(105 ILCS 5/10-19) (from Ch. 122, par. 10-19)
Sec. 10-19. Length of school term - experimental programs. Each school
board shall annually prepare a calendar for the school term, specifying
the opening and closing dates and providing a minimum term of at least 185
days to insure 176 days of actual pupil attendance, computable under Section 10-19.05, except that for the 1980-1981 school year only 175 days
of actual
pupil attendance shall be required because of the closing of schools pursuant
to Section 24-2 on January 29, 1981 upon the appointment by the President
of that day as a day of thanksgiving for the freedom of the Americans who
had been held hostage in Iran. Any days allowed by law for teachers' institutes
but not used as such or used as parental institutes as provided
in Section 10-22.18d shall increase the minimum term by the school days not
so used. Except as provided in Section 10-19.1, the board may not extend
the school term beyond such closing date unless that extension of term is
necessary to provide the minimum number of computable days. In case of
such necessary extension school employees
shall be paid for such additional time on the basis of their regular
contracts. A school board may specify a closing date earlier than that
set on the annual calendar when the schools of the district have
provided the minimum number of computable days under this Section.
Nothing in this Section prevents the board from employing
superintendents of schools, principals and other nonteaching personnel
for a period of 12 months, or in the case of superintendents for a
period in accordance with Section 10-23.8, or prevents the board from
employing other personnel before or after the regular school term with
payment of salary proportionate to that received for comparable work
during the school term. Remote learning days, blended remote learning days, and up to 5 remote and blended remote learning planning days established under Section 10-30 or 34-18.66 shall be deemed pupil attendance days for calculation of the length of a school term under this Section.
A school board may make such changes in its calendar for the school term
as may be required by any changes in the legal school holidays prescribed
in Section 24-2. A school board may make changes in its calendar for the
school term as may be necessary to reflect the utilization of teachers'
institute days as parental institute days as provided in Section 10-22.18d.
The calendar for the school term and any changes must be submitted to and approved by the regional superintendent of schools before the calendar or changes may take effect.
With the prior approval of the State Board of Education and subject
to review by the State Board of Education every 3 years, any school
board may, by resolution of its board and in agreement with affected
exclusive collective bargaining agents, establish experimental
educational programs, including but not limited to programs for e-learning days as authorized under Section 10-20.56 of this Code,
self-directed learning, or outside of formal class periods, which programs
when so approved shall be considered to comply with the requirements of
this Section as respects numbers of days of actual pupil attendance and
with the other requirements of this Act as respects courses of instruction.
(Source: P.A. 100-465, eff. 8-31-17; 101-12, eff. 7-1-19; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)
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