Public Act 0355 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB0407 Enrolled LRB104 06645 LNS 16681 b

Public Act 104-0355

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 adding Section 26-20 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/26-20 new)

Sec. 26-20. Chronic Absence Task Force.

(a) The Chronic Absence Task Force is created within the State Board of Education to study chronic absenteeism and to support the development of a State strategy to address the ongoing challenges presented by chronic absenteeism for students in early childhood education and care programs and students in grades kindergarten through 12.

(b) The Task Force shall consist of the following members:

(1) the State Superintendent of Education or the State Superintendent's designee;

(2) the Secretary of Early Childhood or the Secretary's designee;

(3) the following persons, each appointed by the State Superintendent of Education:

(A) one expert in children's disabilities, impairments, and social-emotional issues;

(B) one member who represents a nonprofit organization that advocates for students in temporary living situations;

(C) one member who represents school social workers;

(D) one member who represents a statewide professional teachers' organization who is a currently employed teacher;

(E) one member who represents a different statewide professional teachers' organization who is a currently employed teacher;

(F) one member who represents a professional teachers' organization in a city having a population exceeding 500,000 who is a currently employed teacher;

(G) one member who represents an association for school administrators;

(H) one member who represents an association for school board members;

(I) one member who represents an association for school principals;

(J) 3 members who represent an association for regional superintendents of schools from different parts of the State;

(K) one member who represents an association for high school districts;

(L) one member who represents an association for large unit school districts;

(M) one member who represents a school district in a western suburb of the City of Chicago;

(N) one member who represents a nonprofit organization that advocates for children in foster care;

(O) one member who represents an organization for charter schools in this State; and

(P) one member representing an early childhood advocacy organization.

(c) Task Force members shall serve without compensation.

(d) The Task Force shall meet initially at the call of the State Superintendent of Education. The State Superintendent or the State Superintendent's designee shall serve as chairperson of the Task Force. For every meeting after the initial meeting, the Task Force shall meet at the call of the chairperson.

(e) The State Board of Education shall provide administrative support to the Task Force.

(f) The Task Force may allow testimony from the public regarding the chronic absence of students.

(g) The Task Force shall identify strategies, mechanisms, and approaches to help families, educators, principals, superintendents, and the State Board of Education address and mitigate the high rates of chronic absence of students in State-funded early-childhood programs and public-school students in grades kindergarten through 12 and shall recommend the following to the General Assembly and the State Board of Education:

(1) a coherent State strategy for addressing the high rates of chronic absenteeism in this State;

(2) State goals for a reduction in chronic absenteeism;

(3) changes related to State Board of Education policies regarding chronic absences, truancy, and attendance that are consistent with federal law and the State Board of Education's approved plan under the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965;

(4) State policies or initiatives to be established in order to mitigate and prevent chronic absenteeism; and

(5) evidence-based practices for using attendance and chronic absenteeism data to create a multitiered system of support that promotes ongoing professional development and equips school-based and community-based personnel with the skills and knowledge necessary to reduce contributing factors to chronic absenteeism in State-funded early-childhood programs and public elementary and secondary schools, which will result in students being ready for college and a career.

(h) The Task Force shall submit a report to the General Assembly and the State Board of Education no later than December 15, 2027.

(i) The Task Force is dissolved and this Section is repealed on January 31, 2028.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.