student of such courses.
18 However, no pupil shall be required to take or participate in
19 a course or unit of instruction on parenting and family
20 education if the pupil's parent or guardian furnishes the
21 principal or teacher with a written objection to the pupil's
22 participation in that course or unit of instruction. A
23 refusal to participate in a course or unit of instruction on
24 parenting and family education by a pupil whose parent or
25 guardian has submitted a written objection as provided in
26 this Section shall not be reason for failing, reducing the
27 grade of, suspending, or expelling that pupil.
28 As used in this Section, "parenting and family education"
29 means and includes instruction in the following:
30 (1) Child growth and development, including prenatal
31 development.
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1 (2) Childbirth and child care.
2 (3) Family structure, function and management.
3 (4) Prenatal and postnatal care for mothers and infants.
4 (5) Prevention of child abuse.
5 (6) The physical, mental, emotional, social, economic
6 and psychological aspects of interpersonal and family
7 relationships.
8 (7) Parenting skill development.
9 The State Board of Education shall assist those districts
10 offering parenting and family education instruction, upon
11 request, in developing instructional materials, training
12 teachers, and establishing appropriate time allotments for
13 each of the areas included in such instruction.
14 School districts may offer parenting and family education
15 courses during that period of the day which is not part of
16 the regular school day, except that the instruction required
17 by this Section to be provided in at least one of grades 9
18 through 12 shall be provided during the regular school day.
19 Residents of the school district may enroll in such courses.
20 The school board may establish fees and collect such charges
21 as may be necessary for attendance at such courses in an
22 amount not to exceed the per capita cost of the operation
23 thereof, except that (i) no charge for the instruction shall
24 be made to students in any of grades 9 through 12, and (ii)
25 the board may waive all or part of such charges if it
26 determines that the individual is indigent or that the
27 educational needs of the individual requires his or her
28 attendance at such courses.
29 (Source: P.A. 84-534.)